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CNN Sunday Morning
Ohio Rape Case Divides a Small Community; Congress to Tackle Gun Policy; Report: Armstrong May Admit Doping
Aired January 06, 2013 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been coming to the show for years. This is one of the biggest crowds I've ever seen.
KAYE: Gun dealers ignore protesters as they continue with an arms expo in Connecticut.
Is a confession imminent? Why Lance Armstrong may come clean, but is the damage he's done to his organization irreparable?
The fashion mogul who dresses the Hollywood elites missing. Now, a desperate search for his plane.
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KAYE: Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. It's 8:00 on the East Coast, 5:00 a.m. out West. Thanks so much for starting your morning with us.
We begin with a small town in crisis as residents there try to come to grips with a horrible crime and national notoriety. Allegations of scandalous cover-ups in Steubenville, Ohio, have forced city officials to launch a Web site to keep the community updated. This comes amid social media pressure involving rape allegations and local high school football stars.
All eyes will be focused on this outraged community divided by loyalty when two 16-year-old boys begin their trial next month.
I have to warn you, some of the content you're about to see is pretty graphic.
Now to CNN's Susan Candiotti in Ohio -- Susan.
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SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Randi, hundreds of protesters filled the steps of the courthouse behind me Saturday to support the alleged victim and demand more arrests. That hasn't happened yet, but new details are emerging. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Steubenville!
(CHEERS)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Next month's trial is the talk of the small Ohio town.
The teen rape case went viral when this video appeared on the Internet showing local teens joking about the incident in a vulgar way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know it's not cool though. But that's like rape. It is rape. They raped her.
CANDIOTTI: Attorneys for the accused, Trent Mays on the right and Ma'lik Richmond on the left, both 16, identify them in this photograph, holding the alleged victim, also 16, who is not being publicly named. Both sides debate whether she was conscious at this moment, during a long night of drinking at several parties last August, according to witnesses who testify at this hearing last October.
Prosecutors told a juvenile court they have evidence she was raped.
MARIANNE HEMMETER, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: She was unresponsive and not in a position of consent. And they knew about it. And let's be clear, they knew she was drunk.
CANDIOTTI: In an exclusive interview with CNN, Mays' lawyer claims his client received a text allegedly sent by the teenage girl. It reads, quote, "I know you didn't rape me."
(on camera): Do you have that text?
ADAM NEMANN, MAYS' ATTORNEY: We do. And that is something that will be introduced at trial.
CANDIOTTI: And did he reply?
NEMANN: That is something that's going to be introduced at trial. Yes.
CANDIOTTI: Why do you think she sent that?
NEMANN: Because I don't think she thinks she was raped.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): He would not show that or any other text.
The teenage girl's attorney won't confirm any text message.
BOB FITZSIMMONS, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED OHIO RAPE VICTIM (via telephone): This young girl was unconscious, so she wouldn't have the ability to know whether she was raped or not on the day after, or two days after or whatever the timing of that was. We also don't know, and we don't know whether the defendants were texting and trying to coerce or talk people into making statements and trying to build up a defense for themselves, after they started realizing this thing kind of unfolded.
CANDIOTTI: Police say it unfolded like this: the alleged rape occurred during all night partying August 11th. On August 14th at 1:40 in the morning, the alleged victim's mom goes to police with a flash drive of tweets and Internet postings and police open an investigation. That same day, time unknown, the alleged text message is sent.
(on camera): There's testimony from a probable cause hearing from last October from a player who was there at the party that night and he testified that your client and you will pardon the language used his fingers to sexually penetrate her. Did that happen?
NEMANN: We deny that, vehemently.
CANDIOTTI: Mays' defense lawyer says prosecution witnesses have been assured they won't be charged for any photographs or videos they may have taken, a promise he says that taints their testimony. However, Ohio's attorney general insists he hasn't given anyone a deal. As for the alleged victim, she's not talking but through her attorney says she is seeking justice and trying to get her life back to normal -- Randi.
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KAYE: Susan, thank you very much for that.
Now to Stanford, Connecticut, where a gun show is going on as planned this weekend, despite tragedy in Newtown just a short drive away. The gun show features antique weapons, but that didn't stop protesters from calling tin sensitive. Gun shows have come under scrutiny since some say loopholes allow guns to be sold at gun shows without proper background checks.
Stanford's mayor had asked organizers to reconsider having the event, but some gun enthusiasts were eager to attend.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody who has no feelings for what happened up there, something is wrong with you, OK? I do. But yet if you look, I've been coming to this show for years. One of the biggest crowds I've ever seen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was an elementary schoolteacher. I have a 7-year-old granddaughter. I am certainly sensitive to the idea of people with weapons entering public spaces and all the killing that's been going on. It's horrendous.
I am not in favor of people having guns. I don't see the need for it. On the other hand, in this case, it's art.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that killed 20 children and six adults, at least three other gun shows in the surrounding area were cancelled.
In Aurora, Colorado, police are investigating the circumstances around a deadly six-hour standoff. Police shot and killed a gunman who was on the second floor of a house. They only fired after the gunman shot at officers. Police also found the bodies of three other people inside. Authorities say a woman managed to escape uninjured earlier in that standoff.
Tomorrow, the man accused of opening fire in a crowded Aurora, Colorado movie theater will appear in court for preliminary hearing. James Holmes is charged with killing 12 people and wounding dozens more. This week, the public may hear about some of the evidence against him for the very first time.
Prosecutors are expected to call scores of witnesses. The judge will determine if there's enough evidence for Holmes to stand trial. His attorneys are expected to present a diminished mental capacity defense.
KAYE: Gun violence is going to be a hot-button issue with the new Congress. On the first day last week, lawmakers introduced nearly a dozen bills related to guns but big political obstacles do remain.
CNN's Athena Jones reports on that.
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ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As students as Sandy Hook Elementary returned to class, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, nearly killed in a mass shooting two years ago, visited Newtown, Connecticut. And on Capitol Hill, lawmakers arrived to begin a new session of Congress, with members in both chambers taking aim at guns.
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: This is a fight that the American people are going to have to stand up and stiffen their spine.
JONES: California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein plans to introduce a bill to ban more than 100 assault weapons. Eight years after the old banshee championed expired. Another Senate bill would ban high-capacity magazines, and among nearly a dozen gun bills introduced on day one in the House are efforts to ban online sales of ammunition and to require background checks for all firearm sales, including at gun shows.
Two bills from freshman Republican congressmen would allow more guns around schools, echoing the position of the National Rifle Association.
WAYNE LAPIERRE, NRA, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are better than 32 more gun murders every day.
JONES: Pro-gun control groups plan to keep pressing for action, but what are the prospects for their success?
JOHN GRAMLICH, CQ ROLL CALL: If you're talking about stuff around the edges like maybe banning high capacity ammunition magazines, that might be possible.
The NRA is the big issue, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily on the Republican side only. It's on the Democratic side also. You have fully half of your new senate has either an A-plus or A or A-minus rating from the NRA.
So, if you want anything on gun control, you're going to have at least half of the Senate upsetting the NRA. So that's a very difficult proposition.
FEINSTEIN: There is no more uphill fight than this. The question is do we fight or do we knuckle under?
JONES (on camera): President Obama says he wants action on gun legislation this year. He's asked Vice President Biden to lead a task force to come up with recommendations on gun policy. They are expected this month.
Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.
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KAYE: President Obama is headed back to Washington today, ending his Hawaiian vacation. There's a lot on the agenda once he gets back, including a meeting with the president of Afghanistan this week. He's also expected to announce a new secretary of defense, likely former Senator Chuck Hagel. He also has to prepare for his second inauguration.
Here's the president getting hit in the face with a wave during his vacation. Hopefully, the holiday with the first family had a few calmer moments than that one.
Well, the president's not the only one going back to D.C. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected back at work this week. She's been out of office since suffering a nasty fall last month which resulted in a concussion. Doctors later found a blood clot in her head.
One of the first things on her agenda will be testifying on the September 11th consulate attack in Benghazi. A State Department spokesman says they are searching for appropriate dates.
After a stunning fall from grace, Lance Armstrong could be considering admitting that he lied about doping. We'll have the latest on a story that has shocked the world.
You are watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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KAYE: Thirteen minutes past the hour now.
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong back in the headlines. "The New York Times" is reporting that Armstrong is considering admitting that he used banned substances. It's an allegation that he has always denied.
CNN Sports Mark McKay is following the story for us this morning -- Mark.
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MARK MCKAY, CNN SPORTS: Randi, it's a question many are asking this morning, is Lance Armstrong about to come clean? "The New York Times" is reporting the disgraced cyclist may be thinking about doing just that concerning his use of performance enhancing drugs.
You'll recall Armstrong has consistently denied through the years ever doping. That didn't stop him though from being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and being banned for life following a damning report last October from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that stated Armstrong led "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful program that the sports has ever seen."
"The New York Times" story says that Armstrong has told associates and anti-doping officials that he is considering publicly admitting that he did use performance enhancing drugs, and blood transfusions during his cycling career. But in an e-mail to CNN Sports, Armstrong's Austin, Texas-based attorney Tim Herman said his client is not in discussion with U.S. or World Anti-Doping Agencies about a possible admission.
So what would be the 41-year-old's motivation to come clean? According to "The New York Times" it's to persuade anti-doping officials to restore his eligibility so he can resume his athletic career. Armstrong is hoping to compete in triathlon. That's a sport that upheld the ban against him, taking part in sanctioned events.
Experts believe any confession would bring with it potential legal minefields for Armstrong who did testify under oath that his cycling greatness was not tainted by illegal substances -- Randi.
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KAYE: Mark, thank you very much.
And for more on this story, I want to bring in author and cycling analyst Dave Shields. Dave has followed Lance Armstrong's career and written a novel called "The Tour" about the highly competitive world of cycling and the role of doping in it. Dave is in Salt Lake City this morning.
Dave, good morning to you.
So, when writing that book, you did a lot of research and actually went Tour de France. When you spoke with the athletes, what did you find? I mean, how widespread did you find that doping really is?
DAVE SHIELDS, AUTHOR, THE TOUR: Well, one thing I found was that my initial impressions of what was going on were very incorrect. Because I had written a previous book about cycling that got a lot of attention in the cycling community, I was fortunate that a lot of athletes wanted to talk to me. They knew that I was writing a book. They knew that it dealt with the pressures to use drugs, and they were willing to tell me exactly what they were going through because they didn't want to say it publicly, but they did want the story to get out, and I found out it was very widespread obviously.
KAYE: And you've actually said when it comes to cycling, if you don't dope, you become irrelevant. I mean, do you think the sport could ever be clean?
SHIELDS: Yes, absolutely. There are some good things happening. There's a new method of testing which is called the biological passport which doesn't test for drugs. It tests for changes in your parameters. And I have a lot of hope that that might help. But the culture of cycling and, unfortunately, the culture that Lance very much promoted is one that pretty much forced anybody who wanted to be relevant into actually using drugs.
KAYE: So let's talk about the Armstrong brand. Can he recover from something like this if he does come forward and say that he did use these drugs? I mean -- or do you think he should just keep quiet?
SHIELDS: How would you react if I came clean about my career in bank robbing to you. You'd probably say you've been robbing banks? I mean, it doesn't seem very reasonable to me because he's been so adamant. He's been -- he's literally tried to ruin people's careers. He's tried to intimidate people, and now, there's suggestion that he's going to say, oh, by the way, I did it? I just can't believe it.
KAYE: And why do you think he would do that? I mean, is it really just about getting back into the sport?
SHIELDS: I think that's probably one of the things. He definitely is a very competitive person and wants to do that.
There's a lot of other pressures. He's not the only one currently under trial. There's Johan Bruyneel, there's Michele Ferrari, who his old doctor, and things like that. I've got a feeling there's pressures coming on in some of those trials that are suggesting to him some things are going to come out that are out of his control, and now he's thinking, oh, well, the best way I can protect myself is to get that information out.
But it's -- you know, it's very self-serving.
KAYE: Yes, maybe trying to get ahead of it.
Do you think an admission and apology would help Livestrong, his organization? I mean, are they suffering as a result of his denial? SHIELDS: You know, I've been very involved with Livestrong for years. I've been out to many of their events all over the nation. It's an organization that's made up of some incredible people. It's done some tremendous good.
They have divorced themselves from Lance, and I think they're going to just have to continue distancing themselves from him more and more. I think that they are going to be hurt by anything that happens to them which is unfortunate.
But, you know, the reality is they are very much separate entities at this point.
KAYE: Yes. So if he does come clean, you -- you have always said you were an Armstrong supporter. Would that be enough for you?
SHIELDS: For me, it would be too late. It's -- you know, it's -- I think that in life, we try to believe people when somebody violates that trust and we start to realize, wait this, person doesn't really know the value of telling the truth, which is what I've certainly seen from Armstrong. I'm not -- I'm not going to go in there and get fooled again, you know? He doesn't know how to tell the truth.
KAYE: Dave Shields, appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining us.
SHIELDS: Thank you.
KAYE: He's helped run a multi-billion dollar fashion brand, but now he is missing. We'll have more on Vittorio Missoni and how he's left his mark on the fashion world.
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KAYE: Twenty-two minutes past the hour now.
Venezuelan officials say we can expect an update on President Hugo Chavez's health in the next few days. The controversial leader has a severe lung infection and is, quote, "fighting for his health." Chavez remains in Cuba where he's recovering from his fourth cancer surgery.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan lawmakers reelected Diosdado Cabello as president of the country's national assembly. A key post in the country's political future as Chavez's health is uncertain.
Madonna, Katie Holmes and Jennifer Lopez -- well, they have all worn Missoni. The Italian brand known for its multi-color zigzagged designs has become the familiar name. And thanks to recent business deals, the House of Missoni has made its way into the homes of American consumers.
But now, its fashion director is missing. A plane carrying Vittorio Missoni and his wife disappeared Friday near a small island off the coast of Venezuela. The search is now on to find the plane. Joining me now to talk more about this mission and Missoni himself is Nadia Bilchik.
Good morning.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Good morning.
KAYE: All right. So, tell me first about where this plane was headed, about the flight itself.
BILCHIK: Well, we know that Vittorio Missoni, as you said, one of the three heirs to the Missoni fashion empire, was with his wife, another couple, a pilot and co-pilot. They were in the islands of Los Roques. They left there on Friday morning at 11:30 on Friday morning, only 10 miles having left Los Roques, we know the 71-year-old Venezuelan-born pilot spoke to the mainland, and that was the last we heard of the six of them.
KAYE: Just 10 miles out.
BILCHIK: Just 10 miles out.
So they have disappeared somewhere off the Venezuelan coast.
KAYE: And from what we understand, he was actually heading back home to Italy, right, maybe to unveil a new line?
BILCHIK: That's right. They were going to the main airport in Caracas. They were going to go to Madrid and then to Italy. And it's the latest in the men's wear fashion which is in fact designed by his sister Angela Missoni.
KAYE: This is so popular. I mean, you see it everywhere.
How did they get started, do you know?
BILCHIK: They started with their parents in the 1950s. You had Vittorio (ph) and Rosita Missoni started knit wear and from that it really morphed into a major fashion empire and the Missonis, Vittorio and Rosita, have been credited with making Madrid one of the fashion families that have made Madrid one of the fashion hubs of the world.
KAYE: So he played a pretty big role, Vittorio did.
BILCHIK: Vittorio has -- in terms of the just expansion, the international expansion. So, bear in mind, he works with his brother Luca and sister Angela and various granddaughters as well. But he was the person, for example, responsible for doing the deal with Target.
So, I don't know if you remember --
KAYE: I remember seeing it there. Did it do well? I mean, did it help sale?
BILCHIK: It's selling so well that in 2011, when Target joined with Missoni, the Web site of Target crashed. You could not get on to that Web site to get your Missoni at a more affordable price, bringing fashion to the masses and people like me.
KAYE: Wow.
So -- but on a more serious note. They are out there. They're trying to get in touch with somebody who might be able to find this plane.
BILCHIK: Absolutely. I mean, the chances of actually finding a plane in this water, we hope that they find the black box so we at least know what happen. But, you know, you look at the parents and their smiling faces, and you begin to wonder, the grief, the uncertainty that they are going through, and then what happens to the fashion empire? Bearing in mind you have Luca, you have Angela, you have the granddaughters.
And the parents are still very involved. Vittorio at 91 is involved and his wife Rosita still designs the house wear.
KAYE: Wow.
BILCHIK: And this is a company that has now expanded into fragrance, apparel and even hotels.
KAYE: Well, let's see what they find. I'm not going to give up hope yet. You never know.
So, Nadia, thank you very much for the update on that.
Now, if you've tried every diet plan and nothing seems to work, well, you may want to try serving your meals with a bit of Catholicism. I'll talk with the author of "Cravings" who will tell us how God might help you feel full.
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KAYE: Mortgage rates in the U.S. moved even closer to record lows this week. Have a look here.
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KAYE: Welcome back, everyone, to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Randi Kaye. Bottom of the hour now -- just about.
Here are some of the stories that we're watching this hour. Officials in Steubenville, Ohio have launched a Web site to keep the community updated amid a rape case that has consumed the town. Outrage is building over how authorities handled the case in which two 16-year-old boys from a popular high school football team are accused. Some allege a cover-up. Town leaders say the Web site is meant to combat false information about the case. The two boys are charged with raping a girl back in August.
The six men accused in the brutal gang rape and death of a young woman in India will head to court on Monday. The suspects are charged with murder, rape and kidnapping and will be tried in one of the country's so-called fast-track courts. The brutal attack has sparked protests all over the country.
In Syria President Bashar al Assad addressed his nation in a rare speech this morning. His last address was six months ago, but not much has really changed in his eyes. He again, stood firm against calls around the world for him to step down blaming a conspiracy for his country's turmoil and incessant bloodshed. According to U.N. reports, in nearly two years of fighting, more than 60,000 Syrians have been killed.
There's some good news this morning for hockey fans. It seems that a tentative agreement has been reached that could save the season. The deal comes after an all-night negotiating session that lasted 16 hours. Any new collective bargaining agreement still has to be approved by the players and owners before the puck drops again. More than 500 games have been cancelled.
Shell Oil says the drilling rig that ran aground off Alaska's southern coast is ready to be towed away. The company says there is no evidence of leaking oil, and the fuel tank appears intact -- intact. The rig was being towed back to its winter home in Seattle when it ran into a severe storm and grounded just over a week ago.
For today's "Faces of Faith", we're talking about cravings. We all have them and around this time of year, with so many New Year's resolutions to get fit, cravings may be extra strong. Today's guest knows all about that. She was never bulimic or anorexic and was actually never overweight, yet Mary DeTurris Poust struggled with body image and eating for years until she found some solace in God. She has written an entire book about this. It's called "Cravings: A Catholic's Wrestle with Food, Self-Image and God". And she joins me now from Albany, New York.
Mary, good morning. In your book "Cravings", you're kind of saying that we can take control of our eating and our lives by relinquishing control to God, is that right?
MARY DETURRIS POUST, AUTHOR, "CRAVINGS": That's right, Randi. It's a paradox and yet it's a real challenge for most of us, because we want to believe that we are in control of every aspect of our lives and so we expend all of this energy, often using food to try and do that. You know if we lose five more pounds, I'm going to be the person I need to be and we try all these different diets and all these different plans, but they often don't work or if they do they don't last because we're not really get together heart of the matter which is what are we hungry for?
And if we have food issues, it's usually not -- we're not hungry for potato chips and ice cream, we're hungry for self acceptance or love or fulfillment in our lives. And those things really only come when we do some soul searching and connect with God and bring prayer into our life and maybe started establishing some new practices to replace the old habits.
KAYE: So in a sense really that's what we're craving, you're saying? POUST: Yes. I think oftentimes we're using food to fill a void for something much deeper. And you know it's easier -- it's easier to eat than it is to kind of do that searching we need to do.
KAYE: So how do you handle that guilty feeling? You know we see it all the time. We might see a piece of chocolate and we love chocolate but we say oh, we can't eat that. How do you handle that?
POUST: Right. I love food. I love to cook. My blog even features a foodie Friday recipe where I share -- recipes post where I share things every week. So I hope people come away from this understanding that these cravings -- cravings is not about dieting so much as it's a celebration of food and that when we put food into its rightful place in our lives we can enjoy it without the guilt.
So if you love chocolate, eat chocolate. Just don't eat chocolate all the time. And the Catholic faith kind of provides us with a template for that in that we have seasons of feasting and fasting. We don't always feast and so we have to bring some balance to our lives and again that balance on a day-to-day basis tends to come when we are spiritually connected and when we are connected to something bigger than ourselves.
KAYE: And you also write about turning to God to see our true selves, like when people think that they might look fat in pictures. In fact, can I share a picture of you from 1982? We happen to have one, and you were very -- I want our viewers to look --
(CROSSTALK)
POUST: Oh, go ahead.
KAYE: -- because you were very critical of how you looked in this photo and anyone who is looking at that knows that you look fit and you look like you're in great shape. So how did you see yourself then and how do you -- how do you -- what do you get from God that helps you see the true picture there?
POUST: I think very few of us look in the mirror and see our true selves. You know we tend to see our flaws magnified. And I can look at that picture now from 25 years ago and say, ok, I thought I was overweight then. Not only was I not overweight. I might actually have been thin.
But at the time I was seeing something that wasn't reality because I was seeing what I wanted to be and I didn't fit into what I wanted to be. And so I think when it comes down to it, it tells people it's not necessarily only people who are overweight who have these issues. You could be exactly what the doctor says you're supposed to be and that number on the scale can still define you.
If you don't -- if you're not satisfied on a deeper level and so that's -- a lot of this has to do with self-acceptance, and that's not -- not easy and so we -- we need to turn to God because we can't do it on our own. KAYE: I want to ask you about this passage in the bible that I understand really resonated with you. It reads "You formed my inmost being. You knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you so wonderfully, you made me. Wonderful are your works."
What should people take away from that passage, Mary?
POUST: Yes. My first deep experience with that Psalm was when I was on a retreat team for a women's retreat and I was working with that Psalm and I have to tell you every time I read it I could feel walls of resistance going up because quite frankly I didn't think I was wonderfully made and I think a lot of us probably feel that way.
I would be wonderfully made if I was 20 pounds lighter, if I was a size 4, if I had more money, if I had a different job so oftentimes we're not seeing ourselves as wonderfully made just as we are, and a big part of this is coming to understand that God loves us unconditionally as we are right at this very moment.
That doesn't mean we don't want to improve it doesn't mean maybe we don't have to lose weight to get healthier, to get more fit but that those things don't define us. Our weight is not a barometer of our self-worth.
KAYE: And just very quickly before I let you go one thing you do mention is that we can learn a lot from how the monks eat so leave us with your final thought on that.
POUST: You know the monks are like the original slow food (inaudible) movement. We see all these movements today and I think it's an attempt to bring some sanity to our food and our meals. And we can look to them. Because these are really -- these are ancient practices, you know the way we serve food, the way we prepare it, bringing love into -- into the way we eat and some reverence. You know, bringing prayer into our meals at home.
For Catholics, the mass is a meal and so we can take lessons from that. How do we celebrate mass? We do it with reverence. We don't drive through and grab communion and eat it in the car. Let's bring some of that into our home life and develop these mindful practices where we're really focusing on the food that's in front of us, the people that are around us, and in doing that we'll find we're satisfied and not looking for something else ten minutes later.
KAYE: Mary DeTurris Poust, what a -- what a nice conversation with you this morning, the author of "Cravings." Thank you very much.
POUST: Thanks for having me.
KAYE: This week the public may hear about some of the evidence against James Holmes for the first time, and a judge will decide if he can stand trial accused of killing 12 people in Aurora, Colorado.
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KAYE: Tomorrow the man accused in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting will appear in court for a preliminary hearing. James Holmes is charged with killing 12 people and wounding dozens more.
Here's CNN's Casey Wian with more on the hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASEY WIAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Aurora, Colorado, just after midnight, July 20th, 2012.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 315 and 314, first shooting at Century Theaters 14 300 East Alameda Avenue. They're saying somebody's shooting in the auditorium.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He came down with his gun in my face, he was about three feet away from me at that point. In that instant I honestly didn't know what to do. I was terrified.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need rescue inside the auditorium, multiple victims.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A guy is just standing right by the exit just firing away. He's not aiming at a specific person he's just aiming everywhere, trying to hit as many people as he can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got a child victim. I need rescue at the back door of theater nine, now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was just thinking we've got to get out, just got to get out. And if I fall dead, just get my kids out of here. It was -- it was just so horrible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect is going to be male, unknown race, black camo outside outfit believed to be wearing a vest, gas mask and multiple long guns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a right to remain silent.
WIAN: That suspect, 25-year-old James Holmes, is charged with killing 12 people and wounding dozens more. Prosecutors are expected to call scores of witnesses before Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester. He'll determine whether the evidence is sufficient for Holmes to stand trial on more than 150 counts, including murder, attempted murder and weapons charges.
The weapons include explosives allegedly used to booby trap Holmes' apartment. His attorneys are expected to present a diminished mental capacity defense.
RICK KORNFELD, FORMER PROSECUTOR: The government is going to absolutely say that. The government is going to say this guy wasn't crazy, he was crazy like a fox. He was conniving, he was premeditated. He was methodical and that all may be true, but at the same time you could be all those things, but you can also have a mental disease or defect. WIAN: He had been seeing a psychiatrist at the University of Colorado where he was a doctoral candidate in neuroscience until dropping out in June. His attorney says he was hospitalized in November after repeatedly banging his head into a jail wall.
(on camera): The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days. The judge has issued a sweeping gag order so this may be the first time that the public hears much of the evidence against Holmes.
Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: A long-time coach at the University of Texas at Austin resigned after admitting to a relationship with a student athlete. We'll tell you about that next.
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KAYE: Welcome back, everyone.
I want you to take a look at this amazing basketball play out of Indiana. Now, look carefully to the upper right. While trying to save a loose ball Gabrielle Gary of (inaudible) High School threw up that improbable three-pointer, and yes, she sunk it. Unbelievable and she didn't even stop there. Gary went on to score 24 points, including seven threes in her team's win. That is pretty darn impressive.
Now to the sports on the field and the NFL playoffs -- the Green Bay Packers cruised past the Minnesota Vikings 24-10. Aaron Rodgers led the way for the Pack while Minnesota was without their starting quarterback who was out with a bum elbow -- bad timing.
In Saturday's other game, the Texans beat the Bengals. Today the Ravens play the Colts and the Redskins play the Seahawks.
And a controversy at the University of Texas at Austin -- champion women's track and field coach Bev Kearney stepped down this weekend admitting that she had an intimate relationship with a, quote, "adult student athlete" about ten years ago. In a statement the university says that they do not believe that Coach Kearney had any similar relationships with student athletes either before or after that reported relationship. The 55-year-old had been on paid leave since November amid the rumors.
All right. Time to get you ready for the week ahead with our fancy week-ahead calendar here.
On Monday, we've been talking quite a bit this morning about James Holmes. He is the man accused of opening fire in a crowded Aurora, Colorado movie theater. He's going to be in court for a preliminary hearing. He's charged, as you may recall, with killing 12 people and wounding dozens more during the shootout during that Batman movie. On Monday we'll be watching for Hillary Clinton. The Secretary of State could be back at work. She had been discharged by doctors from the hospital last week after being treated for a blood clot in her brain. She is expected to be back at work sometime this week. It could be as early as Monday.
On Thursday, we'll be watching for Hugo Chavez. The president is supposed to be inaugurated to his fourth term, but his fragile health is casting some doubt on whether or not he's actually going to make it. According to Venezuelan officials he's still in Cuba fighting for his health. So we'll see if he is indeed inaugurated.
On Saturday a big weekend of entertainment kicks off. We have the 2013 Miss America pageant. That's going to be live on ABC. And on Sunday the Golden Globes awards. That's the big awards show. The 70th Annual Golden Globes Awards on NBC hosted by the very funny Amy Poehler and Tina Fey -- the two of them together, you know that's going to be an interesting one. So be sure to check that one out.
Now let's check in with CNN's Candy Crowley; she is in Washington. Good morning, Candy. Sources are now telling CNN apparently this morning that President Obama is expected to nominate former Senator Chuck Hagel possibly next week as Defense Secretary. Will this presumed nomination, do you think, meet any resistance?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": I think so. At least -- resistance is being promised. Now whether it is resistance in the forms of lots of tough questions or resistance in the form of this is not going to happen and we're going to filibuster, I can't tell you.
Here is the problem. Chuck Hagel is a Republican. He is a Vietnam veteran. He has many supporters who say he is a perfect tough guy. But we have Republicans who say, wait a second. He's made some remarks that some folks think are not sufficiently supportive of Israel. He had objected to sanctions against Iran and instead wanted direct negotiations. He made some remarks seen as anti-gay.
He's since apologized, but he made them like eight, nine, ten years ago and apologized a couple weeks ago so there's some questions there. So there's a lot out there; that's what happens when you're a senator. You say a lot of stuff and cast a lot of votes and it's mostly Republicans.
This is something that on paper looks like here's a bipartisan thing. I'm going to put a Republican in the Defense Department which is a Democratic president's favorite place to put a Republican, and it's the Republicans objecting. But I will tell you on Hagel's support for Israel there are also some Democrats who say "I have a lot of tough questions".
But again, whether tough questions -- if the President makes this nomination, whether tough questions turn into you know a resistance path I don't think we'll know but they will be really interesting hearings.
KAYE: Yes. They certainly will be. We spoke with Congressman Engel yesterday, and he also weighed in on that as well.
Let's talk about since you mentioned the Republicans, are they willing to let the government default over the cuts to Social Security and Medicare, do you think, as we move ahead to this next debate over the sequester and the spending cuts?
(CROSSTALK)
CROWLEY: Well, I mean, I think the first up is the debt ceiling, and that's where you're now beginning to hear talk of, well, maybe we'll partially shut down the government. The President said I'm not -- I am not going to have a debate over whether we should borrow money to pay for what we've already spent. Only he says to pay for what Congress has already spent.
And the Republicans are saying, well, we're not going to raise that debt ceiling and allow the U.S. to borrow unless we get one for one. You know, a dollar in the raised debt ceiling and a dollar in spending cuts.
So I'm not sure where this is going. Some Republicans say, hey, we're going -- this is where we're going to get our spending cuts because they don't think they got any in the fiscal cliff plan that was just passed. And this is where they want to make that stand. Will all of them make it because it will need all Republicans, particularly in the senate, to stick with that? So we'll see. It's another one of those, you know, games of chicken again I think.
KAYE: I'm kind of getting tired of those, aren't you?
CROWLEY: Me, too. We need a new analogy.
KAYE: Yes, we do. Candy, thank you very much.
CROWLEY: Thanks.
KAYE: Well, keep it here for "STATE OF THE UNION"; it starts in about nine minutes. 9:00 a.m. Eastern time right here on CNN.
Well, this is one of our favorite stories this morning. Take a look here. This black and white kitty was caught sneaking into a Brazilian prison with saws, drills, batteries and a cell phone taped to its body. Security guards no doubt did a double take when they caught the feline felon trying to get into the prison on New Year's Eve. Officials say they don't know who the cat was looking for and that all 250 inmates are suspects.
Well, it's almost time to mark those ballots. Oscar season is nearly upon us. The nominations are out this week. Will "Zero Dark Thirty" or "Lincoln" hear their names called? We'll find out. .
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KAYE: Welcome back.
It looks like someone may be bidding adieu to his home country. French-born actor Gerard Depardieu has officially received a Russian passport after flying to his new homeland for a late-night dinner with President Vladimir Putin last night. Depardieu sought Russian citizenship as part of his battle against a proposed super tax on millionaires in France.
Hollywood's biggest and most glamorous night is just around the corner -- the 85th Academy Awards. But first the nominations have to be announced and that is happening this week on Thursday. Joining us live for a preview is goldderby.com editor Tom O'Neill. Good morning, Tom; nice to see you on this Sunday morning.
TOM O'NEILL, EDITOR, GOLDDERBY.COM: Good morning, Randi.
KAYE: Which film is expected to grab the most nominations, do you think?
O'NEILL: That's undoubtedly going to be "Lincoln" with 12 or 13 which is a lot considering 14 is the record. So watch for "Lincoln" on many fronts because Daniel Day-Lewis is probably the front-runner to win best actor. He's probably a slam dunk, but whether or not it wins best picture is something else.
This is probably the craziest race I've seen in years. At Gold Derby we track the predictions of 28 experts. And just in September when we started polling them "Silver Linings Playbook" was out front, then "Argo" was out friend, then "Les Mis" and now "Lincoln". I'm not sure I believe any of it.
KAYE: It's incredible though to see him as "Lincoln". I mean you really believe that he is "Lincoln". You talked about best actor; we're going to get to more of that in a moment. Who do you think is up for -- will be up for best actress?
O'NEILL: Well, that's going to be a fight between Jennifer Lawrence -- I know you're a fan of "The Hunger Games" --
KAYE: Yes.
O'NEILL: I am, too, but here she's nominated or will be nominated for "Silver Linings Playbook", and her toughest competition is probably Jessica Chastain from "Zero Dark Thirty". And we know that because these stars have already popped up on the early awards this season, and they fit -- they fit the profile of the -- of what Oscar voters like.
They like a young beautiful woman who is just coming into her own. I mean think of past winners like Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts. Unfortunately, they run pretty much like a beauty pageant, and this year these two stars, you know, fit that bill pretty well.
KAYE: And supporting actress, I'm hearing a lot of buzz about Anne Hathaway.
O'NEILL: Yes. Anne Hathaway can't lose. We have our 28 experts of Gold Derby, 27 of them say that she's got this in the bag. There's a lot of goodwill for her, and also there's an interesting parallel here between her and we think Jennifer Hudson who one for "Dream Girls". They both starred in --
KAYE: And this would be for "Les Mis" --
O'NEILL: And this will before "Les Mis". In "Les Mis" she has the big powerful ballad songs just like Hudson did in "Dream Girls".
KAYE: She's actually -- she's quite the singer. I saw her on "Saturday Night Live" when she was hosting, and she can belt it out.
O'NEILL: Yes, surprisingly. She's very good at just about everything, and I think it's her time.
KAYE: So the Golden Globes next weekend. That will certainly give us a pretty good idea of who the favorites are right? That's how this works?
O'NEILL: In the acting categories, yes, but in the past eight years they have been out of sync with the Oscars in terms of best picture which is unusual because historically they line up about 60 percent of the time, and it gets a little confusing because, remember the Golden Globes have separate awards for dramas and comedy/musicals but they really are a crystal ball for the Oscars in many other ways.
KAYE: And what about "Les Mis" I mean just as a film itself. How will that do?
O'NEILL: It's going to have the second most nominations. The question is can it win. It's a very divisive film within the industry right now that has a lot of detractors. If you go to Rotten Tomatoes you'll notice a score of only around 50 or 60 which is surprising because those who love it like me really love it. And we think this is a masterpiece, the greatest movie musical since "Chicago" which won best picture ten years ago.
But it does have its detractors, so it's -- it probably doesn't have enough strength to win. I think the chief rival to "Lincoln" for best picture is "Argo" and that's the case of where you have Ben Affleck as the actor turned director. They love that.
KAYE: Yes. Well, I've made a list as we've been talking of all the movies I need to catch up on, Tom. I'll have a very busy weekend. Thank you very much, Tom O'Neill. Appreciate it.
O'NEILL: Thank you.
KAYE: And thank you everyone for watching today. "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley starts right now.
