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CNN Sunday Morning
NCAA Tourney Final Set; Rick Warren's Son Kills Himself; U.S. Delays Missile Test; Family Wants Feds to Take the Lead; Big Crowds For Free NCAA Concerts
Aired April 07, 2013 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is EARLY START WEEKEND.
And then there were two. If you missed it last night, we'll tell you the NCAA's Final Four winners and some interesting reaction from one of the losing coaches.
Just in to CNN this morning, we may know now the dates for North Korea's missile test. Why South Korea thinks we could be days away.
And the son of one of the nation's most famous pastors is dead. Why Matthew Warren took his own life and Rick and Kay Warren's struggle to help him.
Plus, if you're wearing a mini skirt, you could go to jail. Some new legislation that could equate a risky wardrobe with pornography.
It is Sunday, April 7th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Miguel Marquez.
The big dance is down to just one couple. And just like the presidential election, it's red against big blue. One team overcame a gruesome injury on their way to the final, while the other followed the lead of the college game's top player. Our Carlos Diaz -- lucky Carlos -- is at the Georgia Dome where the Final Four games played out.
OK, Carols, I danced around it enough. Who's in and how did they get there?
CARLOS DIAZ, CNN SPORTS: You are an amazing dancer. Yes, we have Louisville against Michigan. The Cardinals taking on the Wolverines in the championship game tomorrow night. We're expecting two great games yesterday and we were not disappointed.
Starting with the night cap. Michigan taking on Syracuse last night. Now, everyone was talking about Trey Burke coming into the game. The national player of the year for Michigan. But he had a rough night. Only one for eight from the field.
So, the rest of the Michigan "Fresh Five," as they're called, instead of the Fab 5, had to pick up the slack with Tim Hardaway Jr. leading the scorning. And it was basically a team effort. But Michigan let Syracuse back in at late by missing several free throws.
In the end, Michigan's the winner, knocking off Syracuse and Jim Boeheim is beaten by the person that he mentored, John Beilein. John Beilein was zero for nine against Jim Boeheim throughout his career. His first win last night on his first trip to the Final Four. So, Michigan gets back to the final game for the first time in 20 years. The first time since 1993 with the Fab 5 with the likes of Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber. You had all those great guys playing back 20 years ago. And now Michigan back in the final game.
Miguel.
MARQUEZ: So, Carlos, who's got the advantage tomorrow? Is it -- are we talking about Louisville here?
DIAZ: Well, the great thing is this. You know, Louisville is a 4.5 point favorite. You know, that's the early line right now on the game. But I tell you what, it is going to be an exciting game because, you know, Wichita State and Syracuse, known for their really tough defense, I joked that if those two played in the finals, it would be -- the final score would be 20 to 19.
Instead, you've got Louisville taking on Michigan. Two great, hunt (ph), run and gun kind of teams. Louisville with a great pressure trap defense. So there's going to be an -- it's going to be an exciting 40 minutes from start to finish. It's one of those matchups that you love to see in a final game where it's not a grinded out game. This is going to be a run and gun style kind of game. A lot of scoring tomorrow.
But the tough thing for both teams, it's hitting their free throws. As I said, Michigan missed a lot of free throws down the stretch. Louisville missed a ton of free throws early in the game. So free throws are going to be the key. And it's going to be an exciting game, but it might come down to the charity (ph) stripe (ph), Miguel.
MARQUEZ: All right, Carlos, get some sleep on Tuesday why don't you. You won't have any sleep for the next (INAUDIBLE). Take care, my friend.
DIAZ: What is this sleep you speak of?
MARQUEZ: Now, Syracuse had a good run, but just couldn't close the deal. That may explain why Coach Jim Boeheim was a little irritable at his post-game news conference. Here's his reaction when a reporter asked the 68-year-old coach if he was ready to retire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BOEHEIM, SYRACUSE HEAD COACH: Why ask that question? Do you ask -- are you going to ask John Beilein that question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we ask 19-year-old kids the same question. They handle it better than you are.
BOEHEIM: You ask a 19-year-old kid if he's going to retire? Really? I didn't --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they're going to be back next year. I was kind of --
BOEHEIM: If you're going to say something smart, at least be smart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Well, later, Boeheim apologized for his anger and made up with the reporter who asked the question. He also said he has no plans to retire.
There is shock and sadness this morning in one of the country's biggest mega churches. Matthew Warren, the youngest son of the evangelical pastor and author Rick Warren, has killed himself. His grief-stricken father says the 27-year-old battled, quote, "dark holes of depression" for all his life. Deborah Feyerick has more on the tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Apparently, 27- year-old Matthew Warren committed suicide after years of struggling with mental illness. His father, Pastor Rick Warren, you may remember, delivered the invocation at President Obama's first inauguration.
Now, in a heartfelt message he said that his son suffered from deep depression and suicidal thoughts. Warren's statement reads that, quote, "in spite of America's best doctors, meds, counselors and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided. Today, after a fun evening with wife Kay and me, in a momentary wave of despair at his home, Matthew took his life."
Well, Pastor Rick Warren is well-known and widely regarded internationally. He's "The New York Times" bestselling author of the book "The Purpose Driven Life," which has sold upwards of 30 million copies. Among liberals and Democrats, he is a somewhat controversial figure for his seemingly conservative theological views on social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, which he does not support.
The broken-hearted father described his son as having a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who in the room was in most pain and going to them to offer encouragement. Warren says that after a failed attempt about 10 years ago, his son Matthew said to him, quote, "dad, I know I'm going to heaven. Why can't I just die and end this pain?" Warren and his wife Kay in anguish over the loss of their youngest son.
Deborah Feyerick.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now, Pastor Rick Warren founded the Saddleback Valley Community Church in southern California. At the church last night, Matthew Warren's Uncle Tom Holladay delivered this heartfelt message. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM HOLLADAY, TEACHING PASTOR, SADDLEBACK CHURCH: Rick and Kay and their family are having to face the news this week of the death of their youngest son, Matthew. And we're facing it together as a family. And that's what we're going to do this weekend. We're going to pray together and we're going to worship together and we're going to look at God's hope together and we're going to be real together about who he is. We're going to real together about our hurts and we're going to be real together about the thing that only he can give us, hope in the face of anything and everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, just about a year ago, Matthew Warren's parents spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper when he was with ABC. Matthew's mother, Kay Warren, hinted at the challenges her son had been dealing with. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE WARREN, MATTHEW WARREN'S MOTHER: We have close family with some mental illness. For us, it has been challenging and it has been difficult.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, Kay Warren also said in that interview that life is like a parallel set of train tracks, where joy and sorry run together.
Overseas now to Afghanistan where six Americans were killed in two separate attacks. Five of them died when their military convoy came under attack. Two of the victims were civilian. One from the State Department and one from the Defense Department. The convoy was delivering books into southern Afghanistan when it was hit. Four other State Department workers were injured in the attack.
This morning, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about the attack and the loss of life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: Folks who want to kill people, and that's all they want to do, are scared of knowledge. And they want to shut the doors. And they don't want people to make their choices about the future. For them, it's you do things my way and if you don't we'll throw acid in your face, we'll put a bullet in your face. The young girl trying to learn.
So, this is a huge challenge for us. It is a confrontation with modernity, with possibilities. And everything that our country stands for, everything we stand for, is embodied in what Anne Smedinghoff stood for.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MARQUEZ: When he was in Afghanistan last week, Kerry met with Anne Smedinghoff, the female diplomat just 25-year-old who was killed in yesterday's attack.
He's in the Middle East right now in Turkey, but later in the week, Kerry heads to South Korea, China and Japan. Of course, while he's there, talks will center on the growing tensions with North Korea. CNN has learned that Kerry will discuss possible diplomatic initiatives for the North.
The U.S., of course, is trying to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. The Pentagon says it's delaying a long plan missile test so North Korea won't get the wrong idea about it. But it looks like North Korea may be going full steam ahead with its own missile test and it could happen this coming week. Let's go to our CNN International anchor and correspondent Jim Clancy in Seoul, South Korea.
Jim, South Korea believes the North may test a missile within days, is that right?
JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yes. They're moving up that date. Originally it was thought it might coincide with Kim Il-sung's birthday, you know, the founding leader of North Korea. His birthday comes up on the 15th. Now they're saying it might fall on the 10th. That's when they've give an ultimatum to the companies that are inside Kaesong to have their workers out of that only real symbol of cooperation between North and South.
This missile test is widely expected. There's said to be two missiles on the east coast of the Korean peninsula. These missiles have not really been studied much by the west, and so you've got spy ships, tracking ships, agers, cruisers out there that are all going to be able to learn as much as possible if the North decides to launch.
Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Yes, are they seeing any sign that those missiles are being fueled up at all, or is it just based on their best assessment about the movement of troops around -- and individuals around South and North Korea?
CLANCY: Well, some of the media speculation is that they have been fueled. The defense ministry here in South Korea is not divulging any of the details.
Now, the missiles can be fueled. The fuel can be left in them for a couple of weeks before they are fired. So there's still some room to move here, but it seems that, based on the best intelligence, we could see that launch this week.
MARQUEZ: Yes, South Korea says it's at a military readiness posture. What exactly does that mean?
CLANCY: Well, it doesn't mean much. I mean it means that they are in a position to respond. Now, you've got tens of thousands of troops that are engaged in joint maneuvers with the United States. You could say that the readiness in South Korea is much more than it is in normal times. But they're not specifically calling people back to their bases and telling them that they have to be on alert. They are in a position to make a response to any provocation that they may see from the North, but they're not pushing that. They don't want to provoke things either.
Miguel.
MARQUEZ: They're calling what the North is doing a scare tactic. For what purpose do they think they're trying to scare and who are they trying to scare?
CLANCY: Well, you know, you've watched some of the rhetoric that we have seen coming out of the North and it is fear (ph) theoretic, right, talking about nuclear missiles attacking the United States, turning this place into a sea of fire.
Let me -- they have a name for it. And it came out today from the national security chief spokesperson as she laid out what they're calling now, I think it's the headline strategy. What is the headline strategy? Well, they put out a video, and if it gets traction, then they'll put the same thing out a few days later. So, every day. North Korea will be in the news. They don't care if they have to practice shoot their way into the news, launch a missile to get into the news, stop South Korean workers from coming to the Kaesong industrial facility. Get in the news, every single day. Put pressure on the U.S., China, everyone else in the region to try to help North Korea out.
Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Jim Clancy reporting for us out of Seoul. Thank you very much, sir.
Now, leave it to "Saturday Night Live" to have some fun with the North Korea crisis and its young leader. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, ACTOR, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" (through translator): After much thoughtful consideration and soul-searching, I have decided, once and for all, to lift our nation's ban on same-sex marriage. It is simply the right thing to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, ACTOR, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": It was reported Friday that North Korea has loaded two missiles onto launchers on its east coast and its threatening to fire them at the United States. So, let this be a warning to you, middle of the ocean.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Now, just days before Philadelphia was set to honor the deaths of two firefighters, one of the city's veteran fire captains has died while battling a fire. Fire officials say Captain Michael Goodwin fell from a third story roof onto another structure that was engulfed in flames. Captain Goodwin was 53-years-old. He worked for the Philadelphia Fire Department for 29 years.
Now to Texas, where the family of a slain district attorney wants the federal government to get more involved. They say they want federal law enforcement to take the lead in the investigation into Mike McLelland's murder and that of his wife. Our Martin Savidge has more from Kaufman, Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A week after the murder of their parents, the traumatized family of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland says not enough is being done to find the killer or killers and protect other possible victims, including them.
CHRIS HEISLEY FAMILY SPOKESPERSON: They're on edge right now. If someone's willing to come out and shoot the district attorney and his wife in their home, obviously their mindset is, you know, anything else is possible.
SAVIDGE: According to the family spokesperson, following the murder of his chief prosecutor Mark Hasse in January, McLelland often worried local authorities didn't have enough resources to conduct both a murder investigation and provide security for other potential targets.
HEISLEY: If you're going to put folks to secure officials, who's doing the investigation? Who's patrolling the streets? Who's keeping the rest of Kaufman County safe?
SAVIDGE: That could explain why in this video, obtained by CBS News, McLelland is seen in a local gun store. According to the owner, he was inquiring about protection for his staff, including guns and bullet proof vests. Less than 24 hours later, McLelland himself was murdered, along with his wife, shot multiple times in their home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who was Cynthia McLelland? She was a generous, loving, civic minded quilter, baker, mother, wife and friend.
SAVIDGE: At their memorial service, the McLelland's daughter, Christina Foreman, spurred on others to follow in her father's tough crime fighting footsteps.
CHRISTINA FOREMAN, MCLELLAND'S DAUGHTER: He believed in fighting for what is right. He believed in standing up. And if any of you ever saw the interviews, he was quite elegant at saying that he didn't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) if people were scaring him.
SAVIDGE: Reacting to the family's criticisms, Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood, a friend of McLelland's, told CNN the D.A. didn't tell him his concerns county law enforcement was spread too thin. Said Woods, "he never expressed that to me, ever."
Meanwhile, the McLelland family says they want federal authorities, already assisting in the case, to take over the investigation, freeing state and county officers to provide protection.
SAVIDGE (on camera): Local authorities say that they are working hard trying to track down all of the leads in this murder investigation. Despite that, it's clear that at a least for one family that's not enough.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Kaufman County, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now, music's royal couple, Jay-z and Beyonce, may be in trouble for a recent trip to Cuba to celebrate their anniversary. We'll tell you who's questioning if they broke the law.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: That's the rapper Ludacris performing as part of the free NCAA concerts series here in Atlanta. Today, a couple of other big name acts are set to take the stage. Sting and the Dave Matthews Band. Our entertainment correspondent Nischelle Turner has been right in the middle of all the excitement all weekend.
Nischelle.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Miguel. We are right in Centennial Park in the middle of the madness for the Big Dance Concert Series. This is the three-day concert. Some of the biggest names in music have taken the stage here. And the best thing about this weekend's concert series, it's all free. Yes, no one has to pay a dime. They just have to come out here and enjoy some of the best music they've ever heard.
So already taking the stage, we've heard Ludacris, Flo Rida. And let me tell you, they had the crowd rocking. Now the host for the Big Dance Concert Series, Andy Richter. We all know we love Andy Richter from "The Conan O'Brien Show." He's kind of Conan's sidekick. He told me basically he's married to Conan. So he's Conan's husband. His television husband.
And we talked about a lot of things. We sat down. We talked a little Final Four. We talked some of his favorite foods and why he's addicted to coffee. But we also talked about the big headline that's been happening this week. Yes, Jimmy Fallon taking over "The Tonight Show" for Jay Leno. Andy had some thoughts. Here they are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY RICHTER, COMEDIAN: I don't care anymore. Let a -- you know, let a duck host "The Tonight Show." I don't care. I'm happy for Jimmy Fallon, I guess, and that I'm happy when nice people get things that they want. But I don't care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So, basically, Andy Richter says, he doesn't care who hosts "The Tonight Show." But, again, I'm sure he cares who's going to take the stage here at the Big Dance Concert Series and it's going to be an all-star lineup. And when I say all-star, I'm not just selling this. It's really going to be an all-star lineup.
Listen to this. Sting, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Dave Matthews Band. Now that is a concert. And, once again, it's all free. The people at Centennial Park have been having a good time, and I have, too. That's why I'm still here.
Miguel, back to you.
MARQUEZ: Nischelle Turner, thank you very much.
If you tuned in Saturday morning, you saw cheerleaders from each of the Final Four teams compete in our very first, really only, EARLY START WEEKEND fitness bracket. And, guess what, after the first elimination round, we ended up with Louisville versus Michigan for the championship match. And I'm not saying we correctly predicted the actual Final Four game outcome last night, but we actually did it as science. If you believe that, then here's who's going to win the game tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's do it.
MARQUEZ: Ready, set, go!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is going to preview our winner for tonight.
MARQUEZ: Oh, right. Of course.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Uh-oh, uh-oh, what's going on?
MARQUEZ: Oh, my goodness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) -- so they don't have a mascot, so you guys have to cheer for him.
MARQUEZ: All right, let's go mascots, get busy back there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we've also got some leg work going on, as you can see. And then if you involve your arms, which they are not, you can get an arm workout as well.
MARQUEZ: Now, can you do this on airplanes when traveling? This would be good for me?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't -- I would not recommend doing this on airplane.
MARQUEZ: Probably.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would stick to at home or the gym or tonight cheering on your team.
MARQUEZ: I'll do this in my hotel room while I'm trying to (INAUDIBLE) tomorrow morning's show. All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, how many did you count?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixty-nine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many did you count? Sixty. Oh, one point. Louisville is our winner.
MARQUEZ: The winners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: So, there you go. Of course, that's tomorrow night. Not tonight. I'm a man ahead of my time. We're predicted Louisville will become the NCAA basketball champs. It's science.
Coming up, Jay-z and Beyonce caught in a controversy all because of their choice for vacation. And there could be a federal investigation. We'll tell you where they went and what's causing a stir.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Mortgage rates reaching a historic low this past week. Have a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Welcome back and thanks for sharing your morning with us. And a special welcome to our troops watching on the American Forces Network. I'm Miguel Marquez. It is half past the hour.
Catching up on the news overnight, tragedy has struck the family of a well known pastor and author of the "Purpose Driven Life" Rick Warren. His youngest son, Matthew, has committed suicide. Police said a 27-year-old's body was found at his home in Mission Viejo, California on Friday. They say it appears he shot himself. An autopsy will be conducted. In a note to members of the Saddleback Valley Community Church Rick Warren said his son has struggled from birth with mental illness, depression and suicidal thoughts and he said words cannot express the grief the family feels right now.
In southern Afghanistan, five Americans were killed when their military convoy came under attack. The convoy was delivering books to donate to children. Two of the victims were civilians, one from the State Department and one from the Defense Department, four other State Department workers were injured in the attack.
The daughter of the West Virginia sheriff gunned down in his patrol car told CNN she believes her father was targeted because of his recent crackdown on drug dealing in the area. Julie Hall spoke to CNN"s Fredricka Whitfield in her first television interview since her father was killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JULIE HALL: My dad fought tirelessly against drug abuse. He just wanted to clean up the county and make it a better place to live for the children that are growing up here.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you feel like your dad was targeted because, in large part, because he would fight drug abuse and try to bring the prosecution of those who were bringing drug problems to the community?
HALL: Things are still under investigation at this time, so, we really are unsure, you know, why this has happened. But I think it's a very strong possibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, the funeral for Walter Eugene Crum will be held later today. His widow was appointed to replace him as sheriff last week.
Beyonce and Jay-Z are in some hot water over their vacation to Cuba. Two Florida lawmakers are criticizing the superstar couple saying their trip to Havana last week violated U.S. travel restrictions to the communist island. Republican representatives Ileana Ros Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart wrote a letter to a government agency asking for an investigation into the trip, saying the Castro regime used their visit as propaganda. Travel to Cuba was banned in 1959, after Fidel Castro took power.
And the holy grail of baseball cards goes for a whopping $2.1 million at an auction yesterday. The 1909 Honus Wagner card is one of about 50 in existence. The buyer is choosing to remain anonymous, but is being called a wealthy investor and a baseball fan. I bet, $2.1 million is the highest price ever paid for a baseball card in a public auction.
But enough about baseball, this is college basketball's biggest weekend. The final four are down to two. And talk about some gorgeous weather here in Atlanta. Meteorologist Alexandra Steele is with us this morning. Alexandra, weather for Saturday's game was fantastico. What happens for the next one?
ALEXANDRA STEELE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, beautiful, really. The warmest temperatures we have seen in Atlanta since the beginning of the year. So, beautiful temperatures we kind of (INAUDIBLE) sheer the rain, the clouds, the cold temperatures as we take a live look outside. Oh, we're just driving into work this morning. We're waiting and looking at all the people who run around, they are still out there after really a fun weekend and beautiful conditions for it. And, of course, from the basketball to golf, we're going to cover you with weather and really it's beautiful. Some 74 today, Sunday, 78 tomorrow. So, temperatures about eight to ten degrees above average. So here's the masters: maybe you're lucky enough to be going from Atlanta, Georgia, driving east on 20 and getting to Augusta. Temperatures stay above average. Monday practice rounds tomorrow, gates open at 8:00 in the morning. Tuesday, Wednesday, temperatures stay above average. Thursday still 80 degrees. But then the caveat comes on Friday. Showers and storms. So, that is kind of the day we'll have to watch. Showers and storms on Friday and then setting the stage for a 75, 74 degree Saturday and Sunday. So, final round in Augusta Sunday and 73. So, really great. All right, that warmth not only here in Atlanta, but up to New York. 75 on Tuesday in New York City. 50s yesterday in New York and Washington. Today 60s, tomorrow we're going to get into the 70s and, thus, we continue with that. And all the way from Chicago to Dallas, warm temperatures. But Denver has got snow cooking on Tuesday. So, here's a big picture for today. There's the warmth, but cold air coming in and kind of merging, typical spring-time storm we haven't seen because here in the U.S. we haven't had that warm component, but we're going to see that. And with that, severe storms, maybe our first big outbreak. Especially on Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday, Oklahoma, Arkansas and here's the threat. Monday and Tuesday and into Wednesday, Miguel. So, really spring-like weather, this clash of air masses sounds cliche, but it will erupt and bring some severe weather and tornadoes included.
MARQUEZ: All right, Alexandria Steele. You're splendid in white, thank you very much.
STEELE: Sure.
MARQUEZ: The manufacture and sale of firearms is a billion dollar industry in Connecticut, but the economic impact of stricter gun laws in response to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary has some gun manufactures thinking about packing up and moving their businesses elsewhere. CNN's Deb Feyerick has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEB FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When it comes to shooting competitions, this is one of the most popular sporting rifles in America. 34-year-old Mark Malkowski owns not only the semiautomatic rifle, but owns Stag Arms, the company that makes it.
(on camera): You sell about how many guns per month?
MARK MALKOWSKI: We sell about 6,000 rifles per month.
FEYERICK (voice over): Stag Arms opened its doors ten years ago, the Connecticut-based company has grown to 200 employees and was poised to bring in an estimated $80 million in sales this year. He says about $4 million of that in Connecticut. All that is now in jeopardy. Connecticut's strict new gun laws ban the sale of these firearms in the very state where they're made.
(on camera): Have you thought about possibility of losing Connecticut?
MALKOWSKI: I've considered it more than I ever have. The offers out there are very, very tempting. They're offering everything from building you a factory, helping you reincur moving costs, tax incentives, tax abatements. Our industry here is $1.75 billion industry just in Connecticut.
STEVE SANETTI: There's a huge economic impact.
FEYERICK (voice over): Steve Sanetti heads the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which is based in Newtown, not far from Sandy Hook Elementary School. Figures from the trade organization show last year the American firearms industry paid $5.1 billion in federal, state and other taxes.
SANETTI: You could well have an exodus of the few remaining firearms manufactures from the state that passed strict firearms control legislation where they can't make or sell their products any more.
FEYERICK: At first, it may seem like an empty threat. Moving companies and families, firing employees, but Jonathan Scalise who employs 150 people and supplies bullet magazines for Stag Arms, among others, says pressure is coming from outside buyers threatening to boycott.
JONATHAN SCALISE, ASC AMMUNITION STORAGE: We've gotten a number of responses that have essentially said we really, really like you, we like your company, we like your product, we like what you do. Unfortunately, we're having a tough time justifying spending our dollars in Connecticut.
FEYERICK: Both Malkowski and Scalise are fathers with young children. They say their hearts broke during Sandy Hook, but the new laws could have unintended consequences.
SCALISE: There's a very, very strong likelihood that it's going to be decimated by the actions that the legislature has taken and the shame of it is the real shame of it all is we're no safer.
FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New Britain, Connecticut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now, do you wear mini skirts? Know someone who does? Well, in one country those mini skirts could soon mean jail time. Some new legislation that could make short skirt wearers criminals.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Now, while some countries ban drugs and other lethal weapons, Uganda officials have proposed the ban that has nothing to do with public safety. And to tell us more, is editorial producer Nadia Bilchik. Nadia, what is this proposal?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, the proposal is part of a larger ban on pornography. An idea is to ban mini skirts because they are seen as far too provocative. So, let's hear from the Ugandan minister of ethics and culture Simon Lokodo as to why he feels the mini skirts should be banned in Uganda.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON LOKODO, UGANDAN ETHICS MINISTER: Anything related to indecent dressing, therefore, exposing certain parts of the anatomy of a person. All right, I call it, I call it, pornographic and therefore condemn it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: So, this is not the first time mini skirts - or the skirts have been banned? Is this ...
BILCHIK: No, mini skirts haven't been banned prior to this. In 2008, then minister of ethics proposed the ban, which wasn't passed. But the fact that the idea that it may be passed, again, to a multi- national, multi-party national assembly of which the ruling government is a majority, it could very well be passed. As you can imagine, Ugandans, and particularly women, are mortified by this. So, I know you will want to hear from them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything bad begins from the mind. So really, let him first work on the minds of men and then come talk about maybe fashion, because I don't think mini skirt and mini dresses are trendy and we have a right to fashion, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it's a micro mini skirt, then, I think they should question that. But then if you're going out, you know, you're - it's OK. But during the day, I don't want to see that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILCHIK: I don't want to see that
(LAUGHTER)
BILCHIK: And for that, you could get a hefty fine or jail time or both. And remember, this is a proposed bill.
MARQUEZ: Right.
BILCHIK: And, I also like that on Twitter, there's a great deal of traffic around #savetheminiskirt. And one in particular really caught my attention, because the tweeters said, we have many hospitals that can't cater for our needs, many roads with potholes, many funds for education, why focus on the mini skirt #savetheminiskirt.
MARQUEZ: Nadia, save the mini skirt.
BILCHIK: And bearing in mind, this is a country that has 27 million people. The highest population growth probably in the world. They say by 2050, there will be 130 million people. Certainly, more pressing issues, perhaps, than --
MARQUEZ: Nadia, appropriately dressed in a mini skirt. Thank you very much. BILCHIK: Thank you.
MARQUEZ: We'll be watching closely.
For undocumented immigrants across the U.S., immigration reform is much more than legislation, it's a chance to keep their families together. We'll introduce you to one family looking for answers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Well, time to get you ready for your week ahead, as if you didn't know that tomorrow the NCAA finals, it is down to two. NCAA basketball final game Monday night, Louisville taking on Michigan right here in Atlanta. Tipoff is at 9:00 p.m. We'll have coverage all afternoon right here on CNN.
Also, on Monday, funeral services for Roger Ebert, the legendary film critic who will be laid to rest in Chicago. Services will be open to the public. A memorial is planned for April 11th.
Now, moving on to Wednesday, there's a possible North Korean missile test that we will be watching. That's according to South Korean news agency. This is one of the missiles that had been reportedly been moved to the coast of North Korea.
And then on -- that can go away. On Saturday, the NRA sponsors NASCAR race. They are - that's at the Texas Motor Speedway. The group says the sponsorship is not political, just marketing at a sports event.
And finally on Sunday, Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown", that's the premier of the show on Sunday night, 9:00 P.M. Eastern right here on CNN.
And Washington prepares to take on immigration reform. The Senate's so-called Gang of Eight could be ready to propose legislation as early as this week. CNN's Athena Jones introduces us to one family that will be watching the decision closely. Athena?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A weekend morning in Glen Bernie, Maryland.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (SPEAKING SPANISH)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SPEAKING SPANISH)
JONES: Breakfast time for this family of immigrants. For them, the debate in Washington is personal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really like excited and nervous.
JONES: Peter and Marlene came to the U.S. from Chile 16 years ago, they entered the country legally, but overstayed their visas. We're not using their last name. Peter wants legal status so he can stop living in constant fear he will be deported.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't know when in the job they can come and they can take you away from your family and it's really bad to feel that.
JONES: Marlene begins to cry.
(on camera): Why are you crying?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm crying because he always is the strong person and never told me that he's scared.
JONES: But you're also scared sometimes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
JONES (voice over): Their daughter, Stephanie, was born in the U.S. but the 18-year-old, Natalie, wasn't. She is taking advantage of new protections for undocumented immigrants who came here as children.
She's heading to college and hopes to become a molecular biologist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're all here, you know, just waiting for the full, you know, the full dream to come. The full pathway to citizenship.
JONES: Hathaway, Maryland, serves the immigrant community.
GUSTAVO TORRES, CASA DE MARYLAND: The main concern from them is like, is that time right now? Are you positive? Because it happened in 2006. It happened in 2007.
JONES: This family is hopeful, but they say the proposed 13-year wait for citizenship is too long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think it's fair. (inaudible) should be something shorter and then maybe should be different for different cases.
JONES: Still, they're willing to pay a fine and learn English and U.S. history and pass a criminal background check to qualify.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're just trying to, you know, get the country that we call home to accept us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JONES: Opponents say giving legal status to families like this one will only attract more undocumented immigrants, making the problem worse. Miguel?
MARQUEZ: Athena Jones, thank you very much.
You know prices vary from store to store, but when it comes to prescription drugs, that difference could be hundreds of dollars. Find out how to get the best deals on your medication.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: If your health insurance doesn't cover prescriptions, you know you are going to have to pay a lot. However, where you get your meds could cost you even more. Consumer Reports checked prices at America's top pharmacies to compare prices. What they found may surprise you. Secret shoppers found CVS to be the most pricy and Costco's pharmacy had the lowest prices. The report focused on generic forms of five popular medications, Lipitor, Lexapro. Plavix, Actos and Singular. Just how big was the difference between stores? CVS sells generic Lipitor for 150 bucks a month, that same drug at Costco is just $17. Another example, Plavix at CVS is 180 bucks at Costco, $15. I asked "Consumer Reports" editor Lisa Gill about the huge difference between the drug prices.
LISA GILL, EDITOR, CONSUMER REPORTS: Well, I have to say, we have been doing this secret shopper survey for a number of years. And this was the most shocking, actually, really most surprising results we have ever seen. Those price differences do reflect at least two different things. Stores use their pharmacies kind of different ways. Some stores like Rite-Aid and CVS, they - they are meant to really generate a lot of revenue and a lot of profit for the stores and that's fine. And so, you kind of see it reflected in high prices. Stores like Costco, Walmart, Sam's Club, they really try to bring in traffic to having lower prices in hopes that people will buy maybe other things. The other difference, too, is that CVS and Rite-Aid are so convenient and you really pay for that convenience. Those pharmacies are open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. They are on every corner in the United States, practically. Whereas, with a store like Costco, even though you'll pay such lower prices, you will have to really plan your visit. Pharmacies close at 8:00 or 8:30 at night and they're not open on Sunday. So you can kind of see the difference there.
MARQUEZ: Now, according to your survey, the three most expensive pharmacies are CVS, Rite-Aid and Target. The cheapest were Familmeds.com, healthwarehouse.com and Costco. We reached out to some of those pharmacies for comment and CVS told us the following. "Pricing surveys do not accurately reflect what most pharmacy customers pay for their prescriptions and are not effective in accurately comparing prices. A random price check of only five drugs is too small to draw meaningful conclusions about, which pharmacies are for the best value overall for its customers." Do you agree, is your survey an accurate representation of market prices across the board?
GILL: You know, we have - we made over 200 phone calls to pharmacies all around the United States. We called independent mom and pop pharmacies, we called large, big box stores like Sam's Club and Costco, we called Target, Walmart, Walgreen's, CVS, Rite-Aid, posing as just a regular consumer. Sort of like what my grandmother might face in Indiana. Just calling around to local pharmacies trying to get a price on some very popular medications. So, and actually, that's why we chose those medications because millions of people take these drugs every month and, in many cases, can't afford them. So, one of the things that we were surprised to find out, and, you know, CVS has an interesting point. Except that when we called nearly a dozen CVS' around the country, they all quoted us a price of $149.99. And only one pharmacist mentioned to us that you might be able to get a discount if you came in the store. So, considering that a regular consumer trying to, you know, compare prices over the telephone finds such incredible price differences, I think is very notable thing. I think it's worth considering, you know, when you're shopping for medications.
MARQUEZ: Thanks for starting your morning with us, we've got much more ahead on CNN "Sunday Morning," which starts right now.
Good morning, everyone I'm Miguel Marquez. That's 7 o'clock on the East Coast four at West. Thanks for starting your morning with us.
First, close U.S. ally, South Korea, is promising that North Korea will pay if war breaks out. Seoul says it believes North Korea is moving up the date for a much-anticipated missile test. It could happen as soon as this week.
The Pentagon meanwhile is pushing back its own missile test.
Let's get more now from CNN's Jim Clancy in Seoul, South Korea.
Jim, a possible new date for a North Korean missile test?
JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: That's correct. I mean, that's the -- the conclusion that is being drawn here by South Korean officials was the equivalent of their national security adviser saying that from the evidence that they've analyzed and looked at, this missile is going to be launched some time this week, perhaps around the 10th of April. Originally they thought about five days later than that.
They don't know exactly how many are going to be launched. They believe at least one of these medium-range missiles.
At the same time, in an attempt to cool things off, as you mentioned there, the U.S. has delayed, a routine already scheduled test launch of a Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Air Force Base. They just concluded that they don't want North Korea to take this the wrong way. They say, let's just avoid any problems on that front.
We got one missile test that we expect to come from the North Koreans. North Koreans haven't said anything about that, by the way. But we have one missile test by the United States delayed.
Back to you.
MARQUEZ: Yes, and you, obviously, have been watching this for many years, North Korea and South Korea. There are some indications that those missiles are being readied for launch. What is your sense of it? Do you really believe the North is going to go through with this?
CLANCY: Sure, it's the provocation. It's the next step. This is -- this is a well-orchestrated front being put on by North Korea.
What do I mean by that? They were talking about it right here in Seoul today. The strategy that they're using is called the headline strategy. Try to get a headline every day, try to get the news.
MARQUEZ: Yes.
CLANCY: And a missile launch is certainly one way to do that. You and I are sitting here talking about it.
I want to share with you some video that was put out today and give you a little background on it. It shows some dog trainers releasing their dogs. It's North Korean video and I think we're sharing that with the viewers right now.
But at any event, they run down and they attack just a paper image, a paper photo of mannequin dressed up to be the defense minister of South Korea. One of the narrators says that he should be eaten by dogs.
Well, they ran a similar thing just about a week ago showing U.S. soldiers. They got publicity with that. They put out this one today.
What it accomplishes, Miguel, it gets you and I talking about it and it gets North Korea in the news and that's what Pyongyang wants.
MARQUEZ: The pressure on both sides is so intense. I mean, it would almost be laughable if it weren't so serious what we're talking about it here. But, you know, Seoul says the North is trying to make headlines out of a scare tactic like this. I mean, are we going to see more of this in the days ahead?
CLANCY: Well, that's -- yes. I mean, this has been the pattern, not just for weeks, but for years. When North Korea feels that it's being neglected, it will more or less shoot its way into the headlines, whether it's in some training video or it's with a missile test that threatens the region -- Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Yes, waiting to see if actions follow words. Thank you very much, Jim Clancy, for keeping up with all of this.
Now to Afghanistan where six Americans were killed in two separate attacks. Five of them died when their military convoy came under attack, two of the victims, one from the State Department and one from the Defense Department. The convoy was delivering books to southern Afghanistan when it was hit. Four other State Department workers were injured in the attack.
A pastor, a family of one of the biggest churches in the country are grieving this morning. The youngest son of pastor and author Rick Warren has committed suicide. Twenty-seven-year-old Matthew Warren was found dead Friday at his home in Mission Viejo, California. Police say he died of a self-inflicted gun shot.
Rick Warren wrote a note to members of his Saddleback Valley Community Church. He said his son had battled depression all his life and he said no words can express the grief he and his family feel right now.
Matthew Warren's uncle spoke to members of the Saddleback community church last night. They say they will get through this tragedy together. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD HOLLADAY, MATTHEW WARREN'S UNCLE: Rick and Kay and their family re having to face the news this week of the death of their youngest son, Matthew. And we're facing it together, as a family.
And that's what we're going to do this weekend. We're going to pray together. And we're going to worship together.
And we're going to look at God's hope together and we're going to be real together about who he is. We're going to be real together about our hurts and we're going to be real together about the thing that only he can give us. Hope in the face of anything and everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: The coroner's office is investigating Matthew Warren's death. Officials say an autopsy will be conducted this week.
To sports now, and after starting with 68 teams, we are now down to the final two in the NCAA men's basketball championships. Michigan and Louisville survive final four scares to punch their tickets to the title game.
Our Carlos Diaz, the intrepid Carlos Diaz, is at the Georgia dome for the Final Four games played out. They were great games, but how did Louisville and Michigan pull it off?
CARLOS DIAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you what? Let's start with Michigan taking on Syracuse. This shows you how much we know. All week long talk about the national player of the year, Trey Burke for Michigan, he is going to have a great game. After all, Michigan is the youngest team in the field of 68. They're going to need leadership from Trey Burke. He goes one for eight, yet, Michigan still wins the game.
How they did it? They did it with their young people. Mitch McGary, the guy wasn't starting during the season. He comes in and he's starting now. He's a freshman, has a great game. Tim Hardaway Jr. led all scorers and they attack that two-three zone defense with Syracuse with crisp passes and now in the finals for the first time since 1989.
And then, of course, you got Louisville taking on Wichita State. Wichita State comes out on fire. They're up 8-0 early on Louisville. Things look bad and builds a 12-point lead in the second half and but back comes Louisville.
And, in fact, the funny thing is they have Kevin Ware on the sideline and he proves to be an inspiration. He's trying to get in the huddle during the game. The spectators like, what are you doing? But the players said, Kevin Ware was still an inspiration even though he didn't get into the game, of course.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEYTON SIVA, LOUISVILLE GUARD: H part of this team and, you know, we know what it would mean for him to be out there and just trying to give us whatever we needed. You know, the extra motivation and the extra boost to get over the hump.
LUKE HANCOCK, LOUISVILLE FORWARD: Kevin is a huge part of our team. He is one of the emotional leaders out there and, you know, I guess he felt like he had to tell us something to get us going. He does it when he's out there on the court. He's going to keep doing it when he's not on the court. He's an emotional leader for this team.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: So, Louisville pulls away late there in the championship against Michigan. We're bringing back the big '80s here. Louisville hasn't been in the championship game since '86. When they won it, Michigan won it back in 89, so you got the big '80s coming back.
With all this talk about Cinderellas and parody in college basketball. You got the two teams that were ranked number one at one point in the season, Louisville taking on Michigan.
The bad thing, Miguel, tipoff on Monday is 9:23 at night. It's way past my bedtime. Can we get a 6:00 tipoff please? I mean, 9:23? The game is going to be going on until midnight, I'm never going to get any sleep.
MARQUEZ: You no longer a bedtime, that's the law, my friend. I'm sorry.
So, Louisville is on everyone's lips. Do they have the advantage? Is that the way it's going to go tomorrow night?
DIAZ: Well, I tell you what. They're 4.5 favorite right now. You know, you got, the number one seed overall right now in the tournament. They are the favorite in this game. They have that trapping defense that has caused a lot of problems.
But, a lot of people compare them to VCU with that defense and Michigan took care of VCU earlier in this tournament. Michigan has taken care of Kansas. They've taken care of Syracuse. It is going to be a game for the ages coming up on Monday.
There's no clear cut winner in this one. There's no team that you can say is definitely going to win. But Louisville has the edge right now because of the fact that they have that great defense.
MARQUEZ: All right. Carlos Diaz covering apoplectic April, fantastic. See you soon.
(LAUGHTER) DIAZ: Thanks, Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Now, tensions remain high over possible missile tests from North Korea. I'll talk with a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and former advisor to President Obama, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Good morning, Atlanta. There's the Ferris wheel and there's the festive activities continue down at Centennial Park here in Atlanta for the NCAA. Lovely day.
In China, there's a new and unusual strain of bird flu that have killed six people. A total of 16 people have reportedly been infected with the virus known as H7N9. Poultry markets around the country have been shut down and Chinese authorities have killed more than 20,000 birds in an effort to deal with the issues. So far, there have been no cases of human-to-human transmission.
Now to the growing concerns over North Korea and their escalated rhetorical war. South Korea says they expect their neighbors to the north to test fire a missile on Wednesday, as early as Wednesday based on an order to leave an industrial complex and warnings to foreign diplomats in North Korea.
Earlier, I spoke with former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, and lead negotiator on North Korea, Christopher Hill, and Joseph Cirincione, former adviser to President Obama on nuclear issues.
I asked Ambassador Hill why everyone is expecting a missile test and not an attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: Well, certainly, the movements we've seen, the type of vehicles, et cetera, are consistent with a test launch. Also, I don't believe these missiles have been fired before. So, I think most analysts believe this is, indeed, a test launch.
And it may be the sort of crescendo the North Koreas are looking for as they get through April and as the U.S./South Korean exercise comes to an end.
MARQUEZ: And, Mr. Cirincione, how advanced are the North Korean missiles? It's been showing off its weapons, but some of these are outdated, I mean, not very sophisticated. Are they up to a 21st century fight?
JOSEPH CIRINCIONE, FORMER OBAMA ADVISER ON NUCLEAR AFFAIRS: Well, these missiles, we believe, are based on an old Soviet design, an old Soviet submarine launch ballistic missiles. As the ambassador who is the real expert on the Korean peninsula noted, they've never been tested. This may be just for show.
These are liquid fuel missiles. We may not see a sudden launch. They have to be erected. They have to be fueled. That would be take hours or maybe days. So, you'd see this happening.
If we were truly worried, we could launch airstrikes while these missiles are on the launch pad. The missile interceptors that you've seen deployed actually have little relevance to this. The missile interceptors we're going to deploy in Guam are further away than this missile can possibly reach.
MARQUEZ: Yes.
CIRINCIONE: Those are for short and medium-range missiles. So, a lot this is a show.
MARQUEZ: Obviously, with 29,000 U.S. troops nearby, though, all of this is of concern. But ambassador of North Korea has told Russia and Britain that their embassies could be in danger.
Is that just a ploy to get other governments involved?
HILL: Yes, it sure looks like they're trying to hype the notion that there is danger in the peninsula that was caused by the U.S., et cetera. I must say, I've never heard about this kind of thing before to, you know, tell embassies to go run for your lives and then the embassies say, no, we're fine staying right here. So, it is really an example of this kind of bizarre North Korean propaganda.
MARQUEZ: It sounds like this has a lot to do with internal politics, and less external politics.
Mr. Cirincione, what is the end game in your mind?
CIRINCIONE: Yes, Ambassador Hill points out the limits of our ability to sort of match their move with our move. We stood firm. We've reassured our allies. We're now working with China and we have drawn clear limits for North Korea.
You can't get in this counter-bluster game. North Korea can out- crazy us. There's an infinite number of things that they can do like this stunt on warning embassies to evacuate.
So, now, you're looking for the exit ramp. You want to work with your allies, work with China, how do you back North Korea down? Don't respond to these provocations and don't escalate the crisis?
I actually think over the next few weeks, particularly as the exercises between U.S. and South Korea calm down, that you might be able to walk this crisis back and get the parties to the negotiating table.
MARQUEZ: Mr. Ambassador, there's always a perception that we can just appeal to China and China will sort of knock North Korea back into order. Is it as simple as that?
HILL: I wish it were. First of all, the Chinese probably have some, there are limitations to what they can do with the North Koreans. There's also limitations to what they want to do. You know, China is split on the subject. Those in China who feel they don't want to push them and then there are others who would like to be rid of them.
But, clearly, China has moved somewhat in recent weeks. They are clearly getting a little tired of the North Koreans and I think that's why it's been important for the U.S. to kind of keep our own rhetoric at a lower level and try to work with the Chinese and explore ways that China can be helpful in bringing the North Koreans back from the brink. I doubt that we're going to be able to get any nuclear talks started any time soon, but at least we can kind of get through this, this crisis of the last few weeks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now, coming up, notes from history. Personal letters written by everyone from Marilyn Monroe to John Lennon are hitting the auction block. We'll give you an inside look at some of these handwritten slices of the past.
(CIOMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: Now, across from the statue of liberty in New Jersey, thousands gathered to show their support for immigration reform in the U.S. Their message to Congress, immigrants need a path to citizenship now. Senator Bob Menendez and Newark Mayor Cory Booker also spoke at the rally.
Legendary letters, many written by hand from superstars of the past are set to hit the auction block in New York City. Every one of them a little tiny bit of history and every one is expected to fetch top dollar.
But before they hit the auction block, CNN's Jason Carroll got an inside look at some of the most famous notes from the past.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Monroe, Hemingway, Eisenhower, icons. All of them so exposed, you might think you know everything about them. Have seen everything there is to see until now.
MARSHA MALINOWSKI, AUCTION DIRECTOR, PROFILES IN HISTORY: Breathless. It leaves me really feeling breathless.
CARROLL: A collection of more than 200 rare personal letters, documents and photographs released from a private collector, soon to be sold by one of the world's largest auction houses, profiles in history.
MALINOWSKI: Just feels she is sleeping away.
CARROLL: Included a poignant hand-written letter by Marilyn Monroe to acting Lee Strasberg. (on camera): There is a reference to suicide, is there not?
MALINOWSKI: There is.
CARROLL (voice-over): Monroe's letter reads --
MALINOWSKI: There is only concentration between the actor and suicide. As soon as I walk into a scene I lose my mental relaxation, my will is weak, but I can't stand anything. I think I'm going crazy.
CARROLL (on camera): A troubled soul.
MALINOWSKI: A very troubled soul who I -- was losing her concentration because of her alcohol and barbiturate intake.
CARROLL (voice-over): Also revealed, a scathing letter John Lennon wrote to Paul and Linda McCartney just before the Beatles breakup in 1970.
(on camera): I see a lot of profanity sort of sprinkled throughout. So, we'll avoid that part.
MALINOWSKI: Generously sprinkled. But that is one angry man.
CARROLL: Lennon's letter, the part we can read without offending, reads: "Do you really think today's art came about because of the Beatles? I don't believe you're that insane, Paul. Do you believe that? When you stop believing it, you might wake up."
Lennon's letter expected to fetch upwards of $50,000. Monroe's about the same.
The collection not limited to pop culture. There's fascinating, never before seen political history, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking at a series of letters that were sent by Dwight David Eisenhower as supreme allied commander to his wife.
CARROLL: Unprecedented insight into challenges Eisenhower faced fighting Nazi Germany.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One line, he says, "God, I hate the Germans. This war is so difficult. It's so hard to win.
CARROLL: And then these photos, the auction house has allowed to broadcast here publicly for the first time. A gift from Benito Mussolini's staff to Adolf Hitler. Go back further in history, an actual letter from George Washington.
MALINOWSKI: Also talking about having to perhaps hire to help with the project, and he phrases it very carefully and very politely.
CARROLL (on camera): I'm glad you're back.
MALINOWSKI: Yes. CARROLL (voice-over): There's Thomas Edison's first patent application for the light bulb.
MALINOWSKI: I mean, it just doesn't get better than that.
CARROLL: It does. This letter from a financially strapped Earnest Hemingway writing from Cuba.
MALINOWSKI: Writing on a real angle. You have to tilt your head and probably it's because Mr. Hemingway was tilting the bottle and says I don't know what we'll use for money this year. Mangoes, maybe.
CAROLL: Whether it's Mark Twain writing to Bram Stoker, Jack London explaining why he used the name Buck in "Call of the Wild", it's all here.
No budget to bid? Not to worry. You've seen it here first, but if you want more, the exhibit is on display starting next week at New York's Douglas Elliman's Gallery.
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: And speaking of the historic, this image just raked in a lot of money at auction. We're talking a record-breaking amount.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: One happy Trekkie this morning is the proud owner of Captain Kirk's "Star Trek" phaser rifle. Captain Kirk was, of course, played by William Shatner. The phaser was estimated to go for $50,000 to $70,000. But get this. It sold for $231,000.
And the holy grail of baseball cards goes for a whopping $2.1 million at an auction yesterday. The 1909 Honus Wagner card is one of about 50 in existence. The buyer is choosing to remain anonymous but is being called a wealthy investor and baseball fan. $2.1 million is the highest price ever paid for a baseball card in a public option.
The Rutgers University basketball scandal was one of the tough to stomach story lines this week. But that didn't stop "Saturday Night Live" last night from poking fun with Melissa McCarthy last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This week, video surfaced of Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice berating, pushing and using slurs against his players. The ensuing outrage led to Rice's termination. But Mike Rice's behavior, while shocking, seemed gentle when compared to the actions of this woman, Sheila Kelly (ph), head coach of division three's Middle Delaware State.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tonight, we investigate coach Kelly's reign of terror on "outside the lines". UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shelly Kelly had a fiery reputation, but this week, "outside the lines" obtained practice video to show how far she's gone to motivate her players, cursing at them.
SHELLY KELLY (ph) I will (EXPLETIVE DELETED) cut that ponytail off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Throwing basketballs, shooting t-shirt guns.
KELLY: You can't (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hide from me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Throwing bricks at them.
KELLY: Guess what? Brick.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Threatening them with a baseball bat.
KELLY: You put that ball and I put it through that hole and I won't hit you with a bat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While they were in roller-skates.
Even forcing her players to serve her meals.
KELLY: Where's the bread? Where's the bread?
That's (EXPLETIVE DELETE), BREAD. You eat that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: I'll see you back here at the top of the hour. But, first, "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." starts now.
