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The Situation Room
Jury Deciding Casey Anthony Murder Case; New Accusations Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn; First Family Celebrates July 4; GOP Candidates Campaign on Holiday; Murder Suspect Taunts Police from Mexico; Royals on Vacation in Canada; Actor a Spokesman for Veterans
Aired July 04, 2011 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOE JOHNS, CNN ANCHOR: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Happening now: Casey Anthony's fate is now in the jury's hand. She's accused of murdering her own 2-year-old daughter. We're waiting for a verdict.
The fugitive suspect in the murder of an American University professor is not only refusing to return to the United States, but is apparently taunting police in messages from his Mexican hideout.
And he is an actor forever known to millions as Lieutenant Dan, the Vietnam vet in "Forrest Gump," but Gary Sinise also is an advocate for America's troops. And on this Fourth of July, we will hear about his latest musical mission.
Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Breaking news and political headlines are straight ahead. Wolf Blitzer is off. I'm Joe Johns. And you are in THE SITUATION ROOM.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
JOHNS: The first day of deliberations in the Casey Anthony murder trial is expected to be wrapping up right now in Orlando. We have some live pictures for you. Jurors got the case following closing arguments in which prosecutors blasted the defendant, who is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
We have pictures now as the judge brings the jury back into the courtroom, apparently to dismiss them for dinner this evening.
CNN's David Mattingly is in Orlando for us.
And, David, as we watch these pictures, perhaps you can tell us what you know of what's going on.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it probably won't be letting the jury go just for dinner. They will probably be letting them go for the night. The judge hoping that they will have a regular set of hours each day as they go through the mountains of testimony and everything they have had to listen to over 33 days in this trial.
Right now we're expecting the judge to bring this -- to talk to them and make sure that they are following the rules and then tell them good night.
JOHNS: So we do know that they have been going on for several hours, as a matter of fact. Let's listen to what the judge is saying as we contemplate that he brings the jury back in.
JUDGE BELVIN PERRY, ORANGE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: ... the jury, you may be excused for the evening. See you back here in the morning at 8:30.
JOHNS: Very quickly, we caught just the very end of it as he excused the jury for the evening. There, of course, is Casey Anthony, the prosecutor and the prosecution team. Everyone obviously just sitting around that courtroom waiting to find out what the decision of the jury may be, deliberating very -- what, several hours, am I right, David Mattingly, what, about five or six?
MATTINGLY: They got it right before lunch today, and as they did right there at the end -- we're listening to the judge now. He's asking if there's anything else.
JOHNS: Let's go back and listen to the judge.
PERRY: OK. We will in recess until 8:30 tomorrow morning.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: We keep catching just the very end of this. All right, go ahead, David Mattingly. Pick up your thoughts.
MATTINGLY: And there you hear it, until 8:30 tomorrow morning. They will come back and try this again.
Today was the first day, but the prosecution really gave them some very strong words, the strongest words they have had so far about Casey Anthony right there at the end. And, of course, they had the last word in these closing arguments, and here's how it went.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Anthony said he would trade places with his daughter in a second.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Just minutes before this sad and tragic case was put in the hands of the jury, it looked like Casey Anthony had heard enough. The prosecution painted her as a party girl whose child got in the way and had to go, not as the defense claims a loving mother whose little girl accidentally drowned in the family pool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is just no conceivable reason why anybody would put duct tape on the face of a dead child. I said it before. People don't -- people don't make accidents look like murder. That's absurd.
MATTINGLY: In closing arguments, prosecutors use their strongest language yet, calling Anthony a pathological liar and playing this recorded phone conversation where Casey effortlessly lies to a friend about a nanny kidnapping Caylee. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said that the person that you dropped Caylee with doesn't even exist.
CASEY ANTHONY, DEFENDANT: Because, oh look, they can't find her in the Florida database. She's not just from Florida. If they would actually listen to anything that I would have said to them, they would have had their lead. They maybe could have tracked her down. They haven't listened to a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) thing that I've said.
MATTINGLY: The final blow, leaving the blow with these suspicious images; Casey Anthony living it up in the spotlight of a hot body contest and brandishing a new tattoo declaring the beautiful life, all in the weeks after her little daughter Caylee had disappeared.
LINDA BURDICK, PROSECUTOR: Whose life was better? That's the only question you need to answer in considering why Caylee Marie Anthony was left on the side of the road dead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: And that may not be the only question that the jurors have as they go through the mountains of evidence that they have had. But surprisingly, Joe, so far today they haven't asked to see any of that evidence.
JOHNS: David, do we have any idea whether Casey Anthony is able to watch television or what she's doing or where she's sitting while these proceedings are going on in the jury room?
MATTINGLY: We do know that she has to stay in the courtroom. They do have a holding area. We're not sure if she's actually in the holding area where they keep inmates for trial.
Everything -- once she goes back through that door in the back of the courtroom we don't see her movements, and they haven't been telling us about them, just as the jury, once they step out of the courtroom, they have been protected throughout this trial. And at this point we are waiting to see what happens behind closed doors and how soon will that happen.
JOHNS: David Mattingly, thanks so much for that reporting.
So the end of the first day of deliberations in the Casey Anthony trial. They will start again tomorrow around 8:30 Eastern time, and we will be watching.
We want to get more now on how each side did closing arguments and what may be going through the jurors' minds.
Joining me right now is CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin.
And, Sunny, let's start by just listening to something that happened during the closing arguments. Here is the defense attorney, Jose Baez.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOSE BAEZ, ATTORNEY FOR CASEY ANTHONY: No real hard evidence. No DNA. No fingerprints. Nothing. But she's a liar and a slut. Convict her on that. And she lied and she didn't act the way she needs to. She made some stupid decisions, but let's make her pay with her life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, I know you have a lot of defendants in bad situations, and their lives aren't always perfect, but in your view what does it do for the defense to repeatedly call the client a liar and a slut?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, you know, I think the defense had to tackle that head on because we know from all the prosecution's evidence that Casey Anthony is indeed a prolific liar, a pathological liar as the prosecution says, so they had to really confront that and put it out there, and they spun it, Joe. Let's face it.
They said, yes, maybe she's a slut, maybe she's a liar, but does that make her a murderer? The defense theory all along is has been that this is an accident, this was not an intentional murder, and so I think perhaps it played OK for this jury. I think the terms liar, the term slut makes people feel uncomfortable, but this jury has heard a lot worse during the course of 33 days of testimony.
JOHNS: Sunny, this has been a very hotly contested trial, as you know. You have watched so much of it. There was a moment during the closing arguments when both the defense attorney and the lead prosecuting attorney did something that brought the judge to the point where he had to admonish everyone and pretty much stop the trial for a moment or two. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BAEZ: And depending on who is asking the questions, whether it's this laughing guy right here or whether it's myself...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Objection.
PERRY: Sustained.
BAEZ: And depending who is asking the questions, whether it's this laughing guy right here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: So you get the gist of it there. It looks like the prosecutor has his hand up to his face, perhaps is snickering just a bit, and the defense attorney during his argument actually makes reference to it. How does something like that play with the jury?
HOSTIN: Well, we know from studies that have been done that juries watch everything. And these two gentlemen have been going at it from the very beginning. Jeff Ashton, the lead prosecutor here, emotes quite a bit. And he's been sort of smiling and snickering from opening statements. And so I think perhaps Jose Baez, it just got the best of him and reacted to that laughing, to those smiles. I don't think that that was a good thing. That's why the judge immediately called both attorneys in. He really threatened them both with contempt, but, you know, they are adversaries, Joe. They are in the heat of battle.
I would describe them as gladiators almost having watched this for so long, and, unfortunately, at times it does get personal in the courtroom. There's no love lost between these two, but they made up at the end of it. Jose Baez actually said to the judge, I don't want him to be held in contempt, talking about his opponent, the prosecutor, and neither of them were held in contempt.
But certainly I believe the jury saw the fireworks between these two men.
JOHNS: Again, so the judge has dismissed the jury for the evening. They are expected to return to their deliberations around 8:30 tomorrow morning Eastern time.
Former International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn may face new sexual assault charges in France just three days after being freed from house arrest in New York. In the New York case involving an alleged sexual assault on a hotel maid, prosecutors have raised doubts about the accuser's credibility.
But in France, another woman is ready to take legal action.
Here's CNN's Jim Bittermann in Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Joe, Dominique Strauss-Kahn's legal problems may not be over. Tristane Banon, a 33-year-old journalist here, says that tomorrow she is going to go to her lawyer and bring a formal complaint against Strauss-Kahn over an incident that took place back in 2003.
Back then, she was a young journalist. She went to interview Strauss- Kahn in a near empty apartment and she says that Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her. Now, she didn't bring charges at the time because her mother talked her out of it. Her mother is a middle-level Socialist Party member, Strauss-Kahn a member of the Socialist Party.
And the mother decided to talk her daughter out of it. She says now that she regrets that. The lawyer says that he is going to bring the charges now because they were waiting for developments in New York.
Here's what he told CNN.
DAVID KOUBBI, ATTORNEY FOR TRISTANE BANON (through translator): If we have something to say to Mr. Strauss-Kahn legally, we will do it in France, and we will do it when I am able to explain to my client, Tristane Banon, the exact consequences in the United States of a move made by us in France. BITTERMANN: No matter what happens with the legal charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn here in France, it appears that most French do not want to see him run for president. According to a public opinion poll that will come out tomorrow in "Nouvel Observateur," in fact, 54 percent of those surveyed say they do not want to see Strauss-Kahn run for president -- Joe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Jim Bittermann reporting.
In anticipation of these new charges in the alleged 2003 incident a lawyer for Strauss-Kahn in France says he has filed countercharges against the 32-year-old writer for slander or -- quote -- "false declarations."
A dramatic move that could allow President Obama to bypass Congress if it fails to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. We will take a look at the constitutional amendment some say gives him that power.
Plus, a rare and exclusive look inside the agency charged with connecting the terror dots.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: In a recent intelligence bulletin, federal officials note that information found in the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound showed al Qaeda's interest in hitting U.S. targets on symbolic dates such as the Fourth of July.
So far this summer, the FBI and Homeland Security Department say there's no specific or credible information that terror groups are planning to attack.
In a CNN exclusive, homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve takes us inside the government's nerve center, where disrupting any plots is a 24/7 job.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Relics from the 9/11 attacks are on display in the lobby of the National Counterterrorism Center.
MICHAEL LEITER, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER: I grew up in New Jersey right across the bridge from Manhattan and I had a lot of connection to the World Trade Center. I actually had my senior prom from high school in the World Trade Center. I had my college graduation with my parent in the World Trade Center, and I was actually sworn into the Navy in the World Trade Center, and to come down here some days and look at the twisted metal and realize there was a time where I was standing in the building that that metal supported, and now to be in a position to be able to again try to bring some justice and some closure after that incredibly tragic day is emotional for me. And I think it's been a real honor for me to do this for four-and-a-half years because of it. MESERVE: During Michael Leiter's tenure at the NCTC, one of the most striking trends has been the proliferation of homegrown terror plots. Leiter believes rooting out the problem requires broader and deeper engagement with the Muslim community.
LEITER: We have to face it down with a whole government approach. This can't be just about Homeland Security. It can't be just about the FBI. It has to be the federal Department of Education. It has to be mayors. It has to be governors. It has to be community groups. It has to be industry working in a partnership to connect with these organizations and really show the absence of a positive message for al Qaeda.
MESERVE: But among the challenges, the Internet, which jihadists are using with increasing sophistication to spread their gospel of terror across the U.S. and across the world.
(on camera): Is the U.S. disrupting jihadist Web sites?
LEITER: Well, I really can't comment on specific operations, you won't be surprised to hear, but all of what we do in the war on terror has to be all elements of national power. And part of that clearly can involve watching what jihadists are -- do on the Internet and then, when necessary, to disrupt attacks, disrupting their ability to communicate, train and plot.
CAVUTO: Disrupting their ability to propagandize?
LEITER: Well, this gets into a really tricky area, because obviously what guides all of our efforts is our constitutional principles, constitutional elements like the First Amendment and other legal aspects of this, so we're not there to stop people from communicating. We are there to disrupt plots.
MESERVE (voice-over): But what about the right to privacy? Some believe it is sometimes surrendered in the name of security and call for a better balance.
(on camera): Do you think we have found it or are leaning to far in one direction or another?
LEITER: I don't actually think, Jeanne, that there's any one moment where we know the answer to that. I think as the threat changes, as Americans' expectations of privacy change, we have to constantly reevaluate that. So do I think we're in about the right place right now? I think we are, but, again, as al Qaeda evolves, as our expectations of privacy evolve, this has to be a constant review of what we're doing, because we have to have the American people's trust to do it well.
MESERVE (voice-over): Though there's not been a major terror attack since 9/11, Leiter says the nation cannot assume there never will be.
LEITER: I think the American people are incredibly resilient. They take care of themselves. They turn to the government for things that they can't do themselves. But I actually think it's the political system that requires resilience, that the political system doesn't enter spasms after an attack, and in doing so hands al Qaeda a victory that they might not otherwise enjoy.
MESERVE: Leiter points to the attempted Christmas Day underwear bombing of an airliner in 2009. The NCTC was harshly criticized for not picking up on the plot. Some of it was warranted, Leiter says, but some was not.
LEITER: Do I think some of the political discourse got overly heated and undercut the morale of some of the officers working throughout the intelligence community? I do. I think we could have been more constructive and less heated, and that would have shown al Qaeda that we are in fact resilient again from top to bottom.
MESERVE: (on camera): Do you think terrorism has become a partisan issue?
LEITER: I think, unfortunately, it has too often.
MESERVE (voice-over): Leiter won't name names, but he clearly has faced frustrations, and sometimes when he does, he returns to that memorial in the lobby.
LEITER: You can sometimes get bogged down in these jobs with bureaucratic garbage, and this reminds people that this is what's important; it's defending innocent people from being killed by terrorists.
MESERVE (on camera): This is the touchstone, as it were, for everything you do.
LEITER: It really is. And I have come down here on bad days when I have had bad meetings or have been frustrated. And you just come down here and you look at that metal and you look at that flag and it's a great way of recharging your batteries.
MESERVE: And refocusing the effort?
LEITER: Absolutely.
MESERVE: Mike Leiter is stepping down because he says it's good for the agency to have new leadership with new perspective and after four- and-a-half years running at 100 percent capacity 24 hours a day, he is ready to slow down a bit.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: A disaster off of Mexico's coast with American tourists among the dead and missing, details of the search for survivors.
Plus, enough treasure to make Indiana Jones jealous -- details of a multibillion-dollar treasure discovered under a temple.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) JOHNS: White House south lawn there, the president of the United States hosting a July Fourth USO concert. A lot of people don't know this, but he is the honorary chairman of the USO.
They are having a barbecue. You're going to see games out there, some fireworks, all of this in honor of America's 235th birthday. Waiting to see the president right now.
(NEWS BREAK)
JOHNS: Republicans on parade. Most of the GOP presidential candidates are spending this holiday with voters in key battleground states. We will look at the politics and the patriotism.
And a fugitive murder suspect taunts U.S. police, telling them, meet him for brunch at his Mexican hideout.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: The president of the United States on the South Lawn of the White House. There, you see Michelle Obama. Let's listen.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Happy Fourth of July!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: On behalf of the entire Obama family, we want to welcome you here to the White House.
Right now, in small towns and big cities all across America, folks are getting together in their backyard. They are raising flags, firing up grills, and enjoying time with family and with friends. And it's a tradition that we try to follow here at the White House, although I have got to say we have got a few more people here than most. And I cannot think of anybody I would rather celebrate with than all of you: the men and women of our military and our extraordinary military families.
So let me just check to see who we've got here. I understand we've got some Army here. How about Navy? Air Force? Marines? And we've got some Coast Guard. After all that you do for our country every day, we want to give you guys a chance to get out of the uniform, relax a little bit and have some fun. But, of course, it's also a time for us to reflect on the meaning of America.
In many ways I think that that small band of patriots who signed their names to the Declaration of Independence and risked their lives for freedom might be surprised to see their legacy all these years later. A nation that's led revolutions in commerce, that sent a man to the moon, that lifted up the poor, that cured the sick, a nation that fought for democracy and served as a beacon of hope around the world.
But all this could only happen because of our founders' central faith that, through democracy and individual rights, ordinary people have it within their means to forge a nation that's more just and more equal and more free. And all of you are heirs to that legacy. You represent the latest in a long line of heroes who have served our country with honor and have made incredible sacrifices to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy.
And I've got some of those heroes here with us today. Like Army Sergeant First Class Justin Gang (ph). Where's Justin? Right here? While on patrol in Iraq, his convoy was struck by an IED and fell under enemy fire. Even after being wounded by shrapnel himself, he helped secure the scene and evacuated his wounded comrades to safety, and today we honor his extraordinary courage.
Navy Hospitalman First Class Obi Owahu (ph). Born in Nigeria, he became an American citizen and volunteered to serve in our nation's military, and as an orthopedic technician, he helps our wounded warriors regain their strength and resume their lives back home, and today we honor his incredible dedication, Obi (ph).
Air Force Master Sergeant Heather Atkins. Is that Heather's husband out there? Heather doesn't have a husband. I'm not trying to get anybody in trouble here. Whether it's partnering with Iraqi Army or making sure our troops have shelter in some of the toughest places on the planet, she knows how to get things done, and today we honor her tireless devotion.
Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Keith Kesterson (ph). He rushed through enemy fire to free a fellow Marine trapped inside a burning vehicle, and after untangling the Marine's equipment, he extinguished the flames and pulled him to safety, and today we honor his unyielding loyalty.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Marlene Rickland (ph). Where's Marlene (ph)? Right over here. Come on over here. Less than 24 hours after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, she was on the scene, helping direct aid and saved lives in the midst of chaos, and today we honor her incredible dedication.
These American patriots, all the services that are represented up here today, all of you who are out there today, you're the reason why America and our armed forces remain the greatest force for peace and security that the world has ever known, and together you're standing with all of those around the world who are reaching for the same freedoms and the same liberties that we celebrate today.
So I just want to close by saying thank you. You've done everything we could have asked for you. Your families have served alongside of you with strength and devotion. America is proud of all of you, and as long as I have the privilege of serving as your commander in chief, I'm going to make sure that you have the support that you need in the field. I'm going to make sure that you get the care you deserve when you come home, and with the help of Michelle and Dr. Jill Biden, we will make sure America takes care of your families and recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices that they are making.
This day is possible because of your service, and so I think it's only appropriate that we give you a chance to celebrate it together, as well. God bless you. God bless the United States of America, and happy Fourth of July, everybody. Thank you. JOHNS: The president and first lady Michelle Obama celebrating the Fourth of July with members of the United States military from various branches there on the South Lawn of the White House, recognizing, acknowledging members, apparently, of each and every branch of the service and telling them that they are the reason why American forces remain the best fighting force in the world.
It's as American as fireworks on the Fourth of July. Presidential candidates know this holiday is a terrific star-spangled backdrop for campaigning. Most of the Republican contenders are out today, hoping to turn the nation more red than blue in 2012. Our Mary Snow is back, following their appearances in critical states -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Joe, a busy day for campaigning. Republican candidates were out in force today in Iowa and New Hampshire, some even crossing paths. The parades they chose are telling of the votes they're courting, some vying for more conservative voters, others focusing on moderates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): It was a day of parades, patriotism and politics.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You guys are all voters this year, huh? Yes, yes, good. Get out there and vote.
SNOW: Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney pressing the flesh in Amherst, New Hampshire, the state with the first primary. At one point he crossed paths with fellow GOP challenger Jon Huntsman, the men shaking hands before taking their places on the parade route.
JON HUNTSMAN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thanks for being here.
SNOW: Romney, who's been effectively running for president since his unsuccessful 2008 bid, took aim at President Obama, repeating his stance that the president has made the economy worse. It's a statement that's drawn criticism from the left and from independent fact-checkers.
ROMNEY: President Obama did not cause the downturn, but he made the recession deeper and longer than it needed to be, and he has made the recovery anemic.
SNOW: Huntsman stayed out of the fray, focusing on making a name for himself just two weeks after officially entering the race.
HUNTSMAN: This is when people turn out, and they want to begin to meet some of the early candidates. They want to shake your hand. They want to begin to understand what you're all about. So this was a must -- a must-hit opportunity for us.
SNOW: In Clear Lake, Iowa, two other Republicans shared the same parade route, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann, courting the same key part of the state for conservatives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bachmann for president. SNOW: Bachmann has been spending time in Iowa after officially kicking off her campaign there, and plans to spend a lot more time in the state that holds the first caucus.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We love you. We'll be back soon. God bless you.
SNOW: As Gingrich shook hands, he was asked about the partisan fighting in Washington and the down-to-the-wire fight over raising the debt ceiling
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the House Republicans will pass a debt ceiling soon. The question then will be whether or not the president will sign it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or reapportion it to the crisis (ph).
GINGRICH: I'm with you.
SNOW: Elsewhere in Iowa, Rick Santorum vied for votes on a parade route free of other presidential hopefuls. Herman Cain, meantime, skipped the early states and instead attended a Tea Party rally in Philadelphia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Not everyone was mixing politics and parades. Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul were two candidates who kept a low profile on this holiday -- Joe.
JOHNS: Mary Snow in New York, thanks for that.
A murder suspect wanted in the death of an American professor is now on the run and taunting police.
Plus, Prince William's daring water landing. Details of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: The fugitive suspect in the murder of an American university professor is not only refusing to rush to the United States but is apparently taunting police in messages from his Mexican hideout. Our Brian Todd has the latest on this case from Bethesda, Maryland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Joe, the murder of the professor who lived at this house shocked everyone who knew her, and the suspect's behavior since her death has raised eyebrows among officials who are chasing him.
(voice-over) Jorge Rueda Landeros is known as a stock trader, yoga teacher and poet. Investigators say he had a relationship with a popular accounting professor at American University named Sue Ann Markham, made lucrative investments with her and was the sole beneficiary of her $500,000 life insurance policy. They also believe he did this.
CAPT. PAUL STARKS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND, POLICE: She was hit with some force somewhere on her body. She was also choked to death, according to the medical examiner.
TODD: That was last October at Markham's house outside Washington.
(on camera) At first the case had all the signs of a burglary gone bad. Police say there were signs of forced entry at this window, signs of a struggle. A teenager was arrested later in Markham's stolen vehicle, but police say as the evidence built, it led them away from that teenager, who's no longer a suspect and straight to Jorge Landeros.
(voice-over) According to an affidavit obtained by CNN, Landeros gave a DNA sample to police in El Paso, Texas, a sample that matches one on what's believed to be the murder weapon. But then, investigators say, he skipped across the border to Juarez, Mexico. There's now an Interpol arrest warrant for him, and the FBI has filed a criminal complaint naming Landeros as the only suspect in Markham's murder.
Landeros has not only refused to come back to the U.S., but it appears he's taunting police. The "Washington Post" obtained a recent e-mail from Landeros to an El Paso detective who'd asked to meet with him. "Of course, you are cordially invited to cross the same bridge in the opposite direction and meet me at Sanborn's, a great cafe and restaurant here in Juarez, and we can talk shop all you want. It's best if you come on a Sunday. We can have brunch. It will, of course, be my treat. Yours, Jorge."
(on camera) How frustrated are you at that?
STARKS: It's causing some delay. We believe he's using the shield of an international border to delay and slow this process. We'd like justice to start; we'd like him to return and have his day in court.
TODD (voice-over): Dan Morse of the "Washington Post" obtained those e-mails and spoke with Landeros over the phone. Morse says Landeros even corrects the detective's grammar when he answers the e-mails.
(on camera) Is this a game to him?
DAN MORSE, "WASHINGTON POST": I don't know if I'd characterize it as a game. I think he is a confident person. Confident when he's talking to me. Professor Markham's friends who met him said he seemed confident, and that's certainly the posture he's taking with the detectives.
TODD (on camera): We tried to contact Jorge Landeros over the phone, with e-mail and Facebook messages. We've not heard from him. His attorney won't comment on the complaint or the affidavit.
In his conversations with the "Washington Post," Landeros denied killing Sue Ann Markham, saying he wasn't in the U.S. at the time of her murder. Police here won't say much about any extradition deal with Mexican authorities, only that they're working through the process -- Joe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: CNN's Brian Todd reporting.
Just back from Syria, CNN's Hala Gorani hosts "JOHN KING USA" at the top of the hour. You'll hear the remarkable stories from her visit.
And just ahead, we're with the royals in Canada. CNN's Max Foster meets the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: While Americans mark their independence from Britain this July Fourth holiday, Britain's royal couple is on vacation in Canada. CNN's Max Foster is trying to keep up with them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The duke and duchess hit Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. William then took to the skies. A search-and-rescue pilot by profession, he was keen to meet up with his Canadian counterparts. They're famous for this risky maneuver: an emergency helicopter landing on water. Palace aides, no doubt, holding their breath.
Then the couple took to the water together, each in their own dragon boat. They are a sporty and competitive couple, so the winner was suitably satisfied.
Then to the beach. This area is famous for its seafood. Sand sculptures and smudging, a traditional welcoming ceremony.
(on camera) The Canadians really are going crazy for the royals. The trip couldn't be going better for the royal couple. It's a grueling schedule. But their carriage awaits.
Max Foster, CNN, Charlottetown.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Joining me now from Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada are [SIC] royal correspondent Max Foster.
Max, you had a sit-down conversation off the record with the duke and duchess. How did that go? And how were you able to arrange that?
FOSTER: Well, CNN has built up a really good relationship with the palace, so they gave us an opportunity to meet the couple. It was a fascinating conversation. They're both very positive about the tour. It's been going very, very well for them, of course.
And I think William particularly is really pleased with the way things have been going. So it's a great conversation. And when you look at the reaction that they had in this area of Canada, for example, you really understand why they're so excited about this. This is the first foreign tour. It just could not have been going better, Joe.
JOHNS: What are they like in person?
FOSTER: Well, you know, they're young, obviously. William in particular looks really well and really healthy. They're very personable people. And you really see this when out and about with the crowds, as well. That's what's different about this generation of royals, if you like. They're very chatty. They don't bother with all the formalities. They weren't expecting, you know, to say, "Hello, your royal highness" and all of that protocol.
They're very personal people. Very chatty people. Really interactive. Throwing themselves into things. And you saw the sort of things they got involved in here on Prince Edward Island, the rowing boat, for example, and also meeting the crowds. They're very interactive. They're not formal. This is a new form of informal royalty, I'd say.
JOHNS: You mentioned that the duke is particularly enjoying this. Do you think the duchess is enjoying it less? And in general, how is she handling her new role and responsibilities?
FOSTER: Well, certainly she's handling her role brilliantly. I've spoken to lots of veteran royal correspondents and photographers. And they're all saying she's doing a fantastic job.
Inevitable comparisons with Princess Diana, of course. But she had that personal touch. But what you got here, really, is a double -- double whammy. Because William's very good with people. Catherine is very good with people. So as a group, they're very, very powerful. And they've got a celebrity status; they've got the royal status. They're a really powerful couple.
Catherine not as relaxed in person when you're meeting her, simply because this is all new to her. William's had these experiences before. He knows it's going well, where she perhaps needs to be told it's going well a bit more.
JOHNS: So what's next on the trip?
FOSTER: Well, next on the trip, they -- they're go to the great outdoors, as they call it. Very keen to experience the great outdoors of Canada. So they're going up to the Northwest Territories, and you're going to see their competitive side yet again. Because they're going to be involved in a game of street hockey, a shimmy they call it up in the Northwestern Territories.
And they're going to meet -- meet lots of young people at the youth parliament up there. And then they're going to go even further out and they're going to sit around a campfire amongst tepees and meet people that live a local lifestyle up there.
And Catherine very keen to experience local arts and crafts. So I'm told that she's going to be seeing how the process of making moose leather takes place. So she's getting involved in the crafts, again, throwing herself in, as is William. JOHNS: Max Foster out in the rain for us. We thank you so much for that reporting. And we'll be checking back in.
A new effort by a Hollywood star to help U.S. troops. We'll go one- on-one with Lieutenant Dan himself, actor Gary Sinise.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: Finally, he's a well-known actor who's equally well known as an advocate for America's troops and veterans. Gary Sinise talks to our Lisa Sylvester about his latest effort to support those who serve their country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His most famous role...
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: Lieutenant Dan.
Lieutenant Dan.
Lieutenant Dan.
Lieutenant Dan!
SYLVESTER: ... playing alongside Tom Hanks in "Forest Gump." But Gary Sinise wears many hats, currently starring on the hit show "CSI New York." Off the set, he is a staunch advocate for military members and their families.
(on camera) This space is awesome. I mean, you've got, what is it, two acres that you're going to have here?
GARY SINISE, ACTOR/SPOKESMAN FOR VETERANS: Yes. It's two acres right here by the Capitol. To be involved in a project like this is pretty amazing.
SYLVESTER (voice-over): He is the national spokesman for the American Veterans Disabled for Life memorial that will be built in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol.
SINISE: Look, if you're going to serve your country, you're going to go out there and defend this nation, the nation should be showed some appreciation and do what we could to take care of them when they come home. So I'm just trying to do my bit, do my part to help keep them strong.
SYLVESTER: Sinise played guitar since he was a kid and started his own band, the Lieutenant Dan Band, after 9/11 as a way of giving back. His band travels the globe, visiting troops in places like Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
SINISE: People don't have high expectations for an actor with a band, let's face it. You know? So I like to -- I like to surprise them. SYLVESTER: His foundation is helping raise money to build homes for wounded veterans, job training and other needs. For 18 months a camera crew followed his band. The result, a movie, "Lt. Dan Band for the Common Good," available starting July 4 on pay-per-view on the Internet. One out of every $4 will go to his charitable foundation.
SINISE: It's a good, first-hand look at the kind of people that we have serving in our military: why they do it, what they do, how dedicated they are, what they're -- what they're going through, you know, what the people that support them are going through, what their families are going through.
SYLVESTER: Sinise is not doing this for money or as a photo op. He says he's been moved by the stories of the men and women in uniform, and he doesn't want them to be forgotten.
SINISE: You know, I've been at events where somebody will come up to me, and they'll have a picture of me with their son. And they'll say this was the last picture that was taken of him. I'm shaking hands and taking a picture for maybe ten seconds, 15 seconds for that person. But I know that, you know, I'm going to leave. I'm going to get back on the plane and go home. They have to stay there, and something could happen to them. You know, so I try to make that 15 seconds last a long, long time.
SYLVESTER: The movie can be seen at LtDanBandMovie.com.
Lisa Sylvester, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: I'm Joe Johns in THE SITUATION ROOM. For our international viewers, "WORLD REPORT" is next. In North America, "JOHN KING USA" starts right now.
