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American Morning

Interview With HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt; Killen Murder Trial Begins Today; Contractor Controversy

Aired June 16, 2005 - 07:30   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, everybody. If you're just getting up, it's 7:30 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
In a moment here, we will talk to one member of this group of U.S. contractors. Marines stopped them and their convoy, later kicked them out of Iraq and told them not to come back.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The contractors say they were mistreated. The Marines say, well, the contractors were acting recklessly. We're going to find out a little bit more about exactly what happened.

HEMMER: That's up in a moment.

All right, first the headlines, and to Carol for those and more news from Iraq.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More news from Iraq, indeed. Good morning, everyone.

"Now in the News."

A pair of car bombs target Iraqi forces this morning. At least four police officers were killed in a car bomb explosion at an oil company in Kirkuk. Earlier, a car bomb wounded five Iraqi soldiers patrolling a neighborhood in Baghdad. And five U.S. Marines were killed on Wednesday by a roadside bomb in Ramadi. A sailor with the unit also died from small-arms fire in a separate incident. So far, more than 1,700 American troops have been killed since the Iraq war began.

A small bipartisan group in the House is urging President Bush to consider a plan to pull out U.S. troops from Iraq. Two Republicans and two Democrats are calling for troops to start coming home by October 2006. This is the first such resolution put forth by both parties. The Bush administration has set a timetable for withdrawal. It cannot be considered until Iraqi forces are strong enough to take over.

A hostage standoff at an international school in Cambodia is over. Police say two gunmen were killed and two others captured as they tried to escape the school in northwest Cambodia. We're just getting in these pictures now. They show the end of the standoff. More than 50 elementary school students and teachers had been taken hostage. A 5-year-old Canadian girl was also killed in this siege. Cambodian officials call the gunmen drug-addicted bandits.

A judge in Aruba is expected to rule today on two matters in the case of that Alabama missing teenager. Police on Wednesday seized two cars and removed bagfuls of items from the home of a local judge whose son is among three suspects still in custody. Authorities did not say what led them to search the home or what they took. Natalee Holloway has been missing since May 30. She was last seen leaving a nightclub with the three men in custody. And, hopefully we'll get more information on what they took from that house later.

HEMMER: Sure. Maybe that story will move today. Thank you, Carol.

O'BRIEN: It's moving so slowly, that story.

COSTELLO: I can't imagine the parents.

O'BRIEN: Brutal.

COSTELLO: Yes.

HEMMER: Thanks, Carol.

A bit later today, President Bush kicks off a nationwide outreach campaign, set out to educate seniors about a new Medicare prescription drug program that begins in January.

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt is my guest now from the White House.

Secretary Leavitt, good morning to you.

MIKE LEAVITT, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: And good morning to you.

HEMMER: Let me set you up for your biggest sales pitch. What does this do for seniors in America?

LEAVITT: Well, it's an important piece of news for all seniors, anyone 65 years of age or older, or who would otherwise qualify for Medicare. They're eligible for the new Medicare prescription drug insurance plan. There will be a lot of different plans. The choice -- the job of every consumer now will be to just choose the plan that's best for them.

There are three important time periods. The first one, right now, just learning about the plan. Then November the 15th, enrollment will begin. And then on January 1, the plan will become effective.

There are a number of reasons for citizens -- senior citizens to do this. One is, it will help them stay healthy. The second is, it will save them money. And the last, it will give them a sense of peace of mind that a prescription drug problem will never put them into a compromised financial position. HEMMER: All right. Of those three you just mentioned there, let's take item number two, the money issue you raised there. Critics say even after this plan goes into effect, and if as a senior you choose to be a beneficiary of it, you're still paying a lot of money after the benefit is essentially handed out. On an annual basis, what can you say each senior will expect to pay going forward if they sign up in January?

LEAVITT: Well, it will depend on their personal situation. About a third of our citizens will pay nothing. As their income is greater, they'll pay a little more. But the average would be -- the maximum they'll pay would be around $37 a month. So, it's a very inexpensive, affordable plan.

The most important part is we want every senior to have access to it, because it will help them stay healthy. It will give them peace of mind.

This is really, as a country, about a step toward wellness. I was administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for a time. And when I was there, we learned that it's a lot easier to prevent pollution than it is to clean it up after. The same thing is true with disease. It's a lot easier for people to stay well than be treated after. And having this drug benefit is a way to keep America healthier, and in the long run will save money.

HEMMER: Yes, I want to get to the education issue, too, you mentioned there, too, a moment ago. But first, some critics are saying this is fiscal madness. Others are saying over a 10-year period the price tag is well over $700 billion. Can the government afford this?

LEAVITT: The government can afford it, and we will. But what we can't afford is to have people continue as they move toward -- as the baby boomer generation moves toward a period of their life that will be health-care intensive, we can't afford not to deal with the issue of how we keep America well as opposed to simply treating them after they're sick. Being able to provide them with this drug benefit is one way.

In addition there is welcome to Medicare physical. It allows every senior a chance to be able to assess their wellness as they move into these important health care years.

HEMMER: Well, as the president goes out today, and you continue the message about education, are you concerned that seniors will have a tough time learning how to navigate the new rules in this program?

LEAVITT: We're going to provide them with a lot of information. For example, if they're interested to start learning about it now, they can call 1-800-Medicare, or they could go on the Web site, www.medicare.gov. Or they'll be able to get information from senior centers, from the Social Security Administration. Medicare will be giving them information.

We're also hopeful that children will begin to learn about this so that they can help their parents make this very important decision.

HEMMER: Well, we'll watch it today. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt is my guest down there at the White House. The campaign begins online January 1. Thank you, sir.

LEAVITT: Thank you.

HEMMER: Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Well, opening statements today in the murder trial of Edgar Ray Killen. The 80-year-old former preacher is accused of being the mastermind behind the killings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi back in 1964.

CNN's Ed Lavandera live for us in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Ed -- good morning to you.

Just how is this small town reacting to this pretty giant trial?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Soledad, there is no question people are paying attention. But here in the town square with the streets mostly barricaded, people are staying away and watching from a distance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice over): Scenes like this are pretty common in Philadelphia, Mississippi, home to some 7,000 people: blacks and whites fishing together as friends. And not far from here, black and white officers stand side by side guarding the intensely-secured courthouse, where Edgar Ray Killen is on trial for murdering three civil rights workers.

There is a certain irony watching black officers assigned to protect Killen, a reputed Klansman, as he's brought to court each morning. But just how much has really changed here is where the debate starts.

Roscoe Jones was friends with two of the victims, Michael Schwerner and James Cheney. In the summer of 1964, Jones worked to register black voters. Today, he says too many people are still blind to what happened here 41 years ago.

ROSCOE JONES, VICTIMS' FRIEND: A lot of people don't want to be here. Good or bad, they don't want to be here. But what they fail to realize is that it affects their lives, regardless. This is history. And, you know, if you don't know your past, you definitely won't know your future.

LAVANDERA: Many people still prefer not to talk about what happened. Reliving the past, they say, doesn't help.

Linda Sue Clark doesn't think Killen is a killer, and says this trial only hurts her hometown. LINDA SUE CLARK, PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI RESIDENT: It is making people nervous and even more prejudiced, and it shouldn't, you know. It's flaring up old hate, and that's all it's doing.

LAVANDERA: But for some, expectations are high the trial will continue to help this city heal the wounds of its racially violent past.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This may or may not lift it up a little bit, make people know that you're all created equal and you have to treat people the same. You have to respect people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: The prosecution will start putting on its first witnesses this morning. We expect to hear from family members of the three civil rights workers, as well as former Klansmen, who will testify against Edgar Ray Killen. Of course, many people here are paying attention to the makeup of the jury. It is made up of nine white jurors and three black, ranging in age from 27 to 72 -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ed, you know, we saw pictures that you showed of blacks and whites together as friends really in this community now. But, of course, there's been lots and lots of controversy about the Ku Klux Klan's involvement in this trial, right?

LAVANDERA: Absolutely. You know, one of Killen's defense attorneys on Monday had been talking about that Killen was -- his connection with the KKK was irrelevant to all of this, and had denied that he was involved with the KKK. But in opening statements yesterday afternoon, defense attorneys acknowledged that Killen was affiliated with the KKK, but they say the Klan is not on trial here.

O'BRIEN: Well, there's no question there's lots of interest in this trial. It's really going to change that small town. Ed Lavandera for us this morning. Ed, thanks a lot.

LAVANDERA: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 20 minutes before the hour. A check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, American workers say they were wrongly detained by Marines in Iraq, and say this videotape backs up their story. Both sides, though, are pointing fingers. We'll talk with one of those workers in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: And then later, why a major cell phone company doesn't want you talking, and it's going so far as to tell the feds about it. We'll explain as we mind your business ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: More on a story we first told you about on Wednesday. A group of American workers say they were abused by U.S. Marines in Iraq last week. The Marines deny that. They say the armed contractors were speeding through the streets of Falluja, firing their weapons indiscriminately. They were arrested, the contractors, held for three days, and then finally kicked out of the country.

Peter Ginter is one of the workers who was detained. His attorney, Mark Schopper, is also with him this morning. They're both in Reno, Nevada.

Nice to see you guys. Thanks for talking with us. Appreciate your time.

Pete, let's start with you. What exactly were you doing in Iraq?

PETER GINTER, PRIVATE CONTRACTOR IN IRAQ: I was a security contractor doing PSD and convoy missions.

O'BRIEN: PSD means what?

GINTER: Personal security detachment.

O'BRIEN: So, you were on a mission in Falluja and returning from that mission, I understand, when you had this run-in with the Marines. What exactly happened?

GINTER: Well, ma'am, as we were going through Falluja, I heard shots fired. I took a defendable position inside the vehicle, yelled out to my comrades, 'Shots fired.' And we continued on. We made the turn left onto ECP 6. That's where we -- the guy in front of me got a flat tire. And we stopped the convoy, set up defendable positions, and started to change the tire, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: OK. And then what happened? The Marines obviously came in.

GINTER: Yes. After we changed the tire, we were getting ready to leave again. And approximately four to five Marines came out, stopped the convoy commander, spoke to the convoy commander. The convoy commander came back to us and told us that we needed to pull into EPC 6.

O'BRIEN: And then what happened? They took you into custody essentially.

GINTER: We stayed there for approximately two hours waiting. And then they asked us to give up our weapons, turn over our vehicles, and take a ride with them down to Camp Falluja.

O'BRIEN: And they stripped you, left you in your undergarments, right? And tied your hands together, am I right?

GINTER: Yes ma'am. Once we arrived at Camp Falluja, we were detained by the colonel. We stayed in his office, the meeting room, for approximately two, two-and-a half hours. And that's when I went outside, and I was detained there.

O'BRIEN: So, you are claiming that you were abused by the Marines. Why are you making that claim?

GINTER: Yes, ma'am. As I was coming back from the restroom, the Marines looked over at me and they said, "That's one of them." The first man snatched me up, threw me to the ground and asked me to interlace my fingers, which I did. They asked me to cross my ankles. But at the time I could not cross my ankles. They kicked my shin over into the submission point to where it would, you know, lock my ankles.

O'BRIEN: You know, of course, what the Marines are claiming. They say that you guys were driving through the city and firing indiscriminately. And, in fact, at one point you actually hit a checkpoint. Do they have a point where you're doing that?

GINTER: No, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: You weren't firing your weapons at any time?

GINTER: There was one time that we did have to fire weapons, and it was right before the bridge in Falluja.

O'BRIEN: The Marine general in a letter that was issued following this event said this. He said you were "Speeding through the city, firing shots indiscriminately. In addition, you were in possession of numerous unauthorized weapons. Your action endangered the lives of innocent Iraqis and U.S. service members in the area."

How do you respond to that?

GINTER: I'd have to refer that question to my lawyer, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: OK. Then, let's refer that question to your lawyer, who is sitting next to you. Mr. Schopper, how do you respond to that? I mean, is it not true? Did they have unauthorized weapons? Were they speeding through the city?

MARK SCHOPPER, CONTRACTOR'S ATTORNEY: First off, all of the convoys speed through the city. That's standard. You don't drive slowly through a city in which people are shooting at you. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Second of all, they're accused of shooting at the Marines two times, one I believe at 1400 hours. That would be 2:00. At which time they were in another part of the city on a Marine Corps base, making it impossible for them to shoot at Marines. The Marines Corps could have easily checked that out. They didn't.

Later in the day when this convoy actually passed through that area, they were fired upon, which was confirmed by the FBI. They didn't fire at any civilians. They didn't fire at the Marines Corps.

In fact, the Marines Corps originally claimed that they had shot up the guard tower. When they asked to see the gourd tower and take pictures of it, that was denied. The Marines Corps then changed their story and said, well, you shot at the guard tower.

It doesn't appear that there's any real reason. In fact, like I said, there is absolute evidence that they were on another base, Camp Victory, at the time this shooting, the first shooting supposedly took place.

I think this is one of those situations where the Marines Corps just got terribly out of hand, and these guys were the victims. I mean, they were clearly antagonized, abused physically. Pete didn't have the chance to tell you, he had his head bounced off the cement. He had his cross ripped from his neck. He was slammed to the ground, as well as other Marines, my other clients included. This is unprecedented.

O'BRIEN: So then, what are you looking for? Are you getting ready to file a lawsuit against the military? What's your goal?

SCHOPPER: I think it's premature to talk about lawsuits. First and foremost, we want to clear these guys' names. Clearly, they have been psychologically, physically and financially damaged. But more importantly, let's not forget their American civil rights don't leave them at the border.

Moreover, a rogue Marine Corps commander in Iraq isn't free to disregard the United States constitution. These guys were held for three days. Their families weren't notified. They asked that their families be notified. They asked for attorneys. They asked for Red Cross and Amnesty International. All of these things were denied.

In fact, a number of the wives of these -- and let's call what it is. They're all veterans. They're all Special Forces, Marines, Delta Force, some of them retired. These are fine, upstanding Americans. Some of their families received threatening phone calls stating if they made a big deal of this, their husbands wouldn't make it home alive. Something went terribly awry over there.

O'BRIEN: So, let me ask Peter. And, Peter, I don't have much time for the answer to this. But when you say something went terribly awry, what's going on? Why do you think this happened?

GINTER: I'm not sure, ma'am. I'm in awe.

O'BRIEN: Peter Ginter and attorney Mark Schopper joining us from Reno, Nevada. We're out of time, gentlemen. Thanks for sharing your story with us this morning. We appreciate it.

GINTER: You're welcome.

SCHOPPER: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Let's get a break here, Soledad, at 8 minutes now before the hour. In a moment here, one -- why, rather, one cell phone company is pushing a ban on its own product. We'll explain this in "Minding Your Business." That's after a break here. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right. Welcome back, everyone.

For a change, one cell phone company says it does not want customers talking everywhere. We like this. A check of the markets, too.

Here's Gerri Willis, working for Andy Serwer today.

Good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Bill. How are you?

You know, this is a big surprise. Cingular Wireless is saying, you know, we know the FAA is studying the possibility of relaxing the ban on cell phone use in-flight. But guess what? We think it's a bad idea. In fact, what they said to the FAA in a letter, we believe there is a time and place for wireless phone conversations, and seldom does that include the confines of an airline flight. Shocking. They're saying tap, not talk. They're going to encourage passengers to e-mail and text message rather than shouting in their horn as they are flying.

HEMMER: Why don't we apply this rule to the restaurants down the street, too, huh?

WILLIS: Everywhere, right?

HEMMER: Around lunchtime, too.

WILLIS: Well, a curse and a blessing sometimes.

HEMMER: Yes. What happened with the markets yesterday?

WILLIS: The markets yesterday were up. And we can be up again today. Futures are strong. We're looking at some good housing news. And as you can see the numbers yesterday, it looks like the markets were on the roll. But you know how summertime is, light volume. The movements don't mean that much.

HEMMER: But that green arrow is better than a red arrow.

WILLIS: You bet.

HEMMER: Thanks, Gerri. See you next hour.

WILLIS: OK.

HEMMER: Soledad.

O'BRIEN: OK. No big surprise with this story. Runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks is cashing in on those cold feet. A celebrity publisher is buying the rights to the life stories of Wilbanks and her fiance, John Mason. They're also pitching the idea of a runaway bride movie. A shocker. The deal reportedly could be worth $500,000. The news, of course, is not sitting well with public officials in Georgia. The Gwinnett County D.A. says he is disturbed that Wilbanks is willing to profit from the case.

In just a moment, we're going to meet the mystery winner of last month's $250 million Powerball jackpot. We'll find out why he kept his identity a secret until now. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

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Aired June 16, 2005 - 07:30   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, everybody. If you're just getting up, it's 7:30 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
In a moment here, we will talk to one member of this group of U.S. contractors. Marines stopped them and their convoy, later kicked them out of Iraq and told them not to come back.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The contractors say they were mistreated. The Marines say, well, the contractors were acting recklessly. We're going to find out a little bit more about exactly what happened.

HEMMER: That's up in a moment.

All right, first the headlines, and to Carol for those and more news from Iraq.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More news from Iraq, indeed. Good morning, everyone.

"Now in the News."

A pair of car bombs target Iraqi forces this morning. At least four police officers were killed in a car bomb explosion at an oil company in Kirkuk. Earlier, a car bomb wounded five Iraqi soldiers patrolling a neighborhood in Baghdad. And five U.S. Marines were killed on Wednesday by a roadside bomb in Ramadi. A sailor with the unit also died from small-arms fire in a separate incident. So far, more than 1,700 American troops have been killed since the Iraq war began.

A small bipartisan group in the House is urging President Bush to consider a plan to pull out U.S. troops from Iraq. Two Republicans and two Democrats are calling for troops to start coming home by October 2006. This is the first such resolution put forth by both parties. The Bush administration has set a timetable for withdrawal. It cannot be considered until Iraqi forces are strong enough to take over.

A hostage standoff at an international school in Cambodia is over. Police say two gunmen were killed and two others captured as they tried to escape the school in northwest Cambodia. We're just getting in these pictures now. They show the end of the standoff. More than 50 elementary school students and teachers had been taken hostage. A 5-year-old Canadian girl was also killed in this siege. Cambodian officials call the gunmen drug-addicted bandits.

A judge in Aruba is expected to rule today on two matters in the case of that Alabama missing teenager. Police on Wednesday seized two cars and removed bagfuls of items from the home of a local judge whose son is among three suspects still in custody. Authorities did not say what led them to search the home or what they took. Natalee Holloway has been missing since May 30. She was last seen leaving a nightclub with the three men in custody. And, hopefully we'll get more information on what they took from that house later.

HEMMER: Sure. Maybe that story will move today. Thank you, Carol.

O'BRIEN: It's moving so slowly, that story.

COSTELLO: I can't imagine the parents.

O'BRIEN: Brutal.

COSTELLO: Yes.

HEMMER: Thanks, Carol.

A bit later today, President Bush kicks off a nationwide outreach campaign, set out to educate seniors about a new Medicare prescription drug program that begins in January.

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt is my guest now from the White House.

Secretary Leavitt, good morning to you.

MIKE LEAVITT, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: And good morning to you.

HEMMER: Let me set you up for your biggest sales pitch. What does this do for seniors in America?

LEAVITT: Well, it's an important piece of news for all seniors, anyone 65 years of age or older, or who would otherwise qualify for Medicare. They're eligible for the new Medicare prescription drug insurance plan. There will be a lot of different plans. The choice -- the job of every consumer now will be to just choose the plan that's best for them.

There are three important time periods. The first one, right now, just learning about the plan. Then November the 15th, enrollment will begin. And then on January 1, the plan will become effective.

There are a number of reasons for citizens -- senior citizens to do this. One is, it will help them stay healthy. The second is, it will save them money. And the last, it will give them a sense of peace of mind that a prescription drug problem will never put them into a compromised financial position. HEMMER: All right. Of those three you just mentioned there, let's take item number two, the money issue you raised there. Critics say even after this plan goes into effect, and if as a senior you choose to be a beneficiary of it, you're still paying a lot of money after the benefit is essentially handed out. On an annual basis, what can you say each senior will expect to pay going forward if they sign up in January?

LEAVITT: Well, it will depend on their personal situation. About a third of our citizens will pay nothing. As their income is greater, they'll pay a little more. But the average would be -- the maximum they'll pay would be around $37 a month. So, it's a very inexpensive, affordable plan.

The most important part is we want every senior to have access to it, because it will help them stay healthy. It will give them peace of mind.

This is really, as a country, about a step toward wellness. I was administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for a time. And when I was there, we learned that it's a lot easier to prevent pollution than it is to clean it up after. The same thing is true with disease. It's a lot easier for people to stay well than be treated after. And having this drug benefit is a way to keep America healthier, and in the long run will save money.

HEMMER: Yes, I want to get to the education issue, too, you mentioned there, too, a moment ago. But first, some critics are saying this is fiscal madness. Others are saying over a 10-year period the price tag is well over $700 billion. Can the government afford this?

LEAVITT: The government can afford it, and we will. But what we can't afford is to have people continue as they move toward -- as the baby boomer generation moves toward a period of their life that will be health-care intensive, we can't afford not to deal with the issue of how we keep America well as opposed to simply treating them after they're sick. Being able to provide them with this drug benefit is one way.

In addition there is welcome to Medicare physical. It allows every senior a chance to be able to assess their wellness as they move into these important health care years.

HEMMER: Well, as the president goes out today, and you continue the message about education, are you concerned that seniors will have a tough time learning how to navigate the new rules in this program?

LEAVITT: We're going to provide them with a lot of information. For example, if they're interested to start learning about it now, they can call 1-800-Medicare, or they could go on the Web site, www.medicare.gov. Or they'll be able to get information from senior centers, from the Social Security Administration. Medicare will be giving them information.

We're also hopeful that children will begin to learn about this so that they can help their parents make this very important decision.

HEMMER: Well, we'll watch it today. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt is my guest down there at the White House. The campaign begins online January 1. Thank you, sir.

LEAVITT: Thank you.

HEMMER: Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Well, opening statements today in the murder trial of Edgar Ray Killen. The 80-year-old former preacher is accused of being the mastermind behind the killings of three civil rights workers in Mississippi back in 1964.

CNN's Ed Lavandera live for us in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Ed -- good morning to you.

Just how is this small town reacting to this pretty giant trial?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Soledad, there is no question people are paying attention. But here in the town square with the streets mostly barricaded, people are staying away and watching from a distance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice over): Scenes like this are pretty common in Philadelphia, Mississippi, home to some 7,000 people: blacks and whites fishing together as friends. And not far from here, black and white officers stand side by side guarding the intensely-secured courthouse, where Edgar Ray Killen is on trial for murdering three civil rights workers.

There is a certain irony watching black officers assigned to protect Killen, a reputed Klansman, as he's brought to court each morning. But just how much has really changed here is where the debate starts.

Roscoe Jones was friends with two of the victims, Michael Schwerner and James Cheney. In the summer of 1964, Jones worked to register black voters. Today, he says too many people are still blind to what happened here 41 years ago.

ROSCOE JONES, VICTIMS' FRIEND: A lot of people don't want to be here. Good or bad, they don't want to be here. But what they fail to realize is that it affects their lives, regardless. This is history. And, you know, if you don't know your past, you definitely won't know your future.

LAVANDERA: Many people still prefer not to talk about what happened. Reliving the past, they say, doesn't help.

Linda Sue Clark doesn't think Killen is a killer, and says this trial only hurts her hometown. LINDA SUE CLARK, PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI RESIDENT: It is making people nervous and even more prejudiced, and it shouldn't, you know. It's flaring up old hate, and that's all it's doing.

LAVANDERA: But for some, expectations are high the trial will continue to help this city heal the wounds of its racially violent past.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This may or may not lift it up a little bit, make people know that you're all created equal and you have to treat people the same. You have to respect people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: The prosecution will start putting on its first witnesses this morning. We expect to hear from family members of the three civil rights workers, as well as former Klansmen, who will testify against Edgar Ray Killen. Of course, many people here are paying attention to the makeup of the jury. It is made up of nine white jurors and three black, ranging in age from 27 to 72 -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ed, you know, we saw pictures that you showed of blacks and whites together as friends really in this community now. But, of course, there's been lots and lots of controversy about the Ku Klux Klan's involvement in this trial, right?

LAVANDERA: Absolutely. You know, one of Killen's defense attorneys on Monday had been talking about that Killen was -- his connection with the KKK was irrelevant to all of this, and had denied that he was involved with the KKK. But in opening statements yesterday afternoon, defense attorneys acknowledged that Killen was affiliated with the KKK, but they say the Klan is not on trial here.

O'BRIEN: Well, there's no question there's lots of interest in this trial. It's really going to change that small town. Ed Lavandera for us this morning. Ed, thanks a lot.

LAVANDERA: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 20 minutes before the hour. A check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, American workers say they were wrongly detained by Marines in Iraq, and say this videotape backs up their story. Both sides, though, are pointing fingers. We'll talk with one of those workers in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: And then later, why a major cell phone company doesn't want you talking, and it's going so far as to tell the feds about it. We'll explain as we mind your business ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: More on a story we first told you about on Wednesday. A group of American workers say they were abused by U.S. Marines in Iraq last week. The Marines deny that. They say the armed contractors were speeding through the streets of Falluja, firing their weapons indiscriminately. They were arrested, the contractors, held for three days, and then finally kicked out of the country.

Peter Ginter is one of the workers who was detained. His attorney, Mark Schopper, is also with him this morning. They're both in Reno, Nevada.

Nice to see you guys. Thanks for talking with us. Appreciate your time.

Pete, let's start with you. What exactly were you doing in Iraq?

PETER GINTER, PRIVATE CONTRACTOR IN IRAQ: I was a security contractor doing PSD and convoy missions.

O'BRIEN: PSD means what?

GINTER: Personal security detachment.

O'BRIEN: So, you were on a mission in Falluja and returning from that mission, I understand, when you had this run-in with the Marines. What exactly happened?

GINTER: Well, ma'am, as we were going through Falluja, I heard shots fired. I took a defendable position inside the vehicle, yelled out to my comrades, 'Shots fired.' And we continued on. We made the turn left onto ECP 6. That's where we -- the guy in front of me got a flat tire. And we stopped the convoy, set up defendable positions, and started to change the tire, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: OK. And then what happened? The Marines obviously came in.

GINTER: Yes. After we changed the tire, we were getting ready to leave again. And approximately four to five Marines came out, stopped the convoy commander, spoke to the convoy commander. The convoy commander came back to us and told us that we needed to pull into EPC 6.

O'BRIEN: And then what happened? They took you into custody essentially.

GINTER: We stayed there for approximately two hours waiting. And then they asked us to give up our weapons, turn over our vehicles, and take a ride with them down to Camp Falluja.

O'BRIEN: And they stripped you, left you in your undergarments, right? And tied your hands together, am I right?

GINTER: Yes ma'am. Once we arrived at Camp Falluja, we were detained by the colonel. We stayed in his office, the meeting room, for approximately two, two-and-a half hours. And that's when I went outside, and I was detained there.

O'BRIEN: So, you are claiming that you were abused by the Marines. Why are you making that claim?

GINTER: Yes, ma'am. As I was coming back from the restroom, the Marines looked over at me and they said, "That's one of them." The first man snatched me up, threw me to the ground and asked me to interlace my fingers, which I did. They asked me to cross my ankles. But at the time I could not cross my ankles. They kicked my shin over into the submission point to where it would, you know, lock my ankles.

O'BRIEN: You know, of course, what the Marines are claiming. They say that you guys were driving through the city and firing indiscriminately. And, in fact, at one point you actually hit a checkpoint. Do they have a point where you're doing that?

GINTER: No, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: You weren't firing your weapons at any time?

GINTER: There was one time that we did have to fire weapons, and it was right before the bridge in Falluja.

O'BRIEN: The Marine general in a letter that was issued following this event said this. He said you were "Speeding through the city, firing shots indiscriminately. In addition, you were in possession of numerous unauthorized weapons. Your action endangered the lives of innocent Iraqis and U.S. service members in the area."

How do you respond to that?

GINTER: I'd have to refer that question to my lawyer, ma'am.

O'BRIEN: OK. Then, let's refer that question to your lawyer, who is sitting next to you. Mr. Schopper, how do you respond to that? I mean, is it not true? Did they have unauthorized weapons? Were they speeding through the city?

MARK SCHOPPER, CONTRACTOR'S ATTORNEY: First off, all of the convoys speed through the city. That's standard. You don't drive slowly through a city in which people are shooting at you. It makes no sense whatsoever.

Second of all, they're accused of shooting at the Marines two times, one I believe at 1400 hours. That would be 2:00. At which time they were in another part of the city on a Marine Corps base, making it impossible for them to shoot at Marines. The Marines Corps could have easily checked that out. They didn't.

Later in the day when this convoy actually passed through that area, they were fired upon, which was confirmed by the FBI. They didn't fire at any civilians. They didn't fire at the Marines Corps.

In fact, the Marines Corps originally claimed that they had shot up the guard tower. When they asked to see the gourd tower and take pictures of it, that was denied. The Marines Corps then changed their story and said, well, you shot at the guard tower.

It doesn't appear that there's any real reason. In fact, like I said, there is absolute evidence that they were on another base, Camp Victory, at the time this shooting, the first shooting supposedly took place.

I think this is one of those situations where the Marines Corps just got terribly out of hand, and these guys were the victims. I mean, they were clearly antagonized, abused physically. Pete didn't have the chance to tell you, he had his head bounced off the cement. He had his cross ripped from his neck. He was slammed to the ground, as well as other Marines, my other clients included. This is unprecedented.

O'BRIEN: So then, what are you looking for? Are you getting ready to file a lawsuit against the military? What's your goal?

SCHOPPER: I think it's premature to talk about lawsuits. First and foremost, we want to clear these guys' names. Clearly, they have been psychologically, physically and financially damaged. But more importantly, let's not forget their American civil rights don't leave them at the border.

Moreover, a rogue Marine Corps commander in Iraq isn't free to disregard the United States constitution. These guys were held for three days. Their families weren't notified. They asked that their families be notified. They asked for attorneys. They asked for Red Cross and Amnesty International. All of these things were denied.

In fact, a number of the wives of these -- and let's call what it is. They're all veterans. They're all Special Forces, Marines, Delta Force, some of them retired. These are fine, upstanding Americans. Some of their families received threatening phone calls stating if they made a big deal of this, their husbands wouldn't make it home alive. Something went terribly awry over there.

O'BRIEN: So, let me ask Peter. And, Peter, I don't have much time for the answer to this. But when you say something went terribly awry, what's going on? Why do you think this happened?

GINTER: I'm not sure, ma'am. I'm in awe.

O'BRIEN: Peter Ginter and attorney Mark Schopper joining us from Reno, Nevada. We're out of time, gentlemen. Thanks for sharing your story with us this morning. We appreciate it.

GINTER: You're welcome.

SCHOPPER: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Let's get a break here, Soledad, at 8 minutes now before the hour. In a moment here, one -- why, rather, one cell phone company is pushing a ban on its own product. We'll explain this in "Minding Your Business." That's after a break here. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right. Welcome back, everyone.

For a change, one cell phone company says it does not want customers talking everywhere. We like this. A check of the markets, too.

Here's Gerri Willis, working for Andy Serwer today.

Good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Bill. How are you?

You know, this is a big surprise. Cingular Wireless is saying, you know, we know the FAA is studying the possibility of relaxing the ban on cell phone use in-flight. But guess what? We think it's a bad idea. In fact, what they said to the FAA in a letter, we believe there is a time and place for wireless phone conversations, and seldom does that include the confines of an airline flight. Shocking. They're saying tap, not talk. They're going to encourage passengers to e-mail and text message rather than shouting in their horn as they are flying.

HEMMER: Why don't we apply this rule to the restaurants down the street, too, huh?

WILLIS: Everywhere, right?

HEMMER: Around lunchtime, too.

WILLIS: Well, a curse and a blessing sometimes.

HEMMER: Yes. What happened with the markets yesterday?

WILLIS: The markets yesterday were up. And we can be up again today. Futures are strong. We're looking at some good housing news. And as you can see the numbers yesterday, it looks like the markets were on the roll. But you know how summertime is, light volume. The movements don't mean that much.

HEMMER: But that green arrow is better than a red arrow.

WILLIS: You bet.

HEMMER: Thanks, Gerri. See you next hour.

WILLIS: OK.

HEMMER: Soledad.

O'BRIEN: OK. No big surprise with this story. Runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks is cashing in on those cold feet. A celebrity publisher is buying the rights to the life stories of Wilbanks and her fiance, John Mason. They're also pitching the idea of a runaway bride movie. A shocker. The deal reportedly could be worth $500,000. The news, of course, is not sitting well with public officials in Georgia. The Gwinnett County D.A. says he is disturbed that Wilbanks is willing to profit from the case.

In just a moment, we're going to meet the mystery winner of last month's $250 million Powerball jackpot. We'll find out why he kept his identity a secret until now. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

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