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CNN Saturday Morning News

Marines Mount Insurgent Rooting Sweep in al Anbar Province; Are Cops Closing in on the BTK Serial Killer?

Aired February 26, 2005 - 8:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CO-ANCHOR: And from the CNN Center this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is February 26; 8:00 a.m. here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

NGUYEN: Seven a.m. in Wichita, Kansas where in just three hours, we could soon find out if police have caught the notorious BTK serial killer.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Thanks for being with us.

NGUYEN: Now, in the news, the search for a missing 9-year-old Florida girl is expected to resume today. Little Jessica Lunsford disappeared from her bedroom Wednesday night. Her family was relieved that a body found in a lake yesterday turned out not to be Jessica.

Also today, Palestinian security forces have arrested two West Bank men in connection with yesterday's Tel Aviv suicide bombings. Four Israelis died and 65 injured, when a man detonated a bomb outside a popular nightclub. Israel says the attack will not derail the peace process.

The Vatican says Pope John Paul will not appear at his hospital window for Sunday's traditional blessing. An archbishop will read the message instead. He will also do a prayer in St. Peter's Square. And the pope will symbolically take part in all of that by following along.

John Paul will be unable to speak for several days after undergoing a tracheotomy, which happened last Thursday.

HARRIS: At least three reasons you will want to stay with us this hour. Firs: bombs and bombardment in western Iraq. Operation River Blitz, the U.S. military campaign to chase out insurgents in al Anbar, enters its 7-day. We'll have an update.

Second: for 30 years Kansas residents have lived in fear and held their breath. Now could police in Kansas have found the elusive BTK serial killer? We'll have an update.

And last: Eric Rudolph may be in cuffs and chains now. But his lawyers say he's very much at home roaming free in the woods. But does that make him guilty of a string of high profile bombings? Our legal eagles will have a debate.

NGUYEN: U.S. Marines mount a sweep in western Iraq in their continued hunt to root out insurgents in the Anbar Province.

Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf joins us now live to talk about it. And Jane, she's embedded with the Marines in western Iraq.

Jane, is this sweep netting insurgents as they had hoped for?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: It's netting some insurgents, Betty. This morning, we're in the town of Hiditha, one of those key towns along this very long stretch across the Euphrates. Along the Euphrates where the Marines have been concentrating their operations. They have been rounding up in this whole area of the Anbar Province, reportedly about 150 suspects.

But senior military officials are saying a major breakthrough was on Sunday. The Iraqi government has announced that they captured two lieutenants, two senior aides to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who is the most wanted man in Iraq. Indeed, one of the most wanted men in the world. One of those men said to be a driver.

So certainly the search is on for Zarqawi himself but the main focus of the operations is really to isolate these towns. We went into Hiditha this morning, where tanks had rolled in overnight. They met very little resistance. But what they are trying to is isolate the town, surround them so insurgents have nowhere to go. So they could hunt them down and capture them -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Jane, you say they are meeting very little resistance. You think the insurgency has actually gotten word of this and headed out of town?

ARRAF: They could have done that or they could be laying low. Really what they are trying to do here is clean up after -- essentially, there was a vacuum that was created when a lot of Marine units were sent to Fallujah.

Now, we have to understand that this is the third biggest -- this area, al Anbar Province takes up almost a third of Iraq. There are very few people here, long distances. And it's kind of perfect territory for the insurgents to have come. The military people believe they found sanctuary in some of these towns and along the Syrian border. So what they have been trying to do is cut off their escape routes, essentially.

They haven't been meeting a lot of resistance. But that could mean they are just staying quiet and waiting for a chance to attack -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Thanks Jane Arraf who is embedded with the Marines in western Iraq. Thank you for that -- Tony.

HARRIS: Here in the U.S., he's as elusive as he is famous. Now, could a serial killer finally be behind bars? Police in Kansas are questioning a person of interest in the case of a BTK killer. This after police stormed a home in Park City, Kansas yesterday. So far there have been no arrests and no charges.

The killer known for the words "bind, torture, kill" is said to have killed at least eight people during the past 30 years. Twenty- eight years ago, one of his intended victims was a single mother named Cheryl in Wichita. Police say the killer went looking for Cheryl, but killed someone else because Cheryl wasn't home. Cheryl says the BTK has changed the atmosphere in Wichita. Last night she spoke with CNN's Paula Zahn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERYL, INTENDED BTK KILLER VICTIM: I think it's just -- it's hard to believe something like that can happen in -- you know, in a city like Wichita. The people for the most part are such good, down home, earthy, type people. Trusting. I didn't used to lock my door. I didn't used to lock my front door, whether I was home or whether I was gone. The door was always unlocked.

After this murder down the street from me, I had triple locks on my doors leading to the outside. And I also installed locks on my bedroom on the interior of my bedroom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A happy reunion is the prayer of a Florida family of a 9-year-old girl missing since Thursday. Jessica Lunsford is described as a little angel. Police say she could be in danger and they have issued a nationwide alert to find her.

For the latest we head to Homosassa, Florida and Ferdinand Zogbaum of CNN affiliate Bay News 9 -- Ferdinand.

FERDINAND ZOGBAUM, BAY NEWS 9 CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there. Well, the sun is up and it is day No. 3 as the search continues for 9-year- old Jessica Lunsford here in Citrus County, Florida. Now, investigators are very frustrated because they haven't gotten that big break yet. That little bit of information or those clues that will help them find Jessica or where she is. But they are hoping they get that information today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZOGBAUM: The search for Jessica Lunsford rolled into another day after her father found her missing Thursday morning around 6:00 a.m. when he checked on her. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office along with several other law enforcement agencies are looking for any clues that could send them in the direction of Jessica.

Sheriff's officials say so far the investigation has been very frustrating because they haven't found anything to point them in one direction or another. Jessica was seen last by her grandmother who tucked her into bed Wednesday night. We did talk with Jessica mother, Angie Bryant, who was located by the FBI and she had this to say --

ANGIE BRYANT, MOTHER: She is my baby. I mean I got a 5-year-old son. And I don't know if I can go on without her. ZOGBAUM: Sheriff's officials are still not calling this an Amber Alert or an abduction.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZOGBAUM: Now officials -- excuse me. Now officials are saying that this is not an Amber Alert or an abduction, because they don't have enough evidence or information to call it either abduction or Amber Alert.

Now, I also want to say that a lot of volunteers are showing up again today. A lot showed up yesterday to sort of pitch in and help out with the search. And they are regrouping at this hour.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Ferdinand, got to ask you. They are not calling it abduction, what are they calling it? Are they suggesting that she just simply walked away?

ZOGBAUM: Well, that's a great question. The sheriff said yesterday or the day before it's sort of one step above a missing person. But it is very suspicious.

Everyone is very concerned but they simply don't have the information or the evidence to call it an abduction at this point. And they don't have that description they would need of her car or a person who took her to go ahead and issue an Amber Alert.

So right now as I said, they are very frustrated, trying to get a lead to try to find this little girl. But at this point they are just knocking over stones and trying to find a little bit of information.

HARRIS: OK. Ferdinand, we appreciate it. We'll continue to follow this, of course -- Betty.

NGUYEN: In other news -- here we go. In other news across America this morning, the parents of Terri Schiavo have just three weeks to appeal a court decision allowing her feeding tube to be removed. Yesterday, a Florida judge ruled that all nutrition and hydration can be removed from the 41-year-old brain damaged woman, barring a stay from another court. That could happen on march 18.

And as questions swirl over whether or not Barry Bonds used steroids, the owner of the San Francisco Giants wonders whether the controversy might tarnish the shine of some of Bonds' records. The "Chicago Sun Times" reports the Giants owner is saddened by this controversy. But says it shouldn't affect Bonds' performance this year or that of the team.

Which leads us to our e-mail question this morning. Are you willing to forgive the steroid scandal? Send us your thoughts. Send that to wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: Well, an unusual line of defense for suspect Robert Rudolph, the attorney for the suspected abortion clinic bomber, says Rudolph lived on the land because of his upbringing. Hear what our legal experts have to say about all that coming up.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR (voice-over): Keep closing costs down. Tidal fees, appraisal fees, document preparation fees. Sealing the deal on your home can really add up. But you can curb those costs.

Get a Good Faith Estimate. All lenders are required to give you an estimate of the closing costs within three days after you apply for a loan. While it's no guarantee, it will give you an idea of how much you will be expected to shell out. Question all the fees. Make sure you know what each item is and whether it's required. And don't be afraid to ask for a reasonable cost break. You may be able to negotiate a better price on some items.

So get an estimate and always ask questions. That's your "Tip of the Day."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We're expecting new information this morning on the search for is serial killer known as BTK, bind, torture and kill. The murderer has plagued the Wichita, Kansas community. The mayor and police have set a news conference for 11 a.m. Eastern. CNN will bring it to you live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Hey, Tony. I don't know if you know this, but Rob Marciano, he is a popular man out west. Popular, all the folks love him.

HARRIS: Well, he spent a lot of his career out there, isn't that correct, Rob?

NGUYEN: Oh, that's not why though.

MARCIANO: And I do nothing but suck up to the West Coast.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Because they are not getting any rain. That's why you are so popular there today.

MARCIANO: At least for now.

HARRIS: Oh, OK.

MARCIANO: Thanks for explaining that because Tony and I are completely lost.

NGUYEN: You're lost. Out of it.

MARCIANO: Once again.

NGUYEN: I was trying to make a little transition there for you.

MARCIANO: You know we're asleep at the wheel.

(LAUGHTER)

MARCIANO: You know we're not that clever.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Checking our top stories this morning. Could there be a break in the 30-year-old BTK serial killings in Wichita, Kansas? Police there have questioned a so-called person in connection with the case. BTK stands for bind, torture and kill.

FBI agents and a congressman are among those who will be a news briefing at 11:00 Eastern this morning. CNN will be there live.

CNN is also bringing you new updates on the missing 9-year-old. The family of Jessica Lunsford is pleading for her safe return, calling her an angel who needs to be home. Jessica has been missing from her Florida home since Wednesday. And a nationwide alert has been issued for her.

An aide will read John Paul's weekly blessing and will also deliver the blessing to the crowd in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. The pope will follow the proceedings from his hospital room in Rome. He's recovering from throat surgery and has been asked not to speak.

NGUYEN: The Michael Jackson jury has been chosen and some say the process was surprisingly short. Straight ahead, in our "Legal Brief" we'll look at who the jurors are.

HARRIS: And later on "HOUSE CALL" our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at ancient cures, centuries old medicines that have become popular today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: In our "Legal Brief" this morning. A man hunted by federal law enforcement officials hides in the North Carolina wilderness for five and a half years. Is it a sign of guilt or just part of his upbringing? That's a question raised by lawyers for Eric Rudolph, the key suspect in a string of bombings, including one at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Still on the docket, the jury is seated for Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. Opening statements are set to begin on Monday. So what can we expect from both sides on Day 1?

Our regular weekend legal experts take up the gauntlet now. Talking about former prosecutor Nelda Blair, she joins us from Houston. And civil liberties attorney Lida Rodriguez-Taseff has left the warm confines of Miami for chilly Philadelphia. Uh, interesting there.

Good morning, ladies. Thanks for being with us.

NELDA Blair, FORMER PROSECUTOR, HOUSTON: Good morning.

LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY, PHILADELPHIA: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: All right. Lida, let's start with you. This jury was seated so quickly in the minds of many. Do you think it was seated too fast? And what does that tell you?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely seated too fast in a case that's supposed to last more than five months this jury was selected in five days. Actually three of which were only the ones where they were questioning. So yes, they were seated incredibly fast. There's been incredible publicity for the last several months and last year. And you had only 10 minutes to question each juror.

And in fact, you know, I don't know how much you can glean from seven pages of written questions and 10 minutes of questioning. But it certainly wasn't enough to determine whether or not these people could be fair.

NGUYEN: Nelda, you agree, just 10 minutes of questioning. Is that enough to determine if these people already have it in their mind whether Jackson is guilty or innocent?

BLAIR: You know, it was very, very fast. I'll agree. But these lawyers, both prosecution and defense, have themselves completely under control. They have their plan down and they are following it.

Lida, you are a trial lawyer just like me. And you know in that this high profile case, these lawyers know a whole lot more about this jury panel than what is in the questionnaire, or what's in that 10 minutes of questioning.

They have got jury consultants, other experts, psychologist who have all been reading up on these folks. Investigating them. And they know everything there is to know. They are happy with this jury. I say let's get on with the trial.

NGUYEN: OK. But what we do know is that there are no African- Americans seated on the injury.

Lida, is that going to be a problem?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely going to be a problem. Studies have shown that African-Americans are more willing to believe that Jackson is being railroaded. In fact, the two African-Americans who were on the panel were dismissed by the prosecution, both of them by the prosecution.

There's about 2 percent of the population of Santa Barbara County that is African-American. And the only two African-American jurors were dismissed. We do have one African-American alternate. But that's it. And so the chances are that no African-Americans might spell a conviction for Jackson.

NGUYEN: Nelda, do you agree with that?

BLAIR: Not in this case. No. In general, sometimes black defendants do -- and courts have upheld where all white juries convict them. They say that it may have been unfair. But in this case we had not the average black defendant.

People of all races have very strong emotions about Michael Jackson, both positive and negative. And his celebrity status in this case overshadows his racial status.

NGUYEN: And you know, everybody has heard about Michael Jackson. I mean I just don't know anyone who hasn't heard of Michael Jackson. So, and that being the case, this jury made up of people from 20 years old to 79 years old, what do we know about the people on the jury? And can he get a fair trial, simply the fact that he is known? He's a known figure out there?

Start with you, Lida.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, you have a jury that has a horse trainer, a woman who is daughter and grandchildren were molested. You have 52-year-old man who -- you have a UPS guy. You have incredible diversity, but no African-Americans.

Obviously, the backgrounds of these people are going to matter. And whether or not they have been victims of crime. Whether or not they believe that children can lie. All that is going to come into play, as to whether or not they convict Michael Jackson.

NGUYEN: And four out of the people in the jury pool are parents. So we know that there are parents on this jury, is that going to make a difference, Nelda?

BLAIR: Sure it will because it's a child that's a victim in this case. The fact that they are parents and the fact that that is in their background is going to affect the way they think. So absolutely, it's going to make a difference.

But I still say that the jury being as diverse as it is, it think they will do a great job.

NGUYEN: All right. Let's move on Eric Rudolph case. He was on the run for five and a half years after the Alabama abortion clinic bombing. But his attorney says it's basically his culture that made him do it. What does that mean -- Nelda?

BLAIR: I love this defense. It's just another -- it's not my fault. Something else made me do it. And in this case, it's because they want to put on evidence from a North Carolina professor that says all North Carolinas are basically a bunch of back woods folks. An opinion that they want to put on to show that Eric Rudolph was doing what normal North Carolinians do when he hid in the woods from the federal government for years. I find that ridiculous. In fact, I can hear Texas defense attorneys now saying what you really want to do is shoot and ask questions later because that's the way John Wayne always did it.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Well, I have to ask you, Lida. I mean is there any scientific evidence out there that can say my culture made me do it?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, that's not what this is about at all, Betty. What this is really about is the fact that the prosecution has said that they intend to use the fact that Eric Rudolph was on the lam for five years to prove his guilt. And what he's saying is: hi, I, Eric Rudolph did not run because I'm guilty. I ran because I don't trust the government.

And guess what, people in my area of the country don't trust the government. We would rather hide than have to face the government, because we think we are going to be railroaded. Don't take my word for it. Here is a professor who can tell you about the history of this viewpoint in the country.

So this is nothing to do with my culture made me do it, Nelda. This has to do with the fact he's trying to defend himself from the accusations that you only ran because you're guilty. If you believe the government, and he only ran because he's guilty, then he's trying to say I want to present proof that I didn't run because I'm guilty. I ran because I don't trust you, government.

NGUYEN: All right.

BLAIR: It's an insult to all North Carolinians.

(LAUGHTER)

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: That's because you're a Texan.

NGUYEN: OK. Ladies, I know you want to get more in there. But we just simply can't do it. We have to cut it off here. We thank you as always. Very interesting to listen to both sides of the issues here. Thank you.

BLAIR: Thank you, too.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Tony.

HARRIS: Just another reminder, we're expecting new information this morning on the search for the serial killer known as BTK, bind, torture and kill. The murderer has plagued the Wichita, Kansas community. The mayor and police have set a news conference for 11:00 a.m. Eastern. And CNN will bring it to you live.

NGUYEN: Straight ahead on "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. One in three U.S. adults use at least one form of alternative therapy, from acupuncture and music therapy to Dead Sea baths, believe it or not. "HOUSE CALL" looks at whether these things actually work.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. We'll see you again at the top of the hour. "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and your top stories are straight-ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired February 26, 2005 - 8:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CO-ANCHOR: And from the CNN Center this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is February 26; 8:00 a.m. here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

NGUYEN: Seven a.m. in Wichita, Kansas where in just three hours, we could soon find out if police have caught the notorious BTK serial killer.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Thanks for being with us.

NGUYEN: Now, in the news, the search for a missing 9-year-old Florida girl is expected to resume today. Little Jessica Lunsford disappeared from her bedroom Wednesday night. Her family was relieved that a body found in a lake yesterday turned out not to be Jessica.

Also today, Palestinian security forces have arrested two West Bank men in connection with yesterday's Tel Aviv suicide bombings. Four Israelis died and 65 injured, when a man detonated a bomb outside a popular nightclub. Israel says the attack will not derail the peace process.

The Vatican says Pope John Paul will not appear at his hospital window for Sunday's traditional blessing. An archbishop will read the message instead. He will also do a prayer in St. Peter's Square. And the pope will symbolically take part in all of that by following along.

John Paul will be unable to speak for several days after undergoing a tracheotomy, which happened last Thursday.

HARRIS: At least three reasons you will want to stay with us this hour. Firs: bombs and bombardment in western Iraq. Operation River Blitz, the U.S. military campaign to chase out insurgents in al Anbar, enters its 7-day. We'll have an update.

Second: for 30 years Kansas residents have lived in fear and held their breath. Now could police in Kansas have found the elusive BTK serial killer? We'll have an update.

And last: Eric Rudolph may be in cuffs and chains now. But his lawyers say he's very much at home roaming free in the woods. But does that make him guilty of a string of high profile bombings? Our legal eagles will have a debate.

NGUYEN: U.S. Marines mount a sweep in western Iraq in their continued hunt to root out insurgents in the Anbar Province.

Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf joins us now live to talk about it. And Jane, she's embedded with the Marines in western Iraq.

Jane, is this sweep netting insurgents as they had hoped for?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: It's netting some insurgents, Betty. This morning, we're in the town of Hiditha, one of those key towns along this very long stretch across the Euphrates. Along the Euphrates where the Marines have been concentrating their operations. They have been rounding up in this whole area of the Anbar Province, reportedly about 150 suspects.

But senior military officials are saying a major breakthrough was on Sunday. The Iraqi government has announced that they captured two lieutenants, two senior aides to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who is the most wanted man in Iraq. Indeed, one of the most wanted men in the world. One of those men said to be a driver.

So certainly the search is on for Zarqawi himself but the main focus of the operations is really to isolate these towns. We went into Hiditha this morning, where tanks had rolled in overnight. They met very little resistance. But what they are trying to is isolate the town, surround them so insurgents have nowhere to go. So they could hunt them down and capture them -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Jane, you say they are meeting very little resistance. You think the insurgency has actually gotten word of this and headed out of town?

ARRAF: They could have done that or they could be laying low. Really what they are trying to do here is clean up after -- essentially, there was a vacuum that was created when a lot of Marine units were sent to Fallujah.

Now, we have to understand that this is the third biggest -- this area, al Anbar Province takes up almost a third of Iraq. There are very few people here, long distances. And it's kind of perfect territory for the insurgents to have come. The military people believe they found sanctuary in some of these towns and along the Syrian border. So what they have been trying to do is cut off their escape routes, essentially.

They haven't been meeting a lot of resistance. But that could mean they are just staying quiet and waiting for a chance to attack -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Thanks Jane Arraf who is embedded with the Marines in western Iraq. Thank you for that -- Tony.

HARRIS: Here in the U.S., he's as elusive as he is famous. Now, could a serial killer finally be behind bars? Police in Kansas are questioning a person of interest in the case of a BTK killer. This after police stormed a home in Park City, Kansas yesterday. So far there have been no arrests and no charges.

The killer known for the words "bind, torture, kill" is said to have killed at least eight people during the past 30 years. Twenty- eight years ago, one of his intended victims was a single mother named Cheryl in Wichita. Police say the killer went looking for Cheryl, but killed someone else because Cheryl wasn't home. Cheryl says the BTK has changed the atmosphere in Wichita. Last night she spoke with CNN's Paula Zahn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERYL, INTENDED BTK KILLER VICTIM: I think it's just -- it's hard to believe something like that can happen in -- you know, in a city like Wichita. The people for the most part are such good, down home, earthy, type people. Trusting. I didn't used to lock my door. I didn't used to lock my front door, whether I was home or whether I was gone. The door was always unlocked.

After this murder down the street from me, I had triple locks on my doors leading to the outside. And I also installed locks on my bedroom on the interior of my bedroom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A happy reunion is the prayer of a Florida family of a 9-year-old girl missing since Thursday. Jessica Lunsford is described as a little angel. Police say she could be in danger and they have issued a nationwide alert to find her.

For the latest we head to Homosassa, Florida and Ferdinand Zogbaum of CNN affiliate Bay News 9 -- Ferdinand.

FERDINAND ZOGBAUM, BAY NEWS 9 CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there. Well, the sun is up and it is day No. 3 as the search continues for 9-year- old Jessica Lunsford here in Citrus County, Florida. Now, investigators are very frustrated because they haven't gotten that big break yet. That little bit of information or those clues that will help them find Jessica or where she is. But they are hoping they get that information today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZOGBAUM: The search for Jessica Lunsford rolled into another day after her father found her missing Thursday morning around 6:00 a.m. when he checked on her. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office along with several other law enforcement agencies are looking for any clues that could send them in the direction of Jessica.

Sheriff's officials say so far the investigation has been very frustrating because they haven't found anything to point them in one direction or another. Jessica was seen last by her grandmother who tucked her into bed Wednesday night. We did talk with Jessica mother, Angie Bryant, who was located by the FBI and she had this to say --

ANGIE BRYANT, MOTHER: She is my baby. I mean I got a 5-year-old son. And I don't know if I can go on without her. ZOGBAUM: Sheriff's officials are still not calling this an Amber Alert or an abduction.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZOGBAUM: Now officials -- excuse me. Now officials are saying that this is not an Amber Alert or an abduction, because they don't have enough evidence or information to call it either abduction or Amber Alert.

Now, I also want to say that a lot of volunteers are showing up again today. A lot showed up yesterday to sort of pitch in and help out with the search. And they are regrouping at this hour.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Ferdinand, got to ask you. They are not calling it abduction, what are they calling it? Are they suggesting that she just simply walked away?

ZOGBAUM: Well, that's a great question. The sheriff said yesterday or the day before it's sort of one step above a missing person. But it is very suspicious.

Everyone is very concerned but they simply don't have the information or the evidence to call it an abduction at this point. And they don't have that description they would need of her car or a person who took her to go ahead and issue an Amber Alert.

So right now as I said, they are very frustrated, trying to get a lead to try to find this little girl. But at this point they are just knocking over stones and trying to find a little bit of information.

HARRIS: OK. Ferdinand, we appreciate it. We'll continue to follow this, of course -- Betty.

NGUYEN: In other news -- here we go. In other news across America this morning, the parents of Terri Schiavo have just three weeks to appeal a court decision allowing her feeding tube to be removed. Yesterday, a Florida judge ruled that all nutrition and hydration can be removed from the 41-year-old brain damaged woman, barring a stay from another court. That could happen on march 18.

And as questions swirl over whether or not Barry Bonds used steroids, the owner of the San Francisco Giants wonders whether the controversy might tarnish the shine of some of Bonds' records. The "Chicago Sun Times" reports the Giants owner is saddened by this controversy. But says it shouldn't affect Bonds' performance this year or that of the team.

Which leads us to our e-mail question this morning. Are you willing to forgive the steroid scandal? Send us your thoughts. Send that to wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: Well, an unusual line of defense for suspect Robert Rudolph, the attorney for the suspected abortion clinic bomber, says Rudolph lived on the land because of his upbringing. Hear what our legal experts have to say about all that coming up.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR (voice-over): Keep closing costs down. Tidal fees, appraisal fees, document preparation fees. Sealing the deal on your home can really add up. But you can curb those costs.

Get a Good Faith Estimate. All lenders are required to give you an estimate of the closing costs within three days after you apply for a loan. While it's no guarantee, it will give you an idea of how much you will be expected to shell out. Question all the fees. Make sure you know what each item is and whether it's required. And don't be afraid to ask for a reasonable cost break. You may be able to negotiate a better price on some items.

So get an estimate and always ask questions. That's your "Tip of the Day."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We're expecting new information this morning on the search for is serial killer known as BTK, bind, torture and kill. The murderer has plagued the Wichita, Kansas community. The mayor and police have set a news conference for 11 a.m. Eastern. CNN will bring it to you live.

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NGUYEN: Hey, Tony. I don't know if you know this, but Rob Marciano, he is a popular man out west. Popular, all the folks love him.

HARRIS: Well, he spent a lot of his career out there, isn't that correct, Rob?

NGUYEN: Oh, that's not why though.

MARCIANO: And I do nothing but suck up to the West Coast.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Because they are not getting any rain. That's why you are so popular there today.

MARCIANO: At least for now.

HARRIS: Oh, OK.

MARCIANO: Thanks for explaining that because Tony and I are completely lost.

NGUYEN: You're lost. Out of it.

MARCIANO: Once again.

NGUYEN: I was trying to make a little transition there for you.

MARCIANO: You know we're asleep at the wheel.

(LAUGHTER)

MARCIANO: You know we're not that clever.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Checking our top stories this morning. Could there be a break in the 30-year-old BTK serial killings in Wichita, Kansas? Police there have questioned a so-called person in connection with the case. BTK stands for bind, torture and kill.

FBI agents and a congressman are among those who will be a news briefing at 11:00 Eastern this morning. CNN will be there live.

CNN is also bringing you new updates on the missing 9-year-old. The family of Jessica Lunsford is pleading for her safe return, calling her an angel who needs to be home. Jessica has been missing from her Florida home since Wednesday. And a nationwide alert has been issued for her.

An aide will read John Paul's weekly blessing and will also deliver the blessing to the crowd in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. The pope will follow the proceedings from his hospital room in Rome. He's recovering from throat surgery and has been asked not to speak.

NGUYEN: The Michael Jackson jury has been chosen and some say the process was surprisingly short. Straight ahead, in our "Legal Brief" we'll look at who the jurors are.

HARRIS: And later on "HOUSE CALL" our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at ancient cures, centuries old medicines that have become popular today.

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NGUYEN: In our "Legal Brief" this morning. A man hunted by federal law enforcement officials hides in the North Carolina wilderness for five and a half years. Is it a sign of guilt or just part of his upbringing? That's a question raised by lawyers for Eric Rudolph, the key suspect in a string of bombings, including one at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Still on the docket, the jury is seated for Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. Opening statements are set to begin on Monday. So what can we expect from both sides on Day 1?

Our regular weekend legal experts take up the gauntlet now. Talking about former prosecutor Nelda Blair, she joins us from Houston. And civil liberties attorney Lida Rodriguez-Taseff has left the warm confines of Miami for chilly Philadelphia. Uh, interesting there.

Good morning, ladies. Thanks for being with us.

NELDA Blair, FORMER PROSECUTOR, HOUSTON: Good morning.

LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY, PHILADELPHIA: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: All right. Lida, let's start with you. This jury was seated so quickly in the minds of many. Do you think it was seated too fast? And what does that tell you?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely seated too fast in a case that's supposed to last more than five months this jury was selected in five days. Actually three of which were only the ones where they were questioning. So yes, they were seated incredibly fast. There's been incredible publicity for the last several months and last year. And you had only 10 minutes to question each juror.

And in fact, you know, I don't know how much you can glean from seven pages of written questions and 10 minutes of questioning. But it certainly wasn't enough to determine whether or not these people could be fair.

NGUYEN: Nelda, you agree, just 10 minutes of questioning. Is that enough to determine if these people already have it in their mind whether Jackson is guilty or innocent?

BLAIR: You know, it was very, very fast. I'll agree. But these lawyers, both prosecution and defense, have themselves completely under control. They have their plan down and they are following it.

Lida, you are a trial lawyer just like me. And you know in that this high profile case, these lawyers know a whole lot more about this jury panel than what is in the questionnaire, or what's in that 10 minutes of questioning.

They have got jury consultants, other experts, psychologist who have all been reading up on these folks. Investigating them. And they know everything there is to know. They are happy with this jury. I say let's get on with the trial.

NGUYEN: OK. But what we do know is that there are no African- Americans seated on the injury.

Lida, is that going to be a problem?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely going to be a problem. Studies have shown that African-Americans are more willing to believe that Jackson is being railroaded. In fact, the two African-Americans who were on the panel were dismissed by the prosecution, both of them by the prosecution.

There's about 2 percent of the population of Santa Barbara County that is African-American. And the only two African-American jurors were dismissed. We do have one African-American alternate. But that's it. And so the chances are that no African-Americans might spell a conviction for Jackson.

NGUYEN: Nelda, do you agree with that?

BLAIR: Not in this case. No. In general, sometimes black defendants do -- and courts have upheld where all white juries convict them. They say that it may have been unfair. But in this case we had not the average black defendant.

People of all races have very strong emotions about Michael Jackson, both positive and negative. And his celebrity status in this case overshadows his racial status.

NGUYEN: And you know, everybody has heard about Michael Jackson. I mean I just don't know anyone who hasn't heard of Michael Jackson. So, and that being the case, this jury made up of people from 20 years old to 79 years old, what do we know about the people on the jury? And can he get a fair trial, simply the fact that he is known? He's a known figure out there?

Start with you, Lida.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, you have a jury that has a horse trainer, a woman who is daughter and grandchildren were molested. You have 52-year-old man who -- you have a UPS guy. You have incredible diversity, but no African-Americans.

Obviously, the backgrounds of these people are going to matter. And whether or not they have been victims of crime. Whether or not they believe that children can lie. All that is going to come into play, as to whether or not they convict Michael Jackson.

NGUYEN: And four out of the people in the jury pool are parents. So we know that there are parents on this jury, is that going to make a difference, Nelda?

BLAIR: Sure it will because it's a child that's a victim in this case. The fact that they are parents and the fact that that is in their background is going to affect the way they think. So absolutely, it's going to make a difference.

But I still say that the jury being as diverse as it is, it think they will do a great job.

NGUYEN: All right. Let's move on Eric Rudolph case. He was on the run for five and a half years after the Alabama abortion clinic bombing. But his attorney says it's basically his culture that made him do it. What does that mean -- Nelda?

BLAIR: I love this defense. It's just another -- it's not my fault. Something else made me do it. And in this case, it's because they want to put on evidence from a North Carolina professor that says all North Carolinas are basically a bunch of back woods folks. An opinion that they want to put on to show that Eric Rudolph was doing what normal North Carolinians do when he hid in the woods from the federal government for years. I find that ridiculous. In fact, I can hear Texas defense attorneys now saying what you really want to do is shoot and ask questions later because that's the way John Wayne always did it.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Well, I have to ask you, Lida. I mean is there any scientific evidence out there that can say my culture made me do it?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, that's not what this is about at all, Betty. What this is really about is the fact that the prosecution has said that they intend to use the fact that Eric Rudolph was on the lam for five years to prove his guilt. And what he's saying is: hi, I, Eric Rudolph did not run because I'm guilty. I ran because I don't trust the government.

And guess what, people in my area of the country don't trust the government. We would rather hide than have to face the government, because we think we are going to be railroaded. Don't take my word for it. Here is a professor who can tell you about the history of this viewpoint in the country.

So this is nothing to do with my culture made me do it, Nelda. This has to do with the fact he's trying to defend himself from the accusations that you only ran because you're guilty. If you believe the government, and he only ran because he's guilty, then he's trying to say I want to present proof that I didn't run because I'm guilty. I ran because I don't trust you, government.

NGUYEN: All right.

BLAIR: It's an insult to all North Carolinians.

(LAUGHTER)

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: That's because you're a Texan.

NGUYEN: OK. Ladies, I know you want to get more in there. But we just simply can't do it. We have to cut it off here. We thank you as always. Very interesting to listen to both sides of the issues here. Thank you.

BLAIR: Thank you, too.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Tony.

HARRIS: Just another reminder, we're expecting new information this morning on the search for the serial killer known as BTK, bind, torture and kill. The murderer has plagued the Wichita, Kansas community. The mayor and police have set a news conference for 11:00 a.m. Eastern. And CNN will bring it to you live.

NGUYEN: Straight ahead on "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. One in three U.S. adults use at least one form of alternative therapy, from acupuncture and music therapy to Dead Sea baths, believe it or not. "HOUSE CALL" looks at whether these things actually work.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. We'll see you again at the top of the hour. "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and your top stories are straight-ahead.

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