Return to Transcripts main page
The Situation Room
Surprise Twist As Edwards' Defense Rests; Catholic Church Vs. Obama Health Secy.; Adoption Battle; Charles Taylor on Trial; Mark Zuckerberg, The Musical
Aired May 16, 2012 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And you're in the SITUATION ROOM. Happening now, a surprise twist as John Edwards' legal team rest its case. (INAUDIBLE) persuaded jurors to keep the scandalized former presidential candidate out of prison.
Plus, you've got Joe Biden clam up a bit after a gay marriage gap again (ph). The vice president was on fire today. Stand by to hear what he's saying right now.
And see it for yourself. The car races through the city and crashes at 80 miles an hour. The elderly couple inside say it's proof that their Hyundai sped up on its own and went out of control.
We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in the SITUATION ROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: And now, John Edwards may be only a few days away from learning if the scandal that imploded his political and personal life will cost him his freedom. The former presidential candidate's lawyers rested their case today. There are lots of questions about their strategy after they didn't call his daughter, Cate, to testify as a lot of observers expected.
The defendant and his ex-mistress weren't called either. Our senior correspondent, Joe Johns, is covering the corruption trial in North Carolina for us. Joe, so wrap it up for us. What happened today?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the court just finished up a conference on jury instructions with the lawyers. Certainly, a bit of a surprise that we got to this point today. Just 24 hours ago, the defense was suggesting there might be a big finish in this trial, but for some reason, somebody decided to put on the brakes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): A trial of many twists. The prosecution's case against John Edwards lasted three weeks with the case put on by the Edwards' defense team took less than three days. Defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, had suggested he might put John Edwards, himself, on the stand or his mistress, Rielle Hunter.
Lowell had said several signals he might recall to the stand Andrew Young, Edwards' former right hand man. But in the end, Lowell rested its case without even calling to the stand Edwards' daughter, Cate, who's been by the former senator's side almost constantly throughout the indictment and trial.
The decision suggesting the former prosecutor, Kieran Shanhan, that the defense attorney chose almost at the last moment that they should quit while they think they're ahead.
KIERAN SHANHAN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: On balance, we like where we are and the risks aren't worth the reward (ph). Let's move on. Let's get this case to the jury.
JOHNS: The last witness for Edwards was a former FBI agent who was hired by Edwards' defense team to follow the trail of hundreds of dollars of hush money, money that went from Edwards' wealthy donors to his fixers and his mistress.
Testimony suggesting a lot of the money supposedly intended for Hunter never made it to her, but instead, went to Andrew Young and his wife. The defense is arguing that the Youngs used the affair to cash in.
SHANHAN: I remember we have a couple, at least, three of these jurors with financial backgrounds so who appreciate of that, and they speak the language of an auditor. So very, very smart move.
JOHNS: Aside from all of the sorted details, the trial has raised a critical question that could affect political campaigns for years to come, asking what is or is not a campaign contribution and where is a dividing line between political donations and personal gifts.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (on-camera): Closing arguments are expected tomorrow along with the judge's last-minute jury instruction that should take the better part of the day. The jury expected to start deliberating on Friday -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. We'll stay in close touch with you, Joe, thank you.
A lot of questions remain to be answered right now, including John Edwards' defense team plan enough doubt to get a not guilty verdict. Investigative reporter, Diane Dimond, wrote an article yesterday that Edwards' lawyer seemed unprepared, struggled to get his witnesses to the stand.
And she asked, is the Edwards' defense team losing it? Diane Dimond is joining us now from the trial scene in North Carolina. She's covering the Edwards' trial for "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast." Dianne, Abbe Lowell got a pretty good reputation out there. What was the bottom line point you were suggesting? DIANE DIMOND, NEWSWEEK/THE DAILY BEAST: Well, I'll tell you, I think that even Abbe Lowell would tell you, Wolf, that he sort of annoyed this judge from the get go. There were many times where he would start to speak over her, even one today where she stopped him cold and said, "I believe I was speaking."
And then, he goes ahead and speaks anyway. So, you know, I think that may have rattled Abbe Lowell a bit. He does have a very good reputation in the past. I was, like everybody else, completely shocked that they said, let's see, seven witnesses over two days, and then, a little bit of cross-examination on their seventh witness today.
It was -- it was a listless end to this defense and pretty surprising.
BLITZER: Yes. A lot of people never thought that John Edwards, himself, would take the stand, but a lot of them just thought that Cate, his daughter, would, very sympathetic, Harvard law school, grad. What happened? How come they decided, do you think, that they didn't need her testimony?
DIMOND: Well, you know, that's the $64,000 question. I don't know, but you know, whenever there is something that could help you, it could also hurt you. And so, I was thinking in my mind that maybe they didn't call Cate because how would that make it look? This man has already humiliated his wife, made a baby with another woman, and now, he's going to put his taught or the stand to testify for him and open her up to some tough cross-examination?
I think maybe Cate said I don't want to do it or maybe John Edwards said, you know what? I'm done putting people through things. We just don't know. It's pure speculation at this point.
BLITZER: Was she there at the trial today, Cate?
DIMOND: No. Not at all. Yesterday, she came and we were all ready for her to testify. She brought a friend with her. She was dressed up very nicely sitting in the front row right behind her dad next to her elderly grandparents, but the time came and went. The day was over, and she walked away without saying a word, not to the court and not to us.
BLITZER: Now, the burden of proof, of course, is not on Abbe Lowell and the defense team. The burden of proof is on the prosecution and to convince the men and women of that jury that he is guilty of a crime, not guilty of being a bad person, because that's not necessarily a crime, but guilty of a crime.
What are they saying? What are the folks over there, the experts you're talking to, do they think they passed that burden of proof? They made that case beyond a reasonable doubt?
DIMOND: No, not all of them. In fact, I don't find one of the legal people out here who have sat in on that trial that said, it's a sure thing he's going to be convicted. You know, realize, Wolf, that they are going have to prove that John Edwards willfully -- willfully and knowingly violated campaign finance law.
Now, that's a big bar to cross. That means he knew it was illegal, and he said I'm going break the law anyway. So, that's one thing. And the judge will instruct the jury on that tomorrow, but they also have to figure out exactly what is a contribution. Is it for the sole purpose of a campaign to influence a campaign, the purpose, or just one of the purposes?
It's a parsing of the language that sort of reminds me of the Bill Clinton days, but they hope to figure it all out by the time they instruct the jury here tomorrow.
BLITZER: And then, they'll begin the jury deliberation, I presume, on Friday. Diane, thanks very much. We'll check back with you tomorrow.
Now to a new explosion of tension between the Catholic Church in the United States and the Obama administration. At issue, plans for the president's health secretary to speak at a prominent catholic university right here in Washington, D.C. Our Brian Todd is over at Georgetown University. Brian, tell our viewers what this is all about.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this venerable catholic university is now deep into a simmering, broader political dispute between the Catholic Church and the Obama administration. And it seems none of the three parties are about to back down any time soon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (on-camera): America's oldest catholic university gets a strong rebuke from its own church. The catholic archdiocese of Washington this week calling it shocking that Georgetown University invited health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, to speak at an award ceremony during graduation.
Sebelius is the architect of a provision in the new healthcare law requiring employers, including many religious one, to offer insurance that includes access to contraceptives and birth control.
Beyond its stands against contraception, the Washington archdiocese says the healthcare law stumps on religious freedom because it doesn't allow catholic institution to be exempt from the birth control mandate. The diocese says Georgetown's recognition of Sebelius is a challenge to the bishops.
(on-camera) What do you say to that?
JULIA DRUHAN, GEORGETOWN GRADUATE STUDENT: I think that the administration at Georgetown has done a really good job of standing up for the students. And you know, we chose (INAUDIBLE), and I think that they're being supportive of their student body.
TODD (voice-over): Julia Druhan heads the student committee that invited Sebelius. She says her group, the School's Public Policy Institute, only want Sebelius to talk about her public service, not about the mandate or contraception.
The school said, none of its top officials could go on camera with us. Georgetown president, John DeJoya issued a statement saying the invitation is not an endorsement of Sebelius' views, but the Georgetown is committed to the free exchange of ideas.
(on-camera) While firmly entrenched in this controversy, Georgetown University has also become a symbol of a broader political and cultural battle between the Catholic Church and the Obama administration.
(voice-over) The president, who won the catholic vote in 2008, finds himself increasingly at odds with top catholic leaders who have fired salvos recently over his positions on contraception, abortion, and gay marriage.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Catholic bishops are kind of unique political force because they're economically liberal and socially very conservative. When a Democratic president is moving in a socially liberal direction, which is almost inevitable given the nature of their coalition these days, there's going to be conflict.
This, I think, is -- the reality is is that the kind of moves that the Obama administration has taken on socially related issues are going to cause problems with the most conservative Catholics.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (on-camera): Now, we were told Kathleen Sebelius also could not speak on camera with us, but her office says her message to the students is going to be about honoring their achievements. No word on whether she's going to speak about the healthcare law -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Brian, there are other issues between Georgetown University, a Jesuit school, as you point out and the catholic leadership here in Washington, aren't there?
TODD: That's right, Wolf. As a matter of fact, last week the catholic archdiocese here in Washington issued an editorial in their catholic standard newspaper, and one passage is really telling, it's says, "Georgetown has undergone a secularization to a no small parts of the fact that much of its leadership and faculty find their inspiration and sources other than the gospel and catholic teaching."
So, the diocese is very critical of Georgetown overall from what it did interpret as moving away from catholic teaching. So, that kind of is in the context of this dispute over Kathleen Sebelius.
BLITZER: Brian Todd over at Georgetown University, thank you.
Joe Biden says Republicans just don't get what Democrats are all about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be president of the United States I could be, and I could be vice president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Stand by for more of Joe Biden. He's all fired up and he's going after Mitt Romney.
Plus, a young girl adopted in the United States is caught in a major legal battle right now between two families and two countries, and now, the state department is stepping in.
And wait until you hear what Prince William and Prince Harry are saying about their grandmother, the queen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Joe Biden in the vice presidential role of attack dog today went after Mitt Romney and the Republicans saying they just don't get what Democrats are all about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIDEN: I resent the fact that they think we're talking about we're envy, its job, maybe his wealth envy, that we don't dream. My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be president of the United States, I could be, and I could be vice president. My mother and father believed that if my brother and sister wanted to be a millionaire, they could be a millionaire. My mother and father dreamed as much as much as any rich guy dreams!
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: They don't get us! They don't get who we are! They don't understand, it seems to me. Again, they just don't get it. Romney's friends believe he (ph) could help those at the very top. The rest are going to fend for themselves, and America is going to turn out all right. Well, folks, you saw it happen where this philosophy brought us.
You saw what it brought you. The last time this philosophy was in play which was eight years before we took office, the last time this was in play, you saw what happened. a lot of you are still living with the consequences of that philosophy that caused this great recession.
Governor Romney not only wants us to bring back -- he not only wants to take us back to the future, he wants to double down on those failed policies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Let's bring in our chief political correspondent, Candy Crowley, the host of CNN's "State of the Union." Candy, Joe Biden, he's really fired up on this. Here's the question, is this what the president wants for him to go out there and rev up the crowd, if you will?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's what vice presidents do. Yes. I mean, did you know they tend to play the attack dog role in any campaign, particularly, when a president needs to stay sort of above the fray and be presidential and remind people that he's presidential.
And Joe Biden also brings to this table those middle class, working class roots, and that's what that gets, too. This whole idea, all these rich people, they don't get us. We've got dreams, you know? They don't understand what we're all about. We're about hard work.
They want to help -- so, it helps not just with that normal attack on role, but because he has roots in the middle class in the blue collar community.
BLITZER: You know, I've been looking at this whole vice president -- you know, Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, but as far as Romney and his vice presidential potential running mates are out there, I've looked at all of the other Republican presidential candidates and maybe with the exception of Tim Pawlenty, I don't think any of the others whether Rick Santorum or Rick Perry or Newt Gingrich or Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, I don't think any of those are going to be, eventually, on his short list once he does have a short list.
CROWLEY: Yes. None of them have featured prominently, certainly in the chatter. None of which is coming from Mitt Romney at the money. But there are couple of reasons, some of those, I think, don't fit into the plan of having someone who is ready to step into the presidency right away, the sort of pale in effect, if you will.
They also -- if you look at someone like Newt Gingrich, even Newt Gingrich says, can you imagine having me as vice president? So, there are some personality things that -- sort of make it seem to make him ineligible. Certainly, there are others.
But there -- what -- at the moment, certainly, the president's decision on same-sex marriage to say I am personally for this, may have helped Romney in this way. He does not need someone so conservative to kind of prove his credentials. He's been able to say, wait a second, I'm not for same-sex marriage.
I think that's helped him a lot, certainly, in the evangelical community. We look at the polling. He's bringing those folks on. So, he may not need a Michele Bachmann-type. He maybe could go more towards a Tim Pawlenty.
BLITZER: Or Rob Portman from Ohio.
CROWLEY: Absolutely.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Yes. I read about this on my blog at CNN.com/SITUATIONROOM today. CROWLEY: I'll got read it.
BLITZER: Very sure. Thank you, Candy.
A gay prosecutor denied judgeship because in the words of one Republican lawmaker, his pattern of, quote, "homosexual advocacy."
And there are a lot of hazards to being a news anchor. Unfortunately, for us, getting hit with a drink isn't usually one of them. We're going to show you what one umpire's really bad day on the job happened.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Sad news to report. We're learning about the death of a member of the Kennedy family. Mary Snow has got the latest details. Mary, what's going on?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Westchester County medical examiner's office is confirming to CNN that Mary Kennedy has died. She is the wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and she's said to be 52 years old. Police in Westchester County, New York, had said earlier that they were called to a property and this property belonged to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
They said that they were investigating what they're calling a possible unattended death at a building on that property. The couple had filed for divorce in 2010, and they have four children. No official word on the cause of death. Again, the Westchester County medical examiner's office confirming to CNN that Mary Kennedy, age 52, has died -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Sad story and our deepest condolences to the Kennedy family for that.
Also, just in to the SITUATION ROOM news of a music legend's death. Lisa Sylvester has that and some of the other top stories -- Lisa.
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Johns Hopkins Hospital confirms that music legend, Chuck Brown, has died. Brown is known as the godfather of go-go, a popular style of music that was invented right here in Washington, D.C.
Brown's 1970s hit "Bustin' Loose" was a number one hit, and he had recently postponed numerous shows due to his failing health. Let's listen to some of Chuck Brown's music.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SYLVESTER: Chuck Brown, the pioneer of go-go was 75 years old. And the city of Fullerton, California, will pay a million dollars to the mother of Kelly Thomas (ph), the unarmed homeless man beaten to death by police officers last year. As part of the deal, Thomas' mother will no longer seek legal action against the city, but it does not affect a wrongful death suit filed by Thomas' father. Two officers are charged in his death.
And Virginia is denying judgeship for a gay prosecutor. In a surprise vote, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to reject Tracy Thorne-Begland's nomination. One of the Republican delegates says it about his pattern of, quote, "homosexual advocacy." Republican governor, Bob McDonnell, says discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is not acceptable.
And there are bad days at work, and then, there's the day this umpire had. Watch as the Toronto Blue Jays player upset by a called third strike, pegs his helmet into the ground, bounces up to hit the umpire in the side, and to make matters worse, so the umpire walks off the field at the end of the game, a fan throws a drink at him.
Talk about a rough day on the job. That player was ejected from the game and could face possible suspension now, Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes. I'm assuming he will. All right. Tough day out in baseball land. Thanks very much.
A child adopted here in the United States was allegedly stolen from her family in Guatemala. The state department is now stepping in. This is a gut-wrenching dispute. We're going to bring you all sides.
And the man accused of being the butcher of Bosnia goes on trial for war crimes and appears to threaten his victims again.
And, is a fake police officer killing drivers out there on the highway? We're taking a closer look at a case that's creating a lot of fear right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: The State Department is intervening in a heartbreaking child custody case; the 7-year-old girl adopted here in the United States is now caught in the middle of a legal fight between two families and two countries. Here's CNN senior Latin American Affairs Editor Rafael Romo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice- over): It's the story of a child with two identities in two countries and two sets of parents who claim her as their own. In Missouri she goes by Karen, but in Guatemala Loyda Rodriguez, who the government says is her biological mother calls the little girl Angeli (ph).
LOYDA RODRIGUEZ, ALLEGED BIOLOGICAL MOTHER (through translator): I'm going to give her all my love which I haven't been able to do during this time when she hasn't been with me. I'm going to do everything possible so that she learns to love little by little because I know she doesn't remember me.
ROMO: That was what Rodriguez said last August when a Guatemalan judge ruled Angeli (ph) belonged with her and not with her adoptive American parents. The U.S. State Department now says the 7- year-old should not be returned to Guatemala because when the incident happened the two countries had not yet signed an international treaty dealing with abducted children.
VICTORIA NULAND, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: There are obviously privacy concerns related to this. There are legal concerns related to this but beyond that our view of this is that the appropriate venue for contesting this or cases like this would be in the state courts.
ROMO: According to Guatemalan authorities Angeli (ph) was snatched from her mother while the family was outside their home and sold to an international adoption agency. They say the agency falsified documents to make her eligible for adoption, something that apparently the adopted parents in Missouri didn't know. Rodriguez says she now hopes to go to court in the United States to try to get her daughter back.
We reached out to the adoptive parents who refused to comment and referred us to their lawyer in Washington who also refused to comment. Last year a family representative said the adoptive parents will continue to advocate for the safety and best interest of their legally adopted child. They remain committed to protecting their daughter from additional trauma as they pursue the truth of her past through appropriate legal channels.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMO: In Guatemala at least 10 people have been charged with human trafficking in connection with the case of this adopted girl. So far two of those people have been convicted and the others are awaiting trial. The Guatemalan government suspended adoptions in 2007 after authorities found multiple cases of falsified birth certificates and paperwork as well as alleged thefts of babies -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What a story, what a tragic story indeed. All right we'll stay on top of it, Rafael. Thanks for bringing it to us.
This just coming in to THE SITUATION ROOM, the House of Representatives has voted on the Violence Against Women Act. Some quick background, it's a law protecting battered women in the United States and it's been around for about two decades but a nasty fight has been brewing about renewing the law. Let's bring in our congressional correspondent Kate Bolduan. She's been watching what's going on. So what has just happened, Kate?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the House just passed the Republican version of renewing the Violence Against Women Act. The vote was 222-205 largely from what I can see a party line vote in the House, but that does not mean -- I should say that the fight is far from over. Democrats and many advocacy groups say that the House version of this -- renewing this law does not go nearly far enough to offer assistance and help to victims like illegal immigrants who are victims of domestic violence as well as Native American victims, as well as gay and lesbian victims of domestic violence. The Senate last month, Wolf, passed their own version on a -- with bipartisan support renewing the Violence Against Women Act and expanded that included such expanded provisions.
Republicans however say that for example it's unnecessary to specify in this law that gay and lesbian victims are included because they argue that all victims are already covered. They say Democrats are picking a political fight. Democrats very much disagree saying that the law allows for discrimination because of ambiguity in the language. As you can of course tell, Wolf, the fight is far from over. The House and Senate now need to go to conference to hammer out differences, but the White House has already issued a veto threat against the House version and at the center of all this, Wolf, election year politics, both sides trying to win a larger battle over a key vote, female voters.
BLITZER: Kate thanks very much. You'll update us on that conference once the Senate version, the House version may try to reconcile it if they possibly can.
The man accused of being the butcher of Bosnia appeared to threaten his victims as he went on trial today for war crimes. The former General Radko Mladic (ph) is charged with orchestrating a campaign of ethnic cleansing during the Civil War that tore apart the former Yugoslavia. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is covering the trial at The Hague in The Netherlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Allegations after brutal murderous allegation delivered in precise monotones by the prosecutor Dermot Groom (ph). For the most part Radko Mladic (ph) either nodded, took notes, or stared menacingly at the public gallery a few feet away. The case as the prosecutors laid out, backed up by graphic videos. This one the aftermath of Serb shelling on a Sarajevo market. If Mladic (ph) had remorse, it didn't show. He sat impassively through this, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Whenever I come by Sarajevo I kill someone in passing.
ROBERTSON: Mladic (ph) getting his first insight into how the prosecution plans to convict him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of these snipers will appear before you and provide evidence of this aspect of the campaign of terror. He will describe his orders to shoot at anything that moved down below his perch.
ROBERTSON: Victims will get their say, too, Groom (ph) quoting from one woman. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Up to that day I had been raped by almost 50 of them. I didn't want to see who was coming in, who was going out, and whenever they would bring me back I would just tear my hair and say oh, what are they doing to us?
ROBERTSON: Not visible on the courtroom cameras, other victims struggling with grief and anger.
(on camera): Sitting in the courtroom there just a few feet away from Mladic (ph) I'm reminded of the times that I met him during the Bosnian war. He's lost none of his intensity and not for the first time he drew his finger across his throat looking at some of the victims, an indication that he wanted to kill them and not for the first time the judge told him that that wasn't going to be tolerated.
(voice-over): Even his lawyer can't control him.
(on camera): But does it help you as his lawyer when he makes these gestures in open court?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course not. Of course not. Every time I try to tell him that I disagree, but I cannot -- handcuff him. He does what he wants.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): His victims who waited almost two decades for this had hoped for so much more from Mladic (ph) and got so much less. Satko Mujagic survived the detention camp.
SATKO MUJAGIC, DETENTION CAMP SURVIVOR: When I saw the first pictures of shelling of Sarajevo, all these victims, these guys (INAUDIBLE) are being shot by scorpions. Sixteen-year-old boys, you heard it yourself, and seeing him like almost laughing at that, smiling at that. You know I just -- something just broke in me, and I had to leave the court. I had some bad -- I mean tough moment outside.
ROBERTSON: Many had traveled almost a thousand miles from Bosnia, this day, bittersweet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
ROBERTSON: Justice has begun, this victim says, but the international help is too late. They should have stopped the killings. In the history of this court, Mladic's (ph) trial is billed as the biggest, most important, his fate though only part of the healing.
MUJAGIC: It takes more than one lifetime and more than one generation, but we'll be there, we must be there, and I am glad that you're here because we need the world to watch us and watch over us still during this process and this is the way to do it.
ROBERTSON: One trial at a time, 18 months or so before Mladic's (ph) verdict is expected. It won't be the last time these banners are brought out.
Nic Robertson, CNN, The Hague, The Netherlands.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Mladic's (ph) trial comes after a landmark war crimes ruling last month when another international tribunal found the former Liberian President Charles Taylor (ph) guilty of aiding atrocities in neighboring Sierra Leone (ph).
A terrifying video of a car speeding out of control, does it prove the Hyundai suddenly accelerated on its own? And on a very, very different note, Prince William, Prince Harry, they give a rare TV interview, even rarer what they're saying about the queen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Prince William and Prince Harry usually leave it to other people to talk about their royal relatives, but now in a rare interview they're spilling some of the beans about the queen. Let's bring in CNN's royal correspondent Max Foster. He's joining us from London. Max why are they doing these interviews now?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting, isn't it? I think what's happened is the royal wedding was such a big deal last year and since them William, Harry and Kate have become these mega stars and they're always in the media and they're aware that that spotlight is on them, but going into the summer, the spotlight is meant to be on the queen. She celebrated 60 years on the throne, the Diamond Jubilee, a whole series of events in London. It's going to take over London in the first weekend in June and they -- what they're trying to do is put the spotlight on her so these interviews are entirely about the queen, not about them. Let's have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) grandmother it's as simple as that (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As I learned from growing up, you don't mess with the grandmother.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She hasn't friended you on Facebook?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, she hasn't? Has she friended you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hopefully after this interview she will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Very interesting, ABC of course paying for the U.S. rights to the Jubilee concert, so they've had some really good access, but to have Prince William speaking and that's probably most interesting because Harry does do the occasional interview.
BLITZER: Katie Couric doing the interview with both of these princes. Are we also going to be hearing from Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge?
FOSTER: One day, Wolf, one day. I mean what I've been told is that it may happen, but certainly not in the foreseeable future. You see her making public speeches and she is very uncomfortable. She was uncomfortable during her engagement interview, which is the only time she's ever given an interview. I know that she does get a lot of inspiration from the queen and the queen has never given an interview and I do wonder Kate is thinking about last strategy. As long as things are going well, why give an interview and sort of risk things going wrong in an interview and certainly Harry and William are pretty good at it, really.
BLITZER: Yes, they are pretty good at it. I look forward to seeing the interview. Thanks very much, Max, for that.
A very scary scenario on the highway, police say someone may be -- may be impersonating them and killing drivers who pull over. Two people are already dead. We'll have the latest on the frightening case.
And imagine this. You're driving your car and suddenly this happens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(SOUNDS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(SOUNDS)
(CROSSTALK)
(SOUNDS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Drivers in Mississippi are on high alert right now after two people were found murdered on the side of a highway. What is especially worrying is that there may be a fake police officer who killed them. Mary Snow is working the story for us. Mary, what are you learning about the victims?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, one was a retired grandfather, the other a casino worker. Both were murdered last week three days apart and authorities are pouring over forensic evidence as they hunt for a killer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): Seventy-four-year-old Tom Schlender (ph) was the first victim found dead in his car shot multiple times on a remote stretch of highway in Mississippi. He was driving from Nebraska to Pensacola, Florida to pick up his grandson at college. His family says his wallet was missing when he was found and that there was no indication of any problem when he spoke to his daughter by phone just hours before his death.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard to imagine your father in that situation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean this is a violent end to a very kind man's life.
SNOW: Tom Schlender (ph) was found May 8th at 1:30 in the morning. Three days later authorities found a second victim found dead outside her car at 2:15 in the morning 55 miles from the first murder scene. She is identified as 48-year-old Lori Ann Carswell (ph) and authorities say she was on her way home from a job at a casino.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The common denominator we have between both incidences is that we believe both vehicles were on the side of the road.
SNOW: That is why authorities believe the killer may be posing as a police officer. They say nothing was wrong with the victim's cars. Forensic teams are comparing shell casings from both locations. Mississippi drivers have been told to be on alert. If they're suspicious of a police car pulling them over they're advised to put on their hazard lights and dial 911 to verify it is legitimate or wait to pull over in a well-lit crowded place, but as one law enforcement analyst points out the possibility of someone posing as a fake officer is just one theory.
MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: There is no vehicle description. There is no description of anyone involved in this. So could it be someone who maybe was pulled over to the side of the road and these victims were good Samaritans that pulled over to help this person? That's also another scenario that has to be looked at by law enforcement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Now U.S. marshals and the ATF are both working with law enforcement in Mississippi. And in addition to providing forensic experts the ATF says it is also working with FBI profilers to find the killer -- Wolf.
BLITZER: I hope they find that killer soon, Mary, thank you.
Imagine this, you're driving your car and suddenly this happens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(SOUNDS) (YELLING)
(SOUNDS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Wow! CNN's Paula Hancocks has more on one couple's terrifying ride -- Paula.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, footage of a car crash here in South Korea has gone viral with almost two million online views in just a week. It has also sparked a government-led investigation. The 30-year-old son of the couple in the car who only wanted to be identified by his surname (ph), Quan (ph), says that he wanted to post the footage of this May 6th crash online to prove that his father was not at fault. The footage is from a camera attached to the rear-view mirror, which is common practice here in Korea.
Quan (ph) tells CNN that his parents, both in their 60s, heard a weird noise before the (INAUDIBLE) accelerated. The footage shows the car swerving to avoid other vehicles and also driving through two red lights. It eventually crashed into a stationary car at a speed believed to be around 18 miles an hour. Quan (ph) says his mother underwent an operation for internal bleeding and is waiting on a second operation on her back.
His father has fractured ribs and fingers. An official investigation is under way. The Ministry of (INAUDIBLE) says they are currently investigating four other cases of sudden, unintended acceleration. (INAUDIBLE) a request for an interview, but did send a statement saying the vehicle is being investigated by the Korean National Forensics Service. There is no time estimate (INAUDIBLE) investigation. Japanese carmaker Toyota recalled millions of cars back in 2009 due to cases of sudden, unintended acceleration -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What a story, all right thanks very much, Paula for that. Here is a question. If you love Facebook and you love musicals, then this clip is definitely for you. We are talking about "Mark Zuckerberg, The Musical".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mother, I just found my mother on Facebook and suddenly I see how dangerous this site can be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's a look at this hour's "Hotshots". In France a look at the future site of the international thermo nuclear experimental reactor. Lots of countries have invested in the reactor as a clean alternative to fossil fuels. In Germany, police drag a protester away from an occupied camp outside the European Central Bank. In Brazil, gay activists hold a rainbow flag in front of the presidential palace. And in France, falcons are used to scare pigeons away during the French Tennis Open -- "Hotshots", pictures coming in from around the world.
The Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has accomplished many things. He is one of the world's youngest billionaires. He was named "TIME" magazine's "Person of the Year" and now he can add one more to his resume. He has his own musical. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Face this Mark Zuckerberg are, the movie about you takes two hours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the gun (ph). Just Facebook.
MOOS: But it takes less than four minutes to tell your life story in "Zuckerberg, The Musical".
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Harvard, he is a student at Harvard doesn't want to be bothered. He is building Facebook.
MOOS: Using songs borrowed from "Cats" (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the dawning of the page that you share with us --
MOOS: Borrowed from "Hair", borrowed from "West Side Story".
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mother, I just found my mother on Facebook and suddenly I see how dangerous this site can be.
MOOS: You will find this musical on YouTube, not Broadway.
JOE SABIA, CO-FOUNDER, CDZAMUSIC.COM: Everyone that you see performing is a Julliard trained musician pretty much.
MOOS: It's the latest release from something called the "Collective Cadenza", CDZA for short. "Zuckerberg, The Musical" covers every phase of Facebook from --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scene number seven, expansion.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Facebook (INAUDIBLE) --
MOOS: To Facebook's role as the champion of democracy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Arab Spring, revolutions covered --
MOOS: CDZA says it creates music video experiments. Their first experiment was called --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: History of lyrics that are not lyrics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do, rah, ditty, ditty, dumb, ditty do.
(MUSIC) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(WHISTLING)
MOOS (on camera): Put your lips together for their next video --
(WHISTLING)
MOOS (voice-over): The history of whistling --
(WHISTLING)
MOOS: Twenty-six songs covering 98 years --
(MUSIC)
(WHISTLING)
MOOS: Now to ride the noise of Facebook going public. They are hoping you will like their song about the like button.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything you can like, I can like better.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: No, you can't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I can.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: No, you can't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I --
(SOUNDS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- can.
MOOS: And finally, we are getting to Mark Zuckerberg taking Facebook public.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now he is a rich man (INAUDIBLE) now.
MOOS: Go ahead and mock Markey, but CDZA doesn't just sing about Facebook. They are on it.
(SINGING)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: "Zuckerberg, The Musical" --
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Very nice, love those Broadway musicals. That's it for me. Thanks very much for joining us. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. The news continues next on CNN.
