if convicted, he could go on prison for live. syria activists are staging a massive protest as they rally against the ongoing government crackdown. the funeral is for people killed by security forces. at least eight people have been killed today according to opposition forces. 22 cardinals have been appointed by pope benedict xvi. the cardinals will eventually select his successor. it's a sad day for millions around the world. you're looking at a live picture of the funeral procession on the way to the new hope baptist church and the hearse containing the body of whit knew houston who died a week ago today. our national correspondent jason

carroll is near that procession right now. he's in new york, new jersey, where services will begin 2 1/2 hours from now. jason, i understand you have some new information about what's going to take place today. >> i do, gary. i spoke to a friend of the houston family who gave me an all-details of exactly what we will be hearing, what we will be seeing when the service takes place. it's scheduled for about are noon, but the family friend telling me so many people will be backing into the new hope baptist church, they might have to slide it back just a little bit. but let's go over the program with you. it will begin with the processional. the new hope and new jersey mass choirs will be singing "the lord is my shepherd" followed by a scripture read by pastor joe carter. and when i spoke to caster carter a little earlier this week, he told me, yes, there will be tears, but this will be a musical celebration of whit knew houston's life. and you'll be hearing about that. there will be a solo by donnie

mcclerkin, followed by remarks by take ler perry who was close to whitney houston and the houston family followed by a solo by bebe wynan singing "home." then we will hear from bishop t.d. jake giving hi remarks. that will be followed by a solo by gospel singer kim burrell. she told me she will be inge singing "i believe in you and me." that is the song that was chosen by houston's family. that will be followed by remarks by kevin costner. everyone knows that, of course, he was whit knew houston's costar in "bodyguard." then we will hear from aretha frapg lynn. she will be singing a solo and sing "greatest love of all." aretha franklin also happened to be whit knew houston's godmother. then we will hear from clive

davis. then stevie wonder will lend his voice and we will be hearing him sing a ribbon in the sky. also remarks by ricky miner, the band leader want and after he gives his remarkses, alicia keys will lend her voice. we're told she will be singing a medically of songs. that will be followed by art kelly. he will stand up and sing, "i look to you." we know patricia houston, her sister-in-law will lend her voice and final words will come from dionne warwick. the entire service is expected to last a little more than three hours and we were told whitney houston will finally be laid to rest tomorrow. gary. >> we understand she's being laid to rest in westfield, new jersey, which is about 25 minutes south of newark at a cemetery there. jason, i don't know if you can see the pictures that we're looking at right now, but the hearse has pulled up to the church. what's interesting about that area is there's two different cities she grew up in, new york

and east orange. this church is about 15 memberships to the west of a house that she spent many years in, the middle school and grade school she spent years in. now as we speak, this is the very moment, this hearse with her body is pulling up to this church. it's such a sad day. tell me how people are reacting that you're talking to, jason, who knew her or are so proud that they lived in the same area that she grew up in. >> well, you know, you touched on part of it, gary. when you speak to people out here in this month community, whitney houston grew up here and became a superstar. she never dprot her roots. it wasn't unusual for whitney houston to come back on holidays and lend her voice and sing or just attend church. a number of people here knew her family, may have known cissy,

may have known some of the other houstons in the area. she never left her roots here. people may not have known her personally, but they were personally affected by her because she kept such close ties to her community. i spoke to one man who came up from south carolina. and he said, you know, cissy houston taught me in the choir. i knew the houston family. i wanted to come up and pay my respects. this is a woman who never forgot where her heart was. >> one more thing. how many people are expected inside the church? and do we expect thousands of people outside, too? >> well, pastor carter told me that the church seats about 1,500. he said he expects it to be packed. in terms of the number of fans who might be showing up outside and in the surrounding area, as you know, the area around new hope baptist church has been blocked off. the closest fans who do show up who might be able to get into the area will be at least two blocks away. so there might be a sprinkling

of fans in and around the church, in and around the area, but police are suggesting it's best to stay home and watch the service on television. >> the body of whit knew houston has arrived at her church. jason carroll, thank you very much for your report. she didn't act like a superstar. that's what one former executive from whit knew houston's record company says about her. we'll hear from him, next. they sound awesome tonight. and when i do find it, i share it with the world. you landed the u.s. tour ? done. this is fantastic ! music is my life and i want to make the most of it without missing a beat. fly without putting your life on pause. be yourself nonstop. american airlines. in your breakfast cereal, what is? now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first.

get more whole grain than any other ingredient... just look for the white check. one golden crown. come on frank how long have we known each other? go to e-trade. they got killer tools man. they'll help you nail a retirement plan that's fierce. two golden crowns. you realize the odds of winning are the same as being mauled by a polar bear and a regular bear in the same day? frank! oh wow, you didn't win? i wanna show you something... it's my shocked face. [ gasps ] ♪ [ male announcer ] get a retirement plan that works at e-trade. ah, welcome to hotels.com. i get it...guys weekend. yeah! if you're looking for a place to get together, you came to the right place. because here at hotels.com, we're only about hotels. yeah! yeah! noooo. yeah! finding you the perfect place is all we do. welcome to hotels.com

we take you liech to the new hope baptist church where about two hours and 20 minutes from now the funeral service for whit knew houston is scheduled to begin. you can see the balloons and the flowers. they've been there for days. but what's been there for a few seconds, precisely, is the hearse containing the body of whit knew houston. the hearse arrived a short time ago after coming from the funeral home to the church. the pictures you're looking at right now are where the hearse left the funeral home on the way to the church. originally, there were many people who thought the prudential center stadium was going to be the site of this funeral service because so many people, obviously, would want to

go and be a part of this. but the family made a very understandable decision to hold the funeral service just about ten minutes away from the stadium, but in a very important place in their life, the new hope baptist church which is where whit knew houston sang as a child. mr. linton, i understand that you are with the reverend jesse jackson. >> the reverend jesse jackson is with me. were you at the funeral home this morning, reverend? >> earlier today. you know, we feel such awesome pain and yet joy. the pain is for this transition, and yet she lived to be 48. she covered as many price as many people cover in lifetime. we have an awful lot.

cissy is doing better. she was so trauma advertised. we must know that her first music teacher was her mother. her first choir director was her mother. her mother never made it to the stage that whitney made it to. she sang with aretha franklin, with elvis presley. singing both with birth and an environment which whit knew rose to greatness. >> reverend, a very good friend of the family's. you mentioned cissy, the mother, krissy, the daughter. it's time now to be respectful to the family as we have been saying in the media and to pay tribute to whitney houston and her mother, her daughter, and the entire family, what they're dealing with. >> nobody can imagine the pain of losing a child unless they've lost a child or losing a mother

unless they've lost a mother. our computer focus all week has been on supporting and praying and holding hands with the family. joy comes in the morning, but the morning may not come quickly. we are here to affirm the fact that god has a place for each of us when our burdens are over on this side. >> explain to everyone saying, i was trying to explain, too, because people are watching us from all over the world want what a home going ceremony means, especially in the black community. that means we are sad, but we are happy for what you did. >> this is a home going, assuming life is like a hotel. we dmek and we check out. some check in early and some check out late, but we all check out. when we check out late, we go home. >> this is a transition. this is highly spiritual occasion. for those who have been

un-americansfully critical, i would say to those -- we have not to be judged. we know we reveal our successes. but god knows and we leave that to the helm of god to handle that mystery. but today, we pause, we preach, we praise, we celebrate. >> and reverend jesse jackson, you're known all over the world. reverend, you're known here. >> all over the neighborhood. >> you're known all over the united states. but we know that you are a reverend here and you're a very good friend of the family's. explain to our viewers your relationship to the family and this community. >> whit knew's dad helped usher in the era of black politics in newark. that's how i met her father and her mother was a choir director in the church behind us. so i've known them for over 40 years. when she was 14 years old, she was the lead singer at a choir

rehearsal we put together. >> nippy. >> nippy. she sang tremain's part. so i've known her since she was wearing plaid skirts and going to catholic schools. we've prayed with her, celebrated with her. so i feel like i've lost a family member. >> dr. king frequented this church, as well. she comes out of a tremendous sense of social justice background. many of us thought the parallels, we heard aretha at 12 years old, "i'll never grow old" out of her father's church. >> and she was nicknamed nippy by her daughter. it was a cartoon chablther that always got into trouble. >> but she always had that extra. you can tell when some kids have a special anointing. aretha had that special something at around 14. you could see it and hear it. and whitney had that special

something. she cultivated it and took it to a high level. >> hang on one second. rev rapped, we're standing here in the middle of the street and we're live, so thank you. we're here in the middle of the street standing in new york, new jersey, a community that whitney left, but she never forgot. she always came home and when her stardom started, she would come back to school here to be around regular kids and she would come back to xhurch and even sing. >> about two miles from here, there was a place called the peppermint lounge. whitney would dress up in baggy pants, put a hat on and sweatshirt to come here and hear talent right here in newark, new jersey. that's why in east orange there's a school named after her. there are people around this community who benefited from her. she was a global personal, but with a local touch. >> and even if she grappled life anticipates challenges, which are often unforeseen, her last song, "jesus loves me" takes on

the unconditional love. >> what does this day mean to you? what does it mean to the family and to her faps around the world? i think that this is just a step along the -- they must recover from. the good news is there's an awful lot left and the members are so powerful and the music will be with us forever. "i will always love you," the greatest. "the star-spangled banner" and it keeps on rising. we have to a lot to rejoice about. >> today is a sell bragdz that will help them get through it, even if they never get over it. >> thank you. we appreciate you joining us live. come back after the service. you be strong. thank you so much. we're going to move out here a little bit .show you exactly what's -- let's back up a little bit. look at the media horde around us. there are literally dozens and dozens of reporters and cameras. we'll move out here.

see how they're moving in here? dozens of cameras. let's go here so we can actually show them, the people who are crowded around the rev regard jacketson and reverend sorries. this is the scene where the new hope church is right over the top of those reporters and photographers. if you bear to the ride here, we'll show you, this is -- you see newark in the background the platform where the media are and then you see the new york, new jersey police department. their demand center. and just to show you how this community is sort of ravaged by crime, ravaged by the drugs in the 80s and nients, there's an empty project right in the shadow of the church here. but this community where whitney houston grew up, she left newark for east orange when she was 4 years old. but this is where she grew up. and started. but moved to east orange, which was a neighborhood that was on the rides r rise and people there were a little bit more

well off. but, again, never forgetting here, staying at the church just over my shoulder here, her family staying at this church, the new hope baptist church where her mom became the choir director and then she went on to the choir, as well. you know that's how she started and developing her voice as a gospel singer, which many believed was why people felt her and where there was so much emotion in her voice, because she came from the church. and, gary, talking to her vocal instructor, her voice coach, she said very rarely, if he can ever remember, with usually singers say you either have a great tone to your voice, a great voice that sounds well or you have the very muscular voice where you can sing big. usually you have one or the other. he said whitney houston had both and that was an amazing combination. let me show you more of the crowd here. so let's walk through some of this stuff. these are the reporters. look at all of them lined up here. we're still on live. are we on? can you still see us in the

control room? great. we're good. we may run out of battery. if we do, take it back. but look at all the crowd here. back over, if you go this way, turn to the right, you can see the balloons. that's where people will be arriving and you see the mounted police officers there. also -- >> i think we ran out of battery, just like don was saying. but to finish up the thoughts that don was making, they were talking about nippy, how she got her nickname. her dad thought she got into some trouble like a cartoon character. but i should stress after spending time in new york and her sfrendz and her principal, this is a girl that never got into any serious trouble whatsoever. she was quite shy and very modest and never bragged. she became a model and she didn't tell anybody about it. her friends were shocked when they saw her picture in "seventeen" magazine. her family how many home in east orange, new jersey, was the only

home in the area that had a built in swimming pool. all summer long, it was the social center of east orange. her friends would come over and swim with whit knew houston. then one of her friends said, we liked to run around the neighborhood and have fun. but whitney was too shy and quiet, but she stayed home. she stayed in the swimming pool in east orange, new jersey. more in a minute.

our special coverage does begin at 11:00 eastern. the funeral service itself for whitney houston is scheduled to begin at 12:00 noon eastern. just a while ago we were talking about don lemon saying the battery in the camera might die. it did die and that means we have a new don lemon with us. don? >> reporter: i want to show you what's going on because i think the police are encouraging people to stay home, whitney houston's fans. so if you're at home watching this, we want to show you what's going on. this is a place you'll be able to watch it. and this community -- let's show over here. this community says so much about who whitney houston is and was. you're looking at the pictures. this is about as close as you're going to get to the church.

it's about a block away. you can see all the balloons and flowers and candles that have been placed in front of the new hope baptist church in newark. on the side it says whitney houston, the queen of pop. beyond that you see command trucks for the newark police, on the other side, a barrier, and across the street, a parking lot to your right is where the people will be parking and also some of them walking through. about 1,500 people have been invited. as we move around here to the right, you can see that they have blocked off the streets. there's some mounted officer ts here, and then they set up a barrier for the media on this side and it's really media from all over the world here. i don't know if you get a sense of how many people are here. i'm talking to the people at home, the people who would like to have come here. this is what you would see if you were coming through and walking here as far as you'd be able to get up to the

barricades, if you're even a fan of whitney houston. you'd probably have to, you know, make your way past some of the media. and then around to our right -- and, again, we're doing this because people have been discouraged to come out from the newark police department. this is a little bit further down the street where -- from the church. and then you see the police command center. and to the right among all those satellite trucks obviously which are usually not here, it just shows you what this city that whitney houston came from has gone through with crime, especially with drugs and abandoned housing project here. right in front -- isn't it weird the juxtaposition of this. right in front of this abandoned housing project, you see the platform for national media here for the memorial service for whitney houston. and then just in front of them to our left, more media, a

parking lot here, empty lot, and then, of course, the new hope baptist church from this venue from this level where we're looking at where whitney houston will be mem oralized today by so many loving family members and also members of the music community, the most prominent members of the music community from all over the world, gary. ing. >> don, we're looking right now at another live picture that you may not be able to see. the hearse has just left the church. it arrived there about 15 minutes ago. we see it right now going past the balloons and flowers in front of the church. so we do expect, i imagine, most of the guests to arrive at any minute, is that correct? they were supposed to arrive at 10:00 or 11:00 eastern time? >> reporter: yeah. and we did see guests a arrive earlier. we see the gold hearse carrying whitney houston's body. and it's either going to stay

parked in front until the services are over or go away and then come back. i was explaining to our viewers earlier, some people were wondering why you have the home-going ceremony today and the funeral -- the actual burial tomorrow. and the african-american community quite hospital evidently in the united states, that's how you do it. sometimes grow right to the funeral home or right to the funeral, you wait a day, take your time and then lay your loved ones to rest. people are starting to arrive. when you talk about guests starting to arrive, these are our guests starting to arrive here at the new hope church in the parking lot. they're starting to arrive. it's going to be about a three, three and a half hour service. we're going to carry it for you live. because the police are discouraging you not to come out, you can watch all of it on cnn, gary.

>> all right, don. thank you. we see traffic building up on the right side of the screen. thank you very much. the special coverage begins at 11:00 eastern time. the service scheduled to begin at 1 2:00 noon eastern time. we'll be right back. r future. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪ i like yoplait. it is yoplait. but you said it was greek. mmhmm. so is it greek or is it yoplait? exactly. okay... [ female announcer ] yoplait. it is so greek.

are you still sleeping? just wanted to check and make sure that we were on schedule. the first technology of its kind... mom and dad, i have great news. is now providing answers families need. siemens. answers.