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Paula Zahn Now

Violent Weather Sweeps Across Country; Fake Doctor?; Louisiana Murderer Still on the Loose

Aired April 07, 2006 - 20:00   ET

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

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. And thank you all for joining us.
Tonight, we're keeping a very close eye on the sky and the storms that have killed at least eight people in just the past few hours.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN (voice-over): Winds of destruction, tornadoes, hail, lightning sweeping across much of the United States. Where are the worst storms right now, and where are they heading?

The "Eye Opener" -- his Web site promised a treatment that would help her painful condition. But she says it only made it worse.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like you were just emotionally taken over.

ZAHN: But other patients say he helped them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has only made my back better.

ZAHN: Was this man practicing medicine without a license? A CNN investigation raises some disturbing questions.

What were they thinking? This boy was Tasered at school. Why would police officers hit him with 50,000 volts? And why would his school allow it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a highly agitated 6-year-old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was terrified of the force that had to go through his body.

ZAHN: Tonight, a CNN exclusive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were just appalled.

ZAHN: The family of the youngest person ever Tasered speaks out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And we begin tonight with the violent weather causing death and destruction across the country tonight.

In the South, you're in for a very rough and long night. At least 10 tornadoes have already touched down tonight in six states. More twisters may be on the way, in fact, a 60 percent chance. Eight people are already known dead in Tennessee.

Just look at this twister caught on a cell phone cam. We will show you a little bit more of that a little bit later on.

But, also, in the West, a month of steady rain is catching up with California. Water is rising tonight near Merced, where the swollen San Joaquin River is pushing right past a levee.

And, then, in Utah, snow is still causing trouble. Avalanches stranded thousands of people at a resort. And nine people in an SUV were swept off the road by a snow slide. All of them, fortunately, survive.

We're going to cover it all for you here tonight.

But, first, let's go to the South, where, as you can see from the bright red patches on the radar map, tornado warnings are still in effect right now.

Let's go straight to Amanda Rosseter in the midst of it all in Charlotte, Tennessee, just west of Nashville.

What are you seeing there tonight?

AMANDA ROSSETER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Paula.

For the second time in just a week, this has been a tragic, terrible day here in the state of Tennessee. As you mentioned earlier, TEMA, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, now confirming eight people dead across the state of Tennessee, three of those victims in the small town of Gallatin. That's just Northeast of Nashville.

And the storms hit Gallatin early afternoon, ripping off roofs, downing power lines, uprooting large trees. But the most notable damage came at a Nissan dealership, where about 250 cars in that lot were totaled. The manager of the dealership said he couldn't believe it was coming. The windows of the dealership also blown out, the roof of that dealership completely ripped off.

Now, tonight, Paula, we're in Charlotte, Tennessee. That is about 40 miles due west of Nashville. And we're standing right in the path of where the tornado was earlier today. It came straight up this hill behind me. As you can see, the damage is just unbelievable.

We have a boat in a garage. We have a motor home over the hill on top of a truck. We have enormous trees that are uprooted. And neighbors are milling about tonight, sharing their stories, their stories of survival, talking about their children coming home from school, being home alone until their parents were able to get there and help them out.

And they're just waiting and regrouping and hoping for their power to come back on. And we are watching all of the crews working through the night, trying to restore the power. There is widespread outage here tonight -- Paula.

ZAHN: It looks like the folks whose home you're standing in front of don't have a whole lot to hope for.

Amanda Rosseter, thanks so much for the update.

The big question right now, where are these storms heading tonight?

Let's find out from Reynolds Wolf in the CNN Weather Center.

The statistics look pretty bad. I guess they're saying, all the way from Alabama to Tennessee, there's a 60 percent chance of tornadoes tonight?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, the place that we're looking at is a spot that has been narrowed by the Storm Prediction Center.

That would be up near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, just to the west of Huntsville, including parts of Mississippi, back over to Shiloh National Military Park, which is just to the north of that edge, near Pickwick Dam. That area is the bullseye from the Storm Prediction Center, a 60 percent chance of tornadoes in that area.

However, we're seeing most of the activity has taken place near Nashville. At least that's the one that we have shown the most of today, right near the Nashville area. Things are beginning to calm down a little bit. But now it's this intense line we are watching just near Oxford, reports of tornadoes near the campus of Ole Miss, back over to Tupelo.

We're seeing some strong storms. We're going to be -- we are going to continue to see more of these back out to the west, south of Clarksdale. Here's the Mississippi River, just to give you a point of reference, north of Yazoo City, north of Greenville.

As we extend our way back over to north Alabama, here's Florence, Muscle Shoals here, Huntsville to the north. These are a couple of tornado warnings that we are seeing right along I-65, I-24 here. So, if you happen to be between 65 and 24, those two major thoroughfares, that is one trouble problem.

Make our way back over the Smoky Mountains and we are seeing more of these storms. Paula, we have had so far 31 confirmed tornado reports, 300-plus reports of hail, some of the hail stones in excess of four -- I think, guys, four-and-a-half inches in diameter? Four- and-a-half inches in diameter -- and 42 reports of wind damage. And, of course, as you mentioned, eight deaths.

And this storm still has a ways to go farther up towards the east. We're going to keep a very close eye on it and give you the very latest. As it comes along to us, we will pass it on to you.

ZAHN: We appreciate that, Reynolds.

WOLF: Oh, rough night.

ZAHN: I know it is the time of the year.

WOLF: It is.

ZAHN: But I don't think I can ever remember a map packing so much red. We wish those folks luck.

WOLF: Yes. You bet. And we have -- we have got a ways to go.

ZAHN: Keep us posted.

WOLF: You bet.

ZAHN: Now let's turn to the West, where spring rain and thaw are making a giant mess of things, also leaving a trail of death.

Ted Rowlands brings us up to date on that tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Relentless rain and snow in the Western United States turned both dangerous and deadly this week.

In California's Sierra Mountains, tragedy struck at Mammoth Ski Resort. Three members of the ski patrol died after a section of new snow collapsed into a toxic volcanic vent.

In Utah, nine people, including a family of seven, escaped injury, after their SUV was swept away by an avalanche. According to rescue workers, the group, which included five young children, tumbled more than 100 feet.

MICHAEL THOMAS, AVALANCHE SURVIVOR: You just thought, my God, this must be an ambulance -- or an avalanche.

ROWLANDS: The SUV ended up upside down. Those inside escaped by kicking out a window. Miraculously, a few scratches and a bruise on the face of 10-year-old Adam Thomas were the most serious injuries.

ADAM THOMAS, SURVIVED AVALANCHE: All I remember is lying and my seat belt holding me right here and bumping around.

SERGEANT TODD GRIFFITHS, SALT LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: When we got to it, there was little kids climbing up out of the snow and all covered in snow, little 3-year-old snowballs.

ROWLANDS: The weather caused other problems around the region.

In New Mexico, high winds and massive dust storms led to several accidents, including a 10-car pileup on Highway 180, near Silver City. In California, record-breaking winter rains continued. Water broke through two levees near the city of Merced, flooding nearby homes.

And near Los Angeles, there was a dramatic rescue of a teenage boy trapped in a flood-control channel filled with rushing water. A firefighter was lowered by helicopter to grab the boy and pull him to safety.

And, in Idaho, rain caused mud and rock slides, while soaking already saturated ground.

DEPUTY CHIEF BILL BRADDOCK, BOISE COUNTY, IDAHO, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: How much more rain are we going to get? We get another really big rainstorm, we could have some trouble.

ROWLANDS (on camera): By the end of the week, most of the West got a much needed break, some places even a little sun. But forecasters warn that people should expect more rain and snow starting next week.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And we will keep you posted on all of this throughout the night.

Meanwhile, a CNN investigation has turned up some startling contradictions about a man who claims he can actually help people with painfully bent spines. Does his treatment make people better or worse? And is he practicing medicine without a license? We investigate.

And what would you do if an escaped murderer walked right up to you? Wait until you see what this police officer did. His dashboard camera caught it all -- the man, still being hunted for tonight.

And who would use a Taser on a 6-year-old school boy? Would you believe the police, with the permission of a school? What were they thinking?

About 18 million -- oh, two million too -- many 16 million of you went to our Web site today.

Our countdown of the top 10 stories on CNN.com begins with a hard-fought victory for the families of 9/11 victims who have filed civil suits against some airlines. Today, a judge ruled those families could see some of the evidence being used in the death penalty trial of Zacarias Moussaoui.

Number nine -- in Baghdad today, three suicide bombers attacked a Shiite mosque, killing at least 74 people. Authorities said 140 people were hurt. They also said two of the bombers may have been dressed as women -- numbers eight and seven straight out of the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: So, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are just about to have their first child. And guess who is supposed to keep quiet about it all the way through delivery? Well, for those of us who have been there and done that, good luck, Katie. And now on to a very troubling story about a doctor who may not be all he seemed, at least to the young woman you're about to meet. She pinned her hopes and dreams on his treatment. And she says it cost her thousands of dollars and a lot of pain. The moral of this story may be, if you're shopping for medical help on the Internet, read the fine print.

Just watch what our investigative correspondent, Drew Griffin, has uncovered for tonight's "Eye Opener."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAFINA GERLING, FORMER PATIENT: He put plaster around you, like a pinata.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sarafina Gerling was in high school when she first heard about the treatment she thought would change her life, or at least her back.

GERLING: On the Internet, it shows you how you can correct scoliosis. And, at that point, I was just looking to correct the curve in my spine.

GRIFFIN: Gerling suffers from scoliosis, a curve that causes pain most of the day. The Web site she found advertised a treatment program invented by a Dr. Arthur Copes, who claimed his program would straighten her spine without surgery.

GERLING: He had testimonies on there from patients that he had helped in degrees that were much worse than mine.

GRIFFIN: In July 2004, Gerling put her trust in Dr. Copes. But what Copes did was far from helpful. After just six months in the program, Sarafina quit. Her spinal curves, which started out at 34 and 40 degrees, were now worse, at a painful 53 and 48 degrees.

What she didn't know before her treatment was that the National Scoliosis Foundation had been concerned about Dr. Arthur Copes for years.

JOSEPH O'BRIEN, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL SCOLIOSIS FOUNDATION: Approximately 10 to 15 years ago is when we started to get the first communication from patients, telling us about some things that were very alarming with Mr. Copes.

ARTHUR COPES, PURPORTED SCOLIOSIS SPECIALIST: This was 43. Now it is 35.

GRIFFIN: That's right, Mr. Copes. Scoliosis Foundation president Joseph O'Brien says Copes is not really a medical doctor, and he's not a chiropractor either. And that is what now has Copes in big trouble and his national headquarters in Louisiana shuttered.

(on camera): The office is now pretty much bare. But, inside, you can see a map that says, "We would like to express our appreciation to every patient across the country." And there are red dots of patients literally from coast to coast.

(voice-over): CNN spoke with nine of those former patients across the country, who said they felt defrauded. They lost money, up to $40,000 in one case. And some tell us, their conditions worsened.

In February, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office arrested Copes, charging him with 117 counts of insurance fraud and practicing medicine without a license.

GERLING: It's like you were just emotionally taken over, raped ridiculously by this man. It would be one thing if I was the same way. But it's not. I'm -- I'm extremely worse, and I'm in an extreme amount of pain.

GRIFFIN: This is what Gerling says that Copes' treatment meant for her.

GERLING: And any of these black things.

GRIFFIN (on camera): This just looks painful to me.

GERLING: Yes.

GERLING: It was crazy.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Wearing this hard, constricting brace for 20 hours a day. The brace contained air pockets that were inflated to push the spine in the proper direction. Then there was electrical stimulation that was supposed to rehabilitate muscles and ligaments in the back.

The treatment also included this video starring Dr. Arthur Copes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COPES: The first exercise is deep breathing. You need good diaphragm inhale, exhalation. This will redesign and help correct the scoliosis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: And Copes suggested something else, a strict diet and prescribed nutritional supplements bought through his office, 15 to 20 supplements a day for some patients. About three months into the treatment, Gerling began to suspect the air pockets had been improperly inflated, and she started getting internal bleeding from the supplements. She began to question her doctor's credentials.

(on camera): And you called that school?

GERLING: Yes. There's no record whatsoever, no -- no transcript saying that he ever graduated.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Copes has since removed some of his credentials from his Web site, but he still has a resume online that is full of holes. He claims to have been a doctor's assistant in Gonzales, Louisiana. What he fails to mention is, the doctor was a vet. He helped treat animals, not humans.

And the doctorate and bachelor's degree he claims to have from Columbia Pacific University are indeed degrees from that school. But the state of California shut down Columbia Pacific university after Copes graduated, questioning the school's degree-issuing policies.

Despite Copes' lack of credentials, this registered nurse who worked for him says he insisted on being called doctor and insisted on acting like one, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw him marking X-rays. I saw him putting stim units on patients. I saw him talk to them about their curvatures. He gave the impression to the patients he was a medical doctor.

KYLA SONES, FORMER EMPLOYEE: He would love to push our chiropractors out the way. He thought that he was the one that needed to get in there and do these adjustments; they didn't know what they were doing.

GRIFFIN: Kyla Sones she says she worked for Copes for about seven months before she left. She says he was not only verbally abusive to his staff, but to any patients who didn't follow his exact instructions.

SONES: If they came in, and the correction had not went anywhere, I mean, if it had either stayed the same or got a little worse, or something like that, I mean, he just went berserk.

GRIFFIN: Arthur Copes would not talk to CNN, but provided a statement detailing his academic and clinical training.

He said, in part, "I worked closely with medical doctors, designing orthotics to the highest standards, which was by no means impersonating a medical doctor."

Copes also said every patient received "a written notice describing the nature of my services," including, he says, that he was not a medical doctor. And he said, "I never intended to ridicule or be rude to any patient or parent."

His attorney also wanted to make sure we talked to patients who he says was helped by the Copes method. He gave us letters from six satisfied patients. We spoke with one on camera.

Angela Smedo has been in the program three years and claims the Copes brace, exercise regimen, and nutritional supplements have almost eliminated what was a hunchback.

ANGELA SMEDO, PATIENT: All he's done for me is helped me. He's only made my back better. All of my pain is back is gone. I haven't had back pain in I don't know how long.

GRIFFIN: National Scoliosis Foundation director Joseph O'Brien says Angela Smedo is lucky. O'BRIEN: He has taken advantage of people who are very vulnerable and taken advantage of them for the sake of, it appears, based on his program and the cost, etcetera, for greed.

GRIFFIN: O'Brien says a typical treatment for scoliosis would be to wear a brace that would keep the spinal curve from getting worse, rather than correcting it, like the Copes brace claimed to do.

And, in some cases, if the scoliosis condition was bad enough, patients would need surgery to implant metal rods and keep the spine straight.

Back in Burbank, California, Sarafina Gerling is not sure what to do next. Her back is worse than ever, her money is all but gone, and she's lost faith in other medical treatments. So, she has turned to the only treatment she thinks can help her now.

GERLING: I pray. So -- and that's all I do. And it's good enough.

GRIFFIN: Drew Griffin, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And we have got this to add. Copes is now out on bond. And the Louisiana Attorney General's Office says it's continuing to investigate the case.

We have some incredible pictures that have come in from police cars' dashboard cameras. But wait until you check this series out. The officer is actually talking to an escaped murderer. What happens next? You have got to see it to believe it.

And a little bit later on, why would a school OK using a Taser on a 53-pound boy? He was 6 at the time. What were they thinking? And with the school's permission on top of all that.

But, before we move on, let's go on to number eight on our CNN.com countdown -- the Senate leaves for a two-week recess without an immigration reform bill. Senators voted 60-38 to continue debate and to delay a vote on a compromise bill.

Number seven -- the latest in a story we have been following. Tanya Kach, the Pennsylvania woman who ran away from home as a teenager and lived with a school guard for a decade, has testified at a preliminary hearing that he threatened to kill her if she left his home.

Stay with us. Numbers six and five are next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: Tonight, four teenagers are in more trouble than they could ever have possibly imagined. They not only face charges of conspiracy, including conspiracy to commit murder. Authorities in New Jersey have actually charged them with terrorism. If the allegations are true, the boys plotted to massacre dozens of people at their high school in a small New Jersey town near Philadelphia. Their arrests have people worried and very shaken.

That story is tonight's "Outside the Law."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN (voice-over): It was anything but a normal Friday at Winslow Township high school. Security was way up, and attendance was way down.

ALEXIS RICHARDSON, STUDENT: Everybody was just scared today. There was nobody in school. Fourth period lunch was totally empty.

ZAHN: Teams of police and counselors have informed some 25 people, students, teachers and other adults, that they were potential targets of the alleged plot. Police say the boys had detailed plans for a massacre in the school's cafeteria.

They even made a plan to make their way to people's homes for other attacks.

BRIAN NICHOLLS, STUDENT: That's the scary thing. Like -- like, we have been through stuff like this before, where it would just turn -- start as a rumor, and, just, it would blow over. But, in this case, it really wasn't a rumor.

ZAHN: The plot was foiled when school administrators overheard talk and informed police on Wednesday. Students describe the suspects as Goths, non-conformists who wear black and are fascinated with things that are dark and frightening.

RICHARDSON: I mean, they didn't really, like, pick on them like that bad, how everybody is making it sound. They just like play around them, like how everybody does at school.

ZAHN: Police acknowledge, the four boys had no weapons at all, although an anonymous law enforcement official quoted by the Associated Press says the boys once tried and failed to buy a handgun. One of their fathers says it was nothing more than big talk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just kids, you know, hanging out together, just hanging out together, you know, having a little wild time. That's all.

ZAHN: The case is being heard in Camden's family court. The boys, ages 14, 16, and two 15-year-olds, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and with terrorism. The judge ordered the boys held for psychological testing.

In the back of everyone's mind, of course, are memories of Columbine, the 1999 massacre at a Denver area high school. Seven years later, at Winslow Township High School, parents we talked with seemed glad that authorities are taking this plot seriously. MELODY OLAYE, PARENT: I'm very pleased with the way the school handled it. I think they took excellent means and got right on top of it. And I'm pleased the way the school handled it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And a reminder that no one in New Jersey has ever been convicted of terrorism. The charge was only created four years ago, after the 9/11 attacks.

Tonight, a very dangerous fugitive, a convicted murderer, in fact, is still on the loose at this hour. We first told you about his escape from a federal prison in central Louisiana on Wednesday night during our show. Well, now we have learned that he has had a very close and peculiar encounter with a police officer since then. And you're not going to believe what happened. It was all caught on videotape for all of us to see.

Here's Susan Roesgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Driving along a quiet country road in western Louisiana, a small-town policeman spotted a man jogging along the railroad tracks. A convicted killer had escaped from a nearby federal prison. And the officer wanted to know who this guy was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD LEE MCNAIR, ESCAPED PRISONER: I'm at the hotel. We're working on the houses and stuff like that.

CARL BORDELON, BALL POLICE DEPARTMENT: What it is, we have got an escapee.

MCNAIR: Oh.

(LAUGHTER)

MCNAIR: Where from?

BORDELON: Prison.

MCNAIR: There's a prison here?

BORDELON: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROESGEN: The man Officer Bordelon stopped gave his man as Robert Jones. In fact, his real name was Richard McNair. McNair had been serving a life sentence for killing a man in Minot, North Dakota, during a burglary back in 1987.

He had broken out of prison twice before. And, on Wednesday, he escaped in a mail van. But Bordelon officer said he had only seen a fuzzy fax of an older picture of McNair. So, he calls the dispatcher to ask for a description. And McNair plays along.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORDELON: Hey, this is Carl. Does the subject wear glasses? What color eyes you got?

MCNAIR: Green. Well, kind of a turquoise blue.

BORDELON: Turquoise blue? You want to give me some more?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROESGEN: Officer Bordelon tells McNair that the description matches him. And McNair laughs it off, fooling the cop into letting him go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORDELON: When I crossed the tracks down there, I saw you running. I said, well, how lucky can I be?

MCNAIR: Nope, nope, nope. I'm not no prison escapee.

BORDELON: Just call 911, is all you got to do. And they will get ahold to us.

MCNAIR: All righty.

BORDELON: That's our quick line there.

(CROSSTALK)

MCNAIR: You have a good day now.

BORDELON: Be careful, buddy.

MCNAIR: Thank you.

BORDELON: All right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROESGEN: Now officers armed with machine guns are combing the woods to find the convict who got away. And the local mayor says he made the decision to release this video, as embarrassing as it is, hoping someone might see him.

MAYOR ROY HEBRON, BALL, LOUISIANA: To make sure, no doubt, that if you've seen this individual, our video -- you've seen him on our video, then you knew what he looked like. And that way it helps all of us catch this individual a whole lot quicker.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROESGEN: There is a $10,000 reward for information that leads to McNair's arrest. And people who live in that back country area are arming themselves now to try to catch him.

But, Paula, he may be a hard guy to get because the police say that this guy one time slipped out of a pair of handcuffs by greasing his wrists with lip balm. He is a smooth talker, he's smart and he's on the run tonight, Paula.

ZAHN: And one heck of an actor, as we've just seen in the video. Susan Roesgen, we hope that videotape helps with the search for him.

Meanwhile, in Florida, a 6-year-old boy who weighed just 53 pounds got in a lot of trouble at school. So why did the police use a taser on him? And why did the school even allow it in the first place?

And get this. When Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have their little bundle of joy, which is not too far off, can she actually do it without making a single sound? Why might she have to try in the first place? We'll explain.

Right now, onto number one on our CNN.com countdown. A judge in London today dismissed the copyright infringement suit against "The Da Vinci Code" author, Dan Brown, and his publisher, Random House. The movie is coming out. It's going to be based on the book and it will come out next month.

Number five, the first Indonesian edition of "Playboy" hits that country's newsstands despite outrage and threats of protest from some conservative Muslim religious leaders. Still going to sell pretty well, we're told. Don't move. Number four is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: I think all of us were pretty shocked when we heard about the 6-year-old boy in Florida who was tasered by police in school. CNN was the first to uncover this back in October of 2004. It, of course, added to the national debate over stun guns.

Well, tonight for the first time, we are actually hearing from the boy's family about what they say was an outrageous use of force on a child.

Here's national correspondent Susan Candiotti with an exclusive in tonight's "What Were They Thinking?"

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's the boy who two years ago made headlines ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were just appalled.

CANDIOTTI: ... for apparently becoming the youngest person ever, at age 6, to get zapped by one of these. Fifty-thousand volts of electricity pulsated through Isaiah's (ph) little body, enough punch to knock a grown man off his feet. Police say after the tazing, Isaiah, who stood 3'5" and weighed 53 pounds threw up as he was being handcuffed.

SHARON MORETTA, AUNT: I was terrified of the force that had to go through his body.

CANDIOTTI: Calling it outrageous, Isaiah's family is suing the Miami-Dade Police and the school district, alleging the boy's civil rights were violated by use of excessive force. The youngster's family is telling its story exclusively to CNN.

DAVID GORDON, FAMILY'S ATTORNEY: We believe that a jury will also believe that there is just no justification for tasering somebody this young.

CANDIOTTI: The details of what happened to Isaiah at the school that day are disputed. But he was sent to the principal's office for misbehaving. Police say they found him in a corner with blood smeared on his finger and forehead from a broken picture frame. He was holding a small, half inch piece of glass in his hand.

DIR. BOBBY PARKER, MIAMI-DADE POLICE DEPT.: We had a highly agitated 6-year-old who a number of people could not disarm.

CANDIOTTI: But was he agitated? And was a taser the best way to handle him? In sworn depositions to internal affairs, two female police officers said they spent up to 15 minutes talking to the boy, standing still at eye level and got close, within two arms' lengths, one standing near enough to catch him.

Officer Abbott: "I was telling him about the taser. I said, baby, this hurt, you know. Have you ever seen this? Anybody talk to you about it? He was still in a trance. It was like he was in a trance. He still wouldn't talk to me."

Another officer called a supervisor to ask whether they could tase someone so young. Officer Rivera: "At the beginning, he thought I was joking." Then he told her, "you guys do what you got to do and I'm on my way." The boy was tased. Police say his body was rigid.

MORETTA: I just don't understand how two grown people could not have taken the glass out of his hand or -- without having to use the taser.

CANDIOTTI: Right after the incident, Police Director Bobby Parker said this.

PARKER: They made a determination and a determination that I back, that they utilized the taser to disarm the child. The child was not injured.

GORDON: If they could approach him a foot and a half away, they certainly could have taken one more step and simply quickly reached down and grabbed his hand. The glass is ... CANDIOTTI: But then if I struggle ...

GORDON: He's 3'5" and he weighs 53 pounds. We can't lose sight of that. These are grown, trained police officers and parents.

CANDIOTTI: At close range, the sharp taser barbs hit the boy's chest and just above his groin. This photo taken by his lawyer days later show the marks the family says still remain. They claim Isaiah is suffering psychological and possible neurological injury.

(on camera): Isaiah, I'm Susan. Nice to meet you.

(voice-over): CNN was allowed to briefly meet Isaiah. But the family lawyer did not allow us to talk about the taser incident. Neither Miami-Dade Police nor the school district would comment on the lawsuit.

Taser International did not return repeated calls from CNN. The company has tested its product on pigs weighing as little as 60 pounds. And in a 2004 statement it said, "The taser device has been shown to be medically safe when used on children based on independent medical tests and field use."

Yet an Air Force study says, "For very small children, the data are insufficient to conclude there would be heart fibrilation."

Isaiah's family says its lawsuit is meant to send a message.

MORETTA: What happened to him was a terrible thing and wouldn't want it to go by unnoticed and wouldn't want this to repeat itself and happen to another child.

CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: Susan just showed us a couple of the studies that have been done. But there are no statistics available on just how many children have been tasered. We could find only a handful of cases and Isaiah, at 6, appears to be the youngest one a taser has been used on.

All right. I have a pretty pointed question for all you moms out there. How many of you made it through delivery without making a sound? Then why would Tom Cruise want Katie Holmes to try it when she has their new baby? Total silence in the delivery room. Yes, right.

And why is a writer for one of the most-read gossip columns around now the subject of a title wave of gossip and a federal investigation? We'll explain.

First, though, a story we brought to you at the top of the hour as number four in our cnn.com countdown. In California, Sierra Mountains, three members of the Mammoth Mountain ski patrol were killed when they actually fell into a volcanic gas vent on the peak. A terrible loss.

We're going to have number four on our list when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: Now we've got tonight's "Vital Signs." This week, Tom Cruise is getting more attention, as if he needs it, over his religion, Scientology, and the baby he and Katie Holmes are about to have. Well, this time the focus is in -- oh, let's try that again. This time, the focus is on an unusual practice followed by Scientologists, the so-called silent birth. No noise allowed at all, even by the birthing mother. Brooke Anderson has tonight's "Vital Signs."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It will be the birth heard or not heard around the world. For months, many have eagerly awaited the offspring of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Speculation has been rampant that Katie will deliver her baby via silent birth, a tradition encouraged by Cruise's religion, Scientology.

If Katie, a Catholic, does have a silent birth, she'll join a growing list of celebrities who have done the same, including actresses Anne Archer and Leah Remini, who actually allowed cameras inside the delivery room, providing these rare silent birth images for VH1's "Inside Out: Leah Remini, the Baby Special."

(on camera): But the notion of birthing a child while being completely silent leaves many scratching their heads. So we went straight to the source, the Church of Scientology, to find out about this unusual practice.

(voice-over): Michelle Seward is an active Scientologist. Five years ago, she gave birth to son Sage (ph), following the church's guidelines and her belief.

MICHELLE SEWARD: The least amount of words said, as quiet as it can be, having the most natural childbirth as possible will create a great experience for a mother and for a baby.

ANDERSON: Seward and the Church of Scientology calls silent birth a media misnomer. They say it's really a quiet birth they strive for.

SEWARD: If a noise is made or if a moan is done, it's OK.

ANDERSON: Church officials released this statement to CNN. "Chatty doctors and nurses, shouts to 'PUSH, PUSH,' and loud or laughing remarks to 'encourage' by attending husbands are the types of noises that are meant to be avoided. Words spoken during moments of pain and unconsciousness can have adverse effects on an individual later in life."

SEWARD: I don't want to be told, push, Michelle, push harder. Come on, push. And then we fast forward to three years later, and Sage (ph) is riding a bike and I say, Sage (ph), push, push harder, Sage (ph). And all of a sudden, he's got a headache and he's crying and he doesn't like the bike.

ANDERSON: But what does the medical community say about quiet birth? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has no official position on the subject, and some doctors, like Beverly Hills OBGYN Dr. Peter Weiss question how a loud delivery room could lead to any problems.

DR. PETER WEISS, OBGYN: If that were the case, all the boys who have had circumcision in this country over the last 30 years would be on a major rampage, and it would be like Paris, France right now.

ANDERSON: Of course, Scientologists don't claim the benefits of quiet birth as medical fact, and even Dr. Weiss, who is not a Scientologist but has performed numerous quiet births over the years, sees no harm in the process.

WEISS: I think any time you're in a stressful situation, that puts everyone in a more calm environment I think only can be beneficial.

SEWARD: The moment that he was delivered, he was actually wrapped in a blanket and on my chest for a good hour.

ANDERSON; But while the birth of Tom and Katie's baby may be a quiet one, newborn babies, like that of Leah Remini's tend to be the opposite.

Brooke Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: All right. Now that you've seen that piece, in the interests of full disclosure, I've had three children myself. And this is what I looked like when I had my daughter Haley. And then came my son Jared. And then my other son, Austin. And, oh, by the way, you could hear me for miles away from the hospital.

Right now, let's go straight to Erica Hill for the HEADLINES NEWS business break -- Erica.

(BUSINESS BREAK)

ZAHN: Do you read the gossip pages in your local newspaper? Well, they're going to have plenty to say about the writer for one of the hottest gossip columns in the country. What is the scandal and why do the feds care? We'll show you.

But first, number three on our cnn.com countdown. In Texas, a woman accused of killing her baby daughter by cutting off the child's arms was today found not guilty by reason of insanity. Dena Schlosser will be sent to a state mental hospital instead of prison.

Number two on our countdown right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ZAHN: All right. When you read the gossip columns, do you ever stop and wonder whether any of the stuff you're reading is really true? Well one reader couldn't believe his eyes when he read stories about himself and investigators say he soon found a way to stop the unflattering lies about him. It is a huge story here in New York City. And now, it happens to be a federal case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN (voice-over): The story has the kind of elements tabloids find irresistible: possible extortion, an FBI sting, and a billionaire investor. And today, the "New York Post," the tabloid New Yorkers know for its flashy front pages and juicy gossip, finds itself in the middle of its own scandalous story, a story even the "Post" itself couldn't resist reporting.

One of its writers is the target of an FBI investigation for allegedly trying to extort money from one of the world's richest men, California billionaire Ron Burkle made his fortune through buyouts of supermarket chains. "Forbes" magazine ranks him 335th on its list of billionaires.

A Democratic fund-raiser and friend of Bill Clinton, Burkle became what the gossip columnists call a bold-faced name. A columnist for the "Post" famous "Page Six" gossip section, Jared Paul Stern allegedly spoke with Burkle and demanded a $100,000 upfront payments and additional $10,000 monthly payment.

In exchange, Stern would guarantee that the billionaire got favorable press. According to the "Post's" own reportings, sources close to federal investigators say the meetings in Burkle's home were recorded on audio and videotape, apparently with Burkle's consent.

Today the "Post's" editor-in-chief released a statement saying, quote, "Jared Paul Stern has been suspended, pending the outcome of the federal investigation."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And the statement went on to say should the allegations be proven to be true, that a whole list of things would happen. So far Jared Paul Stern has not responded to CNN's request for a statement. And we're going to try now to dig deeper into the world of gossip columnists by actually talking to one tonight.

Lloyd Grove writes for the "New York Daily News," the "New York Post's" arch rival. Good to see you, Lloyd, thanks for joining us.

LLOYD GROVE, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: My pleasure.

ZAHN: All right, so we made this clear that this has happened, or allegedly happened at your competition. This cannot be a good thing. This has got to be damaging to all of you guys that write these gossip columns. How cynical do you think it's going to make readers when they hear about this? GROVE: Well I don't think we were held in terribly high esteem to begin with, so it can't help. I think that the way I do my column, I try and be fair. I try and be accurate. Of course, every so often, I make a mistake.

ZAHN: You do, really? Do you own up to it?

GROVE: When I think it's fair to do so. And it's not good for our business and journalism in general for this kind of thing to happen.

ZAHN: We're talking about an alleged extortion plan here. What's your reaction to that? Are you surprised? Does this go with the territory?

GROVE: I think shocked would be a better way to put it. My feeble imagination is insufficient to the task of having believed this could ever happen. I mean, not even in a comic novel about the New York media would I have thought this would happen.

ZAHN: So Ron Burkle, the man we were talking about, says he complained to the "New York Post" repeatedly about inaccuracies in these gossip columns, but nothing ever came of it.

So what kind of standards do you use? So you say on occasion you've heard from subjects of articles, they call you, and if you've made an honest mistake, you'll change it?

GROVE: Absolutely.

ZAHN: What are some of the other standards that you try to operate by?

GROVE: Well in Ron Burkle had called me or written me and I said I was making mistakes about him, I'd pay attention immediately. And if his lawyers had alerted us, we would have definitely taken them very seriously and addressed their concerns, I can promise you that.

ZAHN: So as readers across the country read gossip columns, what percentage of what they read should they believe now?

GROVE: Well if you're reading my column, a very high percentage. I can't speak for others. The "Daily News" has very high standards for its gossip columns. I haven't done an analysis of accuracy of the "New York Post" columns, but I think it's a little bit closer.

ZAHN: Oh, listen to that dig here tonight. I -- I'm surprised you're not giving out your 1-800 number like Ross Perot did tonight, to phone in to your cause. Lloyd Grove, thanks so much, appreciate your perspective tonight.

GROVE: My pleasure.

ZAHN: So which one of the "Desperate Housewives" is the hottest story on CNN.com tonight? Is it the actress who plays Bre or Susan or Gaby or Lynette? Lloyd, do you know who any of those women are? GROVE: I should.

ZAHN: Well stay tuned, because you're going to find out in just a minute or so.

But first, an update on today's violent weather. CNN has confirmed that the death toll in Tennessee has now risen to 10. Look at this picture on your screen right now. A man used his cell phone to take these amazing pictures of tornadoes northeast of Nashville. That's where a lot of damage has been done today. A different weather story is No. 2 on the CNN.com countdown. The world organization that names hurricanes has retired the names Katrina, along with Dennis, Rita, Stan and Wilma. No. 1 on the list is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: Top story on dot.com, CNN, "Desperate Housewife" star Teri Hatcher vows to help raise awareness about the sexual abuse of children. She says she was abused when she was five.

Thanks so much for being with us. Have a great weekend, we'll be back Monday night.

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