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CNN Saturday Morning News
Autopsy Report Forthcoming on Chris Dorner; Jesse Jackson, Jr. Plea Deal on Campaign Funds Misuse; Obama Addresses Gun Violence in Chicago; Asteroid Damage in Russia; Investigation Into Cruise Ship Malfunction; Michael Jordan Turning 50; Solar-Powered Elf Bicycle; The Vatican Votes; Heart Attack Grill Strikes Again
Aired February 16, 2013 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks so much for starting your day with us. We've got much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING which starts right now. I hope you're having a good Saturday so far. I'm Susan Hendricks in for Randi Kaye, Victor Blackwell today. It is 8:00 on the East Coast, 5:00 out west. Thanks so much for starting your day with us.
This morning we can now tell you how cop killer Christopher Dorner died. Initial autopsy reports say he died from a single gunshot wound to the head that was likely self inflicted after Tuesday's standoff with police.
Nick Valencia was in LA as this unfolded; he joins me now.
How was it to be out there in the thick of this?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was in one word crazy. Everybody was talking about it. It was a conversation at dinner tables; it was a conversation outside of LAPD headquarters there in Big Bear. It seemed that everybody had Chris Dorner on their minds.
I spoke to dozens of police officers while I was there. And one police officer I spoke to specifically was telling me about the safety concerns and the family and how his family was taking it. He said, Nick, my wife knew me going into being an LAPD officer, that it was going to be dangerous.
What she didn't anticipate is all the support and empathizers that came out in support of Chris Dorner. That seemed to be the most unnerving and unsettling part of it all for LAPD officers. They were very paranoid. At one point had, position snipers on top of LAPD headquarters. Everybody was sort of looking behind their back.
And I think citizens as well were nervous, Susan, because you remember last week there was that case of mistaken identity where police opened fire on two newspaper women, Hispanic women that looked nothing like Christopher Dorner. People started putting signs in the back of their pickup cars and their trucks saying do not shoot. I'm not Christopher Dorner.
So those people were paranoid about the police more than they actually were of Chris Dorner. HENDRICKS: It was more of a reactionary move. We can't blame them because the police literally were hunted. When you read his manifesto, you know why there was panic in the air there in Los Angeles.
You actually broke news of the standoff with police officers. What was that like?
VALENCIA: That was very weird for me to break the news to a group of LAPD officers. I got the tip, the breaking news alert that there was a shootout going on in Big Bear Lake. We just saw pictures of the area, the cabin where Chris Dorner perished.
HENDRICKS: What did they say when you told them?
VALENCIA: They were listening to it on the radio. They knew, obviously, they knew something was going on in Big Bear so they were all huddled around. They just pulled over somebody, unrelated case and I got the news and ran out of the restaurant that I was in and ran past them. I said, Dorner's in a shootout right now with the LAPD. And one of them turned to me and said oh, my God, shots are fired. And they immediately went back to calling their friends and other police officers.
So that was a bit surreal to me, to break the news to LAPD officers, those officers that were being hunted by Chris Dorner. And as I mentioned, I spoke to dozens of police officers the day after as well. There was just this sense of relief there. People were walking with a little bit more pep in their step, LAPD officers, because Chris Dorner was finally taken off the streets.
HENDRICKS: I had the chills when he told me how you were notifying the officers. They went through so much during that week.
VALENCIA: They sure did.
HENDRICKS: Nick, appreciate it, thanks so much.
And tonight, CNN takes an in-depth look at the manhunt in a special report called "KILLER COP: INSIDE THE HUNT FOR CHRIS DORNER." That's at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
To politics, we are now getting more details on Jesse Jackson Jr.'s plea deal. The former congressman is admitting to misusing campaign contributions for his personal use. In all, prosecutors say Jackson took as much as $750,000 out of his war chest. Here are some of the items on that shopping list: A $43,000 Rolex, more than five grand for furs bought in Beverly Hills, a couple of Michael Jackson hats for around $4,000 each and more than $10,000 in Martin Luther King Jr. memorabilia.
In Chicago now, President Obama again called on Congress to act on his gun control proposals. The president spoke about gun violence at a high school in his hometown. President Obama said it's not just a gun issue here. It's also an issue of community, responsibility.
He also spoke about one of Chicago's victims of gun violence, 15-year- old Hadiya Pendleton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What happened to Hadiya is not unique. It's not unique to Chicago. It's not unique to this country. Too many of our children are being taken away from us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENDRICKS: Remember Hadiya was gunned down just days after performing at one of the president's inauguration events. Her parents were at yesterday's speech as well as Tuesday's state of the union address.
The bail hearing for Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius is set for Tuesday. Until then, he will be spending his weekend in a South African jail. The double amputee known as Blade Runner is charged with murdering his model girlfriend on Valentine's Day. His agent says Oscar Pistorius denies the murder allegation.
To space now and the 2012 DA-14 asteroid is long gone by now. This is what it looked like through a high-powered telescope. The asteroid passed relatively close to the earth yesterday afternoon. Close is estimated around 17,000 miles, though. It's closer than some of the TV and weather satellites up in space, so pretty close. That asteroid was a near miss. It really compared nothing to what happened in Russia yesterday. Listen.
(VIDEO CLIP)
HENDRICKS: This spectacle in the skies above central Russia ended with chaos and confusion. First this bright flash, then a deafening crash. Students ran away from the windows. Office workers ducked for cover. And this man shielded his head from falling debris. The meteor left a trail of damage. Powerful shockwaves blew out windows and sent glass flying everywhere. Hospitals are packed
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER (through translator): The wounds that we received included people with mainly incised and contused wounds all through the windows and window frames all breaking and flying around. You see here the result how many people are here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENDRICKS: The blast injured at least 1,000 people. Most of the injuries are minor. Windows and doors were blown out of around 3,000 buildings. That's especially rough when the temperatures are near freezing now. Emergency officials are there right now, assessing the damage.
After a day after hearing about that blast in Russia, imagine what people were thinking in San Francisco when they saw that, a fireball going across the screen and the sky for them. The experts say they see meteors like this quite often but they usually just drop over the ocean. I would be afraid as well in San Francisco. A warm bed, fresh food and working toilets may not sound like much, but it probably seems like heaven right now for thousands of passengers who are finally waking up in their own beds after a cruise that was anything but a great vacation.
CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti is in Mobile, Alabama, where the disabled Carnival "Triumph" was finally towed Susan into the port.
What's the latest on the investigation into how this happened?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Susan.
Well, of course, that investigation will be resuming this morning after the sun comes up. You can see the ship stuck in a boat yard now over my shoulder and to give you a sense of scale here, that ship is so big it is the length of three football fields, has 13 decks. That's how far away it is, yet it still looks big.
Of course, it is stuck in dock now as a team of investigators with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board will go on with their look at what went wrong with this ship. Of course, they're doing this as part of an international agreement. This is a Bahamian-flagged vessel. So technically, they are the ones who will issue a final report.
In the meantime, U.S. Coast Guard has already begun its investigation earlier in the week by looking at schematics of the ship while it was still out at sea. Of course, they are taking a very close look at the engine. They've already spoken to a number of passengers before they even got off the ship, before they were scattered to the four winds.
And, of course, they'll be looking at procedures on board and looking at, for example, something called a voyage data recorder, which records, among other things, all the conversations that took place on the bridge. They'll also be looking at procedures that took place after that fire hit the engine. The Coast Guard says this investigation could take a year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK CUTY, COAST GUARD SENIOR MARINE INVESTIGATOR: Passengers did report that on previous cruises, there were some mechanical issues. That's something that we're going to go in and investigate and find out what the causes of those were. They may be completely unrelated to this. We just don't know yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And, of course, we already know that there were issues on the ship back in January and February, separate problems with an alternator as well as the propulsion system. Carnival Cruise Lines says that that alternator problem was fixed and inspected and they said that they are of course cooperating fully with this investigation.
Susan, a lot more work to go.
HENDRICKS: Yes, you said it right, Susan Candiotti, thank you, live in Mobile, Alabama. So just how unbearable was it aboard the Carnival "Triumph? " We're going to talk to a passenger who was celebrating her 50th birthday. What a way to spend it. That's just ahead.
Also ahead this hour, a two-time murderer faces the death chamber Tuesday. But there's a problem. He may not have the mental capacity to realize what he did.
An Olympic hero may be headed to prison. Why the Blade Runner's murder charges have jolted a nation and shocked his friends. I'll talk to them later.
Las Vegas' heart attack grill brags that its food is worth dying for. But one man's death raises questions, was that just a catch phrase or a warning?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It feels really good to be on land and not be swaying back and forth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After being on that boat that long and not knowing when or how we were getting back, it was just so good to finally be back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENDRICKS: A lot of smiles now that the so-called cruise from hell is over. Some passengers are back at home, enjoying the finer things, like working toilets and hot meals. With us now is one of those passengers, Sheila Ruble who is in (INAUDIBLE) Texas.
Sheila, great to talk to you. How was it to finally get home and be in your own bed?
SHEILA RUBLE, CARNIVAL "TRIUMPH" PASSENGER: It was wonderful. I didn't make it there until 5:00 yesterday afternoon but it was great. Thanks.
HENDRICKS: Wow, what a long trip. You were there with a group of childhood friends, celebrating a 50th birthday party. I'm sure you were looking forward to this trip. Were you planning it for some time?
RUBLE: Yes. We had actually had it in plans since last April. And I wasn't the only one. All of us turned 50 this year. We were all celebrating our 50th birthdays.
HENDRICKS: Happy birthday to you and all your friends.
RUBLE: Thank you.
HENDRICKS: I know you won't forget this. We've seen images and pictures of what it was like. Take us through the experience. How was it like to be on that ship?
RUBLE: We were on the second floor. So we heard the announcement. It was I believe shortly after 5:00 a.m. and we -- some of the girls went out in the hallway and they could see smoke down the hallway. They had closed off the section that was right next to us and they could see the smoke and such.
HENDRICKS: At that point, did a panic set in, when you did see the smoke?
RUBLE: I'm not really a panic person. It really wasn't panic. I thought they'll notify us when we get out. But I realized later, when they said there's smoke coming down the hall and people were running down the halls and such that they could see. So, yes.
HENDRICKS: Sheila, we keep hearing from almost everyone we have spoken to who was on that ship how great the crew was and how calm they were. Would you agree with that?
RUBLE: They were. The crew was outstanding. They were just very accommodating, as well as the other passengers. The other passengers were helping some of the elderly people. And I, myself, I was getting very tired going up and down the stairs because every time we would eat, we would have to go up to the level nine floor. We were on the seventh floor so going up and down the stairs all day long was kind of challenging, tiring, but everybody was there to help you.
HENDRICKS: You sent us a photo of the band playing. Did people try to stay in good spirits during this?
RUBLE: That was their Mardi Gras celebration. The entertainment crew did the best that they could do with the limited amount of resources. They didn't have, of course, the electricity and the lights and (INAUDIBLE) just trying to lift the spirits, which was great. Most of the crew were fantastic as far as trying to keep your spirits up as much as possible that could be going on there.
HENDRICKS: Was it discouraging when you kept hearing various reports in terms of when you would finally get back to the land, Alabama?
RUBLE: Yes. A lot of the girls needed to get back to work. That was pretty discouraging. It was pretty discouraging that we couldn't -- the only time that we could get a hold of our family members and such was when the other cruise ship would pull up next to and it was kind of just the fight for the cell service line. Some got through, some did not. I never could get through. First time I got through was Thursday, when I could get a hold of my families.
HENDRICKS: And we're looking at images now of people cheering when the ship finally pulled into port. Were you one of the ones or any of your friends celebrating you finally thought, OK, this is real. We're here. We're on land.
RUBLE: Yes. We were very happy to be close to land. It just seemed like forever before we could get back.
HENDRICKS: I got to ask you if you or any of your friends are going to take another cruise? Would you get back on a boat?
RUBLE: I will. I don't know about all the crew members. It's funny. We were talking -- at the beginning of the ship, the cruise, we were having such a great time and let's do this again next year and of course, we have to spend -- you know, we were with each other all day long. It was kind of like, OK, I think we've caught up with each other's families and stuff. Maybe we won't need to do this for a couple more years.
So it was fun. We tried to make the best of it. We tried to stay positive. We were all positive as much as possible. What can you do? You make jokes and you have fun and we did. We joked with each other and we had a good time, regardless of the situations.
HENDRICKS: I'm sure you will never forget this birthday. Again, happy birthday to you.
RUBLE: Thank you.
HENDRICKS: Sheila, thank you.
How about this one? One on one with LeBron James? The NBA great talks about his recent hot steak and about being passed over on Michael Jordan's wish list. Don't miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENDRICKS: That was every little boy's wish at one time. I want to be like Mike, Air Jordan, that is. It may be hard to believe and it may make you feel old, but Michael Jordan is turning 50. You know who we're talking about, the former Chicago Bull, Birmingham Barons, Bull again, Washington Wizard and now Charlotte Bobcats owner turns 50 years old tomorrow.
And what better way to celebrate the greatest player than with the NBA's all-star weekend? The all-star game is tomorrow, of course. But last night stars like (INAUDIBLE) and lit up the celebrity game. Tonight though are the marquis events, the three-point shootout and the slam dunk contest, loving that. You can see it all tonight on our sister station TNT.
One guy heading into the all-star break on a hot streak is, who else but LeBron James? He had six great games of at least 30 points while hitting at least 60 percent of his shots. That streak ended Thursday, though. Our Rachel Nichols sat down with James to talk about his place in NBA history and his hot hand. Here is part of her exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS: Most of us don't know what it is like to be on an NBA court and be shooting with that kind of accuracy. Can you compare it to anything in regular life that the rest of us can know how you feel right now looking at that basket? LEBRON JAMES, MIAMI HEAT: I guess I would say the way I've been shooting the ball it just feels like you're on a beach and you have a tennis ball and no matter where you throw it, it's going to land in the water. I haven't shot 100 percent yet.
NICHOLS: But you want to. You were close one night.
JAMES: I was close. I was close. I missed a layup.
NICHOLS: And that layup bothers you.
JAMES: That layup did bother -- after the fact. During the game, I didn't know. But after the fact, I said oh, 13 of 14, that layup.
NICHOLS: Michael Jordan says that if he could take Kobe or take LeBron, he would take Kobe because of five rings versus one ring. Is that a valid way to look at it?
JAMES: I look at it like OK, you got a guy like (INAUDIBLE) that's won multiple rings.
NICHOLS: Former Michael Jordan teammate.
JAMES: I would take (INAUDIBLE) over Charles Barkley. Let's get to even more of a comparison where we talk about the all-time great of Bill Russell, 11 rings, which is five more than Mike won. But if we had a draft today, would you take Russell over Jordan? I don't think so. So it all depends how you categorize talent and the greats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENDRICKS: I think they're all great, by the way. LeBron, of course, would lead the eastern all-stars against Kobe Bryant and the west in tomorrow night's all-star game. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on TNT.
Switching gears to another sports hero with a much different weekend in store for him. Oscar Pistorius is in jail facing murder charges. We're going to talk to two men who know him well and get their reactions on the shocking crime.
But first, Gary Tuchman takes us for a ride in a solar powered tricycle with a cute little name in this "Start Small, Think Big."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB COTTER, FOUNDER AND CEO, ORGANIC TRANSIT: I'm Rob Cotter , founder and CEO of Organic Transit and we make the Elf.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Elf is a pedal-powered tricycle that also has an electric motor to help out when needed.
COTTER: Federally, it's classified in the U.S. as a bicycle.
TUCHMAN: And that has some advantages. COTTER: It's able to go anywhere a bicycle goes. Because it is a bicycle, It doesn't need insurance, no inspection, no registration. Mirrors like a car, horn, blinkers, headlights and all help to make it very safe.
TUCHMAN: Cotter has been tinkering with environmentally conscience vehicles like the Elf for some 30 years. The Elf's body is made mostly from recycled plastic and the frame is made of 45 percent recycled aluminum. Its solar-powered battery can be charged by the sun in about seven hours or it could be plugged in.
COTTER: For a commuter that has to go to work dressed up, can't get all sweaty like riding a bike, can come in all on electric power. They pull into work, they don't need a shower. They leave the vehicle out in the sun all day and it charges back up. On the way home, they can get a workout, exercise, pedal on the way home.
TUCHMAN: The production models weigh about 100 pounds including battery, motor and solar panel. The Elf is being delivered to customers starting in March.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENDRICKS: Bottom of the hour now. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Susan Hendricks, in for Randi Kaye and Victor Blackwell. Thanks so much for starting your morning with us.
Here are the five stories we're watching for you this morning.
We are learning that the Vatican may hold its conclave to elect a new Pope before March 15th. That is earlier than previously thought. The 85-year-old Pope Benedict stunned the world last Monday when he announced that he was stepping down on February 28th because of his advanced age.
The conclave will bring together about 118 cardinals behind closed doors at the Sistine Chapel. They have to get a two-thirds majority to select Benedict's successor.
At number two, new details about how renegade ex-cop Christopher Dorner died. According to initial autopsy reports the 33-year-old was killed by a single gunshot to the head. Authorities say it likely was self inflicted some time during Tuesday's standoff with police. Dorner is blamed for killing four people and injuring at least three others during a ten-day rampage against law enforcement.
At number three, a gold-plated Rolex watch, Martin Luther King memorabilia and a fedora that once belong to Michael Jackson and look at the price tag. Those are just a few of the items Jesse Jackson Jr., now admits he bought with campaign funds. The former Illinois Congressman has inked a plea deal with federal prosecutors. He admits misspending about $750,000 from his political account.
Jackson's wife is as a co-conspirator. The couple will have to give back scores of items and pay restitution, too, and they could still go to prison.
A congressman was forced to reveal a secret daughter after he was caught tweeting her during the State of the Union Address. Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen sent a note to a young follower on Twitter saying "ILU", or "I love you" then deleting it leading many to jump to conclusion. Cohen who is single later came clean about the paternal relationship. He told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he discovered the young woman after searching for a long lost love online.
Facebook says it is the latest company to be the victim of an Internet hacking attack. The social media giant says that no user information was compromised though, some of their computers were infected by malware in January. In the last month, hackers have also gone after Twitter, "New York Times" and the "Wall Street Journal".
Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius is behind bars this morning he is facing a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend. Next week a judge will decide if he will get bail or not, on Tuesday. Oscar Pistorius's girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was being featured in a new reality show airing in South Africa. It was supposed to start today. Producers say it will air as scheduled.
But right now we want to talk about the athlete and the man Oscar Pistorius. Joining me now is fellow Paralympian Blake Leeper and filmmaker Steven Barber. Hello to both of you. I'm so glad you're joining us to tell us about Oscar. I know you're shocked by this.
I want to start with you Blake, you competed against Oscar and last year you tied his world record in the 100. Did you become friends as well as competitors? You said that he made you feel like you could really achieve anything.
BLAKE LEEPER, PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Yes. I mean, I met Oscar three years ago, and I've been competing alongside of him throughout the years. And he's almost been like a mentor to me, a big brother. We both have the same birth defect, we're missing both of our legs and it's almost like camaraderie. He's a -- and gave me insight on so much stuff and so when I hear him in this capacity really I was in shock.
HENDRICKS: Blake did you ever get to meet his girlfriend at any of the events? And did he ever really divulge any information about his personal life to you?
LEEPER: I never was able to talk to him about his girlfriend. I remember him mentioning her briefly back in September in London. But that's about it. He never went into much detail about her or the relationship or anything like that.
HENDRICKS: Steven, you interviewed Pistorius for your documentary in the 2012 Paralympics. You know Oscar. You know what he's made of. The challenges he went through, did you ever see a different side of him, maybe a short temper?
STEVEN BARBER, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: No you know I first met him in Beijing in 2008. And he's the nicest, the most affable guy. We're shooting a movie called "The Invincibles". We started it five years ago. And you know he spent three to four to five hours with every single journalist. I can't remember meeting anybody nicer or kinder, which is why this is just so bizarre when we first heard about it two or three days ago. So yes, honestly the nicest guy I've ever met.
HENDRICKS: Yes we keep hearing that, Steven. How did you feel when you first heard the news?
BARBER: It's you know, it's become surreal. I'm thinking it's a hoax. It's just -- it doesn't make sense, I mean how this guy could fall from grace so quickly after, you know, rising so -- so fast. It's bizarre.
I've been really fortunate to, you know, hang out and meet and spend time with Blake Leeper who is the American blade runner and I just know that he was his mentor and that Blake is going to carry this torch and this legacy that -- that Oscar has started, because Blake is now going to be the very first American to run in the Olympic games.
So it's really exciting for Blake. We just wish that light had been shine -- had been able to shine on him in a different way.
HENDRICKS: Yes Blake, you are so accomplished as well. Blake, if you could talk to Oscar, what would you say to him during this time?
LEEPER: I would just say that I'm praying for him, for not only him but for both families. That we all face hard times and try to keep his head up and that God has a plan for all of us and that as long as he keeps his head up, I'm still praying for both sides and stay fighting. Stay fighting.
HENDRICKS: Steven, Oscar is saying that he thought there was an intruder in the home. New information is still coming in. Of course, this is the beginning of the investigation. Do you believe what he's saying when you first heard it?
BARBER: You know -- you know the only people that know what happened in that -- in that house that night is Oscar and the deceased. So I -- you know, I'm going to let the court system take care of all that. I'm not up for some judgment.
I'm a documentary filmmaker. I've just been documentary -- I'm kind of the go-to guy for the United States Paralympic team and the Paralympics in general. And I just want people to know that we have 225 members of our Paralympic team and worldwide there are hundreds of thousands of Paralympians.
Oscar was, you know, the leader of this movement and he's been taken out of the race right now. But I'm going to let the courts decide. I have absolutely no opinion on that matter.
HENDRICKS: And Blake as a competitor, you know how hard it is to train. Did you ever see a different side of Oscar? Did you ever see him lose his temper?
LEEPER: I mean, honestly, no. I never have. I mean, I've been around Oscar a lot. I've seen him at his highest, and I've seen him at his lowest. I mean when he won the best race and he's lost so many -- one is the 200 meter race. So just seeing him, and I've seen him when he was frustrated. You know I could see he was a little angry, but nothing to that extent, to see him in this type of capacity. I would never, ever would have ever imagined.
HENDRICKS: Yes I don't think anyone could have predicted this. Blake Leeper, Steven Barber, I appreciate your time. Thank you.
LEEPER: Thank you so much.
BARBER: Thank you and have a good morning.
LEEPER: I appreciate it thank you.
HENDRICKS: And for more on Oscar Pistorius and the case be sure to logon to CNN.com.
He murdered two people and he's on Georgia's death row. We're talking about this guy. But everyone from former President Carter to even one of the victim's families is in a mad dash to keep this man from being put to death.
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HENDRICKS: A Georgia death row inmate who killed his girlfriend and years later a fellow inmate is set to be executed on Tuesday. No one disputes his crimes but something else in this case is raising serious concerns. While on death row doctors have determined that Warren Hill is mentally retarded. He has an IQ of 70, which raises the question, should the state of Georgia put a man to death who has been found to be mentally retarded? That's the issue.
I want to bring in Hill's defense attorney Brian Kammer he joins me now. I also want to bring in CNN legal contributor Paul Callan. Thank you both for joining me.
I want to start with Brian. Thirteen years ago a team of doctors said he was not mentally retarded. They have since come forward and said their original evaluation was and I'm quoting here, "extremely and unusually rushed and not conducted of an accurate assessment of Mr. Hill's condition."
They now say, though, he is mentally retarded. So what does that mean for his case? He's set to die on Tuesday.
BRIAN KAMMER, WARREN HILL'S ATTORNEY: Well I'm hoping that it will be something that is reconsidered by decision makers in this case. There's now no dispute amongst any of the experts who have evaluated Mr. Hill over the last 22 years that he is mentally retarded.
And so I am -- I am hoping that the Board of Pardons and Paroles will reconsider its denial last year of clemency. And we are also -- we've also filed a court action in state court to ask a judge to reconsider the -- the mental retardation claim based on this new information.
HENDRICKS: And we were talking during the break and you said your client, Warren, is afraid. What's the next step for your client?
KAMMER: Well Mr. Hill is waiting for some good news. And I would say that he's extremely anxious and frightened about the potential execution next Tuesday.
HENDRICKS: Let's go to Paul Callan. Paul, the State of Georgia has no plans yet to stay Hill's planned execution. Why do you think this is, if it is deemed that he does have -- that he is mentally retarded, Paul?
PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well when you look at these death penalty cases you have to look at the facts of the underlying cases and that tells you a lot. He was charged originally -- by the way, he has been convicted of two murders. He was in prison because he murdered his girlfriend, a woman named Myra Wright. He confronted her on a crowded street, shot her and then pursued her and shot her again while she was on the ground, 11 times. He was sentenced to life in prison.
The murder that he was in prison for and that he was sentenced to death on, he murdered another inmate and he did that by fashioning a two-by-four board with nails and beating him about the head until he was no longer recognizable. He imposed the death penalty on Joseph Handspike, who is a fellow prisoner.
So when a jury looked at this and when a judge looked at this, they see a very serious murder case. And at the time of trial, there are two parts to the mental retardation test. One is what is his IQ? His IQ was at 70. That's borderline mental retardation.
But there's the second part of the test, has he adapted to society? He was in the Navy. He has writing skills. People in his family described him as a family leader and father figure. Ultimately, the judge decided, you know something? There's not sufficient evidence here to indicate that he is truly mentally retarded and that's why the state of Georgia has fought to keep the death penalty in place in this case.
HENDRICKS: Brian, how do you respond to that?
KAMMER: Well the reason that the judge in this case -- and I would point out that the judge in this case found Mr. Hill to meet the criteria for mental retardation by a preponderance of the evidence back in 2002. That means in legal -- in lay terms he's more likely than not mentally retarded but that's not the standard in Georgia. It's beyond a reasonable doubt. And so he could not meet that standard according to the judge at the time.
And the reason he could not meet that standard primarily was because the state doctors opined that he didn't quite meet the standard, that he was borderline intellectual -- that he had borderline intellectual functioning. But now these doctors recognize having reviewed Mr. Hill's navy performance, having reviewed his entire sort of background again far more thoroughly than they had before that, in fact, he is mentally retarded.
HENDRICKS: Is it true that one of the victim's families does not want him executed and former President Jimmy Carter as well?
KAMMER: That's correct. The Carter family expressed strong support for clemency in Mr. Hill's case last year and the victim -- Mr. Handspike's family also expressed support for clemency.
HENDRICKS: And we do want to point out that we asked Georgia State Attorney General Sam Owens to come on the show to talk about this. He declined our offer.
But Paul, never have people come forward saying that Hill should not be executed, as I mentioned, the family of one of the victims, also former President Jimmy Carter. Do you think that has much sway?
CALLAN: Well, you know, most -- I can't say most people -- but a substantial number of people have a conscientious objection to the death penalty. And I will tell you, for former President Jimmy Carter opposes every imposition of the death penalty as do most death penalty opponents. So, no, it doesn't surprise me that he has made this statement.
And you know, the state of Georgia and just to disagree with his very able representative on why the appellate court upheld this sentence, they were looking at this -- there's two parts of this test. One is whether he can adapt to life in a sort of ordinary way when you're judging mental retardation. And they have looked at the fact that he had been a seaman second class in the navy. He had gotten promotions in the navy. He can write. He can function.
And, you know, in truth a lot of people in prison are of low intelligence. He is kind of right at that border of mental retardation and low intelligence. Ultimately, the federal courts said you know something, we're not going to disturb, at least at this point, what the state of Georgia has decided through a judge and through a jury.
HENDRICKS: And Brian, really quickly, what do you hope happens next?
KAMMER: I hope that decision makers in this case will give more credence to the state doctors in this case who agree that Mr. Hill meets criteria for mental retardation and due justice.
HENDRICKS: All right. Brian Kammer, Paul Callan, appreciate your time. Thanks so much. Keep us posted.
KAMMER: Thank you.
HENDRICKS: Thanks.
Seven days dominated by multiple manhunts and a celebrity murder. Here is your "Week of Crime in 60 seconds". Take a look.
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HENDRICKS: A week-long manhunt ends in an inferno. On Tuesday, federal and local law enforcements surrounded a cabin in Big Bear, California where Charles Dorner (SIC) was hiding. A blaze broke out after teargas canisters were fired. Dorner's body was recovered from the ashes. He killed four people during his rampage, including two cops.
In another manhunt, a convicted sex offender escaped authorities in Dallas while being transferred from Miami to Nevada. During a restroom stop, the convict, Alberto Morales, allegedly stabbed one of the officers and fled. He was found Friday night when authorities shot and killed him.
And Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, was charged with the murder of his girlfriend Thursday. The South African athlete named "Blade Runner" was arrested when authorities found model Reeva Steenkamp shot to death at Pistorius' home. Pistorius' agent says the runner rejects the murder allegations in the strongest terms.
And that's your "Week of Crime in 60 Seconds".
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Well now that cop killer Christopher Dorner is dead, we are left with more questions than answers including how he could have been hiding out in that a cabin just 100 yards from a police command post.
More at the top of the hour.
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HENDRICKS: When traveling to other cities and countries, the best way to get a real taste of the place is through the local food, of course. CNN iReport has teamed up with Travel & Leisure magazine to create a global list of 100 places to eat like a local.
Here is our senior international correspondent, Sara Sidner in Jaffa, Israel with a sample.
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SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here in Jaffa which is right next to Tel Aviv, if you want to eat like a local, you have to come and visit this restaurant. It's called "Old Man and the Sea".
Here is what I absolutely love about this place. You see all that? As soon as you come in, you don't have to wait a second. And if you want a quick lunch, Zada here, who is always around, will bring you this amazing plate of salad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you?
SIDNER: I'm fine, thank you.
One person. And you're going to give me all this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All this for one person.
SIDNER: We better make it for two or three. Why not? How many different salads?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 24.
SIDNER: 24?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
SIDNER: It's incredible -- 24 salads and bread. And believe me, this is just the beginning. So the restaurant has been around since 1999. They open at 11:00 and they close somewhere around midnight, sometimes 1:00 am, because this place is generally packed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People don't like to wait. So I have to do it like everyone that's living (inaudible) only 15 minutes. We do it so quickly.
SIDNER: And this is the love --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enjoy it. Yes.
SIDNER: Thank you. How am I going to finish all of this?
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HENDRICKS: That is a great assignment isn't it? iReporters here is your chance to help us create a food lover's map of the world. Go to ireport.com/100places. Send us a photo of your favorite restaurant and dish, why it's special and how you found the place.
The definitive list of "100 Places to Eat like a Local" will be revealed next month and some iReporters will be on that list. Stay tuned to see if you will be one of them.
The owner claims this is food worth dying for. But what if that is more than just a slogan? We're going to take a look at the real health risks at the Heart Attack Grill.
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HENDRICKS: Living up to your name can sometimes be a good thing except when you're at the Heart Attack Grill and your patrons are having heart attacks. Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at this restaurant that says their food is worth dying for.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Susan, the story got me asking just how much is too much. The death of a spokesman for a restaurant in Las Vegas is making some headlines and critics say the owner of that restaurant should accept some of the blame. Take a look and you decide.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our food is absolutely bad for you.
GUPTA (voice-over): Heart Attack Grill owner Jon Basso dresses up as a doctor and says the food in his restaurant is, quote, "worth dying for". John Almond was the volunteer spokesman at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. He ate there every day. Well, he just died of a massive heart attack right outside the restaurant.
The last spokesman, Blair River, died, too. He weighed 570 pounds. In 2012, two customers suffered heart attacks right in the restaurant -- no less than 60 days apart.
BASSO: Of course we've had heart attacks here. I wouldn't have it any other way.
GUPTA: At Heart Attack Grill, the unhealthier, the better. Check out the menu -- flatliner fries, butter fat shake, bypass burgers.
BASSO: It just warms my heart to see children come into the Heart Attack Grill.
GUPTA: This 8-year-old attempts to eat a burger dubbed the quadruple bypass. It has nearly 10,000 calories.
BASSO: Absolutely slathered in lard.
GUPTA: They celebrate extreme obesity. If you weigh over 350 pounds, your food is free. You think Basso might feel bad about some of this but he doesn't. Not one bit.
BASSO: People wonder how I sleep at night. Like a baby.
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GUPTA: Now, Susan you should know that I did talk to the owner and the way that he explains it. He's trying to make this perverse point to grab people's attention and make them understand just how unhealthy this is. Frankly, it seemed kind of muddled to me. More about getting free publicity, frankly.
Eating fast food once in awhile isn't going to kill you, but for calories, fat and sugar, it's one of the worst things out there. I'm sure they're going to find another spokesman, but it looks like a pretty high-risk job.
Susan, back to you.