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CNN Saturday Morning News

Penn State Child Abuse Scandal; Obama off to Asia-Pac; Shots Fired Near White House

Aired November 12, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: We are at the top of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Give you a look at some of the stories making headlines.

President Obama on a nine-day trip to the Asia-Pacific region. He is beginning the trip in his home state of Hawaii. You see him there landing with the first lady just a few hours ago. The president is in Hawaii for the APEC Conference getting under way in Honolulu. He wraps up the trip next Saturday in Indonesia.

While the president was away, gunfire reported near the White House. Authorities found an AK-47 rifle nearby but believed the White House was not targeted.

And two days after he was snatched from his home in Venezuela by gun- toting kidnappers, Washington National's catcher Wilson Ramos has been freed. Venezuelan state-run television says the 24-year-old Major Leaguer is healthy and unharmed. The government said Ramos was rescued by the country's security forces.

Well, today, in just three hours, we're going to see something we haven't seen in the past 46 years. The Penn State Football team playing a game without Joe Paterno as head coach. On the campus where we saw rioting just two days ago, this is what we saw students doing last night, s candlelight vigil to support the victims ever the sexual abuse scandal. This is happening in the same place where students rioted in support of fired football coach Paterno.

Penn State's new president says he'll appoint an ethics officer to report directly to him. Rodney Erickson is now the interim president. He replaced the other president, Graham Spanier, who was fired this week for his handling of the scandal.

Also, some news we got late yesterday, assistant football coach, Mike McQueary is now on administrative leave. He is the one who reported the alleged sexual abuse incident to Paterno back in 2002.

The school says McQueary has been receiving threats. Also as for Jerry Sandusky, the former coach at the center of the scandal, someone threw a couple of cinder blocks through his window. Sandusky, who still lives in state college, he was not home at the time.

Back on campus, though, they have to play a game today. The game will go on. Penn State taking on Nebraska just three hours from now. It is their final home game of the season. Students are being encouraged to stage a blue out, to wear blue in support of child abuse victims all over the world.

Our Mike Galanos is there. And Mike I was struck by something you said earlier. I said, what do they expect today, and you said, well, really nobody really knows what to expect in three hours when the game gets going.

MIKE GALANOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, T.J., I just talked to some folks that are tailgating, throwing a football around. I asked, "What's the feeling like?" And you know, and will let you hear, by the way, from them in the next hour. They admit that it's somber. There is a cloud -- there is not a cloud in the skies, but there is a cloud over this experience and they're hoping that football can kind of give them that diversion, and they're obviously hoping Penn State plays good ball game.

You mentioned it, first time since 1966, Joe Paterno not the head coach. Different feel. Again we'll hear from those folks in a little bit. But I want to take it back to last night, and again that message from the students at the candlelight vigil. Victims first, and a former Penn State star, LaVar Arrington addressed the crowd. Listening to his tone as he addressed everybody. Very somber, very emotional. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAVAR ARRINGTON, FMR. PSU PLAYER FOR PATERNO, SANDUSKY: This is a call. This is - it's our time and it's our duty. This serves as the ultimate wake-up call. If this isn't enough to wake us up and get motivated and look at one another and be a protector of one another. If this isn't a good enough wake-up call, then I don't know what is. Leave here tonight with a resolve and an understanding that you possess the power to change things. And I will be there with you, and we should all be here with one another, because you know what? We are --

CROWD: Penn State.

ARRINGTON: Love you guys, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALANOS: T.J., that speaks to it right there.

Normally, they do the we are -- Penn State and it's raucous. And we may hear that at Beaver Stadium behind me. But that just speaks to that different vibe, doing it last night. It was again, somber as again though the focus was on the victims.

HOLMES: All right. Mike Galanos for us there at state college. Look forward to hearing from those students you chatted here in our next hour. Thanks so much.

We are just about five minutes past the hour now. Scott Paterno, son of the legendary coach, is speaking out on behalf of his father. A statement saying "Like everyone who has watched this story unfold my father is experiencing a range of powerful emotions. He's absolutely distraught over what happened to the children and their families. He also wants very much to speak publicly and answer questions. At this stage, however, he has no choice but to be patient and defer to the legal process.

Scott Paterno went on to say that his father will continue to cooperate fully with the grand jury's investigation and that his father has retained an attorney. The lawyer is advising them not to make anymore public comments on this matter.

Well, the president, President Obama was speaking out on this Penn State scandal. The president was attending the Carrier Classic, the basketball game, college game, between North Carolina and Michigan State that took place on the deck of an aircraft carrier out in San Diego. He was asked about what's happening at Penn State by an ESPN reporter. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, obviously, the whole situation is heartbreaking. And we think first and foremost of the victims of these alleged crimes.

But I think it's a good time for us to do some soul searching. Every institution, not just Penn State, about what our priorities are. And making sure that we understand that our first priority is protecting our kids.

And, you know, we all have a responsibility. We can't leave it to a system. We can't leave it to somebody else. Each of us have to take it upon ourselves to make sure that our kids have the love and support and protection that they deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Again, that event yesterday. We'll have more about that a little later, but the game, therefore, the veterans on Veterans Day, the president in attendance at the Carrier Classic and we'll have more on that and the president's schedule, but we will be getting back to this topic of Penn State here in just a moment.

You just heard me say you got Coach Paterno has retained an attorney. Why does he need one right now? Well, we have two of our legal experts, two guys that we need to thank Fredricka Whitfield for allowing me to borrow this morning. You see them, you know them well. But they'll be chiming in about what Joe Paterno could be facing. Are we talking charges here? Our conversation, next. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Ten minutes past the hour. CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

The Penn State scandal raises a lot of legal questions. The former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky - he is free on $100,000 bail right now for being accused of sexually abusing boys between 1994 and 2009. Penn State's eighth athletic director Timothy Curley and vice President Gary Schultz has each been charged with one count of perjury and one count of failure to report suspected abuse. They have been both released on $75,000 bail. The head coach, Joe Paterno and the university's president have both been fired. No charges against them.

Let me bring in two of our legal guys who Fredricka Whitfield was nice enough to let us borrow this morning. Avery Friedman, of course, civil rights attorney and law professor in Cleveland for us. And Richard Herman, New York criminal defense attorney and law professor as well is in D.C. this weekend.

Gentlemen, thank you both. Avery, let me start with you. A lot people ask the question, Sandusky is out on bail, should he be out on bail given the charges, given the number of victims, given the crime?

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Well, that's a very fair question, T.J.. I think if I were on the bench I don't know that I would permit bail, but it's - you know, again, the discretion of the trial judge to make these decisions. The issue though is much broader than that, as I see it. I mean I think not only is the campus thunder-struck with what's gone on, but there needs to be a re- examination of what's called the mandatory reporter law.

That is, anyone, social worker, teacher, lawyer, doctor, when you see abuse, you have to report it. And the argument's being advanced in Pennsylvania is that, as long as you tell the boss, you're covered, and that's where I think if we zero in on issue, where the problem is. If victims are going to be protected you've got to go to law enforcement and that didn't happen here.

HOLMES: Richard, don't we have some states - many states that do have those types of laws, but what kind of punishment is I guess is appropriate for folks who are aware of or even suspect and don't report?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes. That's one thing, T.J., but it's worse when there's a cover-up. Where there's an attempt to cover up something. Here Penn State university police were reported. They had knowledge of this. The district attorney's office had knowledge - where's the district attorney who was around back then? Where is he? He's nowhere to be found.

T.J., this is the tip of the iceberg here. How does McQueary, a 28- year-old grad student, look in the showers of a facility and see a grown man raping a 10-year-old child and not instinctively grab a baseball bat and save that child? How does he live with himself now?

FRIEDMAN: Report it to law enforcement.

HERMAN: Or call the police or do something. Give me a break. And how is Sandusky - Conrad Murray is a threat to society, he can't write prescriptions. This Sandusky, has at least eight children there's allegation of rape against. Probably it's going to be tripled that when all is said and done. Unbelievable.

FRIEDMAN: We'll see.

HOLMES: Go ahead, Avery.

FRIEDMAN: Well, I mean, I think - I think that's exactly right, but, again, zeroing in on the legal issue, in Harrisburg, the state legislature is looking at its mandatory reporter law. Many states like Ohio and other states, you must go directly to law enforcement, and I think, although I've heard commentators say, "Well, Paterno's going to be cleared." I think the question is, what does Pennsylvania mandatory reporting require?

If you just report it to the boss, T.J., then the argument is, well I guess it's OK. But you've got to go to law enforcement and that's a real question. That's why we have investigations literally at state, local and federal levels going out.

HOLMES: OK. Probably a lot of people will argue this is a legal failing, but also a moral failing, and a personal failing that goes all through that campus.

FRIEDMAN: Sure.

HOLMES: Richard, let me bring you back in, because you're saying flat out, you believe it's not just people dropping the ball, didn't take it seriously enough. You believe there's an actual cover-up. So that's what Penn State University, what is their liability in any legal liability here now? Are they going to be hit with a flood of civil suits?

HERMAN: T.J., they're going to get hammered. They're going to get hammered civilly, but right now criminal is center stage and Joe Paterno was very wise to hire criminal counsel. He was even though there's proclamations that, you know, he's not a target of this investigation, T.J., my brother, I have seen witnesses and subjects get indicted. So he better be careful. If he misstated anything in his grand jury testimony or if there are allegations that he aided and abetted a cover-up of this, he is going to be prosecuted criminally. This is not over, T.J.. It's going to get a lot worse.

FRIEDMAN: You need - you need - yes. You need to temper that with the understanding that Joe Paterno has publicly already admitted, "I wish I would have done more." That has civil implications, that has criminal implications. I think we're very early on. I think Richard's right in the sense there are going to be more victims. It's interesting that the victims' families, we haven't heard anything from them. Well, that's not quite sure. We've heard from one. But nothing has happened since, right, since 1994. Where are they? Something tells me that's going to surface, adding a complete dimension to this.

HOLMES: Richard, you mentioned, if it finds out, they go through his testimony and he said something that turns out to be false, is he looking at Coach Paterno looking at perjury charges or what other type of criminal charges could he be facing?

FRIEDMAN: Yes, good. HERMAN: Absolutely, T.J., it's criminal perjury if he lied to a grand jury. Whether it's the all god Joe Paterno or whether it's Joe Schmo from the street. If you lie to a grand jury you're going to get persecuted for perjury. And that's foremost and center and I think he's concerned about his testimony and I think he's concerned that this Sandusky, T.J., this Sandusky was let go after 20 years of coaching. He was only 55 years old. He was the heir apparent to Joe Paterno and he was let go in 1999. How could that be? What were the circumstances of that? What did Joe Paterno know? What did he know then? And after 2002, how many times was Sandusky seen at the Penn State facilities with young boys? T.J., it's really bad.

FRIEDMAN: The other -

HOLMES: Avery, wrap it up for me.

FRIEDMAN: The other issue - wrap it up by saying, they put McQueary on leave. You know what? You want to clean the mess up. Clean house, start all over again. That's what's going to have to happen.

HOLMES: All right. This is just - the details, I'm sure you all have read it, too. My goodness. The case, it is just, the details are disgusting. Richard, Avery, thank you both for being here. You're still with Fredricka coming up at noon. Right?

HERMAN: Noon.

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

HERMAN: Noon hour.

HOLMES: All right. We'll see you guys again.

HERMAN: Good to be with you. Be well.

HOLMES: Thanks so much.

It's 17 past the hour. And coming up tomorrow, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he's got another new show. Another show. Another show? For Sanjay? It's called "THE NEXT LIST." Dr. Sanjay Gupta will profile exceptional individuals. This week he talks to the virtual magician.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For tempest, adding pop culture to his tricks in the mid-80s meant anyway what he loved most of all. Special effects like those he was seeing in the movies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People would actually go to the movies to see special effects. So if I could bring the special effects of the movies to the stage, then - in my mind, sure enough, I would have a recipe, the DNA to do magic, which is contemporary and which would attract larger audiences.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: So that's Sunday "THE NEXT LIST," check it out Sunday. Set the DVR. Sanjay Gupta hosting "THE NEXT LIST."

November 7, 2011 past the hour now and a husband makes a $10,000 mistake. You ever made a mistake that expensive, Reynolds?

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: How much did you say?

HOLMES: $10,000?

WOLF: Well, there are some mistakes you can't put a price on.

HOLMES: Good point.

WOLF: So absolutely yes.

HOLMES: It might surprise you to see what length and where the guy has to go to find his wife engagement ring.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Twenty two past the hour. Let Reynolds and I first say just we're sorry. Husbands, we mess up a lot.

WOLF: I say that every day.

HOLMES: You do. You have to say it every day.

WOLF: You do.

HOLMES: But this is a pretty big "I'm sorry" to his wife. A $10,000 mistake by one husband. The husband in South Florida, he accidentally threw away his wife's 1.5 carat diamond ring. How do you make that mistake? Well, apparently, he had other trash in his hand, and then the ring was there and he just threw it in there and it ends up, yes, in a landfill.

So what does he do? He then goes, he gets a hold of the company, the trash company. The trash collectors. He starts going by dumpster diving, dumpster by dumpster, if you will. Then, he goes to the landfill to find the ring. This is eight tons of garbage, 10 feet high, and he did it for love.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN MCGUINN, SEARCH LANDFILL FOR WIFE'S RING: I was lifting, you know, chairs out of the way, broken glass. Other sanitary items that I don't want to get into, but it was horrific to say the least. Like nothing I ever smelt before. I actually did slightly vomit. It was pretty bad.

ANNA MCGUINN, RING RECOVERED FROM DUMP: He's my hero. He's my absolute hero. BRIAN MCGUINN: It's good to get that title after you really mess up.

ANNA MCGUINN : He's got some leverage, yep, for quite a while.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: They've been married five years. She's five months pregnant there as well. This is their first child. But there's a couple of ways to look at this, Reynolds. Do you give him credit for the efforts he went through to get it back or do you call him an idiot for throwing it away in the first place? Which do you go?

WOLF: It was a mistake.

HOLMES: Of course it was.

WOLF: But I mean the guy must have been shot in the heart by cupid with a bazooka, not with an arrow. Because I mean, to go through that kind of stuff to get that, I mean that is pretty amazing.

HOLMES: He didn't have a choice. Did he? What do you say after that? It's gone?

WOLF: I will go diving too but also it was a carat and a half diamond, I would have that thing stapled, surgically stapled to my skin. Don't take it off.

HOLMES: Don't take it off.

WOLF: Don't ever - first of all, he will never have that ring in his hand ever again. She cannot trust him with anything. Family pet, the kid. Only five months - going to be born in five months, right?

HOLMES: Yes, she's five months' pregnant.

WOLF: Be careful with the baby. That's all I'm saying. I'm serious. The guy is obviously forget. I mean, come on. Car keys, are probably dangerous around the guy.

HOLMES: Can you give me one game forecast? We had a whole game forecast --

WOLF: Just give you one.

HOLMES: You can do one. You pick the game.

WOLF: It's popping up. The game we have is for you is going to be what's not up there. We're talking about Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. We're looking at number two against an unranked team. The Texas Tech at one point beat Oklahoma. They're off to a pretty decent season. We're expecting a noon kickoff, 64 degrees. Breezy wind in the west. (INAUDIBLE) Auburn and Georgia, come on, I'm biased here. Auburn and George, it should be a great game. They're playing at Athens. 3:30 kickoff, 64 degrees to kick off and wind out of the south at five to ten.

HOLMES: All right, 25 minutes past the hour. Thanks as always.

WOLF: Stapled to my hand.

HOLMES: All right.

Oh, 25 minutes past the hour. A story a little scary from last night. We have reports of shots fired near the White House? We'll tell what you authorities then found nearby. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, some stories making headlines as we get close to the bottom of the hour.

Mexico's top drug-fighting official is dead. Interior minister Jose Francisco Blake Mora and seven others died yesterday in a helicopter crash south of Mexico City. Mora was the point man in Mexico's war against drug cartels. Investigators don't know what caused the helicopter to go down. Foggy weather may have been a factor.

Also, for the first time in 46 years, legendary head football coach Joe Paterno is not a part of the Penn State game plan today. Fired Wednesday in the wake of the child rape scandal involving a former longtime assistant coach. Kickoff for this game is 2.5 hours from now. Paterno's former team playing the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the final home game of the season for Penn State.

Also, police in Washington investigates reports of shots fired just a couple of blocks away from the White House last night. Gunfire was heard around 9:00. Secret Service official says an AK -47 was recovered near an abandoned vehicle.

Coming up at the top of the hour we'll take you back to Pennsylvania. Our Athena Jones is live for us on the campus of Penn State. Students there are getting ready after the week that was, getting ready for a football game starting in just a few hours. I'll see you at the top of the hour.

Right now, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE."