Skip to main content

tv   Early Start  CNN  April 9, 2012 2:00am-4:00am PDT

2:00 am
appreciate you joining us this weekend. thanks for watching. good night and have a great week. see you back here next weekend. good morning. welcome to "early start." it's 5:00 a.m. here in the east. let's get started. >> the terror in tulsa appears to be over. two suspects are headed to court this morning, after a killing spree that had people too scared to come out of their homes for 48 hours. and a facebook post that may point to revenge as a possible motive. we'll know if george zimmerman will be charged in shooting and killing trayvon
2:01 am
martin. after 43 days, the grand jury may take up the case. line of fire. it's not a war zone. it's i-5 in l.a. look at the pictures. 6,000 gallons of fuel erupting into flames and shutting down the interstate. a guy named bubba wins the green jacket. at the masters, if you watched it, one of golf's favorites has a major title. >> amazing pictures of him crying. we want to start with this. police in tulsa, oklahoma, investigating whether last week's shooting spree was triggered by racism and revenge. there's two suspects in custody after five people were shot and three of them died. all of those victims were block. 19-year-old jake england and 33-year-old alvin watts are set to be arraigned later this morning. at this point, police aren't calling it a hate crime. but a facebook post by one of
2:02 am
the suspects, suggests there may have been something that triggered this that was racially motivated. tulsa's mayor says he's thankful this is all over. >> the city of tulsa has never seen such violence in its modern history. and we're so pleased that this has now come to an end, this portion of it. and we'll continue to support the prosecution and the eventual going to trial that will resolve, hopefully, in this thing coming to a very good, swift and justified end. >> cnn's jason carol is following developments for us. live in tulsa this morning. police not calling it a hate crime. but authorities investigating this. what's the story here? >> we're leaving that open as a possibility, ashleigh. there's been all these references to jake england and what he posted on his facebook
2:03 am
page. two years ago, jake england's father was killed by a black man. that happened on april 5th, 2010. and last thursday, which was also april 5th, there was some facebook postings on jake england's facebook page, where he used a racial epithet to refer to the man who had shot his father. that man was an african-american man. he said the following. it might be the time to call it quits. he also made a reference to possibility there would be another funeral. these are some of the things that investigators will be looking at, ashleigh, as they put together their investigation and try to determine if hate crimes -- he's two gentlemen will be facing hate crimes. knees are some of the things they'll be looking at as they proceed with their relation. >> jason, those two suspects are expected to make an appearance later this morning, aren't they? >> they are. that arraignment is scheduled to
2:04 am
happen at about 10:00 a.m. this morning. they will not be appearing here in the courtroom, ashleigh. that's because we hear it will be done via video conference from the jail. they will be read the charges. they will not be entering a plea. don't have an attorney. they will be assigned one today. that will be the arrangement that will be at 10:00 a.m. right here. >> jason carroll, thank you for that. later on, the tulsa mayor, dewey bartlett will join us live. a grand jury is expected to convene this week in florida, and may take up the case of trayvon martin. they're meeting as soon as tomorrow. meanwhile, protests calling for the arrest of george zimmerman.
2:05 am
prosecutors and defense attorneys are strategizing and trying to answer some key questions. martin savidge is live in sanford. how likely is it that the grand jury will examine this case? >> reporter: we're outside of the sanford police department, just to change venue for you. it's unclear how much the grand jury would play. the special prosecutor in this case, has said in cases like this that she has overseen, she has never used a grand jury. there's no reason to think she may break that string of handling the cases, in this particular case. it's unclear whether a grand jury is needed. if that is true, we may hear at any time what kind of investigation what kind of outcome she may have. many in this community are on pins and needles. it's either going to charge, clear or send it to the grand jury. we think she is going to handle
2:06 am
it on her own. >> there's still a lot of protests. people saying they're not going to give up. and they're going to keep a spotlight on this case. >> that is true. there was a group that came out over the weekend. the trained defenders. these are colleges that are students or alums. and they marched in the style of the traditional civil rights marches. and they are seeking justice for trayvon martin. among those who watched was the mayor of sanford. and he is concerned about what the ruling could be from the state attorney's office. this community has been preparing, with contingency plans. i spoke to him. this is what he said. >> people that come into our city, everything's been peaceful. the message that they wanted to get out, they got it out.
2:07 am
there hasn't been any violence or any activities other than, you know, peaceful protests. peaceful march. my expectation, i'm hoping that that will continue. if one way or another, or whatever the decision is. you have to plan for the other side of it, too. >> and they have been planning for the other side. they've been reaching out to other communities and counties, in case they need additional law enforcement, firefighters, whatever. they're also representatives from if department of justice, as well. >> what about the people that are living in those communities? what are they saying about all of this? >> of course, they believe that sanford is, unfortunately, fallen under a very difficult spotlight. they're glad that the protests and demonstrations have been peaceful. they are mixed on this case. some say a great injustice has been served here. others want it to play out.
2:08 am
but right now, they believe this could be a critical week. and we're all waiting to see what the outcome is. >> martin savidge, live in sanford, florida, for us. it is seven minutes past 5:00. this just in, a little relief for you at the gas pumps. i don't usually get a chance to say this. i'm kind of thrilled. gas prices slightly down this morning. we have a new national average for you. are you ready? $3.93 for a gallon of unleaded. that's down 0.2 of a cent. >> that's exciting. eight minutes past the hour. it was a battle to the finish and beyond. bubba watson won the 76th masters tournament. beating louis oosthuizen in a playoff. a double-eagle, only the fourth in the history of the masters. but that's was the lead.
2:09 am
watson started the final round in fourth place. but shot a 68 to force the playoff. >> going back to my childhood, going back to my wife, what my wife said to me, what my mom said to me. just put my head down. i've done this before. my caddie says, you're a good golfer. you're here for a reason. you can do this. you've hit all these shots before. you just have to do it at this moment. >> he's always been one of golf's great characters. now, he has a green jacket. he's hugging his mom. crying. he and his mom adopted a baby boy. in his wildest dreams, he never imagined this. >> my family watches golf all the time. it's on in the home when i'm visiting them over vacation times. this is the only time i've been glued to the screen at a win. i got lumped in my throat. i felt checked up for him. he was crying.
2:10 am
>> it is tough for him. >> such an emotional moment. it's wonderful to see someone who appreciates a win like that. not that they don't all appreciate it. in the morning on the west coast, coming up, some very emotional and painful days lay ahead for jennifer hudson. jury selection is about to get under way in the case of the man who is charged with killing her family members. and she, herself, just may end up taking the stand. [ man ] gillette wanted to see how far one proglide cartridge could go. so they sent me around the world to find out. one world. 5 weeks. the only thing that didn't change was my razor. [ male announcer ] up to 5 weeks of comfortable shaves with one proglide cartridge. great things start with gillette.
2:11 am
how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ in here, the landscaping business grows with snow. to keep big winter jobs on track, at&t provided a mobile solution that lets everyone
2:12 am
from field workers to accounting, initiate, bill, and track work in real time. you can't live under a dome in minnesota, that's why there's guys like me. [ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ this reduced sodium soup says it may help lower cholesterol, how does it work? you just have to eat it as part of your heart healthy diet. step 1. eat the soup. all those veggies and beans, that's what may help lower your cholesterol and -- well that's easy [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. cuban that's what may help lower your cholesterol and -- well that's easy cajun raw seafood pizza parlor french fondue tex-mex fro-yo tapas puck chinese takeout taco truck free range chicken pancake stack baked alaska 5% cash back.
2:13 am
right now, get 5% cash back at restaurants. it pays to discover. i have two products in front of you. we are going to start with product x. this is a very affordable product that will help save you a, lot of money. i like it.. i like it too. this is product y. this is a much more expensive product. you will not see a lot of savings with this one... harsh. you chose geico and you did not choose their competitor. was this your first car insurance taste test? 13 minutes past 5:00 on the east coast. time to get the stories making news this morning. >> in tulsa, oklahoma, two suspects will be arraigned today. 19-year-old jacob england and
2:14 am
33-year-old alvin watts shot five people, killing three of them. england's facebook posting may suggest that the killings may have been revenge for the killing of his father by a black man. singer jennifer hudson is expected to testify in the murder trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and nephew. the prosecutors will say that william belfour, the estranged husband of her sister, gunned down that family in a fit of jealous rage. parts of two l.a. freeways are reopened this morning after a tanking hauling 6,000 gallons of fuel exploded and left a river of fire flowing down the highway. it shut down an interchange between two of the busiest roads in the country. police say a drunk driver collided with the tanker, sparking that explosion. the diver survived and was arrested. the new york woman accused
2:15 am
of running a multimillion-dollar escort service is expected to be back in court this morning. she is the alleged madame. and she is trying to get her $2 million bail reduced. she has been in solitary since february. "the hunger games" was number one for the third-straight weekend. it's now made $330 million. "american reunion" was second. "titanic" in 3d was third with $17.5 million. >> "titanic" coming back out and getting into the top three. >> did you see "hunger games" yet? >> i was okay with it. wouldn't have been my first choice. but what i liked the most about "hunger games," the audience and how they reacted. all of the tweens and teenies in there. crying. that was adorable. >> i have to see it. >> it's a good movie. for an expanded look at what we were telling you, head to our
2:16 am
blog, cnn.com/earlystart. now, your travel weather. we're going to check in with rob marciano. >> have you seen "hunger games"? >> i haven't. >> you look that age. >> my wife's read all of the books. we're going at some point. >> really? >> i had no idea it was such a popular -- >> you are so hip. >> i haven't read it. >> windy weekend. winds whipping up across parts of florida, volusia county. along north-central florida. there are four separate incidences. they have their hands full, saturday and sunday. most of these have been contained and the winds have died down somewhat. since the beginning of the year, florida has seen 20,000 acres burned by these fires. we have a red flag out for the north. that's when the winds will be
2:17 am
gusting 30 to 40 times. the extreme northeast, we'll seeing moisture, rotating around a pretty strong trough up here. that's why we're seeing the cooler air and showers. extreme northern new england. more accumulating snow expected across parts of maine. to the south, shouldn't be terribly cool. the next two or three days, right in the heart of tornado ally, is where we expect to see severe weather. a chance of isolated tornadoes. but the storm chasers will be out there. and we'll probably see video coming in. 78 degrees expected in atlanta today. beautiful day. and 62 degrees in chicago. and it will be windy. but not terribly cool. 64 for the high in new york. hope you enjoyed your easter passover. and bubba watson at the masters. >> thank you, rob. it's 17 minutes past five on
2:18 am
the east coast. we're getting an early read on the headlines this morning. got a couple papers from los angeles and from new york. should we start in los angeles? >> sure. >> so, there is a new study that's out. and moms to be this, is fascinating. they have a study -- they're highlighting a study that's putting a link between autism and obesity during pregnancy. it's finding that pregnant women who are obese or have diabetes or hypertension are more than two-times to have children with developmental delays. very troubling for women who are slightly overweight during pregnancy. when i say slightly, i mean obese. the researchers say the results are premature. but it's something to look at. >> hopefully they do more research there. 18 minutes past the hour. "the new york times" next for you. in comedy, timing is everything.
2:19 am
and a new comedy could come at a worse time. it's called "neighborhood watch." they're thinking about this because of the trayvon martin case. it was scheduled to come out in july. now, fox is pulling the advertisements and the trailers, like this one. >> sergeant, he assaulted us with eggs. >> look at me. >> look at me. >> look at him and listen to me. >> listen to him. but look at him while he's talking. >> look at my face. >> if fox does put the film on hold, it won't be the first time they've done this. fox rescheduled the sniper film "phone booth," after the sniper attacks. you had a good idea, change the name. >> until i saw the leather jackets had "neighborhood watch" on them. it looks more intricate. you shot all of the scenes.
2:20 am
>> they may focus on other things. there's a lot of aliens and do the marketing that way. >> that's a really unfortunate story for fox. >> it looked like it was going to be very funny. just the timing. timing is everything. >> i was laughing all the way through the trailer. "wall street journal," you normally pick it up and read your business headlines. but if you go under the fold, in is great. a story called hawaii turns to dog shrinks as incessant barkers enter pleas. owners are worried about their dogs barking. if your dog barks for ten minutes or intermittently for 20 minutes, you could be subject for fines up to $575. and your dog has to leave the neighborhood. >> gosh. >> i know. it's barks, bays, cries and howls that are the problem. but all the people who are worried about their dogs,
2:21 am
they're turning to dog psychologists. >> i used to have one of these in my neighborhood in chicago. >> a barker? >> all night long. i tried talking to the owners. >> outside? >> yeah. it was difficult. >> that ain't fair. >> if the psychologist can solve it, go for it. >> doggy shrinks making money on the big island. 20 minutes past the hour here. your 401(k) had a really rough day. the markets react to friday's jobs report. the future's not looking good right now. >> future not so bright? can't wear shades. slow.' bet you think you're pretty quick? yeah, i guess it is pretty quick. jesse?!? jesse? jesse?! much obliged. suddenly, everything else seems old-fashioned.
2:22 am
ultrabook. inspired by intel. you know who you are. you can part a crowd, without saying a word. you have yet to master the quiet sneeze. you stash tissues like a squirrel stashes nuts. well, muddlers, muddle no more. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour 1 on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3. zyrtec®. love the air. in neckarsulm, a great roar was heard and things changed. children adjusted dreams. victories became habitual. thumbs grew new calluses. hollywood hopped on the bandwagon. air traveled in style. and for the first time ever, journalists ran out of adjectives. and so concludes chapter 1 of the legendary audi r8. ♪
2:23 am
[ female announcer ] introducing new nature valley protein bars. 100% natural ingredients like roasted peanuts... ♪ ...creamy peanut butter, and a rich dark chocolate flavor. plus, 10 grams of great tasting protein in every bar. so it's energy straight from nature to you. new nature valley protein bars. find them in the granola bar aisle. but when she got asthma, all i could do was worry ! specialists, lots of doctors, lots of advice... and my hands were full. i couldn't sort through it all. with unitedhealthcare, it's different. we have access to great specialists, and our pediatrician gets all the information. everyone works as a team. and i only need to talk to one person about her care. we're more than 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers.
2:24 am
unitedhealthcare. ifif y youou'r're e lolookokinio geget t totogegethther, yoyou u cacameme t to o ththe. bebecacaususe e heherere a at, wewe'r're e ononlyly a abob. fifindndining g yoyou u ththe e isis a allll w we e do. wewelclcomome e toto h hot. it's 24 minutes past 5:00 on the east coast. we're minding your business news. and the markets may have some explaining to do today. >> they do. they were closed for friday and have to respond to the lukewarm
2:25 am
jobs report. good morning. nice to have you. >> nice to be here. unfortunately, this is the first time markets can react to a disappointing jobs report. only 120,000 jobs were created in the last month. they were expecting 200,000. that was upsetting to the marketplace. this is the first reaction they're going to have. the futures market is down 1% so far in open-market trading. what we're looking at is the market is now going to be focusing on earnings. alcoa coming out tomorrow. and people are expected that the growth rate in corporate earnings is not going to be that good, either. >> i heard someone of record suggest that we could have actually had that jobs report on thursday. they could have let it out early to allow numbers to have a reaction on thursday. >> you mean, thursday morning. that could have happened thursday morning. >> well, but generally -- >> i had heard they had moved
2:26 am
this in the past when they had a good friday or a friday holiday. >> not really. >> no? >> the thursday jobs number is the weekly report. and the friday number is the monthly report. that's the distinction there. they wouldn't have let it come out earlier than that. >> and there i was, thinking there was strategery going on. >> what's interesting and what you're really pointed at, is the fact that the number fell to 8.2%. it was at 8.3%. it's significant because 8.2%, obviously indicates that things are getting better. and it's not. people have fallen out of the jobs market. they've gotten so despondent about looking for a job, they've fallen out of the market. >> they stop looking. they don't get counted anymore. >> no, right. >> that's where the 8.2% goes. and that's what you're referring to. >> i don't know what i'm referring to. i know what other smart people tell me. i just pass it on.
2:27 am
still ahead. was a tulsa killing spree an act of racial revenge? we'll ask tulsa's mayor. and retracing the "titanic." a memorial cruise 100 years of after its fateful voyage. yummy. [ woman ] lower cholesterol. [ man 2 ] yummy. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste and whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. that's why there's new glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. [ male announcer ] new glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes. [ male announcer ] we believe small things can make a big difference. like how a little oil from here can be such a big thing in an old friend's life. purina one discovered that by blending enhanced botanical oils into our food,
2:28 am
we can help brighten an old dog's mind so he's up to his old tricks. with this kind of thinking going into our food, imagine all the goodness that can come out of it. just one way we're making the world a better place... one pet at a time. vibrant maturity. from purina one smartblend. one pet at a time. you know what's exciting, graduation. when i look up into my student's faces, i see pride. you know, i have done something worthwhile.
2:29 am
when i earned my doctorate through university of phoenix, that pride, that was on my face. i am jocelyn taylor, i am committed to making a difference in peoples lives and i am a phoenix.
2:30 am
it's 30 minutes past the hour. welcome back to "early start." >> nice to have you with us. time to check the top stories making headlines this morning. we begin in tulsa, oklahoma, where police are investigating
2:31 am
whether revenge and race came into play in a killing spree over the holiday weekend. we're going to talk with tulsa's mayor in a few moments. fresh north korea nuclear fears this morning. south korea now claiming that the north is planning to test its third nuclear weapon. in, as it shows off a long-range rocket that was just moved into place on the launch pad. >> he was absolutely fearless. he would get to the very core of the story. a legend on the passing of a legend. morley safer talking about his friend and colleague, mike wallace, who has died at the age of 93. being remembered as a tough, relentless, nosey to the core journalist. we'll look back at his career and what it means to all of us. a sentimental voyage.
2:32 am
a cruise ship retracing the path of the "titanic," 100 years after its maiden and only voyage. the people onboard, many of them relatives of the passengers on the "titanic." two men accused of going on a killing spree in oklahoma will be in court today. three people were killed and two injured. this was early friday morning. all five victims were black. officials are now calling the incident a hate crime, however. but jake england, the suspect on the left, made a facebook posting that could indicate a motive. here it is. quote, today is two years that my dad has been gone. shot by an expletive and racial slur. i'm gone in the head. r.i.p. dad and sharon. i love and miss you. i think about both of you every second of the day. sharon was a reference to his 24-year-old fiancee, who had committed suicide right in front
2:33 am
of him. i'm joined by the tulsa mayor. the two men you have in custody, are they cooperating? >> i do believe that they have been interrogated for a very, very lengthy period of time. their level of cooperation, i don't know. i do know this community is very glad that they have been arrested and put behind bars. and now, we'll start a process that we will be able to find out what the real motives are. >> so, we haven't heard anything new about a motive in this case? >> no, i haven't. it's really the investigation portion now and the prosecution portion in a begins. and they have a lot of information to sit through. both the district attorney's office, the city prosecutor's office, they will be involved, as well as the police department, obviously.
2:34 am
but it will be their observations and decisions about how they do they approach this event. whether it's a hate crime. but certainly, the motive. what was the intent? why the randomness of this activity. a lot of questions. and hopefully, we'll get to the bottom of them soon so we can move on and get back to our great way of life in tulsa. >> there's some speculation about it being a hate crime because of what he was writing on facebook. and perhaps avenging the death of his father. do you know anything about that and the man who was charged there? >> i don't know anything about it specifically, other than what we read in the media. it points to quite a disturbance in a person's life. but that's no excuse for the randomness and the violence of such activity. this is something that we would
2:35 am
not wish upon any city in this country. but fortunately, in tulsa, we've been able to come together in a positive, united way. that's really why, in my opinion, this came to an end so quickly. we, as a community, united in the effort of finding these people. and we asked the community directly for their help. they participated. they gave a lot of tips. that led to the arrest of these two individuals. we're very, very glad that the community did unite together and bring in to a -- that portion of it to a close. >> do we know anything about the relationship between these two men, alvin watts and mr. england? >> the only thing we know is they are roommates. they shared the same address, the same house. but we don't know what the relationship has been prior to this point in time. there's quite a disparity in age. and background.
2:36 am
different ethnic background, et cetera. so, it's all coming together at some point. we'll find out a lot more about it. but right now, we're at the beginning stage of all that activity. we certainly have appreciated the media's assistance on getting the word out to bring this to a close. and that's been a very, very good result. >> you mentioned earlier, a hate crime, right? and this being racially motivated. don lemon spoke with warren blackly, the head of the naacp. >> this is heavily african-american. and many who live in the city live in that area. and for a white male to come deep into that area of north tulsa, and start shooting people, african-americans, that lends itself for me to believe
2:37 am
that this probably was a hate crime. >> mayor, you were born in tulsa. you've lived there for decades. what do you make of this? do you think there is some racial tension in your town? this, perhaps, could have been a hate crime? >> no. there's no racial tension in the town at all now. we've gone beyond that decades ago, really. you have two individuals that were arrested, where they were found is not too far away from where the shootings occurred, for example. why they were there, we don't know. there's obviously a tie to the five african-americans that were shot and the two arrested. in tulsa, we've approached this that whatever affects a portion of tulsa, no matter where that is or whom it is, it affects the
2:38 am
entirety of our city, good or bad. we've had that attitude. and what we've come up with is a good approach that's united the community. without the leadership and the commitment from the african-american community, for example, i don't believe we'd have the success we've had in the last few days of bringing the arrests and brought people into jail. and continuing on the investigation to see how and why this terrible tragedy that occurred. we now focus on those families. >> you know, i wanted to ask you about that before we go. we don't have a lot of time. on the two victims released from the hospital, are they okay and talking? >> yes. they're out of hospital. they're in good shape. for having been shot, obviously. but they're in good shape. and they are communicating with the authorities at this point. and hoping that will lead us more to have better information. >> mayor dewey bartlett, we
2:39 am
appreciate your time this morning and wish you luck. >> thank you very much. we appreciate yours. >> all right. ashleigh, back to you. 38 minutes past 5:00 on the east coast. north korea has south korea claiming that the north is getting ready to conduct its third nuclear test. aside from the nuclear fears there is the matter of a long-range rocket launch, too. pyongyang has moved a rocket into position. that's triggered fears of a ballistic missile test. north korea is insisting it wants to put a satellite into orbit. in a rare move, it showed off the hardware, inviting foreign journalists to look at its top-secret launch site. our stan grant got a chance to take a look. >> this is about north korean pride. about their right to launch a satellite. and refuting any claims this is not a satellite launch. but a covert missile operation.
2:40 am
>> translator: i'm very disturbed. >> reporter: he can deny that it's a missile? >> translator: look for yourselves with your own eyes. then, you can judge whether it's a ballistic missile or a -- >> fascinating to be able to watch that. in the meantime, a lot of experts are saying this could be a test of a long-range missile technology that might be used to strike the u.s. and other targets, as well. tough but fair. that's how mike wallace wanted to be remembered. the legendary newsman died over the weekend at the age of 93. >> and he calls you, imam, forgive me, his words, not mine, a lunatic. the translator worried about translating the question. >> mike wallace had a reputation
2:41 am
like none other. he was aggressive. he was fearless in his reporting. along with harry reasoner, mike wallace was the original correspondent on "60 minutes" dating back to 1968. he's being remembered with fondness and with respect. >> he brought the story. he went to the action. and he gave you the story. was it objective? sometimes yes. sometimes no. sometimes very subjective. but he got to the core of things. and he enabled you -- you almost felt like you were with him when he was in the trenches. >> people have an indefinable quality that makes people wants to take to him immediately. and find themselves repelled by it. it's a unique talent.
2:42 am
>> morley safer calls wallace a one-man truth squad. cbs is going to have a tribute to mike wallace on next sunday's "60 minutes" broadcast. something tells me that will be one of the more highly-rated "60 minutes." one of the highest rated news shows of all-time. remembering the tragedy of the "titanic." a commemorative cruise set sail from britain on sunday. it's retracing the exact steps of the ill-fated voyage. some passengers are the descendants of victims. others on the cruise consider themselves "titanic" history buffs. dressing up in period costumes. the so-called unsinkable "titanic" went down after it struck an iceberg off the coast of newfoundland.
2:43 am
>> a survivor clung to a lifeboat with a number of other people. there were so many onboard, a lifeboat was turned over. they spent the entire night calling out to all the other lifebo lifeboats, come and get us. we're floating but alive. no one came to rescue them. when they say the "car path ya coming," they a book. and he ended up committing suicide, after the death of one of his children. an amazing account. an account like i haven't seen before. the detail of watching that thing go down. remarkable. >> i can't imagine being on that ship, you know? especially if your family -- >> i know. i'm trying to remember when the last "titanic" survivor died. i think it was recent. it's creepy to see it in period clothing, too. 43 past 5:00 on the east coast. a reality check for newt gingrich. he's given a big nod to mitt romney. and yet, nod or not, not
2:44 am
stepping aside. why is newt gingrich sticking through to the end? the greatest race on plastic, big wheels bringing out the kid in so many people on easter sunday. don't you want to do this? >> big wheels keep on turning. sing it like tina. [ male announcer ] this is genco services -- mcallen, texas. in here, heavy rental equipment in the middle of nowhere, is always headed somewhere. to give it a sense of direction, at&t created a mobile asset solution to protect and track everything. so every piece of equipment knows where it is, how it's doing or where it goes next. ♪ this is the bell on the cat. [ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ impact wool exports from new zealand, textile production in spain, and the use of medical technology in the u.s.?
2:45 am
at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex, global economy. it's just one reason over 75% of our mutual funds beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment information, risks, fees and expenses to read and consider carefully before investing. but proven technologies allow natural gas producers to supply affordable, cleaner energy, while protecting our environment. across america, these technologies protect air - by monitoring air quality and reducing emissions... ...protect water - through conservation and self-contained recycling systems... ... and protect land - by reducing our footprint and respecting wildlife. america's natural gas... domestic, abundant, clean energy to power our lives... that's smarter power today.
2:46 am
2:47 am
two men face possible hate crime charges for gunning down three people in tulsa, oklahoma. the suspects, 19-year-old jake england, and 33-year-old alvin watts, set to be arraigned later this morning. police say england may have been out to avenge his father's killing by a black man. it is now 43 days since a florida teenager was shot and killed by self-appointed
2:48 am
neighborhood watch captain, george zimmerman. tensions remain high as martin's family continue to call for zimerman's arrest. the u.s. navy will provide computation for those affected friday by the military jet crash in a virginia beach apartment complex. it will total about $2,300 per individual resident. more for families. dozens of apartment units were destroyed. but incredibly, no one was killed or seriously hurt. and he is not going anywhere. the newt gingrich is making a major concession to republican rival, mitt romney. >> you have to be realistic, given the size of his organization, given the number of primaries he has won, he is far and away the most likely republican nominee. and if gets the delegates, i'll
2:49 am
support him. but can he defeat obama? the entire goal of the republican party has to be to defeat barack obama. >> gingrich says he's staying in the race to help the party build a conservative platform. he says, if romney is the republican nominee, he'll work as hard for him as he would have for himself. it's not easter in washington until the eggs roll. and today, the first family is expecting 35,000 people to join them on the south lawn for the annual white house easter egg roll. this year's theme is let's go, let's play, let's move. let's move is first lady michelle obama's campaign to end childhood obesity in the united states. >> i love watching those pictures. look at them. those kids are having a blast. i think they're more interested in the eggs than the fact that the president is helping them. >> of course. >> right? can you imagine that? >> the easter bunny. >> out of my way. the president.
2:50 am
49 minutes past 5:00. and easter is typically a huge sports day. and the headliner may be the big wheel race. dozens of kids and adults, racing down the steep hills of san francisco, during the 11th annual wyobw. bring your own big wheel. the yellow flag came up during a multibig wheel pileup. oh, ow. watch out. nice bunny ears, though. look at them. they're having such a great time. everybody cheering them on. everybody okay, despite the pileup. might have looked like it was painful. >> that is so much fun. should happen everywhere. a pastor saying he is the next-best guest to having the pope. >> wow. really? >> tim tebow drawing thousands at easter sunday. [ man ] ring ring... progresso this reduced sodium soup says it may help lower cholesterol, how does it work? you just have to eat it as part of your heart healthy diet.
2:51 am
step 1. eat the soup. all those veggies and beans, that's what may help lower your cholesterol and -- well that's easy [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. with determination. courage. and all the points i earned with my citi thankyou card. [ male announcer ] the citi thankyou card. redeem points for travel on any airline with no blackout dates.
2:52 am
2:53 am
welcome back. it's 53 minutes past the hour. time to look at what is trending on the interwebs. the pastor joked he is the biggest thing in christianity right now, next to the pope. >> that's serious. >> tim tebow. he spoke in front of a crowd of 15,000 people during an easter church service, held outdoors in georgetown, texas. he says it's a good thing when people are outspoken about their faith.
2:54 am
and he said the country needs to get back to being one country under god. he also talked about this tebowing craze. >> it's kind of crazy. i don't think i was the first athlete to get on a knee and pray. and it's funny because i've actually had the same routine the last seven years. and just this year, they started calling it tebowing, which i have no idea why. but i've been doing the same thing for the last seven years. this year, it seemed to get popular. but i do think it's pretty cool because at least prayer is being talked about. >> he didn't say excited. he didn't say anything about being excited. by the way, he said excited like 40-plus times when he was being announced to the new york community. >> thank you, tim tebow. after the primary wins last week, mitt romney seems to have a stranglehold on the gop race. but it was a funny take by "snl" on romney's pro-everything campaign. see how they played it. >> you know, ann and i have
2:55 am
lived and traveled all over the world. but i'll let you in on a little secret. the only place that has ever truly felt like home, is right here, east st. louis, illinois. [ laughter ] >> are you crazy? this is a hell hole. [ laughter ] >> really? i find it to be such a lovely place. >> trust me, i'm the mayor. [ laughter ] this place is a hell hole. we live in a hell hole. >> yeah. we hate it here. >> okay. all right. unfortunately, with our schedules, ann and i don't get to nearly as many cock fights as we'd like. but let me tell you. cockfighting has brought us more sheer enjoyment in our marriage than anything we have ever experienced. you know in all honesty, i can't remember a time when dungeons and dragons wasn't an important
2:56 am
part of my life. >> we don't believe you. >> nobody wants to get sick. but i always felt if i had to develop a chronic disease, i hoped it would be adult onset diabetes. what a fascinating illness. you know, when people ask me, mitt, just how many piercings do you have? [ laughter ] well, i always say, more than i need. but less than i want. >> a piercing convention. >> well, there's a moment. that gets your day started out right. a little bit of laughter. >> did you see kristen wiig acting mortified. she is leaving the cast. she is. leaving the cast of "saturday night live." >> we'll miss them. >> what will we do about late-night laughs? still ahead on "early start," two white suspects could face hate crime charges for a deadly shooting spree in a black neighborhood of tulsa, oklahoma.
2:57 am
a facebook posting suggests revenge may have been the motive. we're going to have a live report from tulsa, coming up. [] if your kid can recognize your sneeze from a crowd... you're probably muddling through allergies. try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. zyrtec®. love the air. on the first day you take it. durn'it, this thing's runnin' slow. bet you think you're pretty quick? yeah, i guess it is pretty quick. jesse?!? jesse? jesse?! much obliged. suddenly, everything else seems old-fashioned. ultrabook. inspired by intel. but when she got asthma, all i could do was worry ! specialists, lots of doctors, lots of advice... and my hands were full.
2:58 am
i couldn't sort through it all. with unitedhealthcare, it's different. we have access to great specialists, and our pediatrician gets all the information. everyone works as a team. and i only need to talk to one person about her care. we're more than 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. 8% every 10 years.age 40, we can start losing muscle -- wow. wow. but you can help fight muscle loss with exercise and ensure muscle health. i've got revigor. what's revigor? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. [ female announcer ] ensure muscle health has revigor and protein to help protect, preserve, and promote muscle health. keeps you from getting soft.
2:59 am
[ major nutrition ] ensure. nutrition in charge!
3:00 am
good morning. welcome to "early start". i'm ashleigh banfield. >> and i'm zoraida sambolin. it is 56 a.6:00 a.m. in the eas. the terror in tulsa seems to be over. two suspects are heading to court this morning. plus a facebook post that may point to revenge as a possible motive. we could know in days whether george zimmerman will be charged in the shooting killing
3:01 am
of trayvon martin. after 43 day it's possible the grand jury will take up the case. in north korea a rocket in position for launch right now. >> a gay named bubba wins the coveted green jacket, bubba watson pulling off an emotional and sudden grinding death win at the masters and one of golf's favorites finally has a major title. they're not calling it a hate crime but police in tulsa, oklahoma, are investigating whether race and revenge played a role in last week's deadly shooting spree. two suspects were arrested, 19-year-old jake england and 33-year-old jason watts. england my have been motivated
3:02 am
for revenge for his father's killing two years ago. we asked tulsa's mayor about the investigation in our first hour. >> they have a lot of information to sift through, both the district attorney's office, city prosecutor's office would be very involved as well as the police department obviously but it will be their observation and decisions about how they do approach this event, whether or not it's a hate crime, those issues have to be determined but certainly the motive and what was the intent, why the randomness of this activity. >> cnn's jason carroll is live in tulsa, oklahoma. what are authorities telling us about the possibility of hate crime charges? >> reporter: zoraida, you heard what the mayor said. they're going to try to determine and need more time in order to do this, come one a motivation for why the suspects allegedly acted in the way they did. you alleged to the facebook page from jake england.
3:03 am
it was two years ago on april 5th his father was killed by an african-american and on thursday england wrote about that on his facebook page, he used a racial slur and also said "it might just be the time to call it quits." he also made reference to "it may be time for another funeral to happen," that was on thursday and the shootings happened on friday. that's when the shootings started to happen again on friday. this is one of the things investigators will determine with regard to these two suspects. if those types of charges are brought forth his office would support that. >> and the suspects are due in court this morning. what can we expect? >> reporter: that will be 10:00 a.m. happening here but we're
3:04 am
told the two suspects will not physically appear in court, this will be done by video conference from jail. they'll be read the charges. if they do not have an attorney they'll be assigned one later on and they are not expected to enter a plea. this is procedural legal stuff that will be going on throughout the day. >> jason carroll live in tulsa, oklahoma, for us, thank you very much. it is four minutes past 6:00 and a grand jury is expected to possibly take up the case of trayvon martin, and if it happens, it happens as early as tomorrow. both sides, prosecutors and defense attorneys are strategizing, planning to deliver their answers to key questions in the case. in the meantime new protests we can report on for this weekend calling for the arrest of george zimmerman as well as neonazi group claiming it has armed patrols in sanford. police saying they have seen no such patrols.
3:05 am
martin savidge is live in sanford. how likely at this point do we feel, notwithstanding the state attorney's comments about the case that the grand jury impanelled might actually see this case? >> reporter: good morning, ashleigh. i think there's a strong sense of anticipation that sometime this week we may see a decision. whether that comes as a result of a grand jury or weather it comes as a result of special prosecutor angela curry, no one seems to know but there is that anticipation here in this community and else where. of course, we know the special prosecutor has three options, to charge george zimmerman, to clear him, or put this into the hands of the grand jury. the community of sanford is feeling sort of well very much caught in the middle here because if there is a decision and if that decision is not to arrest and charge george zimmerman, there's concern about possible backlash against the community. if he is arrested we move on to the next phase. i sort of talked about this with
3:06 am
the mayor of sanford and how this community is trying to prepare. here's what he said. >> the people that come into our city, everything's been peaceful. the message that they wanted to get out, they got it out. there hasn't been any violence or any activities other than peaceful protests, peaceful march. my expectation i'm hoping it will continue, whatever that decision is but you got to plan for the other side of it, too. >> reporter: and they are planning for the other side of it, if they need to call in additional law enforcement from the county or other nearby communities, they are prepared to do so. group called the dream defenders ended a three-day march in sanford, yesterday, and they are still in the area today. there could be more possible demonstrations of some sort, ashleigh. >> grand jurors come from the community, and this is the community that is watching all
3:07 am
of these demonstrations and seeing some of these heightened tensions in this area, not just the neighborhood, but the surrounding state and the country itself. is there concern about continued protests in the community today and of course that other story that we had, the neonazi protest, is there concern that the tension's going to get out of hand? >> reporter: well there's always that concern. the neonazi white supremacists, there's been no indication of that, but it does show you how emotions and rhetoric is running very, very high and there is concern that it wouldn't take much to tip it into some sort of violence. it hasn't happened so far. the demonstrations have all been peaceful. the hope is that will continue to be the way it occurs in sanford. >> live in sanford this morning,
3:08 am
thank you very much. north korea is rattling the international community this morning. new overnight south korea is now claiming that the north is getting ready to conduct its third nuclear test. in addition to those nuclear fears, there are plans for a long range rocket launch. pyongyang has moved a rocket into position. that's triggered fears of a ballistic missile test. north korea insists it just wants to put a satellite into orbit. in a rare move it showed off the hardware, inviting foreign journalists to look at its top secret launch site. our stan grant was there. take a look at this. >> reporter: this is about north korean pride, about their right to launch a satellite and refuting any claims that this is not, in fact a satellite launch, and in fact a covert missile operation. >> translator: i'm very disturb ed.
3:09 am
>> reporter: he can deny that it's a missile? >> translator: luke for yourselves with your own eyes, then you can judge whether it's a ballistic missile or whether it's a launch vehicle to put a satellite into orbit. >> experts say this could also be a test of long range missile technology that might be used to strike the united states and other targets. it's nine minutes past 6:00 on the east coast. it was a battle to the finish and beyond. bubba watson winning the 6th masters tournament in augusta, georgia. there's the moment. big hug. he beat south african lui luis oosthuizen. the 33-year-old watson started the final round in fourth place but shot a 68 to force the playoff. >> going back to my childhood,
3:10 am
going back to what my wife said to me, what my mom said to me, just put my head down, my caddie said you're a good golfer, you're here for a reason. you can do this. you've hit all these shots before. you just have to do it at this moment. >> look at that moment, too, ooh, the big hug and the tears, it was great. he was always one of golf's great characters and now the ubiquitous green jacket, ubiquitous is our word of the day. congratulations, bubba. good to see your tears, you are an endorsement dream. >> i loved that he talked about his family. >> look at him, the heavens above. there's the ubiquitous green jacket. hey, she did it twice. still ahead, a line of fire, this is not a war zone, folks, it was i-5 in l.a., if you live there, you know all about this, 6,000 gallons of fuel erupting into flames, shutting down the
3:11 am
interstate, on easter sunday. >> nice easter sunday. and the so-called soccer mom madam is due back in court accused of running a brothel for the rich and powerful and trying to get her bail knocked down from the millions. plus why ben stiller's new movie might be a tough sell because of the trayvon martin case. you're watching "early start." [ dad ] i'm usually checking up on my kids, but last year my daughter was checking up on me. i wasn't eating well. she's a dietitian, and she suggests that i try boost complete nutritional drink
3:12 am
to help get the nutrition i was missing. now i drink it every day and i love the great taste. [ female announcer ] boost has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to help keep bones strong and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. and our great taste is guaranteed or your money back. learn more at boost.com. [ dad ] i choose great taste. i choose boost. ♪ you make me happy [ female announcer ] choose the same brand your mom trusted for you. children's tylenol, the #1 brand of pain and fever relief recommended by pediatricians and used by moms decade after decade. [ man ] when i went to get my first new car, my dad said to get a subaru because they last. ♪ he drives a legacy, but i'm nothing like him. i got the new impreza. maybe i should have picked a different color... [ male announcer ] the all-new subaru impreza.
3:13 am
experience love that lasts. ♪ hey, it's sandra -- from accounting. peter. i can see that you're busy... but you were gonna help us crunch the numbers for accounts receivable today. i mean i know that this is important. well, both are important. let's be clear. they are but this is important too. [ man ] the receivables. [ male announcer ] michelin knows it's better for xerox to help manage their finance processing. so they can focus on keeping the world moving. with xerox, you're ready for real business.
3:14 am
top of the fare, that's how mike wallace wanted to be remembered. he was almost 94. he had a reputation built from decades of interviewing the notable and notorious. he was aggressive, fearless, his reporting was terrific. he was an original correspondent on cbs's "60 minutes" dating back to its start in 196. he's been remembered with fondness and respect.
3:15 am
>> he brought the story. he went to the action, and he gave you the story. was it objective? sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes very subjective, but he got to the core of things, and he enabled you -- you almost felt like you were with him when he was in the trenches. >> people like mike have an indefinable quality that makes people at once take to him, immediately, and then find themselves rappelled by him. it's a unique talent. >> morley safer calling mike wallace a one-man truth squad. cbs will have a tribute on sex sunday's "60 minutes" broadcast. time to check the stories
3:16 am
making news, two suspects in the tulsa, oklahoma, shooting spree will be in court today to face murder charges and attempted murder charges. they are accused of randomly shooting five people in an african-american community, killing three of this em. england's recent facebook posting blamed his father's death two years ago on a black man. singer jennifer hudson is scheduled to testify in the murder kril trial of a man accuf killing her mother, brother and nephew. william balfour, estranged husband of hudson's sister gunned down in a rage. we'll speak about that with midwin charles. l.a.'s freeways are reopening after a tanker hauling 6,000 gallons of fuel exploded and left a river of fire flowing
3:17 am
down ventura highway, shut down the interchange between two of the busiest roads in the country. police say a drunk driver collided with the tanker sparking that massive explosion. that driver survived and was arrested. . a woman accused of running a multimillion-dollar brothel ring is in court. "the hunger games" blockbuster was number one at the box office for a third straight weekend. are you ready for this total? it's now talkings about 300 million. they made $33.5 million this weekend along. coming in second "american reunion" with $21.5 million and
3:18 am
"titanic" in 3-d this time pulling in $17.5 million. fox is pulling advertisements for "neighborhood watch." it is scheduled to come out in july but could be delayed because of the trayvon martin case. they're pulling ads like this one. >> sergeant, he assaulted us with eggs. >> look at me. look at him and listen. >> listen to his words and look at my face but look at him while he's talking. >> don't look at him. listen to my words and hear his face. >> you want to laugh but then you don't. if fox puts the film on hold it will not be the first time. they rescheduled "sniper thriller phone booth" after the beltway attacks. >> all-star comedic cast.
3:19 am
>> and the trailer is funny but you don't want to laugh. it's tough for them. >> an unfortunate circumstance for them. it will be interesting to see how they handle it ultimately. 18 minutes past 6:00. have you been thinking about your 401(k)? >> since friday. >> today may not be so great for your stocks, for your 401(k), for your headache. markets will react to that luke warm jobs report that came out on friday and the future, let's say it's not looking so bright. you got to wear shades. we're here today in austin for a southwest interactive, i'm going to launch my new game. >> we're about to enjoy the biggest spotlight that any marketer could ever hope to have put on them. >> we've been play testing this game for about six months now. we've had thousands of people come and help us design it and test it.
3:20 am
i watched people on blogs use it for chronic pain, for chemotherapy, for getting over a bad breakup, and seeing all these other people say you know, hey, i'm getting super better, too, and this is working for me. it was really promising. . this is an rc robotic claw. my high school science teacher made me what i am today. our science teacher helped us build it. ♪ now i'm a geologist at chevron, and i get to help science teachers. it has four servo motors and a wireless microcontroller. over the last three years we've put nearly 100 million dollars into american education. that's thousands of kids learning to love science. ♪ isn't that cool? and that's pretty cool. ♪
3:21 am
isn't that cool? and that's pretty cool. fore! no matter what small business you are in, managing expenses seems to... get in the way. not anymore. ink, the small business card from chase introduces jot an on-the-go expense app made exclusively for ink customers. custom categorize your expenses anywhere. save time and get back to what you love. the latest innovation. only for ink customers. learn more at chase.com/ink
3:22 am
to help protect your eye health as you age... would you take it? well, there is. [ male announcer ] it's called ocuvite. a vitamin totally dedicated to your eyes, from the eye-care experts at bausch + lomb. as you age, eyes can lose vital nutrients. ocuvite helps replenish key eye nutrients. [ male announcer ] ocuvite has a unique formula not found in your multivitamin to help protect your eye health. now, that's a pill worth taking. [ male announcer ] ocuvite. help protect your eye health.
3:23 am
look at that! >> isn't that pretty? >> yes, it's beautiful! >> this is the time when you say, it is a great place to live and not just visit. it's a great place to live, folks, new york city, 52 degrees but warming up to a lovely 64, with sunshine. sunshine all week long. >> seriously, all week long? >> stay at zoraida's. >> sure, come. i'll take you in. >> she's got a big place.
3:24 am
we're minding your business this morning. new york's great except for the monday after the friday bad jobs report, then you don't want to be anywhere near wall street. >> apparently they have catching up to do today. they were closed for good friday. who is joining to us give us the bad news, felicia taylor. >> thanks a lot. >> it was good and then you show up, debbie downer. no, we're happy to have you but we have to hear the reality. >> only 120,000 jobs created in march, looking for more than 210,000, almost half of what expectations were. we need to keep above 300,000 in order for the economy to really be picking up steam and the one thing that could be a harbinger in terms of slowing things dune are gas prices. we have them now at $3.92, not bad considering that we could have topped over $4 at this point. so things are looking pretty good when it comes to gas prices but nevertheless, that's
3:25 am
something people will be watching because that could bring things back but again we're going to be looking today at the jobs number and already dow futures are off 1% pretty much across the board so we're looking at a steep decline at the open, and certainly stocks are going to be focused on that. the federal reserve chairman bernanke is going to be speaking later on today and people will be looking to see if he'll have any hint of more stimulus in the economy. he didn't give that the last time. now people are going to be looking for it because again this jobs number was extremely disappointing. >> is he talking interest rates as well? >> probably won't make any change on interest rates. it's not a focus now because he says so clearly that things are going to stay low for probably the next couple of years until 2014, but people are going to be wondering whether or not there's any kind of movement on inflation and whether or not he's focused on that. >> you want to hear the real debbie downer?
3:26 am
this is a "the washington post" blog f we keep adding jobs around 200,000 a month it will take between 7 and 12 years to get back to full employment. >> that tells you how serious the number is, at 120,000 we're nowhere near the pace we need to be in order to have a recovery. they're calling this a tepid recovery, which means really slow. >> i was feeling optimistic about this and you said shouldn't have been. >> we'll call you for some advice later on. >> thanks, felicia, appreciate it. >> great seeing you. love her. 26 minutes past 6:00. still ahead, we could soon know whether george zimmerman might be charged for the shooting and killing of trayvon martin. this after 43 days since the incident itself. will a grand jury actually take this up case? emotional and painful days in weeks ahead for jennifer hudson. jury selection is said to begin
3:27 am
for the man charged with killing her family and she is expected to take the stand at the trial. you're watching "early start." [ male announcer ] if you think tylenol
3:28 am
is the pain reliever orthopedic doctors recommend most for arthritis pain, think again. and take aleve. it's the one doctors recommend most for arthritis pain. two pills can last all day. ♪ mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve.
3:29 am
or creates another laptop bag or hires another employee, it's not just good for business, it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities. that's why we extended $6.4 billion in new credit to small businesses across the country last year. because the more we help them, the more we help make opportunity possible.
3:30 am
it is 6:30 here on the east coast, welcome back to "early start." i'm zoraida sambolin. >> i'm ashleigh banfield. nice to have you here with thus morning. here is what is making our top story list this morning. grand jury could hear the evidence in the trayvon martin case as early as tomorrow, more than a month after george zimmerman shot and killed that unarmed teenager. >> more than three jeerz after jennifer hudson's mother, brother and nephew were killed the man charged with the crimes is on trial. the u.s. navy will begin cutting compensation checks as
3:31 am
early as today to victims of last week's fiery crash of a fighter jet into an apartment complex in virginia beach, virginia. despite the pictures you're seeing, amazingly no one killed or badly injured in that terrible accident. a cruise ship retracing the path of the "titanic" 100 years after its maiden and only voyage. same amount of people on board, many of them relatives of the original "titanic" passengers. this morning they are preparing for the possibility a grand jury could review evidence and testimony in the trayvon martin case tomorrow. it's been 43 days since trayvon was shot and killed. george zimmerman is a neighborhood watch volunteer. no doubt this has been a highly charged case. over the weekend a group of college students walked 40 miles across central florida to see zimmerman arrested and tried in court. angela corey has said from the start this case will likely move
3:32 am
forward "without a grand jury." jamie weintraub is a criminal defense attorney, and phyllis cote, a former florida georgia and former florida state attorney. welcome to you both. >> good morning. >> phyllis, let me begin with you. as a former state attorney and there are many and i know also that angela corey has a lot of supporters, people give her a lot of good street cred in her job. what do you think the likelihood is this case will be passed to a grand jury? >> well, the likelihood of it is very great i think because of the political issues that are surrounding it, the information that has taken place so far, the activities in terms of the non-arrest of mr. zimmerman. it's likely a grand jury may want to hear over and above what the attorney may be saying. >> jamie, jump in and let me
3:33 am
know how significant that is, should politics be playing into it or just the facts? >> unfortunately, it does in this kind of a case. it's such a hot potato and in florida you have to have a grand jury indict if it's a first-degree murder or sexual battery with a victim under 11. anything else is voluntary by the state attorney. they're elected owe fishes. they don't want this hot potato so they take a volatile situation and give it to the grand jury. that way they can say the community made the decision. >> the jury remains secret, this is one of the most secret proceedings, you never get to know about the proceedings and who the jurors are. >> that's correct. >> it can never be unsealed in any circumstance? >> not without court order. certainly with a court order with a grand jury proceeding. >> phyllis, if there is a court order what would be required for a court order, what kind of bar has to be met there? >> the threshold would be so
3:34 am
high for the grand jury to have to reveal its deliberations because all basis allows the grand jury to act without political influence, which is why it becomes the best case for a case like this to land. >> best place for prosecutors but defense attorneys don't get to play any part of this. you don't get to defend your case to a grand jury. >> in florida, interestingly enough, they have a voluntary provision where if the defendant wants to testify, which of course as a defense lawyer i would highly recommend against it, they are permitted to voluntarily waive immunity and perhaps make an appearance. they are not everobviously beca fifth amendment issues. >> has there been issues where a defendant has waived and testified? >> many times you'll see it when a defendant feels they have a
3:35 am
justified basis for why they acted. the problem is you don't have a right to an attorney as well. while your attorney may be present and may be able to counsel you and give you advice they can't ask any questions or do anything to help new terms of the presentation. >> his statement will be introduced in the grand jury. >> right, anything he made to the police reports, correct? >> could be. yes. >> i don't know what's in the police reports is accurate, i think that's a whole other is e issue. >> craig sonner, one of zimmerman's attorneys, spoke with me on anderson cooper's program. i asked what do you think the likelihood your case will be before the grand jury. do you think your case is going to get indicted? >> at this point we don't know. there's not really -- i can tell you the possibilities of things. it could go to the grand jury, they could indict or no bill. the state attorney could file
3:36 am
charges or no bill it. those are the possibilities of things that could happen and without having all the details, it's hard to say what's going to happen. >> just mention as well that craig sonner was on the raid and second attorney hal uhrig on the left. it's often said and repeated you can indict a ham sandwich. >> absolutely. >> in the truthful manner of this, when it comes to a grand jury in your state, it's not true that you can indict a ham sandwich. it is not that difficult, but it is tough. >> it is tough, and i think the grand jurors are very inquisitive in terms of what they look at and they take that role seriously in terms of having to make a decision, that's free of politics. one of the points made that's really important and the fact is that you can have this grand jury acting on its own in terms of an investigation while the actual special prosecutor in the case may be investigating as
3:37 am
well for possible filing decision but ultimately if this is going to be a first-degree murder case a grand jury will have to either indict or no true bill and may even present, have some sort of presentation or present if they take neither action. >> phyllis, it's the first time i've had a chance to talk to you, nice to have you on as a guest and i hope to see you again. >> thank you very much. great to be here. >> jamie, as always i can't count the number of times we've had to talk but good to see you. >> nice to see you. >> thank you to both of you joining us from florida. still ahead, jennifer hudson is expected to be in court with the man accused of killing her mother, her brother, and her nephew. jury selection begins today. and a reality tech for newt gingrich, giving mitt romney a major nod, but he's still not stepping aside. why? he says he's still running. you're watching "early start." ooh, but first let's head over to atlanta and check in on rob marciano. good morning to you.
3:38 am
>> good morning, guys. hope you had a great weekend. it was decent weather wise for a lot of folks for the holidays and the winds are blowing across parts of the northeast and snow falling across extreme northern new england. winds are gusting so much at the airports laguardia are reporting delays in excess of an hour. severe weather threat across the plains and cooler air will pour into the great lakes tonight and the northeast tomorrow. it's 38 minutes after the hour. "early start" is coming right back. you're probably muddling through allergies. try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. zyrtec®. love the air.
3:39 am
your finances can't manage themselves. but that doesn't mean they won't try. bring all your finances together with the help of the one person who can. a certified financial planner professional. cfp. let's make a plan.
3:40 am
3:41 am
it is 41 minutes past the hour. good morning to you, chicago. it is 48 degrees right now.
3:42 am
little bit later it will get warmer. 62 degrees but a little cloudy for you. nonetheless the perfect town. this is why we're in chicago. jury selection begins in the trial of the man accused of gunning down relatives of jennifer hudson. 30-year-old william balfour shot members of her family in a jealous rage in october of 2008. his victims included jennifer's mother, 57-year-old darnell donnerson her brother, jason and 7-year-old nephew, julian king. opening statements are scheduled to begin later this month in chicago. hudson is expected to attend every day of that trial. she's also on a list of 300 witnesses who could be called to testify. midwin charles is a criminal defense attorney and we're going to chat with her to find out some more about the details because this is really an interesting case. the judge is charles burns, the presiding judge and there are unique challenges when you're a superstar. if you don't know jennifer
3:43 am
hudson from winning an oscar and being a world famous singer, you see her in commercials on television. how do you find a jury who can hear this case. >> not only do you know who jennifer hudson is but most people know this was a horrendous crime, what is alleged to have occurred. three generations gone from jennifer hudson, her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew. i think this judge is challenged in the sense of making sure the jury pool is not tainted, that the jury pool will listen to the evidence fairly and not be biased or prejudiced against this defendant. >> i think therein lies the big challenge. there were 150 potential jurors, filled out questionnaires and judge burns asked if they couldn't hear the evidence without sympathy, bias or prejudice. how do you do that. >> perhaps this is not the best jurisdiction where i could get a fair trial, especially since
3:44 am
this is where it occurred. this guy is from the neighborhood, william balfour. everybody knows him. there are allegations he's tied to a gang, part of gang membership and what have you. his defense attorneys should move for a change of venue. >> what about jennifer hudson appearing in court each and every day. how does she maintain a straight face? >> that's going to be very, very hard. what the defense attorneys can do is ask the judge to say she's a potential witness and therefore she shouldn't participate in the trial because that might taint what she's going to say when she gets on the witness stand. it's not unusual. attorneys often do it, but i think it's going to be very difficult for a judge to deny her the right and the opportunity to participate in this trial, given the fact that this has to do with her mother, her brother, and her nephew, and not to mention her sister, who was married to this guy at some point. >> well, what if she does remove
3:45 am
herself from that situation? you still have the issue, we get back to the jury selection, the fact that everybody knows her and perhaps may even want to be a part of this, because afterwards there are going to be lots of interviews granted. how do you make that decision, even if you do move the venue? >> it's hard. it's hard. when we think of the conrad murray trial, dr. conrad murray, convicted of manslaughter for killing michael jackson, it's difficult. judges really are challenged these days and i think this judge does not play. i think he's not going to take any nonsense. he's already banned people in the courtroom, not just potential jurors but court officers and police officers from using social media, they are not allowed to use twitter, not allowed to use facebook and it's my understanding that he has a list of everybody's account names, so they can keep track of who is tweeting and sending information outside of the courtroom. >> a new illinois law that allows cameras in the courtroom. so do you think perhaps we could see cameras in the courtroom here?
3:46 am
>> i doubt it. especially if this is a judge who, from what it i understand is very no-nonsense, he's going to kind of command the courtroom in a way to make sure this defendant gets a fair trial because at the end of the day that's what's most important to a certain extent. you have to abide by the constitution. he's entitled to a fair trial. he may say this is a little bit too much. >> what do you think the chances are that jennifer hudson will be barred from attending the trial? >> i think it's very low, given her close connection to the victims. i think it's going to be very, very hard for him to bar her from that. >> midwin charles, thank you very much. >> you're welcome. >> ashleigh, back to you. >> thank you very much. here i was thinking the jobs report naent christine roma mea romans didn't want anything to do with this report, but no, she's in for soledad o'brien today. i didn't think you wanted to have to face the wrath of me. >> it's going to be a big day
3:47 am
for the markets but following a lot of the trial of the alleged mastermind of the "uss cole" bombing trial resumes at guantanamo bay, we'll talk with kirk lippold on the attack of the "uss cole. chuck grassley taking a shot at president obama suggesting the president is "stupid" for his comments regarding the pending supreme court -- >> iowa? >> everyone in iowa is nice. we'll have our panel weigh in on that, and check this out. >> people ask me, mitt, just how many piercings do you have? well i always say more than i need but less than a want. >> "saturday night live" with a brilliantly funny take on mitt romney, the candidate who is pro-everything. if you're about to head out the door to go to work, you don't need to miss the rest of the show, check out our live log on
3:48 am
our website cnn.com/startingpoint. - ♪ ai, ai, ai - ♪ bum-bum - ♪ bum-bum, bum-bum - ♪ [ ice rattles rhythmically ] ♪ bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum ♪ ♪ [ imitates guitar noise ] ♪ [ vocalizing up-tempo heavy metal song ] ♪ [ vocalizing continues ] ♪ [ all singing ] the redesigned, 8-passenger pilot. smarter thinking. from honda. in here, the landscaping business grows with snow. to keep big winter jobs on track, at&t provided a mobile solution that lets everyone from field workers to accounting, initiate, bill, and track work in real time. you can't live under a dome in minnesota, that's why there's guys like me. [ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪
3:49 am
are connecting here. linkedin connects with the big board.
3:50 am
beautiful. look at that. good morning, washington, d.c.
3:51 am
it is 54 degrees now, and a little later it's going to be sunny, 68 degrees. it is perfect weather for easter eggs. >> picture that makes you proud to be an american. you look at the white house and you think yeah, that's our place. that's the people's place, folks. it is now ten minutes before the top of the hour, time to check top stories making news and two men are facing possible hate crime charges. the suspects 19-year-old jake england and 33-year-old alvin watts will be arraigned this morning. police say england may have been out to avenge his father's killing by a black man. prosecutors in the trayvon martin shooting could take their case to the grand jury tomorrow. it's been 43 days since he was shot and killed by family neighborhood watch man george
3:52 am
zimmerman. zimmerman maintains he shot martin in self-defense. support for mitt romney coming from an unlikely corner of the gop, and the source? his sometimes bitter rival newt gingrich. >> you have to be realistic, given the size of his organization, given the number of primaries he's won. he is far and away the most likely republican nominee, and if he does get to 1,144 delegates, i'll support him and do everything this fall to help him defeat obama. it is the primary goal of the entire republican party has to be to defeat barack obama. >> far and away the likely nominee. gingrich says he's staying in the race nonetheless to help the party build a solidly conservative platform. he said if romney's the republican nominee, he says he'll work just as hard as he'd work for himself. >> this is why i was saying easter eggs, it is not easter in washington until the eggs roll and today the first family is
3:53 am
expecting 35,000 people to join them on the south lawn for the annual white house easter egg roll. this year's theme is let's go, let's play, let's move and let's move is first lady michelle obama's campaign to end childhood obese nit the united states. >> love it, pictures from last year, the presidents helping them along, out of the way, dude, come on, dude, i go the to get my game on here. it is 53 minutes past 6:00. ahead a cruise ship retracing the steps of the "titanic" with the same number of people on board to mark the 100 years since that disaster. you're watching "early start." not quite knowing what the next phase was going to be, you know, because you been, you know, this is what you had been doing. you know, working, working, working, working, working, working. and now you're talking about, well you know, i won't be, and i get the chance to spend more time with my wife and my kids. it's my world. that's my world.
3:54 am
♪ demand media expands on the big board. to get people to try on these new depend silhouette briefs, and today we are rocking the red carpet. look it's lisa rinna!
3:55 am
lisa hiii,i know you don't need one but will you try on these new depend silhouette briefs for charity and prove just how great the fit is even under a fantastic dress? are you serious? i am serious... sure why not! she's doing it! the best protection now looks, fits and feels just like underwear. hey lisa, who ya wearing? she's wearing the new depend silhouette. (growl) we invite you to get a free sample and try one on too.
3:56 am
3:57 am
more than 1,500 people died when the titanic sank 100 years ago and a commemorative cruise is setting sail from britain to retrace the exact steps of the ill-fated voyage. some of the cruise passengers are descendants of "titanic" passengers. dan rivers sat down with one of the men whose grandfather survived the shipwreck. >> there is a picture of him on the rescue ship on the "c "carpathia" dark hair, mustache. six months later, goes back to work and in the front of that, color of hair, white, so between april and october, he went completely white through the effects of shock. >> holy cow. >> incredible. >> the stories are so incredible. other passengers on the cruise consider themselves "titanic" history buffs, many dressing up
3:58 am
in period costumes, a little creepy. the so-called unsinkable "titanic" went down april 15th, 1912, you know the story after it struck an iceberg off the coast of newfoundland in the atlantic. >> tough to see that. easter sunday is typically a huge sports day and the headliner may be the great big wheel race. dozens of big kids and little kids racing down the steep heels of san francisco during the 11th annual byobw. bring your own big wheel extravaganza. the yellow flag came up during a pile-up. is that a real grandma or guy dressed up as a grandma? >> i think the latter. i'm surprised fisticuffs don't break out. they are serious.
3:59 am
>> they're having. >> i have a big wheel at home. hey, elmo. that was cute. i do have a wig wheel at home. >> do you ride it? >> i do not. >> actually coming down the hill. >> do not want to break it. it was nice to have you here today. that's "early start." >> it was. i'm zoraida sambolin. "starting point" with christine romans starts right now. good morning, ladies. i'm in for soledad today. terror in tulsa, two suspects heading to court after a killing spree that had people scared to come out of their homes for some 48 hours. oklahoma police looking at a facebook post for proof of a possible hate crime. we could know in days whether george zimmerman will be charged for shooting and killing trayvon martin. grand jury could be taking up this case as early as tomorrow. plus a senator calling president obama stupid on twitter. the health care fight, the high court now being reduced to name

327 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on