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Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien
Fingerprint Found On Bomb Debris; Boston Terror: Survivor's Story; Presidential Announcement At 2:15 PM ET; Vigil For Leila Fowler; FBI Affidavit In Ricin Investigation; Jodi Arias Trial; Morning After Pill; Contaminated Ground Turkey; Military Brother Banned; Jason Collins' Former Fiance Speaks Out; Michigan Woman Missing Since Friday; Read My Lips; High Pressure Hiccups
Aired May 01, 2013 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He took out his gun, pointed to me and said I'm serious. Don't be stupid. He asked me a question like do you know the Boston explosion on Monday. I said yes. He said I did that and I just killed a policeman in Cambridge.
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ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: Also new this morning, Tamerlan Tsarnaev's widow declining to claim her husband's body. She is giving the medical examiner's office consent to release his body to his family. And also investigators have uncovered a new piece of evidence in the case, lifting at one fingerprint from bomb debris.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Jarrod Clowery was among the more than 260 people injured in the Boston bombings. He was 3 feet away from the second bomb when it went it off. He says he remembers being thrown into the street, losing his hearing and then being approached by a first responder.
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JARROD CLOWERY, INJURED IN BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING: -- looks to me and says you are going to be OK. I tell him you tell anybody that, you know. And he says, Jarrod, believe me when I tell you. There's worse out here than you. That is when I remembered my friends and I said my friends are all dead.
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BERMAN: There is so much confusion in those minutes and hours for so many people. Actually his four friends did survive. Three of them lost limbs when the second bomb went off. Doctors say they have removed 12 carpentry nails, five BB pellets and some plastic. Clowery still has shrapnel injuries even with that. He leaves the hospital today for a rehab facility.
SAMBOLIN: All right, just in to CNN, President Obama expected to make a personal announcement this afternoon at 2:15 Eastern from the state dining room. Details have not been provided we do know the president is expected to name Tom Wheeler, a top fundraiser, as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission sometime today. Of course, you can stay with CNN for live coverage of that event.
BERMAN: An emotional gathering in Valley Springs, California where mourners met up yesterday at the local elementary school to hold a vigil for 8-year-old Leila Fowler. She is the little girl who was found stabbed to death in her home on Saturday. CNN's Stephanie Elam has more from Northern California.
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AMY HASSELWANDER, PRINCIPAL, JENNY LIND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Leila was beautiful and strong. She was kind. I remembered that Leila liked purple.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an array of pinks and purples, hundreds turned out for a candle light vigil to remember Leila Fowler. The 8-year-old girl stabbed to death in her Northern California home on Saturday. The motive for her killing is still a mystery.
PAM SMILEY, LEILA'S 3RD GRADE TEACHER: It does not happen to a person you know, much less a child you know. And this cannot happen to a child in your very own class. She will be carried in our hearts forever.
ELAM: Leila's family stood front and center, arm in arm as the vigil began. Before moving to the stage so they could see all the people present to remember their little girl. The family also spoke for the first time.
KRYSTAL WALTERS, LEILA'S MOTHER: I just want to thank the entire community and all of our family and friends for the overwhelming amount of support that you've given my family. It will never be forgotten.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not saying goodbye to Leila. I'm going to say, I'll see you later. There are no goodbyes -- take care of my sister.
ELAM: Maddison was friends with Leila for three years.
MADDISON, 9 YEARS OLD: She was very kind to everybody and she helped everybody. She made everybody feel good.
ELAM: Her mother says she's having a hard time understanding that her friend is gone.
KELI ISERT, MADDISON'S MOTHER: She's going to be here the next day. No, she's going to be here. We have a play date on Friday, and it's like, no, baby, I don't know what to say.
ELAM: Kailea used to live across the street from Leila. She sobbed uncontrollably during the vigil.
KAILEA, 8 YEARS OLD: She would always over at my house. She said she would sleep over for one day and she would sleep over for like a week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Her and my daughter became friends and Leila spent every summer with us. We were just talking about spending this summer together and what we were going to do. Our summers have changed forever.
ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN, Valley Springs, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN: So difficult to watch, isn't it?
All right, new developments this morning in the arrest of James Everett Dutschke in the Mississippi ricin investigation. He is accused of sending letters tainted with the deadly substance to President Obama and two others.
An FBI affidavit unsealed yesterday says items recovered from Dutschke's former martial arts studio tested positive for ricin and that traces of poison were found elsewhere in the building. It also says a witness told agents Dutschke claimed to know how to make ricin, but there is no mention of a motive.
BERMAN: Testimony continues today in the trial of Jodi Arias. The defense will put an expert witness on the stand to dispute a state psychologist to say that Arias suffers from borderline personality disorder. Prosecutors will then have the chance to comeback with another witness of their own. The testimony is expected to continue until midnight.
SAMBOLIN: And the FDA lowering the age to buy the morning after pill Plan B one step so it can be purchased over-the-counter by anyone 15 years old and over. No parental consent is required to emergency contraceptive, which will be available on store shelves instead of being locked up behind the pharmacy counter. Just last month a federal judge ruled there should be no age restrictions for plan b. FDA officials say the decision is not in response to the court case.
BERMAN: A dangerous bacteria that's resistant to antibiotics has been found at ground turkey purchased at grocery stores in 21 states. Consumer Report says of the 257 samples tested more than half were found to be positive for fecal bacteria. Overall, 90 percent of the samples were contaminated with one or more types of disease-causing organisms that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, yikes.
SAMBOLIN: So the request seemed innocent enough, an airman just back from Afghanistan wanted to escort his sister to her high school prom in Liberal Kansas, but the school board said absolutely no. So Casey Widener had to wait at the end of the red carpet until his sister, Courtney, walked into the prom.
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COURTNEY WIDENER, BROTHER BANNED FROM ESCORTING HER TO PROM: He thought it was a great way to honor me and send me off to a really great night. So he was disappointed that he probably accepted the decision better than anybody else apparently did. He was really respectful about it.
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SAMBOLIN: The Liberal Kansas School District cited a policy that no one over 21 is allowed to go to the prom or even walk students on to the promenade.
BERMAN: All right, Jason Collins' former fiance offering words of support for the NBA player and his decision to acknowledge that he is gay. Carolyn Moos, herself a former player in the WNBA had an 8-year relationship with Collins. They even had marriage plans.
Last night on "PIERS MORGAN LIVE," she said they spoke a number of times over the last several days and it is still a bit overwhelming.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, I did invest eight years in our relationship with a shared dream and vision with him. I had to rewrite the script. I still am rewriting it. It has been challenging.
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BERMAN: She goes on to say she hopes Collins can be more comfortable with himself and of course, he's been saying he's happier than he has ever been.
SAMBOLIN: Yes, you can see it, right? All right, 37 minutes past the hour. Authorities in Michigan still searching this morning for 25- year-old Jessica Heeringa. Police believe she may have been abducted from her job at a gas station. Jessica's last recorded sale was 11:00 Friday night shortly before police received a call from a concerned customer.
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UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: I just walked inside. There's nobody. There's a car here. There's another car out front, but it's very suspicious why there's nobody here.
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BERMAN: Police are now looking for a van a witness saw shortly before Jessica disappeared. It may be this van in footage from a nearby security camera. Police have released this sketch of a potential suspect who was described by that same witness.
So with us now from Grand Rapids are Jessica's mother, Shelly Heeringa and Jessica's fiance and father of her 3-year-old son, Dakota Quail- Dyer. Thank you so much for both being with us. I know this has got to be a hard time for both of you. Let me ask you how you are holding up?
SHELLY HEERINGA, MOTHER OF MISSING WOMAN: We have to take it day by day. You go to sleep thinking about Jesse. You wake up thinking about Jesse. She's in our thoughts every minute.
SAMBOLIN: We were just talking about the police releasing some materials to the public, a composite sketch of the suspect, footage of a van driving past a nearby business. Is there anything new on the investigation that they have told you?
HEERINGA: No, not really. I know they have another security camera that might have a better view of the van.
BERMAN: Dakota --
HEERINGA: I'm not sure when they are going to release that.
BERMAN: Dakota, I understood you spoke to Jessica an hour before she disappeared. Was there any sense in that conversation that something was wrong? What did you talk about?
DAKOTA QUAIL-DYER, FIANCE OF JESSICA HEERINGA: I was just calling to see how work was going and seeing how fast she was going to be out of there. She said I was closing up quick and I'll see you soon, babe. That was it. There was no -- nothing saying she was worried about anything. She was very happy.
SAMBOLIN: Can you tell us a little bit about the work that she did and if you ever felt that because she worked there alone, did you ever fear for her safety or did she?
HEERINGA: I did. When I knew she was working there, when I knew he had no security cameras and she was going to be by herself I expressed my concern about it all the time to her how worried I was. But Jess, you know, she is only 5'1" but her feistiness makes her about 6 foot and she thought she could handle everything.
BERMAN: Have you heard from the gas station owner yet?
HEERINGA: He -- I talked to him Saturday morning. And he seemed concerned and everything, but since then he's been having a lot of problems because of not having any security cameras and letting these girls work by themselves.
SAMBOLIN: You say girls but on this particular night your daughter was working by herself.
HEERINGA: They always work by themselves at night time.
BERMAN: Tell me about the t shirts that you are wearing and the help you have received in your community. I understand there was a vigil with people coming together to offer their support to you.
HEERINGA: Yes. That was wonderful. You want to tell them about the t shirts.
QUAIL-DYER: My mom and dad made these for us and handed them out for the immediate family so we can just kind of distinguish who was who there so that people know. HEERINGA: And the vigil was great. So many people came out. So many people are trying to help us to find Jesse. It's been wonderful. Family, friends, people who had just stopped in there to get a newspaper or stopped at that gas station all the time that spoke to jess were coming up to us telling us how wonderful she was, how sweet. They always had conversations with her. She is just a great girl.
SAMBOLIN: I have another question for you because police say there was no sign of a struggle that happened. Is it like your daughter to walk out and offer assistance? Do you think somebody lured her out?
HEERINGA: Yes. I think whoever did this had been in the gas station before and maybe Jesse knew him as someone coming in or even a regular maybe. And he probably lured her out by saying he needed help. Jesse would have helped anybody. That was probably her down fall.
SAMBOLIN: We are so sorry. I just don't know what to say. We wish you all the luck in the world. We hope she is found and she is found quickly. Shelly Heeringa, Dakota Quail-Dyer, thank you so much. I know there is a 3-year-old boy here, as well. We wish you luck with that, as well. That has to be tough for him.
HEERINGA: Yes. It is. He is starting to miss his mom right now.
BERMAN: I bet he is. We thank you so much. We will post on our web site where you can call for tips or information about this. We'll be right back.
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SAMBOLIN: Actress Sally Kellerman has been entertaining audiences for five decades including her breakout role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the 1970 film "MASH". Take a look.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're what we call a regular Army clown.
SALLY KELLERMAN, ACTRESS: I wonder how a degenerated person like that could have reached a position of responsibility in the Army Medical Corps.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was drafted.
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BERMAN: So now Kellerman is sharing memories from that film as well as her life in Hollywood in her new memoir "Read My Lips: Stories of a Hollywood Life". Sally Kellerman is here with us this morning. And man there is so much in this book, so many stories, so many characters really famous ones.
Let me start with "Mash" because you know that was the role, the first role that a lot of us really you know saw you in. You almost refused that role. KELLERMAN: Oh I didn't -- Bob said to me in the first meeting I'll give you the best part in the picture. And I went to read the script I couldn't find it you know and I went back in tears. And he said you have to go back in the scene so I read it again and I went back and said I'm not just a whack I'm a woman and why you just have to leave that picture and why can't she do this and that and he just leaned back and -- well, why didn't she and you end up with something or nothing.
And I said, I'm in love, who is this man. You know and I stayed in love all of this life and I did several pictures with him and turned out other ones, it was such a thrill to work with Rob. It was like going to summer camp with a genius standing beside me.
BERMAN: Rob Altman (ph) is truly legendary.
KELLERMAN: Yes really great.
SAMBOLIN: I want to dive into the book. And I want to pull some excerpts.
KELLERMAN: All right.
SAMBOLIN: You talk about your relationships with a number of stars both romances and friendships. Jack Nicholson you say this. Jack's personality sucked you in the moment you met him. "He was from New Jersey but to talk to him and listen to his easy, folksy delivery, you would have thought he was from somewhere like Texas. I thought he was so cute with his dark brown hair and bright eyes. Such a devilish grin." You said there was no romance the two of you were good friends.
Talk to us about that friendship.
KELLERMAN: Yes we were just pals. I invited him on a beach party. I went right home to my parents and made potato salad and off we went. And in my day that's what you made. And it was so clear we were not going to be a romance. You know and I thought he is going to be my best friend.
SAMBOLIN: Why was it so clear you were not going to be a romance?
KELLERMAN: It was just clear. What can I say? But anyway we were just -- he was great. He was always magical. You know in class we were in acting class together for years and just darling. Just so many things you have seen on the screen and all of this so unique and wonderful.
BERMAN: And you had a lot of run ins with Marlon Brando as well including one where he picked you up, took you for a ride, touched your arm and you refused the advance of Marlon Brando.
KELLERMAN: Oh you know I love that, I love that beginning story. That was just the beginning of me and Marlon but I loved -- him. He was my hero. The minute I saw him my life changed you know from Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye and Marlon Brando and you know and I saw him and it was like it was all over -- sex and a brilliant talent. Yes he changed the face of acting.
And he's always been my hero. One day I end up sitting next to him in this rock and roll coffee house and I didn't move a muscle for two sets (inaudible) and then the lights came on. And I never look at him and it came and good bye and he said good bye. And I never looked straight ahead and he goes so what are you an actress -- and I whirled and I said yes I am and I don't think it's funny.
And he said would you like to go for a ride and I said yes I would. And we got in the car. And -- you have to read the book to see the next adventures. But I think we got in the car and we drove about a fourth of a block and he reached over and touched my arm. And I was so scared because I was so in love.
And I was so, I couldn't believe it, I was sitting there and he goes, "Well I wouldn't want to spoil this beautiful friendship" and turned around and dropped me off. He's been trying to come to me and when I just -- I couldn't wait to run and tell my best friend I was in Marlon Brando's car which was an old beat up white car you know. It's the first time I saw him driving that in Hollywood Boulevard I thought that can't be Marlon. How come he is not in a limo?
SAMBOLIN: Yes.
KELLERMAN: You know. That's what movies stars --
SAMBOLIN: It's a different time in Hollywood, right. The journey that your book takes you through -- it is a very different time.
KELLERMAN: It does. We were so lucky you know Marlon and I -- we had great adventures you have to read the book but great adventures working as a waitress in a coffee house. When Steve McQueen came in, he and his wife Neil and Marlon came in but you'll have to read the book for that.
BERMAN: The book is shot full of stories like this. Sally Kellerman.
KELLERMAN: Yes, yes.
BERMAN: "Read My Lips". You will want to read her lips and the book. It's great thank you so much for being here.
KELLERMAN: Oh thank you for having me, really.
SAMBOLIN: Our pleasure.
BERMAN: Still ahead not even Doppler radar could help this Texas weather man. His forecast 70 percent chance of scattered hiccups. Jeanne Moos has his story -- only Jeanne could cover this.
You're watching STARTING POINT.
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SAMBOLIN: All right, so you don't have to be on television to know that live TV and the hookups -- the hiccups don't mix. BERMAN: Hookups? Where have you worked?
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SAMBOLIN: Oh man. The hiccups don't mix -- you know what's coming now, right. The story of the Texas meteorologist -- I cannot believe I blew that -- who weathered the worse. Here's Jeanne Moos.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Talk about high pressure. There is never a good time for hiccups but this was a bad one.
When KHOU meteorologist David Paul started his forecast for the Houston area he hoped it was just a passing hiccup.
DAVID PAUL, METEOROLOGIST: But you get out side the -- it is really Highway 6.
MOOS: But the involuntary contractions of the diaphragm continued.
PAUL: Excuse me. I have the hiccups of course.
MOOS: David told us he had been having bouts of hiccups all day but usually they stop when the red light on the camera comes on.
PAUL: Some redevelopment of thunderstorms right in here -- excuse me.
It was the most helpless feeling I have ever had on live TV. That was a mess.
MOOS: Sure other meteorologists have suffered a single hiccup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Close to 60 -- excuse me. That is what Dr. Pepper does to you.
MOOS: We have seen talents sneeze on air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you know what -- excuse me.
MOOS: We have seen an Australian weatherman pass out, doing the weather, pulling 8 G's in a stunt plane. But this was no stunt.
PAUL: -- had some rain shower developing, as well. I did put a storm track on this.
MOOS: What we need is a hiccup tracker.
In a forecast that lasted about three minutes we counted a total of 14 hiccups and seven excuse me's. David did try one last ditched trick.
PAUL: I slowed down and I thought, well, I'm just going to try to speak slowly and swallow and maybe they'll go away.
At least street flooding so I am monitoring that very carefully this evening. So far so good there. Here is the big picture. MOOS: Even a drink of water didn't help. At least he is getting praise for soldiering through and maintaining his dignity. All of those hiccups are nothing to sneeze at.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There we go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, that's a first.
PAUL: All I have heard today is hey, it's the hiccupping weatherman.
MOOS: Forecasting a 70 percent chance of scattered hiccups. Jeanne Moos, CNN --
PAUL: Here is your extended forecast -- excuse me.
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SAMBOLIN: It's funny every time.
BERMAN: I have to say --
SAMBOLIN: It's funny every time, isn't it?
BERMAN: -- even with the hiccups he is better than I am half the time.
SAMBOLIN: Yes. Here's a solution, right. You drink -- in order to get rid of the hiccups you have to drink but you have drink it like that and it goes away.
BERMAN: Right. We'll do that at the break.
STARTING POINT back in a moment.
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SAMBOLIN: That's it for STARTING POINT. I'm Zoraida Sambolin.
Berman: And I'm John Berman. "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello begins right now.
