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CNN Sunday Morning
Pregnant Woman Missing; Can Nifong Face Criminal Charges?
Aired June 17, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CO-ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: A pregnant woman missing, her 2-year-old son found home alone. Now family members are desperately pleading for help.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hearing committee has deliberated, and we are in unanimous agreement that there is no discipline shortage of firing that would be appropriate in this case.
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NGUYEN: Out of a job and a career. Could the prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse rape case now face criminal charges?
A teenager left for dead. Her former teacher now admits to the crime but shows no remorse. You will hear from the teen on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. My partner T.J. Holmes is off today. It is Sunday, June 17, Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. We want to thank you for starting your day with us.
We begin with the frantic search for a missing Ohio woman who is nine months pregnant. Police say there's a good chance foul play was involved in the disappearance of Jesse Marie Davis. Davis' mother went to her home on Friday after she had not heard from her. She said her daughter's bedroom was in disarray and her 2-year-old son was home alone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATTY PORTER, MISSING WOMAN'S MOTHER: She would have never left my grandson, ever. Unless she was forced out of there with somebody threatening him.
CAPT. GARY SHANKLE, STARK CO. OHIO SHERIFF'S DEPT: We canvassed the neighborhood, also had canines involved in canvassing the neighborhood. We are just following up on any leads we get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Police say bedroom furniture was knocked over a comforter and sheets were missing from a bed. And there was bleach on the floor. We will continue to follow this story. Also this, a Pennsylvania murder mystery may now be solved. Police in Manheim Township say they have a 16-year-old in custody charged in the May 12th murders of a classmate and that boy's parents. Police say Alec Kreider confessed to the killings. Kreider was turned in by his father and we are going to have much more on this coming up right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Tragedy at a charity car show in Tennessee. Four people killed at the cars for kid's event in Selmer, Tennessee. Authorities say a drag racing vehicle performing an exhibition maneuver spun out of control and careened into the crowd. Look at this video. Selmer police chief says bodies were flying in the air. As many as 15 people were injured. The organization that sanctions the drag racing says the race team is shocked and deeply saddened by what happened.
Well he has already promised to quit over his handling of the now debunked Duke lacrosse rape case. Now Mike Nifong is losing his law license. But the embattled prosecutors legal troubles well they may be just starting. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti reports.
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SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The North Carolina Ethics Panel called the case a fiasco and found disgraced Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong guilty of deceit and fraud. Even before his punishment was dulled out Nifong agreed he should lose his law license for gross misconduct in the collapsed rape case against three Duke lacrosse players.
MIKE NIFONG, DURHAM DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I apologize.
CANDIOTTI: Nifong's apology fell on deaf ears. Ethics investigators said Nifong lied to them about his actions including failing to tell the accused students about critical DNA evidence that could clear them of rape allegations.
JOSEPH CHESHIRE, LACROSSE PLAYERS DEFENSE ATTY: I hope this sends a loud and clear message that if you cheat and try to put innocent people in prison you will either go to prison yourself or lose your law license.
CANDIOTTI: The ethics panel concluded Nifong called a rogue prosecutor by the states attorney general did it to further his political career.
VOICE OF F. LANE WILLIAMSON, ETHIC'S PANEL CHAIRMAN: At the root of it is self-deception arising out of self-interest.
CANDIOTTI: On Saturday, the parents of two of the three players took the stand to say the accusations will haunt them the rest of their lives.
MARY ELLEN FINNERTY, PLAYER'S MOTHER: Nobody can give any of the three families back the 14 months that we have gone through.
DAVE EVANS, PLAYER'S FATHER: He believes that when he dies that it will be reported no matter what else he did during his life, that he was one of the three Duke lacrosse players who was accused of rape.
CANDIOTTI: What rankles players and parents most is that Nifong told the panel he still has questions about what happened that night in March 2006.
NIFONG: I think something happened that night in that bathroom, but I'm not sure that I can say that at this point I believe it was a sexual assault.
CHESHIRE: No lacrosse player ever touched that woman in that house or in that bathroom and in his words; this story was simply a hoax.
CANDIOTTI: The players now say they hope to go on with their lives.
Nifong may not be totally in the clear. Attorneys are predicting civil lawsuits and some lawyers say his conduct was so outrageous he might not be immune from criminal charges.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Raleigh, North Carolina.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well we are learning more details about the raid in Iraq where the IDs of two missing soldiers were found. Troops were searching for a bomb maker when they raided an insurgent safe house near Samarra. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us with more. She's in Baghdad where a four-day curfew has been lifted. There's been a lot of concern, especially with the resent violence.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right Betty. A tense city at this point, but at this point it does appears as though things are fairly calm. We have had a car bomb up in Kirkuk, the north of Iraq but since the curfew has been lifted in Baghdad, it was fairly quiet. That curfew is still on in Samarra and also in Basra. That's where we have seen several mosques burned in retaliation for the bombing on Friday.
Talking about those Id cards of the two missing soldier that were found last Saturday, a week last Saturday, we are hearing now that it was a lucky find. This was not the intention of those military personnel who went into this safe house. They were looking for a bomb maker, but instead they found video production equipment, they found the two IDs of these two missing U.S. soldiers who had been missing for a month and also a lot of fire, ammunition and rifles. They say also they have been working in this area before they found weapons caches, and they went back to try to find any information in this particular location. But at this point the U.S. military says it is a major intelligence find but it does not give them any more clues as to the whereabouts of those two soldiers.
Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. A massive search is still under way. As we get more information we will bring it to you the view. Paula thank you for that.
We want to tell you now about a suicide bomber that targets police officers in Afghanistan with deadly results. Authorities say at least 35 people were killed in today's attack in Kabul. A witness says the bomber walked on to a bus loaded with police officers and then blew himself up. The bus was reduced to a skeleton of blackened metal. You can see it in this video. This was one of the deadliest insurgent attacks in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.
Now to the unrest in the Middle East. Less than an hour ago, a new Palestinian emergency government was sworn in, also word that a kidnapped BBC journalist may soon be freed. A Hamas official saying they are working with Alan Johnson's kidnappers to secure his possible release. For more we are joined by CNN's Atika Shubert in Jerusalem. Let's talk first about Alan Johnson. What do you know about any progress on that front?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hamas spokesmen have said they are close to negotiating his release. They said he will be released soon. One spokesman indicating it could be a matter of hours. This has backtracked a little, other spokesman say they are not quite that close, either way Hamas seems optimistic that he will be released shortly. This seems to be in one part a way for Hamas to show that it is enforcing law and order in the streets of Gaza and also a way of getting favor with the international community, showing that they are able to negotiate his release. Still there's been no word yet on when that will happen.
NGUYEN: As far as this new emergency government being put in place, some members have been worn in the cabinet. Talk to us about the progress on that front.
SHUBERT: The new Palestinian prime minister has been sworn in with his new cabinet. All of them are politically independent. They are neither Hamas nor Fatah. During the ceremony, the new prime minister called for unity but even just minutes after he spoke, Hamas leaders were already rejecting that new government calling it illegitimate. So it seems there are now two distinct Palestinian authorities, the Islamic militant group of Hamas in Gaza, and the western-backed Fatah supported government in the West Bank. It's not clear who is in charge.
NGUYEN: Any idea if the two side are going to come together for some sort of meeting to work any of this out?
SHUBERT: At the moment it does not look likely. But eventually something will have to be done, particularly in order to get supplies of food, fuel into the 1.5 million people in Gaza. At the moment they are completely isolated.
NGUYEN: All right. Atika Shubert bringing us up to speed on the latest there in the Middle East, thank you for that Atika.
Cleared to come home. That's the call from NASA now that computer problems have been cleared up on the International Space Station. The shuttle "Atlantis" was acting as the station's guidance system while the computers were down. Well the shuttle mission has already been extended two days because of other difficulties. "Atlantis" is now scheduled to land Thursday at Cape Canaveral.
The landscape will be a little different when the astronauts get back. Check this out. Look at that. Just came crashing down. What you are watching here -- there it goes. An implosion of two towers at Kennedy Space Station's Launch Complex 36, the launch pads were used for more than 40 years to send up important space missions, mostly satellites and probes on their way to Venus, Mars and Saturn. But no shuttle launches.
Playing with politics? Using technology to raise awareness? With a new redirecting video game. Yeah, but is it winning always worth it in this one? We are going to find out.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider. We are tracking strong storms over Texas right now that will bring about flooding throughout the morning and afternoon. Also the threat for severe weather in the northern Plains, a tornado watch is in effect. I'll have your complete Father's Day forecast coming up on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's already crawling, she is getting her first teeth in, and she's already saying her first words. I'm missing that.
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NGUYEN: I'm sure he does. Fathers away from their families and fighting in the Middle East as we honor dads today, we look at the sacrifice many of our troops are making. That's ahead on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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SGT. FIRST CLASS TRACEY BISSET (ph): My name is Sgt. First Class Tracey Bisset, stationed here at Taji Camp, Iraq. I'd like to say happy Father Day to my dad, Steven Bisset back in Washington and tell my family that I love them, I'm taking care of myself and I expect you to do the same of dad. I love you. Happy Father's Day.
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CHRISTIAN AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The General Gul Hursh (ph) is the northern front battle commander. The commander of the northern operations up here says they are right now in the first phase of this operation. But there are contingency plans for a possible phase two.
Do you think that a Shiite republic or those fears are legitimate today?
What will you do to finally eliminate that threat which covers a great part of this country?
What needs to be done to stop that very dangerous state of affair?
How are you going fix that relationship?
Christian Amanpour, CNN, Sarajevo.
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NGUYEN: You know the face and you know the name and you know the experience. Our own very own chief international correspondent Christian Amanpour has a new title; Britain's Queen Elizabeth is naming her a commander of the order of the British Empire. That is CBE for short; the honor recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences. Other famous names on the honor's list marking the Queen's birthday include author Salman Rushdie, who is being rewarded a knighthood. And we do want to say congratulations to Christian, or should we say CBE.
Going to toss it now to Bonnie Schneider. Who is working on the rain, you will get one of those titles one of these days.
SCHNEIDER: What an honor that would be.
All right. Let talk about Texas, we have a lot of rain coming in to the region, some heavy downpours already into Dallas and Houston down through Corpus Christi and some strong storms to the south. What's happening is that same area of low pressure is slowly working to the northeast. As it does, it sit there's and still brings about that Gulf moisture we saw yesterday and down in Laredo we are getting some powerful thunderstorms, right along the Mexican border. You can see the rain coming in. It's coming in before the sun comes up, so it's a little dangerous to be traveling. If you can stay inside until some of these storms pass, you will be better off.
Switching gears now to some of the larger cities in Texas, like Houston, not bad now, but notice the thunderstorms. They will be intermittent throughout the day. We already had reports of two inches of rain on the ground and up to three inches. Expect more of that today since we are still going to see the rain. The threat for severe weather today, right now, is over parts of the upper Midwest and the northern Plains.
This tornado watch is in effect until 10:00 a.m. Central Time and it does include the city of Fargo, where we are getting powerful thunderstorms right now. The big picture shows the rain stretching all the from North Dakota across areas of northern Minnesota and just to the north of Minneapolis. When we look at our severe weather threat for today, this is from the Storm Prediction Center, you can see the states, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin all highlighted as an area for slight risk, meaning we could even see tornadoes break out, that is why that watch in place.
Across the country, we have hot and humid conditions through the southeast, much milder temperatures. Hotter temperatures today than what you saw yesterday for New York City, for example. Right now, it's 67 there. Already 71 degrees in Chicago. And the numbers will go on up from here. We are talking about 90 plus through much of the country. It will be a hot Father's Day. Betty.
NGUYEN: Hopefully you won't be barbecuing out there in all that heat, but it is Father's Day and that is what they do. Thank you Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
NGUYEN: Well all around the country dads are taking center stage on this Father's Day, but thousands of American men are spending it far away from their kids in the war zone. CNN's Karl Penhaul reports, their thoughts are always at home with their little ones.
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KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): An American infantryman on Iraq's deadly streets. A U.S. paratrooper manning a machine gun. They are two of thousands dads far from home.
STAFF SGT. DUSTIN WILLIAMS, U.S. ARMY: You watch your children grow up in pictures and that is pretty much what I am doing.
PENHAUL: William's is father of four. First daughter Liberty was born while he was fighting in Iraq in 2004. Second daughter Morgan was born two months into his second tour.
WILLIAMS: She's already crawling; she is getting her first teeth in. Already saying her first words. I'm missing that.
PENHAUL: This cherished trinket, a military dog tag, engraved with a photo of his wife Lena (ph) and Morgan his youngest. .
WILLIAMS: My family is most important to me in my life.
PENHAUL: His two girls are two young to understand, but Williams said he broke the news to sons Hayden and Austin over ice cream that he was headed to Iraq.
WILLIAMS: They don't know exactly what I'm doing but they understand that I'm off fighting the bad guys.
PENHAUL: Specialist Chris Dech was already feeling the wrench of separation, and when he got to Iraq, he found out his unborn son may have a fatal deformity.
SPECIALIST CHRIS DECH, U.S. ARMY: We prayed about it we looked at it, as hey, whatever happens, we have to deal with it.
PENHAUL: Dech and wife Jessica worked through their anxiety by e-mail and instant messenger. He got emergency leave for the birth now 8-month-old Nathan is doing fine. Nothing fatal but he is undergoing surgery to fix a cleft lip and pallet.
DECH: I would have liked to have been there for his surgery. Little things, like him first rolling over.
PENHAUL: His two other sons, Peter, 7, and Samuel, 5, keep in touch. Mostly with spider-man drawings and notes.
DECH: Hi, dad, how are you doing? The whole class went to the gym. We had free play. My favorite thing was to climb the ropes. Bye, I love you.
PENHAUL: Those little details make Dech long for his family.
DECH: You learn not to take things for granted. You go home, you're with them, and spend quality time. And that's pretty much how I plan on making up for it.
PENHAUL: His Father's Day message --
DECH: I'd say I love you and look forward to being home with you soon.
PENHAUL: Echoing the feelings of thousands. Military dads in harm's way and far from home.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, Samarra, Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: All right. So if you're looking for a Father's Day gift, want to play politics with a mouse click? That's the name of this game. It's redirecting -- sounds like fun. New video games get serious about social issues. You'll see why when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continue.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, DOTCOM DESK: Good morning to you, I'm Veronica Del La Cruz. Do you think the Duke lacrosse case prosecutor Mike Nifong should face criminal charges? Log on to CNN.com right now and cast your vote. We'll look at that next from the dotcom desk.
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CASEY MAX: Hi, I'm Casey Max, I'm currently stationed in Iraq, I would like to wish a Happy Father's Day to my dad, Mike Donahue in Texas. I love you and miss you. I hope to see you soon, dad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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NGUYEN: All right. Gaming for a higher cause or at least a better understanding of how elections work in this country. At the University of Southern California students are creating video games aimed at the social conscience of a new generation. Reporter Kara Finnstrom has our story.
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KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It begins dark and foreboding. But don't expect shooting rampages, bank heists or alien zapping. Your mission in this video game, craftily manipulate district lines and score a skewed victory for your party. Get ready to gerrymander.
CHRIS SWAIN, COMPUTER GAME DESIGNER: We believe that redirecting is sort of a dark corner of our democracy. We thought if we let people play with it themselves they could understand it better.
FINNSTROM: Chris Swain teaches students to make video games at the University of Southern California and helped develop this redirecting game. In real capital reform groups sent a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers pushing for redistricting reform. Hope it will raise awareness.
REP. JOHN TANNER, (D) TENNESSEE: It's an issue that does not command a lot of attention, I know that, but it's critically important to the workings of our government.
FINNSTROM: Representative John Tanner says the redistricting system which for the most part gives the power to draw lines to state legislatures is broken. When I tried to redraw the lines --
SWAIN: It made both of them mad.
FINNSTROM: That is not good. I found I couldn't get my party boss, Congress, the citizen groups and the courts all happy. Once I did get a map that passed -- it only left me with more questions. If you get your map passed at each of these levels you are winning the game.
SWAIN: You are winning the game, but some people say they won but they felt that they only won by being partisans. That's not fair, then they have a realization, oh, and that's how it really works.
FINNSTROM: The redistricting game is on the edge of what the school sees as a new generation of socially conscious and educational video games.
SWAIN: We think this is the most powerful communications medium. So this school is trying to build the next generation of thinker for that.
FINNSTROM: Thinkers like Mike Stein who just worked on a video game about the genocide in Darfur.
MIKE STEIN, STUDENT: As someone who wants to be a game designer, I'm not going to be solving cancer. I was happy to see something where I could do work to change peoples perceptions.
FINNSTROM: The idea, get young hands on issues that for many would usually pass as just blips on the screen.
Kara Finnstrom, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: That's really interesting. Well, look at this. It is the tragic aftermath in Tennessee after a drag racing car careens into the crowd. We have more on this deadly accident. That is coming up.
PORTER: To have never left my grandson ever.
NGUYEN: Mother's anguish after her pregnant daughter disappears what police are saying about the search for the missing woman. That's ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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NGUYEN: A pregnant mother vanishes days before she is due to deliver. Her young son found home alone. That was obviously the wrong video. But we will hear from the missing woman's mother. It is a tragic story, a mystery, in fact.
On this CNN SUNDAY MORNING, we also want to show you a new way to confess your sins. Why some people are choosing the Internet over the church confessional.
Welcome back everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. T.J. Holmes has the day off. We have a lot to tell you about.
First up, Police in Ohio suspect foul play in the disappearance of a woman who is nine months pregnant. A frantic search is underway for Jesse Marie Davis. She's days away from her due date and Davis's mother went to her home on Friday after she had not heard from her. She says her daughter's bedroom was in disarray and her two-year-old son was home alone.
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PATTY PORTER, MISSING WOMAN'S MOTHER: She would have never left my grandson, ever. Unless she was forced out of there with somebody threatening him.
CAPT. GARY SHANKLE, STARK CO., OHIO SHERIFF'S DEPT.: We are canvassing the neighborhood. We've also had K-9s involved in canvassing the neighborhood. And we're just following up on leads we get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Here's what's more surprising, police say bedroom furniture was just knocked over, a comforter and some sheets, they were missing from a bed. And there was bleach on the floor. We'll continue to follow this story.
In other news, Pennsylvania police finally have a suspect in the May 12th murder of three people. Sixteen-year-old Alec Kreider is in custody. Police say he confessed to the late night stabbing murders of a classmate and that boy's parents. He's been charged as an adult with three counts of murder. We get more from Barbara Barr, of our affiliate WGAL in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA BARR, REPORTER, WGAL TV (voice over): The murderers of Tom, Lisa, and Kevin Haines jolted a Lancaster neighborhood that was thought to be safe from crime. The arrest of a suspect has residents along Peach Lane feeling one thing --
DAVE DEARING, VICTIM'S NEIGHBOR: Relieved. Thoroughly relieved, I'm glad the police kept at it.
SHIRLEY HOFFER, VICTIM'S NEIGHBOR: I would think the family would be so relieved to know, but what a shame.
BARR: That the suspect is a 16-year-old Manheim Township student is as strange as the murders to some.
NOEL PERATE, VICTIM'S NEIGHBOR: I think it's a travesty. It's scary and it's most of all bizarre.
BARR: As police searched for the Haines killer this past month, concerns crept into homes. No longer were doors left unlocked and lights turned off.
DEARING: Lights have stayed on more, improved security around the property.
BARR (on camera): While there is relief in one neighborhood, there's shock in either. Alec Kreider lived here in the Cobblestone Development, about a quarter mile from Peach Lane.
JIM COLOMBO, SUSPECT'S NEIGHBOR: First the killings were bizarre and then having somebody that lives right here in the neighborhood be responsible is more bizarre. It's tough, but at the same time you're glad they caught the person.
BARR: While many residents of Peach Lane retreated to their homes, those in the Cobblestone Development were out talking about the arrest and their feelings for their neighbors, the Kreiders.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really feel bad for the family now. Must be a terrible burden.
BARR: In Lancaster County, Barbara Barr, News 8.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: In another story, her neck was broken, she was left for dead. And now a former teacher at the young woman's school pleads guilty in this brutal attack and faces 20 years in prison. Reporter Mike O'Connell, of St. Louis affiliate KMOV, reports.
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MIKE O'CONNELL, REPORTER, KMOV TV (voice over): Twenty-seven- year-old Sam Shelton expressed no remorse in court, offered no apology. Instead in a calculated move he calmly admitted he was guilty of the attempted murder of 18-year-old Ashley Reeves in April of 2006.
CLYDE L. KUEHN, SHELTON'S ATTORNEY: It seemed impossible to us to imagine 12 jurors unanimously allowing Sam to go free given the conduct that he readily had to admit to.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not telling the truth about what happened to Ashley.
O'CONNELL: In a trial Shelton would have been done in by six hours of investigators videotape. Shelton first denies, then admits to snapping Ashley's neck and repeatedly trying to strangle her, and then leaving her for dead in a Valeville (ph) park. Thirty hours later Shelton led investigators to the high school student he had had an affair with and to everyone's surprise she was still just barely alive.
ROBERT HAIDA, ST. CLAIR COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY: Ashley Reeves is a miracle.
O'CONNELL: State's attorney Bob Haida agreed to a plea deal in which Shelton received a 20-year sentence, far less than the 60-year maximum for which he was eligible. The deal was approved by Ashley, who avoided having to testify in court.
ASHLEY REEVES, VICTIM: I'm glad it was over. I'm ready to continue on in my life, not worry about it. I'm just glad it's over with
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think it's a fair sentence what he will get in jail?
REEVES: Yeah.
O'CONNELL: Shelton's mother claims her son has been demonized and insists he never tried to kill Ashley.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I realize that he hurt her, he thought she was dead. And he tried to cover that up. That's an aggravated battery and obstruction of justice. That's what I believe he's guilty of.
O'CONNELL (on camera): Do you think 20 years, or 17 years is sufficient period of time --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that's more than enough for making a mistake.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: You have to see this next story; tragedy at a charity car show in Tennessee. Four people were killed at the Cars For Kids event in Selmer, Tennessee. Here's a map of the area.
But look at the video. Authorities say a drag racing vehicle performing an exhibition maneuver spun out of control and careened into the crowd. Selmer police chief says, quote, bodies were flying into the air. As many as 15 people were injured. The organization that sanctions drag racing says the race team is in shock and deeply saddened at what has happened.
A fiasco, that's what an ethics panel in North Carolina is calling Mike Nifong's handling of the now debunked Duke lacrosse rape case. It stripped the district attorney of his state law license yesterday. The panel said he withheld key DNA evidence from the players' attorney that might have cleared them earlier, and then lied to the judge and the state bar investigators.
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F. LANE WILLIAMSON, CHAIRMAN, ETHICS PANEL: And we are in unanimous agreement that there is no discipline short of disbarment.
JOSEPH CHESHIRE, LACROSSE PLAYERS DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I hope this sends a loud and clear message that if you cheat and try to put innocent people in prison, you will either go to prison yourself, or you'll lose your law license.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Nifong's legal troubles may be far from over. The players' attorney said they plan on seeking criminal contempt charges against him.
Want to get over to Veronica De La Cruz, because she's been following this. People have been voting online as to whether they think this is just or not.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, DOT.COM DESK: Absolutely, they have. And like you were just saying, Betty, Nifong may face criminal charges.
And the question this morning, what we have been asking is should he or shouldn't he? We have been looking at CNN.com. The quick vote there. So far more than 28,000 people have cast their votes. And 80 percent of the people are saying, yes, he should face charges. And 20 percent are saying, no.
Now, as you remember, Betty, Nifong was facing re-election, so people are saying this was politicized. Now we know there wasn't a crime. And the question really -- another question that you can also weigh in on is what should happen to the woman in this case? What should happen to the accuser?
NGUYEN: That's true. Because, you know, after all, her name was pretty much out of the public eye and they were just keeping a wraps on it. The situation as it is, after the case has been thrown out, pretty much debunked. And Nifong now disbarred, we will see if anything comes of that. But Nifong has said he was going step down even before they --
DE LA CRUZ: Exactly. He was going to resign anyways.
So, at CNN.com, that's the place to cast your vote. And 28,000 people voted, 80 percent saying, yes, he should face criminal charge.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you, Veronica. Activity resumed today on the streets of Baghdad after a curfew is lifted. We'll have that. Plus the latest in the search for U.S. soldiers missing for several weeks now.
And bearing it all anonymously. Can your soul be saved by confessing online? We'll look at a new way some so-called sinners are coming clean. That's in our "Faces Of Faith".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Sergeant William Lamb. I'm from Miami, Florida. I'm stationed here at Taji, Iraq.
I would like to say happy Father's Day to my father, Kelvin, in Miami, Florida. Love you. I'll be home soon.
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NGUYEN: New details are emerging about the discovery of I.D. cards for two missing U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Troops were searching for a bomb maker when they raided an insurgent safe house near Samarra. They found the soldiers I.D.s and much more. CNN's Karl Penhaul reports now from Samarra.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. military commanders tell us this raid took place on June 9th but because of the sensitivity of the information found in the operation, no information was released until now.
What the military has told us is that it began with an air assault by paratroopers for the 82nd Airborne Division on a house about six miles south of the city of Samarra, a house in a rural area surrounded by farmland and orchards. A fire fight broke out and four insurgents fled from the building.
Paratroopers then breached the house and carried out a full search. They found hordes of computer equipment. They found video devices. It seems the house was being used as a video production center. And they found bundles of documents.
And it wasn't until they began searching through these bundles of documents, back at base, that one of the officers turned up the two identification cards of Specialist Alex Jimenez and Private Byron Fouty, both captured during a firefight with insurgents south of Baghdad on May 12th.
MAJ. GEN. BENJAMIN MIXON, U.S. ARMY: We did an extensive search of the area to include using specially trained dogs and we found no evidence of their presence. And all of the items that we found in the house are currently being exploited to see what can be learned about their whereabouts.
PENHAUL: As soon as the I.D. cards were discovered, the battalion commander ordered the entire battalion back out on the ground and for the following 72 hours forensic teams and search dogs carried out an intense search of that area. This is what the Divisional Commander General Benjamin Mixon had to say about that.
MIXON: I would tell them to not give up hope. We will continue to search. But our hearts and our prayers go out to them for strength during these very difficult times.
PENHAUL: Nothing that the paratroopers have found in their search of this area so far gives any indication of whether the Specialist Jimenez and Private Fouty are alive or dead. And in answer to our questions, military commanders told us that there is no greater focus on the area of Samarra than any other area in Iraq. Karl Penhaul, CNN, Samarra, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, as that search continues, folks in South Dakota may be searching for some cover because I understand a tornado watch is underway. Bonnie Schneider is in the Severe Weather Center with that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Want to look at some other items out there.
Oh, I love this one, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: I got to show you this. Just take a look at this little one. Take a look. How precious is she? She's just so adorable.
An overnight singing sensation named Connie gets ready for another round of, shall we call it, Simon says? We'll explain next, that's coming up from the Dot.com Desk. Also --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, you can take your laptop and be free to write whatever you want, whatever you feel. You don't have to worry about someone judging you, or someone looking at you wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: They are reaching out via the computer. Is the Internet the new road to salvation? We will look at online confessions. That's ahead on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Sergeant Andrew Brace, I'm stationed in Baghdad, Iraq with the 285 Area Support Medical Company out of Columbus, Ohio.
Since I can't be home this year, I want to wish my dad, Todd Brace, a happy Father's Day. Love you, pop. Hope you have a wonderful day. See you soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "Faces of Faith" goes online this morning from Google to eBay, is the Internet changing the way America works? And in this case, prays? John Zarrella brings us the story of a Florida church that puts confession on a desktop or even a laptop near you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
Most Christians are familiar with traditional means of confession, in a booth or face to face. But now, the Internet highway may be the road to salvation. Bearing your soul is just a mouse click away. At this website, I'vescrewedup.com you can type away your sins.
PASTOR TROY GRAMLING, FLAMINGO ROAD CHURCH: I mean you have a 19-year-old that is struggling with pornography on the web, and wants to put it down, but doesn't know how.
ZARRELLA: Troy Gramling is lead pastor at the non-denominational Flamingo Road Church, in Coopers City, Florida.
GRAMLING: No matter how much you or I have screwed up our relationship with God, no matter how long ago we let go of the hands of Christ, and kind of walked away to do life out own way -- it doesn't matter.
ZARRELLA: Pastor Gramling and several other church members decided the Internet was a way to reach out.
GRAMLING: I would look at it more we're leveraging it. In other words, that's the world we live in. People doing life on the web. And so instead of trying to fight that, we want to leverage that.
ZARRELLA: But they never expected the reaction. More than 1,000 mea culpas have poured in since the site went up on Easter Sunday. All are kept anonymous. Church leaders screen them before they're posted.
For Ashley Idodice, a church member, it was a perfect forum.
ASHLEY IODICE, CHURCH MEMBER: I mean, you can take your laptop and you can just be free to write whatever you want and feel. You don't have to worry about someone judging you or someone looking at you wrong. I think that's actually the appeal. That was the appeal for me.
ZARRELLA: One person confessed to stealing $15,000 from family members. Another wrote, "I hate myself, the way I look. The way I think. The way I feel. Everything."
The most common confessions, you probably guessed, deal with sins of the flesh. GRAMLING: Seems like the ones people struggle with the most are their -- are the sexual realm of their lives, whether it's pornography, whether it be adultery, all those things are what keep coming up and up, over and over again.
ZARRELLA: There's no way to know for sure which are real and which are jokes by Pastor Gramling says he's confident the ones they post are legit. Some are more painful than others, like this one Gramling believes is from a soldier.
GRAMLING: "I killed him only because he shot at me first. The worst was when I buried my k-bar all the way to the hilt in this guy's throat. I looked into his eyes as the adrenaline went away, I found myself whispering I'm sorry as the life escaped from his eyes."
So it's cool that there are people going, it's cool we are getting confessions, but it's -- it hurts you as you read them, because you know there are a lot of people hurting and nobody knows.
ZARRELLA: It is a refreshing approach to saving souls, says religious studies Professor Daniel Alvarez.
DANIEL ALVAREZ, RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROFESSOR: There are many people out there who want to express themselves spiritually. They're afraid to go to the church but here's the church coming out to them. That's vintage Christianity. And that should be celebrated.
ZARRELLA: Vintage, but not completely original. In the movie "Bruce Almighty" actor Jim Carey plays God and is quickly fed up with the amount of e-mail he's getting.
JIM CAREY, ACTOR: What a bunch of whiners. This is going to suck up my whole life.
ZARRELLA: Unlike Carey who sends a blanket e-mail response -- the Flamingo Road Church doesn't respond at all, believing that if your confession is sincere, God is listening, or in this case, reading. And most importantly forgiving. John Zarrella, CNN, Coopers City, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, Simon Cowell loves her, and he never likes anybody. But this tiny British singer is also becoming a big hit on YouTube. If you can't get enough of Connie, keep it right here. She is up next.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
There was the stage persona, Johnny and June Cash, and then there were the husband and wife, that had a more quiet existence at home, and who enjoyed just spending time together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: They worked through tragedy and triumph, married for 35 years. We look at the lives of June Carter and Johnny Cash that's ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You know those two. Who doesn't? Ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, June Carter and Johnny Cash; a love story, but with a dark side. We will talk to John Carter Cash about his parents, their struggles with addiction, and June Carter's insecurities about their marriage. Don't want to miss it. It's at 9:00 Eastern.
Right now, though, you know the children's game Simon Says? That's what it has been like for six-year-old Connie Talbot. A favorite in the British TV show "Britain's Got Talent". Boy, does this little girl have talent.
DE LA CRUZ: She is just so cute. What you were just saying, Simon Says?
NGUYEN: Uh-huh?
DE LA CRUZ: You know what Simon says, it pretty much determines if a contestant makes it to the next round.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes, he rules when it comes to their fate.
DE LA CRUZ: It's the way you play the game.
Earlier this week, he gave a ringing endorsement to this little cutie. Check her out. She's so adorable. Connie Talbot after she sang "Over The Rainbow" -- "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". There was hardly a dry eye in the house.
NGUYEN: Those missing teeth. She is just precious.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, her appearance has logged millions of hits on YouTube in just a few days, which is why we're discussing this story, Betty.
And Connie was back on stage last night for a chance to get into tonight's finals. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHILD SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Sing it, Connie.
DE LA CRUZ: Maybe it's the two missing front teeth, I don't know. As you can see, the crowd goes wild. And really what's not to love about this adorable little girl with the two missing front teeth singing her heart out. But as always her hopes and dreams were pinned on what Simon says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COWELL, "BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT": Connie -- I didn't like it.
(JEERS, BOOING)
COWELL: I loved it.
(CHEERS, APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Leave it to Simon. Leave it to Simon. An article in "The Daily Mail" says that Cowell may give the little girl a record contract no matter what happens tonight. And she also faces some fierce competition from an unassuming cell phone salesman named Paul Potts. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MALE SINGER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Paul Potts is an opera singer.
We will talk more about this in the 9 o'clock hour. I think it will be a pretty tight competition, quite honestly.
NGUYEN: I don't think you have anything to worry about when it comes to Connie. She's six years old, my goodness she's got a whole career ahead of her.
DE LA CRUZ: She is cute, for sure. But at 9 o'clock we're going to talk more.
NGUYEN: A lot more about Connie. All right.
And there is so much more to come on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. You don't want to miss it. We have a lot more right at the top of the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PORTER: She would have never left my grandson, ever. Unless she was forced out of there with somebody threatening him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Missing with out a trace. A young mother nine months pregnant with her second child, disappears in Ohio. The latest on this case that is straight ahead.
And this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just basically told them how do you except somebody that has just lost their husband? (END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Questions to army recruiter after an Iraq war widow enlists in the service.
Plus, something we all want to avoid, and that is speeding tickets. Oh, I have had plenty of those, and we're going to tell you where the worst speed traps are in the U.S. hey, better yet, why don't you just slow down? From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, it is June 17th. Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there, and good morning everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. T.J. Holmes has the day off.
Well, a pregnant woman just days away from giving birth disappears, and right now authorities in Ohio are searching for Jessie Marie Davis. Her 2-year-old son was found home alone, and her family's pleading for help. Bob Jones of affiliate WEWS has the story from North Canton, Ohio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PORTER: We don't know what's happened, and I, I just want my daughter back.
BOB JONES, WEWS: Patty Porter agonizes as she waits for answers. Her 26-year-old daughter, Jessie Davis, who is nine months pregnant with a baby girl, vanished at least two days ago. Stark County investigators returned to Jessie's North Canton home, looking for any clues in her disappearance.
CAPT. GARY SHANKLE, STARK CO. OHIO SHERIFF'S DEPT: We've canvassed the neighborhood. We've also had canines involved in canvassing the neighborhood and we're following up any leads we get.
JONES: Concerned for her daughter's safety, Patty went to Jessie's home on Friday morning. Patty found her daughter's mattress half off the frame, a nightstand and a lamp knocked over, but there was no sign of Jessie, and her bed spread also missing. Deputies did not find any blood, but someone did spill bleach on the floor.
PORTER: They don't know if somebody maybe tried to throw bleach on her. They don't know what, where the bleach came from.
JONES: Equally alarming, Jessie's 2-year-old son, Blake, was found in the home, and he may have been alone for most of the day.
PORTER: She would have never left my grandson, ever, unless she was forced out of there with somebody threatened him.
JONES: Investigators say a Canton police officer is Blake's father, and he's likely the father of the baby Jessie is now carrying. He's also married to another woman, but police are not calling either one of them a suspect.
Is there anything to suggest that he's involved in her disappearance?
SHANKLE: None at all.
JONES: Is there anything to suggest his wife is involved in her disappearance?
SHANKLE: Not at all.
JONES: In the meantime, a desperate mother makes a plea.
PORTER: Just ask people to pray for my daughter and my grandson and his dad and his family and our family. It's devastating for everyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Police do say they suspect foul play. We're going to continue to follow this story as it develops.
An arrest made now in a month-long murder mystery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Police say 16-year-old Alec Kreider confessed to killing three people. Police had struggled to find leads in this May 12th murder mystery. Kreider was turned in by his father. He's charged with the murder of his classmate Kevin Haynes and Haynes' parents. Police say they still don't have a motive for the murders. We will have much more on this. That is coming up next hour.
In the meantime, he left her for dead more than a year ago, and now a teacher who confessed to snapping a young woman's neck is going to prison. Sampson Shelton told police it happened while he was trying to end their sexual relationship. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted first-degree murder in Illinois last week, and as part of the plea deal, he was immediately sentenced to 20 years behind bars. He will have to serve about 17 years before he is eligible for parole, and his victim, well, she spent months learning how to swallow, talk, and move her head and arms again. She says that she is satisfied with the punishment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHLEY REEVES, VICTIM OF ATTEMPTED MURDER: I am glad it's over just to continue on with my life and not worry about it. Just glad it's over with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's a fair sentence, what he's going to get in jail?
REEVES: Yeah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Ashley Reeves graduated from high school last month and plans to go to college.
Well, a fiasco, that's what an ethics panel in North Carolina is calling Mike Nifong's handling of the now debunk Duke lacrosse rape case. It stripped the district attorney of his state law license yesterday, and the panel said that he withheld DNA evidence from the players' attorneys that might have cleared them earlier. Plus, he lied to the judge and state bar investigators. Now, during the hearing, the parents of two of the players described how the case has damaged their lives.
MARY ELLEN FINNERTY, PLAYER'S MOTHER: Nobody can give any of the three families back the 14 months that we have gone through.
DAVE EVANS, PLAYER'S FATHER: He believes that when he dies, that it will be reported, no matter what else he did during his life, that he was one of the three Duke lacrosse players who was accused of rape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Nifong's legal troubles may be far from over. The players' attorneys say they plan to seek criminal contempt charges against him.
A deadly accident at a charity car show in Selmer, Tennessee. Four people were killed, and just look at this video. As many as 15 people were injured in that. Authorities say a drag racing vehicle performing an exhibition maneuver just spun out of control and then careened into the crowd. Selmer's police chief says, "Bodies were flying into the air." That accident happened at cars for kid's event to raise money for children's charities.
We want to turn now to Iraq. Cars and people returning to the streets of Baghdad today. A four-day curfew has been lifted. It was imposed after a mosque bombing in Samarra. A curfew remains in effect there. More details emerging, though, about the raid in Iraq, where the Ids of two missing U.S. soldiers were found. Troops were searching for a bomb maker when they raided an insurgent safe house near Samarra and that is where they found Ids cards belonging to Specialist Alex Jimenez and Private Byron Fouty. You see the pictures here; they had been missing since May 12th in an ambush.
News about the missing soldiers in Iraq gives their families at least something to cling to, and we talked with the stepfather of Private Byron Fouty about how they're coping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF GORDON DIBLER, PVT. BYRON FOUTY'S STEP FATHER: Well, we have a strong family, and we're very much grateful for all the support and all the prayers that are going out for us, and every day I think somebody new saw the stories, and the more I keep that hope alive, maybe one more prayer, maybe one more thought will be the one that helps show how this is just a person that needs to be coming home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The soldiers have been missing since an ambush May 12th south of Baghdad.
Well, CNN's Wolf Blitzer takes a closer look at the fight for Iraq and the future of the Maliki government. That's later this morning on "Late Edition," and he'll be talking with Iraq's foreign minister. You don't want to miss it, it's at 11:00 Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
Meantime, a suicide bomber targets police officers in Afghanistan with some deadly results. Authorities say at least 35 officers were killed in today's attack in Kabul. A witness says the bomber walked onto a bus loaded with police officers and then blew himself up. The bus was reduced to a skeleton of blackened metal. This was one of the deadliest insurgent attacks in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion back in 2001.
Now, in the Middle East, a new Palestinian emergency government was sworn in just over an hour ago. Meanwhile, there may be some movement in the disappearance of BBC journalist Alan Johnston. A Hamas official is now saying that he could be released as early as today, and that official says Hamas is talking with Johnston's kidnappers. Johnston has been missing since March, and we'll be following this story.
In other news, all systems are a go up in space. The International Space Station's computers, well, they are now back online, controlling critical oxygen systems. The final test of the station's navigation system will be done today, which clears the way for the shuttle to come home this week. But first, another space walk. Yes, they still have a lot of business to do up there. The astronauts are still working to get the new solar panel array in shape.
An Iraq widow's choice to join the army.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that nothing I can do is going to bring him back. It's just something that I'm interested in, and I think that I would be able to make a difference with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Her story and the questions surrounding her decision. That is straight ahead.
Also this --
Coming down instead of blasting off at Kennedy Space Center.
And if you can't drive 55, well, you are not alone. Add me to that list. Lots of people can't. But instead of finding those speed traps the hard way, which we all have, you can smoke out Smokey! Yeah, you can do it online, in fact. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: I want to give you a live look now Fathers Day is a special day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Pictures of a remembrance ceremony, which is under way in Washington. Right now they're giving some personal tributes and will later place flowers at the wall. Volunteers and children of the fallen will put some 1500 roses at that wall. Red flowers represent those killed in action. Yellow ones are for those who remain missing. This is an annual tradition.
Widowed by war, a young Massachusetts woman is now taking an unusual step. She is joining the army in hopes to serve in Iraq. Her parents question not only her choice, but also the army's decision to accept her. CNN's Jim Acosta reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Melissa and Eddie Garvin were best friends all through childhood, long before they were husband and wife.
MELISSA GARVIN, WIDOW RECRUIT: I actually found a little Valentine's Day card that he had given me when I was in second grade. We pretty much knew everything about each other, and then -- but right before he left for boot camp, that's when we started serious.
ACOSTA: They were married last year, just four months before Eddie, a marine, left for Iraq. His deployment day was their last day together.
He was only there --
GARVIN: Twenty-eight days.
ACOSTA: Twenty-eight days after he landed in Iraq, Eddie was killed by a roadside bomb. This is Eddie right here.
GARVIN: This is him from, right from boot camp.
ACOSTA: Now, Melissa keeps Eddie's memory alive in this bedroom dedicated to her late husband, but staying home to grieve is not what this 20-year-old war widow has in mind. Just weeks after her husband's funeral, Melissa enlisted in the army with dreams of becoming a medic.
GARVIN: I know that nothing I can do is going to bring him back. It's just something that I'm interested in, and I think that I would be able to make a difference with.
ACOSTA: An army spokesman tells CNN there are no military restrictions stopping Melissa from joining the armed services, so long as she can pass her physical exam and answer some routine questions about her mental health. But don't tell that to Melissa's mother.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I could really understand why -- I don't know. She really feels that she has to do it for some reason. I don't know. I don't know why she wants to do it.
ACOSTA: As soon as she got the news, Melissa's mother confronted her daughter's recruiter.
I just basically told them, how do you accept somebody that's just lost their husband?
ACOSTA: But Melissa denies she made a hasty decision, saying she knows the dangers of war better than most recruits. Her recruiter, she insists, asked all the right questions.
One has to wonder, is she doing this out of grief? Is it because she's mourning? And I suppose they asked you those questions?
GARVIN: Oh, of course. I mean, everybody has. It's kind of like, you're doing what? Why? But, again, it's just something that I was always drawn towards, and I'm finally doing it.
ACOSTA: Still in mourning, this war widow claims she's gotten assurances that she can change her mind before her basic training begins next month, but she says don't count on it.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Peabody, Massachusetts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, we want to get a check of the weather, because it is Father's Day, after all, and Bonnie Schneider, you are going to rain on many dads in Texas.
SCHNEIDER: Don't blame me! Oh my gosh, Betty.
NGUYEN: Always blame the messenger, right?
SCHNEIDER: No, no, no. You can still have a great Father's Day inside, if you need to dodge some of the rain. Look at this; we do have flood watches and warnings posted. These will go, once again, straight through the evening hours, including larger cities like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, where we've had reports between two and three inches of rain already on the ground. Real time lightning for you now, and look at this. We've got some powerful bolts of lightning happening all across Texas, from north to south. What's happening is we still have a stubborn area of low pressure here in northern Texas, so that's bringing all this moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, soaking much of the state, and then also, we're looking at some powerful storms sweeping through Laredo, coming in from Mexico at this time.
Not too bad for Austin and Houston right now, but intermittent showers. Some of this is coming up from the Beaumont area in parts of east Texas, and expect that to continue for a good portion of the day. Now we go to the northern plains where the threat for severe weather exists, at least through the morning. We have a tornado watch. This is in effect right now until 10:00 this morning Central Time. It does include the city of Fargo, parts of western Minnesota getting hard hit with some strong storms at this time. So be watching for the threat of tornadoes.
And lastly, we are also watching the heat and humidity. Look for temperatures today to soar all the way up to 90. It's 68 right now in New York City, 74 in Chicago. Both of these cities and Washington, DC, all will hit 90-plus. So it will be a hot Father's Day pretty much across the country. Some cool weather for the Pacific Northwest and the west coast. Otherwise, feeling very much like a warm, summer day.
Betty. NGUYEN: Not the rain, Bonnie, it's the heat.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
NGUYEN: Oh, boy. Thanks, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
DE LA CRUZ: You definitely want to take that over the rain. I've waited way too long.
NGUYEN: Definitely. Unless you're barbecuing. So father's maybe need to bring a fan outside.
DE LA CRUZ: A little sunshine, it would always be a little bit better. Here's the thing, it is Father's Day, and maybe you are struggling with a last-minute gift idea. So answer this question, does your dad feel the need for speed? Or wait a second, perhaps you out there are the dad that does. We have an interesting Father's Day gift idea, that is coming up next from the ".com desk."
Plus, this --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've got a crush on Obama.
NGUYEN: OK, so were the chest shots necessary? Were they? Love it or hate it, it's got a good beat and a hook that you can't forget, oh, and the pictures, I'm sure. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Want to take you live now to Washington, DC, as family members are making their way to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall there. Personal tributes were said just a few minutes earlier, and now they are about to place flowers at that wall. As you well know, Father's Day is a very special day for these family members, and it is a day of remembrance. They are placing red roses at that wall, also some yellow roses. The red represent those killed in action, the yellow represent those still missing in action. And some 1500 flowers will be placed at the wall today.
Well, summer is peak travel season, and nothing can put a damper on a family vacation like a speeding ticket. Oh, I remember the days. CNN's Veronica De La Cruz at the ".com desk" has found some Websites that may help you avoid, say the run-in with Johnny Law?
DE LA CRUZ: Yeah, we got an admission from Betty Nguyen there, and you're right, it is summer --
NGUYEN: I have a lead foot, it's true.
DE LA CRUZ: It's Father's Day, and if you're a dad that feels the need for speed or perhaps you have one, what about a gift idea, a website that uncovers speed traps? "Forbes" has posted its list of the top ten speed traps in the U.S., and we found a few other Websites out there that might help dad out as well. And hey, if you like this gift idea, maybe it's for your own self. Before you get behind the wheel, check out speedtrap.org. There you'll find a list of states, and clicking on one will bring up the list of towns. Clicking on those will reveal the known speed traps in that location, believe it or not, and motorists can also submit their own speed trap to the site.
Now, if you're going to be cruising the interstates, then you should probably check this out Betty, it is called beartraps.com. And there, you will see icons for all the interstates across the country. Known speed traps are highlighted state by state. This site also lists known red camera lights around the country. Sooner or later, nearly everyone gets a speeding ticket. Do you know what to do to get it dropped?
NGUYEN: No, I need some help, what?
DE LA CRUZ: Listen up.
NGUYEN: OK.
DE LA CRUZ: Some traffic cops out there have been spilling the beans on the web, giving motorists valuable advice on what to do before they go to court to beat the rap. Betty has a pen in hand.
NGUYEN: Yeah, go ahead.
DE LA CRUZ: Take notes of the exact location, even taking pictures, if you have a camera. Important to have a camera in your car. Among other things, jot downs the road conditions, traffic volume, weather conditions, so on and so forth. But really, Betty, watching your speed is probably the best way to avoid a ticket. I know you have two lead feet, but you want to watch it.
NGUYEN: We talk to fathers and speeding tickets, yeah, so this is a good gift for your dad, but at the same time, your dad should probably give it to you, because isn't it genetic? Don't you drive too fast because of a gene that maybe your father passed onto you?
DE LA CRUZ: No, I think you have a lead foot, like you said earlier.
NGUYEN: Actually, I can't blame it on my dad. I think he had one speeding ticket in his life.
DE LA CRUZ: But you know the Websites.
NGUYEN: Exact conditions, road conditions, traffic, I got it.
DE LA CRUZ: Just slow down. That's it. That's all you have to do.
NGUYEN: I keep saying I'm late for work, that doesn't work, does it some.
DE LA CRUZ: She's tried, it obviously.
NGUYEN: I've tried everything. Thank you, Veronica.
Well, Youtube's ode to Obama that is almost, shall we say, too hot to handle?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, B, it's me, if you're there, pick up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: She just said "hey, B," like she knows him like that. Millions of people have a crush on this video, and, well, you can see why. But we're going to tell you much more about it. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been called the next big horizon in fitness, and some experts report a 200 percent increase in online exercise in 2006. The future of fitness is taking place in a virtual world. John says it feels like having a personal trainer and workout partner motivating him any time he wants. All he has to do is log onto his computer into his virtual gym.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Behind the shoulders.
COSTELLO: At home, he runs his PC through his TV and works out using a Website called Demand Fitness, which is one of several companies streaming online fitness. Classes include Pilates; upper and lower body sculpting and cardio kickboxing. Most classes are 5 to 30 minutes long. John travels for business and enjoys the convenience of it.
JOHN: The portability. I mean, you know, my gym is a little box this big around.
COSTELLO: Some fitness professionals caution this form of exercise is too detached, though, and could be a recipe for injury.
JOHN: People are logging on, maybe you're a beginner and they are logging onto an advanced exercise. They may think in their mind they are advanced and again, they could get injured and may need assistance.
COSTELLO: Demand Fitness cost about $15.00 a month, less then a gym membership. In 2007 expect RideRunRow.com to make it possible for soldiers in Iraq to go on a virtual bike ride with their spouses in the U.S.
Carol Costello, CNN, New York.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Live now at the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington, DC, where flowers are being placed there in remembrance on this Father's Day. It's an annual tradition. Red flowers represent those killed in action, yellow flowers for those who remain missing. It's a solemn day, but it's a Father's Day and it is a tradition at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall there.
Well, it is the end of an era at the Kennedy Space Center, and it is going out with a bang. Look at that. You are watching two towers tumble at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 36. The launch pads were used for more than 40 years for important space missions, mostly satellites and probes on their way to Venus, Mars and Saturn, but no shuttle launches.
And finally, a story that has been, shall we say, very popular on cnn.com all weekend.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, B, it's me, if you're there, pick up.
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NGUYEN: She has a crush on Obama, and you can see more of the video and meet the men and women behind it online at cnn.com, where CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a closer look at this ode to Senator Barack Obama.
DE LA CRUZ: This video has been number one on cnn.com all weekend long.
NGUYEN: Well, do you see why?
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: And that t-shirt, I will tell you, the folks who created the video, they started selling t-shirts -- obviously in extra small -- and they have been sold out because of this "crush on Obama." You're going to learn much more about that.
DE LA CRUZ: CNN.com. If you want to watch the entire video, it's online at cnn.com.
NGUYEN: And if you want an extra, extra small t-shirt, you can go there too.
All right, we have much more to come on "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. That starts right now.
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