my favorite part. i don't have to do a darn thing. who wants to start? >> i want to talk about numbers. 33, and that's the streak that the lakers have in the number of consecutive wins. 27, where the may iami heat are right now. if they beat the streak, it's bigger than the championship. they belong in the conversation about the best team ever in their sport.

we'll see whether lebron can get it done. they have to go through the knicks, bulls, and the spurs to do it. it's fascinating. >> i think it's doable. i really do. >> i want to say a few words on same-sex marriage. it's hopeful, encouraging, inspiring that people are broadening their perspectives and opening their hearts when it comes to the issue. and i feel like if you are 18 or over, and you love each other and want to get married, have it at it. issue done. >> such an important marg umt th that will start at 10:00. ted olsen, former solicitor general will argue for the plaintiffs trying to overturn proposition 8. there is a lot of legal talent in that room. not just on the bench. the supreme court, they have had such interest that they will release the audiotapes of the arguments earlier. usually they wait for a while, wait for a couple of days. and they will be available for

everyone to listen to. >> thank you for being here. we love having you. coming up tomorrow on "starting point," analyzing the first day of the same-sex marriage with the court with the audiotapes we have. and julia stiles will join us. she has a new movie, called it's a disaster. cnn newsroom with carol costello begins right now. we'll see you tomorrow morning. >> happening now in the newsroom, history in the u.s. supreme court. as dozens wait for days to hear nine justices debate same-sex marriage, will they redefine marriage? or punt? also, shock waves in italy. amanda knox' acquittal on murder

charges overturned. her lawyer ready to fight. >> we are surprised, because we thought the case was over. but at the same time, she is ready to continue on with the fight. >> reporter: will knox have to leave the united states to be tried again? also, the tea party boils over. boycotting fox news because it's turned to the left. say what? plus, lebron james explodes and the heat win 27. but that's nothing compared to arnold. not that arnold, this arnold, arnold palmer and his partner in crime, tiger woods. > >> you mean these or this one? >> all of them. >> take that. are you live in the cnn newsroom. and good morning.

thank you for being with me. i'm carol costello. we begin with a story rippling across the atlantic ocean. american exchange student amanda knox should face a new trial in the murder of her roommate. knox was not there for today's ruling. she's been living in the united states since her murder conviction overturned a year and a half ago. her attorney says she is unlikely to return italy. but her attorney in the united states says not so fast. >> it's not within the legal landscape at this particular time. we have to await the directive of the supreme court italy and then see what the appellate court does. as i said before, you know, they -- amanda and her family will scrupulously abide by the rule of law, and they are not required to appear for those proceedings. so let's not get ahead of ourselves. let's just see what happens. and we fully expect, because these charges are totally unfounded, they are totally unju unjust, and we expect that she

will be exonerated as she was before. >> paul call an, cnn legal contributor and former prosecutor who now works in private practice. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> can you believe this was happening? >> we thought we were finished with this intense press coverage. back again, because the italian justice system goes on endlessly. one of the long italian meals in rome, they keep bringing out new courses and the same thing with the appellate system, goes on and on. >> so many problems with the dna evidence. the physical evidence. i'm not seeing on what they have to base a new trial on. >> well, we haven't seen the full decision of the italian highest court. their supreme court yet. but the way their system works, carol, is there was a trial , se was convicted. then it went to an appellate court. then they said there is not enough to support a conviction,

it's gone up to the supreme court and the supreme court said we have a problem with the appellate court decision and sent it back to the appellate court to take a second look. that's basically where we are at this point. >> we just heard from amanda knox's lawyer, sort of parsing things it seems to me. couldn't it be as simple as amanda knox refusing to go back italy. is there extra decision rules in the united states that would horse her to go back or prevent her from going back? >> you know, ted simon representing her is very capable international lawyer. being very careful. because he doesn't want italian authorities to issue a warrant for her arrest and then have someone come to the united states to try and enforce that warrant. so we're being very careful about this from a legal standpoint. we want to look at the italian court decision. i am not saying she would not return italy. she is being careful so italians don't overreact and say amanda knox is a murder fugitive on the

run and u.s. authorities should arrest her and extradite her. >> wow. i'm sure you will continue to follow the case. paul callan, thank you for being with us. >> thank you, carol. let's head to the u.s. supreme court. justices taking their first step toward possibly redefining the american family. today and tomorrow, they are hearing arguments on laws that restrict same-sex marriages and the legal rights of those with such unions. an epic debate, one filled with emotion. for days, supporters braved the cold and a snowy, slushy mess, hoping get in to hear the historic arguments. we are outside the court. >> reporter: good morning, carol. the sun is out here at the supreme court, rallies getting started. a very large crowd getting larger by the minute. underscoring the fact that this case is at the center of the american culture wars, also pointing out how long many of the supporters of gay rights

have waited for this day. on the legal level, of course, the question is very simple. whether the government can discriminate. whether the government can treat same-sex couples and straight couples differently. >> as a gay man, i think it's very important to be part of history. >> reporter: expected in the audience is the guest of the court. jean and her partner. she is lesbian cousin of chief justice john roberts. she says "i feel confident that john is wise enough to see society is becoming more accepting of the humanity of same-sex couples and the simple trut truth we deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and equality under the law." how much roberts' personal relationships might affect his decision on same-sex marriage is an open question. >> it has an impact on family members to know family members that were out, gay, and

functioning in society. on the other hand, it's not by any means a good predictor. >> reporter: so the case is not expected to be decided until sometime in late june, carol. as you know, the country has seen a sea change in public opinion on the issue of gay marriage. a few years ago, most respondents said they were opposed to it. now most say they are in favor of it. >> i cannot help but notice the security surrounding you. i hear the rally going on. how many people, and who is rallying? >> it's very hard to tell you, from where i am standing, how many people. but i would say probably in the hundreds. quite a group just walk up a few minutes ago carrying signs. what you are hearing right now is a rally supporting gay marriage. but we do know some of the opponents of gay marriage have their own opinions, we haven't seen those two get together, if you will.

a very peaceful gathering at this point. >> i know you have cameras. we have cameras everywhere around. one on the rally right now. that's what are you hearing, joe, for your information. thank you very much. joe johns from the u.s. supreme court. the bullet that killed colorado's prison chief are from the same gun in a shoot-out in texas. that, the same day a public memorial service held for tom clements. investigators trying to figure out if evan ebel, the suspect in the killing of the colorado prisons chief, acted alone or with others. those who knew him when he was young, while he was in a controversial boot camp, say he o liked to defy authority. >> yes, he was very proud of hissis sihis sis sicilian heritage, he wanted

to kill so many people that he would make hitler jealous. >> he actually brought up hitler to you? >> yes, he said he wants to do so many killings he will make hitler jealous. >> police say ebel was a white supremacist. the pictures was ebel as a teenager when he was in the boot camp for juvenile offenses. ebel, as an adult, killed in a shoot-out in texas. a new threat from north korea, putting military units on combat ready status. the north says units have the capability to target south korea and u.s. forces across the pacific. this new threat comes as the united states continues military exercises with the south. new numbers released show a solid rise in home prices across much of the country. christine romans standing by. any early word on the number? >> it shows you the best year over year increases in home prices since the summer of 2006.

remember, that was the height of the housing boom. and then there was a crash and now you have prices starting to come back again. let me show you what it looks like. nationwide, 8.1%. but as you know, carol, all real estate is local. here is the local price increases. phoenix, year over year, carol, up 23%. san francisco, 17%. las vegas, 15%, detroit, 13%, atlanta, 13%. when you look across the country. you can see some huge gains for some of the places that really were blown up badly by the housing bubble when it popped. they are starting to come back. one thing i'll tell you, much of the action in the housing market, maybe a quarter of the action in the housing market, investors, hedge funds, foreign buyers with cash. not your every day middle class americans able to pick up the pieces after the collapse. those people who are benefiting very low mortgage rates are helping people who are

first-time home buyers, seeing across the markets. for sellers, many of whom had been underwater. finally, home price increases are helping them refinance or try to sell their homes, benefits to rising home prices and, again, carol, a pretty good looking number. we'll see another number at 10:00, new home sales. we'll see if that holds true as well. >> christine romans live from new york this morning. the california endar says it's spring. but someone forgot to tell mother nature. it's down right cold, from minneapolis to orlando, all sharing in the misery. there are freeze warnings and watches. martin savr ihas more on the record-breaking snowfall. >> gone, but not forgotten. spring storm that dumped snow from the colorado rockies to the memory.shore is now a melting but not before crushing snowfall records in parts of the midwest. in places like st. louis apeori,

illinois. records were buried beneath the foot to foot and a half of snow. springfield, illinois, got 17 inches, the most ever in a single day. according to noaa, snow on the ground monday in half of the lower 48 states. compare that to less than 8% a year ago. and the storm system had wide reaching effects, making roads a mess. keeping airlines grounded and delivering powerful thunderstorms, high winds, and cold air to the sunny south. in most areas, the snow only added up to a few inches, but it quickly turned into thick, heavy slush. in pittsburgh, even the plow has problems. >> it is slippery underneath. a very heavy snow. even though the trucks are heavy, pushing the trucks around a lot. >> reporter: snow blowers, bogged down. >> wet, heavy. that was surprising. that shocked me. i didn't think it would be

heavy. thought it would be a lot lighter. >> reporter: snow remains in the forecast the next few days, leaving people here and elsewhere, wondering whatever happened to that thing called spring? >> i'm wondering that myself, martin savidge. i'm in hotlanta. it's 35 degrees here. the real feel? it's 24. it stinks. >> i saw that. yeah. ruthless cold. >> so what is it like where you are in pittsburgh? >> you know, same thing. up here, i think temperature is at least 20, 25 degrees below normal. they should be in the 60s here in pittsburgh, not even going to get close to that today. temperatures colder today than yesterday. in fact, just before we came to you, snowing here again. slated to possibly snow today. 40% chance tonight. 30% chance tomorrow? it's just not letting go. and many people as you point out in atlanta and elsewhere, are wondering, when is spring

finally going to arrive? should improve by the weekend, but the truth is, heavy snowfalls that could come yet, carol. >> the dogwood festival is soon. martin savidge, thank you so much. it will get warm, we have to be more patient this year. a long time back to the top for tiger woods. but tiger is number one again in the world golf rankings after winning the arnold palmer invitational. zane asher reports that the comeback on the tour, parallels one in his personal life. >> what does it mean to you that-to-be back on top? >> reporter: it's been a long road back for woods. fell as low as number 58 in the rankings, but this is his third win of the season. sixth in the last year. >> it's been incredible to have all the support and, you know, all the hard work has paid off to get me to this point and it feels good to have won this

event. >> a good win for tiger, but also a good win for golf. >> the world of golf is celebrating really that tiger is back on top in the number one. he has such an impact on all aspects of golf from viewerships to ratings to sponsorships and really when he's on top, everyone is on top. >> reporter: he was on top of the golf world. the game's biggest draw until early one morning in 2009, when he drove his car into a mailbox outside his florida home. in what seems like an instant, his whole life and image came tumbling down. tales of scandalous affairs filled tabloids. his wife of almost six years filed for divorce and a nagging leg injury and tournament losses left the golf world reeling. he spent years rebuilding his golf game and reputation. he's also rebuilt his love life. last week revealing a new love, olympic champion skier lindsay vonn. >> tiger, what relevance do we

attach to the fact that you get back to number one in the same week that you announce your new facebook status? >> you're reading way too much into this. >> lots of people will. >> shocker. >> reporter: she tweeted moments after his win. number one. with 13 exclamation marks. he may be number one for now, but the number like until his mind is five. the number of years since he won a major tournament. he will try to win the drought in april, by trying to win the green jacket at the masters in augusta, georgia. >> what does this number one ranking mean for tiger sponsorships? i'm thinking lots and lots of cash? >> i'm sure. it's interesting, carol. previous sponsors all left him after the highly publicized marital affairs. 2010, reportedly one of his

first years in terms of earnings. that's relative. he made $61 million, maky sto n stood by him. we'll see if his number one status pays off for nike. just ahead, many people are supporting marriage equality, including ravens line bakker. we have more next. er ] what if the next big thing, isn't a thing at all? it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco.

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20 minutes after the hour. time to check the top story. another massachusetts drug come pounding company is pulling injectable drugs off the market. pallimed pharmacy says foreign materials found in vials of a dozen products. they are success spending certain compounding activities. the spacex dragon undocked a few moments ago and getting ready to re-enter the earth's atmosphere. crash is expected to splash down in the pacific around 12:30

eastern. another sinkhole forms in the same florida town where a man was swallowed alive. this sinkhole between two homes in cessner, florida. the families left for a short time. but they are back home. the fifth sinkhole this month, about 2.5 miles from the home where jeff bush was killed when the sinkhole swallowed his bedroom. crews demolished his home. a new jersey man claims he is the winner of the powerball. the man says he has the winning ticket for the fourth largest jackpot in history. cnn has not been able to confirm he's the winner. lottery officials will not confirm the identity until all paperwork is confirmed. everybody playing the waiting game. >> everybody saying is it you, is it you, are you sure it wasn't you? it's almost like a cat and mouse game. everybody coming together, smiling, trying to figure out

who it was. >> after taxes, the winner will take home $151 million. a london teenager no longer has to worry about allowance from his parents. he created a news reading app and sold it to yahoo! for $30 million. sfwln zain verje has more. >> nick from london, yahoo! just bought his app for $30 million. he taught himself to write software, and he sorted news to short, concise summaries. this is what it looks like, columns with different news stories and sorts them to favorite topics like business or entertainment. he's had a million downloads

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good morning. thank you for joining me. i'm carol costello. stories we're watching in the newsroom. 30 minutes past the hour. investors are watching the economic situation in cyprus. stock futures have been up as investors weigh several u.s. economic reports. ringing the opening bell is new york police chief joseph esposito, marking his retirement after 45 years of service. the big dance for marriage equality begins within an hour at the u.s. supreme court. it could reject the constitutional right for same-sex marriage. it could create an atmosphere of acceptance for gay people.

some professional players are trying to do that. they yearn for the daiay that a nfl player can announce that they are gay to the world. i had a chance to sit down with the detroit tigers manager jim leland, i asked jim, if we would ever see a professional baseball player come out. this is what he said. >> well, i think that will probably happen. i think that will probably happen. it's 2013. you know, it is what it is. and, i think there is probably a good chance that will happen. >> would that person be accepted? >> i would assume so. >> really? >> i would assume so. there may be some people offended by it, but like say, it's 2013, things are a little different. and i can't answer that question

for sure. but i think that -- that it probably would happen. probably could happen. and i would say that the way people are in america today, they would probably -- it would probably be acceptable. >> with me now, baltimore ravensline backer brendan ayanbadejo, not gay, but an outspoken advocate. joining me from washington, d.c. from the steps of the u.s. supreme court. welcome. >> thank you. >> i want to talk about what jim leland said. after that interview, you know, we broke down and i went out to watch batting practice, jim leland came out to talk to me again about the issue a half an hour later and he says, you know, everybody has the right to do what they please in america. the right to hold the job they want. i was surprised he really thought about it, and came out and he thought it was important to tell me that. does that intrigue you? >> yes, absolutely. it sounds like you struck a chord with him. maybe something he hasn't thought about too much or

something he has been thinking about. we are trying to educate people, and at the ends of date, we are trying to make sure everyone can ek sell at what they do, a father, mother, brother, an employee. if you can't tell the world of who you are, and be proud about it, if you have to hide it, you can't ek sell. >> and you a another other professional ballplayers filed an amicus brief with the court. what is that? explain to our viewers. >> we wrote a brief to try to repeal proposition eight in california, that's banning same-sex marriage. we believe everybody has the right to freedom, the right to love. we believe the constitution guarantees those rights. so we wrote our amicus brief and we'll b heard out today. >> you are also taking part in the demonstrations going on right now. can you tell us about them? >> yes. everybody is here. we're having an lgbt rally for marriage equality.

95% supporters and about 5% of people who don't support us. we're here to tell our story, gain attention and pro traction, so when the supreme court goes in there today, they know the american public is here to support the cause. >> a lot of people said they feel a change that the majority of americans are now ready to accept same-sex marriage and gay rights. do you file that, or is the fight yet to come. >> absolutely. there has been a tremendous change. i've been talking about this issue since 2009 and talking about it in npl locker rooms and we are behind society as a whole in the locker room and society is way ahead of us. and the majority of americans ready. we're not here to do what's popular or do what the majority of people think is right. we're here to fight for the rights of what the constitution guarantees and that's that everybody is created equal and everybody would be protected and treated equal under the law. so we're going to need the majority of americans to help us with that fight, so that minorities have the rights that

everyone else has. >> the u.s. supreme court, you don't know what it will do or how it will rule. it might say, you know, we'll let the political aspects of same-sex marriage play out and let america decide. we're judges, maybe we shouldn't decide if it does that or rules against same-sex marriage, what do you do then? >> yeah, well, we're trying to do what's right, like said earlier, not do what's popular, america has got tennessten it w before. interracial marriage, suffrage, and segregation, and all sorts of things where america has got tennessee wrong before and the supreme court has gotten it wrong this is our chance to make amends and get some things right this time around. and if we -- if they go against us and they don't vote for us, we'll continue to fight. we believe eventually at the end of the day, love will overrule everything, and doing the right thing will overrule everything. >> brendan ayanbadejo, baltimore

ravens, thank you for joining us this morning. >> thank you for having me. >> thank you. is fox news no longer fair and balanced? stop laughing. one what group of tea party activists is charging. they say fox news has turned to the left and the group of activists is launching a boycott. joining me is robert zimmerman and amy cremer. >> thank you for having us. >> thanks for being here. this is based on partly a belief that fox is not doing enough on benghazi and attack on the consulate there. is there more to it, though? >> honestly, i wasn't aware of the boycott until this morning, but i think fox has covered benghazi more than anyone else. every time i turn on fox lately, it's about benghazi and so i don't know who else could possibly cover it anymore. you know, the thing is, fox is a

business. they are part of a business and they are in it to make money, so maybe their business model is changing. i don't know. but i think that their coverage has been what it has always been. i don't see any difference. i'm a little upset with them because they have given karl rove this huge platform and have not given us the opportunity to debate him, but other than that, i don't really see where anything has changed. >> robert, what do you think? is this a split between the different factions in the tea party or does it mean something more? >> i don't think my conservative friends have to worry about fox getting in any way soft or becoming liberals. i must tell you, i often encourage liberal friends to go on fox. i tell them i'm their voice of reason. but the point is simply, it's critical, make sure you have every opportunity to make your case. i think what should concern amy is many of the messages the tea party has which are important

messages, get buried by the extremist demagogue rhetorics that you hear from tea party activists. maybe they aren't on fox because they aren't credible with information or facts. >> are tea party activists trying to soften their message, amy? >> the last message, 2010 when we drove the messaging, we won across the board, all about the fiscal images and the economy. in 2012, when the republican party drove the message, we lost. everybody thinks the tea party -- we are all, you know, right-wing radical social conservative extremists, nothing further from the truth. we try to keep on point and on message about shrinking the size of government and getting rid of overbearing regulations and creating a pro-growth economy or a pro growth environment. >> the problem with that theory, amy, is when you start advocating and dismantling the environmental protection agency or taking away consumer product

safety bureau, or dismantling the veterans administration, are you focusing on the core issues that protect americans and the quality of life and that's the real challenge here. we all want a smaller government and more efficient government. we also want to make sure our government is there to stand up for people and members of our society in need. be they senior citizens, veterans or be students. >> i want to ask you about something else, amy. one person closely associated with the tea party movement, congresswoman michele bachmann. several workers on the 23012 preside -- 2012 campaign are facing an ethics probe for improper transfer of campaign funds. there is no allegation that she did anything wrong, but, still, the woman who led the tea party caucus, it can't be good. >> i would say this is just the beginning, let the investigation

run its course, see what comes out. she has not been found guilty, no one has been found guilty yet. i am sure they will do their due difficu diligence to get to the bottom of it? >> does the tea party support michele bachmann? >> yes, she is a strong fiscal conservative. i don't think she has lost that support. >> amy, if you think michele bachmann is a credible spokesperson or strong fiscal spokesperson, you may very well believe lance armstrong won his awards on gatorade or charlie sheen represents true love. >> charlie, please. >> the pulitzer prize winning organization said she committed more lies in the last presidential campaign than anyone else and she's being sued by former staff members, so there are truly serious issues

here about her conduct, about her misstatements and she may try to run away from dana bash, but you can't run away from the lies she comitted and engaged in the past election cycle. >> i can't speak for congresswoman bachmann, but she's a strong fiscal conservative. a loud voice pushing back on obama care and personally, robert, it's not right to prosecute her in the media before the facts are known. let the facts come out. >> she's hiding the facts, amy. that's the problem. she's trying to blame her staff. >> if she's hiding something, i am sure it will come out. i hope she will do the right thing. i'm sure they wishe will. i have faith in that. >> we'll have to end it there. >> getting very feisty. >> nice to have both of you with us. robert zimmerman and amy kremer, thank you to you both. >> someone breaks into the car of breaking bad star bryan cranston. not his car people are concerned about. it's what was inside. we'll tell you, next.

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"breaking bad" star bryan cranston places a bad guy on tv. now he's a victim in real life. cranston's character is a struggling high school chemistry teacher that turns to a life of crime. >> you clearly don't know who you are talking to. let me clue you in. i'm not in danger, skyler.

i'm the danger. a guy opens his door and gets shot. you think it's me? i am the one who knocks. >> a.j. hammer live in new york. what's going on? >> count me among those who consider "breaking bad" one of the best shows on television right now. and "breaking bad" stars are waiting to see how it plays out. producers want to keep the scripts full of twists and turns a major secret and it leads to bryan cranston and his automobile. his car was broken into and an ipad and a bag with script was stolen. if the script was posted online it would be everywhere pretty quickly. hasn't happened yet. there is a lead in the case. a suspect after a confidential

source contacted cranston's assistants and accused someone named xavier mcafee of bragging into the car and showing off the ipad and the script. we have caught up mcafee and got him denying everything on tape. let's listen to this. >> i don't even know what they are talking about. i work for a living. they have me mistaken for somebody else, man. >> a big denial there. another twist, there is reports from the studio, saying no script has been stolen, all is well. please remain calm, something to that effect. no official comment yet. but i can assure you, if that script got out there, i wouldn't be here reporting on it, i would be calling in sick, i wouldn't be turning on my computer, because i don't want the spoiler. why would anybody ever put that information out. >> i would read it. i can't believe you wouldn't read it. >> you're a fan of the show, and you would read it?

>> i'm not a fachn of the show, would you read it. >> if you are a fan of the show, you want to know what happens in real time with everybody else. don't tell me! >> all right. all right. our talkback question of the day. if you fly, should you have to pay what you weigh? tweet me @carolcnn.

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to pay what you weigh? this is from eric. the professor may have a point. we pay to ship everything else by weight. so why not us? this from linda, that's the s w stupidest thing i've heard of. from john, from an engineering and business perspective, it makes perfect sense. the more you and your luggage weigh, the more expensive it is to fly the plane. and cynthia, what's next, stinky people? ever sit next to a man who weres of garlic? to me that's very offensive. keep the conversation going. florida gulf coast fans welcome back their march madness here rows. we'll hear from the eagles coach and his very sexy wife in bleacher report next. everyone has their own way of doing things.

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look who is back. for the first time since october of 2010, tiger woods is on top of the golf world after winning the arnold palmer invitational. >> it's been a long road back for tiger. 124 weeks. that's how long it took for him to regain the number one ranking and now that tiger is back on top, it looks like he may be

there to stay for a while. like his dominating performances in the past, tiger was never really challenged in the final round at the arnold palmer invitation al. he had putter going all week. after the tournament, tiger said he knew he would get his game back one he was fully healthy and it sure looks like that's the case now. tig tiger's return to number one comes just one week after announcing that he is dating skier lindsey vonn. and vonn tweeted number one with tons of exclamation marks. tiger was asked if there was any correlation to success and dating vonn and he answered you're reading way footoo much o this. eagles returned to ft. myers. at some point they'll probably make a movie about their cind cinderella story. their coach, not only is he a self made millionaire and good

leader, but maybe his biggest achievement overall is how he met and married super model amanda mark. >> she's from oklahoma city. and we went to boston, i drove her and her friend from new york city to boston to go to the oklahoma state first and second round. and when i picked her up in the car, i didn't know her at the time. but i knew her as soon as she got in my car it would be a great trip to boston. tiger's golf game is back and he's added some martial arts to his bag of tricks. tiger and arnold palmer showing off more than just their golf skills. see the entire commercial at bleacherreport.com. and check out the ad nike put on their facebook page. it says winning takes care of everything. carol, nike one of the other people to stick with tiger when he went through all those troubles a couple years ago. i'm guessing they're pretty proud of that fact.

>> winning forgives all sins. i was making those faces because i wanted to see more of the commercial. >> yeah, they're pretty awesome. there are a couple versions to it. go to bleacherreport.com and check it out. next hour of cnn newsroom begins after a short break. ♪ i am stuck on band-aid brand ♪ ♪ 'cause germs don't stick on me ♪ [ female announcer ] band-aid brand has quiltvent technology with air channels to let boo boos breathe. [ giggles ] [ female announcer ] quiltvent technology, only from band-aid brand. use with neosporin first aid antibiotic.

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newsroom, do same-sex couples have the right to marriage? the historic argument starting right now at the u.s. supreme court. but for many, this isn't a courtroom story. it's about family. >> according to what i believe, i'm against it. i have my reasons and i believe strongly in those reasons. >> it's just kind of really hard to hear him say that. i know it's a process for everyone. plus the decision that set amanda knox free overturned by an italian court. and the calendar says spring, but the skies say snow. it's wearing on people still digging out. and don't feel bad if you didn't know about florida gulf coast university. you're not the only one. >> a lot of people in southwest florida hadn't followed this school until friday night. >> we're heading to the little known school that shocked the basketball world. you're live in the cnn newsroom.

good morning. thank you so much for joining me. i'm carol costello. the case that grabbed global headlines just will not end. today the italian supreme court ruled amanda knox will face trial once again for the murder of her roommate. back in 2007, meredith kercher was found stabbed to death, knox and her then boyfriend found guilty. but four years later, the convictions were overturned. now despite today's ruling, knox's attorney told cnn he expects will his client to be cleared a second time. >> amanda and her family will skrup husbandly abide by the rule of law and they are not required to appear for those proceedings. so let's not get ahead of ourselves. let's just see what happens. and we fully expect because these charges are totally unfounded, they're totally unjust, and we fully expect that

she will be exonerated as she was before. >> of course knox is living in the united states now, so she was not in court today. and she might return to italy. ben wedeman has more for you from rome. >> reporter: italian supreme court has rule that had amanda knox and her former italian boyfriend rafafaele sollecito must stand for a new trial arguing the body of evidence was enough to bring them back to retrial. they argued that the defense focused on the botched investigation by the police, but that did not mean they said that these two are innocent. now, according to the judges, they have 60 days to submit the reasoning for their ruling. the defense and the prosecution then has 45 days to put forward their cases. a trial is not expected -- a

retrial is not expected until sometime early next year. i'm ben wedeman, reporting from rome. >> and in about a half hour, we'll talk to the rome bureau chief for news week. we'll find out what is next in this long running legal battle for amanda knox. other stories we're watching right now, north korea issues yet another threat saying it's putting its military units on combat-ready status. the north also says those units have the capability to target south korea and u.s. forces across the pacific. new threats come as the undercontinues military exercises with the south. another massachusetts drug company pulling injectable drugs off the market saying foreign materials were found vialses of a dozen products. the university of north carolina is under federal investigation over how it hams sexual assault cases.

two women tell cnn school administrators brushed aside their complaints, did not take them seriously. and that's not all. david mattingly travelled to chapel hill in search of answers. all right after being sexually assaulted while enrolled in the university of north carolina, annie clark and andrea penal say they approached administrators for help but the response only added to their pain. >> she told me if you look back on the game, what would you have done differently in that situation. >> did you feel like you were being blamed for this? >> absolutely. >> reporter: clark says she is raped off campus in 2007. she did not go to the police thinking an investigation was pointless because her attacker was unknown to her. and a similar situation five years later with another insensitive response from a university adviser. >> and when i said i had been through a trauma and i was having a difficulty adjusting, they said, well, everyone's having a difficult time

adjusting. you're just being lazy. maybe you can't handle carolina. >> reporter: they along with two other students who say they were rape victims and a former unc administrator filed a civil rights complaint that led to a federal investigation by the department of education into how the university handles and reports rape cases. >> what do you think the investigation will find here? >> they'll find that there is a pervasive culture of sexual assault where the university has acted with deliberate indifference. >> if an administrator tells a student rape is like football, what does that tell you about the culture here? >> well, i'm not going to comment on any specific case, but i think that it absolutely needs to be the case that our administrators respond in a way that is supportive and fair to all the parties involved in these incidents. >> reporter: holden thorp is the chancellor of unc, the federal probe comes amid new outrage on the chapel hill campus over a case before the student-run

honor court. a young one unsuccessfully sought. punishment for an ex-boyfriend. instead she faced charges of intimidation. what do you say to these women who say the system here failed them? >> well, we're supportive of our students and we need to be as supportive as we can possibly be. and i say to them thank you for sharing your concerns with us so that we can address them for you and also make sure that what we do better in the future. >> reporter: the university recently defended how it handles sexual assault cases and is pledging full cooperation with federal investigators. there is also a recent wave of changes on campus. the student-run honor court is no longer allowed to hear sexual assault complaints. a former prosecutor has been hired to help formulate changes in university policies. the women behind the federal complaint say their problem is national and not limited to unc. >> so i think universities are

failing when they're more concerned about either not getting sued or their reputation or compliance than actually helping students. >> reporter: the department of education says its decision to investigate is not based on any determination that wrongdoing has in fact occurred. there is no word on when the inquiry might be complete. david mattingly, cnn, chapel hill, north carolina. now let's head to the u.s. supreme court where justices are taking their first steps toward possibly redefining the american family. right now they're hearing arguments on the first of two laws that restrict same-sex marriage and the legal rights of those who have such unions. it is an epic debate and one teaming with emotions. for days and days supporters of same-sex marriage have camped out braving the cold and snow hoping to get inside the court to hear those historic arts. we have our correspondents and analysts inside and outside the court. they're covering all angles of the landmark fight. and we want to view it from both

sides. darlene nipper is the deputy expe executive director and welcome to you both. you're standing together. that looks nice. peter, i'd like to start with you and i want to show you a headline on the huffington "post" this morning. it says america has decided. meaning that it doesn't much matter what the u.s. supreme court decides because the majority of americans already think same-sex marriage should be the law of the land. >> well, america should decide that through the democratic process. 30 states have decided to uphold marriage as the union of one man and one woman. so i wouldn't say america has decided by any means. we're discussing here the definition of marriage which for years has been defined as the union of a man and a woman because it brings together men

and women to make babies and it keeps those men and women together to provide a mom and dad to the children they produce. that's an important public purpose just as important today as it ever was. and the second reason we're here is to hopefully maintain the right of the people to decide these issues for themselves. >> although i'm married and i don't have any babies, but i married my husband for different reasons, i guess. so i'm not sure i follow that part of your argument, peter. darlene, do you agree with that? >> well, it's clear that the american public is ready for marriage equality. the majority of americans have already said they believe in marriage equality and the freedom to marry on. it's a fact, no need to really argue about that. and the demonstration handing today is that there are hundreds and hundreds of people out here, but more importantly, carol, all over this country, more than 150 events in all 50 states with

people letting their community, their neighbors, their co-workers, their community know that they care about marriage equality and that it is time america is ready for this and the time is now. >> peter does have a point because prop 8, which in essence bans marriage -- or limits marriage to between a man and a woman, prop 8 was voted on by the people of california. >> that's right. prop 8 was voted on by the people of california. but you know what, we never talk about how close it was. we never talk about the fact that this was practically split 50/50 at the time. and let me tell you, it's been an extraordinary time from 2008 to 2012 where in four states we have very clear decisions by voters saying, look, we vote for marriage equality, not against it. >> peter, what are you hoping the court will do today? because some people hope for a narrow decision. what does that mean? >> we certainly hope that the

court will uphold proposition 8 in california, which is being argued today and uphold the federal defense of marriage act which will be argued tomorrow. we feel that both the people of california in the case of california law and congress in the case of doma made the right decision and the supreme court should not overturn either one of those laws. >> peter, darlene, thank you so much for joining us this morning. we appreciate it. >> thank you. maybe you're like many americans who depend on getting a tax refund about now, but this year more of you are finding that's just not the case. in other words, you owe uncle sam. cnn personal finance and business correspondent zain asher joins me now. well, that's tdepressing. >> yeah, that's right, more people expect to be writing checks to the irs come tax time this year. fewer people expecting to get a

refund. so that natural boost that a lot of people rely on this time of year may not necessarily be there sadly enough to make you want to delay filing taxes. but here are some stats for you. according to an american express survey, 19% of taxpayers say they will be owing money this year, up from 13% last year. analysts say this might be a good sign, a sign that the economy is improving. people are earning more, therefore, they owe more. the bad news is that the average tax refund was $2700 last year. huge amount that people will be saying good-bye to. of those expecting a refund, 37% say they plan to use to pay down debt or bills. others plan to save the money. 28% say they plan to intend tsp money on themselves, family, home improvements, that kind of thing. the fact that most people are saving their refunds or using to pay down debt shows there is still a recession mentality in the air and that people have learned valuable lessons since 2009.

>> hope so. zain asher reporting live from new york. skrjodi arias' murder trial a national spectacle and now it's entering its final phase. we'll have the latest details for you next. this is so so soft. hey hun, remember you only need a few sheets. hmph! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra soft is made with extra cushions that are soft and more absorbent. plus you can use four times less. charmin ultra soft. plus you can use four times less. [ dog ] we found it together.upbeat ] on a walk, walk, walk. love to walk. yeah, we found that wonderful thing. and you smiled. and threw it. and i decided i would never, ever leave it anywhere. because that wonderful, bouncy, roll-around thing...

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16 past the hour. time to check our top stories. the calendar tells us it's spring, but somebody forgot to tell the snow to go away. it's down right cold across much of the country. temperatures below average from minneapolis to orlando. some areas of the south are under freeze warnings and watches. newtown connecticut families are upset about the nra and its robocalls. the nra calls asking voters to lobby state lawmakers against new gun control legislation. >> i think it's disgusting. and i think it's intentional. i don't think it's a mistake that the nra is making calls into newtown. >> the calls come three months after the sandy hook massacre. in addition to the calls, people have received postcards with similar messages. our affiliate has reached out for a comment from the nra. hasn't heard back yet. outside seattle, a power

transformer explodes sending flames into the area. firefighters were forced to let it burn out because the transformer was still energized. no one was injured, but investigators are trying to figure out what caused the explosion. a domestic violence expert returns to the witness stand today in the jodi arias murder trial. arias is accused of killing her ex-boyfriend and the prosecution has torn into a psychologist who diagnosed arias with post-traumatic stress and amnesia. miguel marquez was in court. >> she met that criteria. >> and you can bang on it all you want and it's still your judgment. >> reporter: aggressive cross-examination. martinez hammering away at the credibility of a key defense expert. >> you wouldn't say that because you have feelings for the defendant, right? >> i beg your pardon, sir. >> reporter: all but taunting the witness, telegraphing to the jury the idea that samuels

cannot be trusted, that he's too close to jodi arias. >> isn't it true that in this case, you lost your objectivity? >> objection. >> absolutely not. >> reporter: samuels' testimony critical in explaining jodi arias' 18 days of testimony and keeping the 32-year-old off death row for killing her on again/off again boyfriend travis alexander in 2008. >> dr. samuels is a critical witness for the defense because if jurors believe dr. samuels, then jodi arias really doesn't remember the details of the killing. >> reporter: the trial going nearly three months now is attracting snowbirds like steve pinto from new jersey. he's been watching on tv since day one. today is miss first day in court. he lined up at 4:00 a.m.. why, what has hooked you into it? >> because she looks so innocent but the crime that she made is very, very fierce that what she's done. >> reporter: but you tonight believe she's innocent. >> definitely not. >> reporter: the trial now

entering its final phase, the level of interest here only growing. now, that domestic violence 1k3er79 is expe expect is expected to be on the stand possibly into next week. and then we think we'll get to closing arguments and in up a kell of weeks, and then finally the jury will get it on april 2nd this trial will hit three months old. amazing. >> more like crazy. thanks so much miguel marquez reporting live. talk back question, if you fly, should you have to pay what you weigh? facebook.com/carolcnn. or tweet me,@carolcnn. that perfect spot. a special place we go to smooth out the ripples of the day. it might be off a dock or on a boat. upstream or in the middle of nowhere. wherever it may be, casting a line in the clear, fresh waters of michigan lets us leave anything weighing us down back on shore. our perfect spot is calling.

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now is your chance to talk back on one of the stories of the day. the question for you, if you fly, should you have to pay what you weigh? a norwegian professor is fuelling a frenzied debate over his big idea, a fat tax. the economic professor says it's only fair. passengers who are obese should pay more than fly than lighter

passengers. >> because i'm a straight up economics, for me it is not discriminatory at all. >> as airline reporter.com puts it, weight equals money. the heavier the plane, the more fuel it takes to move it and the more it costs. it is pondering its merits. it asks should a 80 pound child with 10 pounds of baggage pay the same amount as a 250 pound person with 150 pounds of luggage? airlines are already grappling with weight. a private operator is already charging by the pound. take a look. samoa air, pay only what you weigh. we're keeping airfares fair by charging our passengers only for what they weigh. other airlines are grappling with weight, although in different ways. qantas is installing car ban fiber seats to lighten the load and save money to fuel. but some ask why not take the next step and charge everything, including people by the pound.

talk back today. if you fly, should you have to pay what you weigh? facebook.com/carolcnn. or tweet me @carolcnn. ♪ (train horn)

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[ male announcer ] call today to get adt installed starting at just $99. hurry. this sale ends march 31st. adt. always there. now a story across the atlantic ocean. italy supreme court says a man if amanda knox should face new trial. she's been living in the united states since her murder conviction was overturned a year and a half ago. barbie, i just want -- >> reporter: it's a complicated situation. >> i want to read you something that the judge in the case said at the time that amanda knox was acquitted of murder. he said there wasn't enough

evidence proving they were guilty. so i don't get why the italian courts have ordered a new trial. did they find something new, some new piece of evidence? >> this is very much a standard procedure in italian criminal cases. all cases are subject to review by three levels of court. the first in which she was convicted of murder. second level in which she was acquitted. and now this is the third and high court ruling. cases are not considered complete until the high court has ruled on them. the prosecution in this case very successfully was able to petition the court based on the dna evidence and their arguments yesterday and in the documents they filed, 112 page document they filed about six months ago go, they really outlined the fact that they thought that during the appellate process of the trial in which they were acquitted, they overlooked the whole body of evidence and

focused instead on just two very specific pieces of evidence, that being the victim and knife that had amanda knox's dna on the handle and victims on the blade. to those were the focus of the appeal and the prosecution convinced the high court that they should have looked at all the body of evidence. >> so amanda knox is living in the united states. she's going to college. trying to get her life together. i mean, if i were her, i would not be going back to italy anytime soon. is there any way that italian authorities could force her to return to the country? >> well, extradition really won't be an issue unless she is reconvicted of the murder in the second appeal. it's important to distinguish between the original conviction for murder and the appeal. it was the appeal that was thrown back today, not the original conviction. so they don't have to start back at square one. they just have to retrial the appellate process of the case.

in which they very well might find her original conviction for the valid and throw it back again. extradition will come years from now if at all in this case. because there are several processes to go through. we probably won't see a new trial until the early part of 2014 or maybe the end of 2013. and then that trial, the appellate trial, first one took over a year. second one could take just as long. and then the high court has to look at it again. and all that has to happen before amanda knox would ever be extradited if she's convicted and if she's sentenced to anytime in italian prison. >> but the difficult part for amanda knox, this could drag on and on and on. seemingly for the rest of her life. >> well, in fact. she spent four years in an italian prison. 18 months trying to recuperate from that time. she's written her own book which is expected to be out april 30th. she's been keeping busy with her studies. probably a person in more danger

is raffaele sollecito who is living here and studying in verona. he is probably more of a threat in terms of his liberty right now. but it really will take a long time, several years, before there is a final result in this case. amanda knox is safe in the united states right now. she's not going to be extradited to italy. i wouldn't take an italian vacation if i were her, but i think she's safe where she is right now. >> all right. barbie, thanks so much for joining us. next, the feel good story of the ncaa tournament, at least so far. the florida gulf coast university eagles flying high, reaching the sweet 16. coming up, we take you to their campus where the wins are paying off. twins. i didn't see them coming. i have obligations. cute obligations, but obligations. i need to rethink the core of my portfolio. what i really need is sleep. introducing the ishares core, building blocks for the heart of your portfolio.

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>> tiger woods back on top in the world golf rankings for the first time since october of 2010. tiger regained the number one spot after winning the arnold palmer invitation al. it is the eighth time he's taken that tournament. and check out this ad that nike put on their facebook page just hours after. it says winning takes care of everything. certainly does in the united states. the miami heat's winning streak now 27 games after they beat orlando last night. heat are now six games from tying the all-time nba streak set by the '71/72 lakers. next game tomorrow night against the bulls in chicago. sweethearts of the tournament. florida gulf coast university unknown to many college basketball fans just a week ago is now the hottest feel in t et world of sports. george howell reports from the cam pause in ft. myers. >> reporter: a 15th seeded team

in the ncaa basketball tournament advancing to the sweet 16, they defied the odds. but even with all the media hype and cameras rolling, these players still keep it loose on the court at a school most of the country had never heard of, even one of the team's star players admits -- before he got the offer to come here and play, had you heard oftcu? >> to be honest, i had never heard of them and i was actually going to school in orlando at the time. >> reporter: but now florida gulf coast university is on the radar and everybody's talking about them. >> a lot of people in southwest florida h florida hadn't follow this had school. nothing unites us except a potential hurricane and now we have something to unite us. >> reporter: since defeating second seeded georgetown in their first ever ncaa tournament game, then going on to beat san diego state, the fgcu eagles

surprised everybody. >> everybody is so excited to see their little shawl town and their community of ft. myers be getting so much national attention. >> reporter: sales shot up pie 1,000% with fans buying up t-shirts and team merchandise. even a new rap song renaming the school as dunk city. and then there is the story about the team's coach, a self made millionaire, and left it all to coach college basketball. >> we're up tempo on offense, we play tough defense like florida state can did when i was there. >> reporter: a lot of attention has not only gone to him and his team, but also his wife, amanda, a former model who has barried on the cover of maxum magazine and now this underdog story of his team is playing out on the tenth anniversary of the weekend he met his wife. >> she's from oklahoma city. and we went to boston, i drove her and her friend from new york

city to boston to go to the oklahoma state first and second round. and when i picked her up in the car, i didn't know her at the time. but i knew as soon as she got in my car it would be a great trip to boston. >> reporter: he eventually won her over and now his team is winning the hearts of fans who had never heard of this school. so we've spent the last day or so here in ft. myers and the excitement is here, the energy is here. just the other day, we saw thousands of people pack into this arena, we got to meet the coach. it's everything you would expect of a college in this situation. but here is the thing. we're talking about a school that's really surrounded by somewhat of a retirement community. it's not exactly a college campus. but you do get the sense that it's a mix of all ages, everybody's really excited to see what this team does next. come friday when they face florida. >> how old is that coach? he looks so young to me. >> reporter: yeah, and it's a young team, as well. but you do get the sense that this is a team that is newly

discovered even here in ft. myers. a lot of people didn't know that the school was here. they know it now. people around the country know it now. and they're excited to see what happens. but for a lot of people, this threw off their brackets i'll bet. >> oh, yes, that's an understatement. george, many thanks. still ahead, arguments at the supreme court may change our definition of marriage. but why are some politicians taking a very public stand on the issue? we'll talk about that. [ female announcer ] what if the next big thing, isn't a thing at all? it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here.

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time to talk back. supreme court poised to make history on same-sex marriage. but some politicians seem -- all four senators now publicly bagging tba backing the issue. and that's after rob portman became the first republican senator to support marriage equality, influenced by his son who is gay. joining me now, donna brazile and amy ceremer. welcome to you both. donna, why are so many lawmakers suddenly coming out and saying we favor same-sex marriage? where have they been? >> i think they've always supported equality for all

americans under the law. they've always supported equal rights for all americans. the fact that they're coming out today or came out last night, it didn't really matter. what's important is that they're embracing something that should be just simple. we're a country of laws. and the constitution clearly states and affirms equal justice under the law. so i'm proud of them. i'm glad they're here. and one last thing, carol. in 2004, only 32% of americans embraced gay marriage. today it's 58%. among young people, 88% according to the latest abc "washington post" poll. so clearly public opinion has changed and the country is ready. >> amy, some people believe that it doesn't really matter what the u.s. supreme court rules because as donna says, the tide has turned. there is no going back now. >> i think that regardless of what the court rules, we haven't heard the end of this. and it's going to be interesting

because it's very complicated both of these cases. proposition 8 was something that was actually vote order by the citizens of california. and so for the supreme court to go in and overturn that, that's a big deal. the tea party movement stays out of the social issues because we can't even get everybody to agree on n. the same party, let alone across party lines. that's why we stick to the fiscal issues. but the 14th amendment gives us all equal rights. and nowhere in the constitution is the word marriage. so it will be really interesting to see what happens this next week -- or these next couple months as they are deciding these cases. but another interesting fact is that these justices, they're people, they live in the same society that we do. and you have to wonder how when donna talks about public opinion, the tide has turned, has that affected the justices. are they able to insulate themselves and not have that

play into what their decision is. and i think that will be very interesting. >> it certainly will. did not in a, wryou wrote an opd about hillary and bill clinton and their he have lugs ppts american people respect the chin to goes because they walked the journey with us and struggled with us and have shown us it's okay to evolve and to stand on the right side of history. do the clintons symbolize the struggles of other politicians on this topic? >> i think so. especially a president that signed the defense of marriage act into law, a president who just recently penned an op-ed saying it was wrong, it was discriminatory to basically forbid gays and lesbians who marry from enjoying over 1,000 so-called federal rights that married couples enjoy. so again, due process, equal jugs t

justice under the law. there are even religious institutions who have signed on. so i hope the justices will do right by the constitution and affirm that all americans should enjoy these rights. >> amy, do you see a point in time in the near future -- depending on how the u.s. supreme court rules, will more republicans come out or conservatives i should say and support same-sex marriage? >> well, i think that you're already starting to see that. but you also have people that absolutely will never evolve into that. i think each and every person has to make their own decision. and what's best for themselves. but when donna talked about the 81% of the youth, those are people under 30 already support it, that's a huge number. and it's not surprising to me at all. so i see how the tide has turned. but at the same time, we have to remember that 30 states i believe have also banned

same-sex marriage in those states. so it's interesting what's happening across the nation on a national level. but then when you get down to the state level, you see something different. so let's wait and see what the supreme court rules. >> all right. we want to talk about something else this morning, too. our next topic. mark kelly joining in the fight for gun control. recently mark kelly bought an ar-15 to show how easy it was to get around background checks and now the arizona store that sold him the rifle says that it has canceled his purchase. in a facebook posting, the store owner says that while he respects kelly's second amendment rights to buy and use a gun, that his recent statements to the media made it clear that his intent in purchasing the rifle from us was for reasons other than his personal use. cnn was unable to reach kelly for a comment, but i don't know, it kind of struck me as

hypocritical that the store owner would say we're not going to tell you a gun. should it really matter why mark kelly wanted the gun in the first place, donna? >> absolutely not. mark kelly is a supporter of the second amendment and based on what i've read, he was trying to illustrate just how easy it is to get these weapons of mass destruction. i mean, he was trying to purchase the ar-15, a weapon used in countless mass shootings most recently in connecticut, and he went to this gun store and he fill out all of the proper paperwork. but i think he was trying to make the point about how easy it is to purchase these weapons and perhaps the owner of that facility took issue with being used in that way. but, look, over 1 million people have been rejected in purchasing firearms over the last 14 years because criminal background or

mental situation or drug use. but i think mr. kelly was trying to make an important point this trying to purchase this firearm. >> amy, your thoughts. >> i think he was absolutely trying to make a political point. and it sounds to me like it upset the owner of the business and so he rekriscinded the sale. at the end of the day, he's a business owner and he has the right to do that. i personally don't being it wth the right thing, but that's wlae chose to do. >> amy, donna, many thanks to you. same-sex marriage is front and center in a very public debate about that also a personal issue for one california family. we'll share. [ male announcer ] when it comes to the financial obstacles military families face, we understand. our financial advice is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ]

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supreme court is hearing arguments on a challenge to prop 8, a voteser approved initiative banning same-sex marriage and debate over whether gay couples should be allowed to marry hits close to home for one california family. >> reporter: in california's conservative antelope valley, a fight inside this home 3450mirr the debate in the u.s. supreme court, just far more personal. do you regret how you were

before? >> you can don't realize, you know, how far you can go. i didn't know. >> reporter: they cheered the passage of the proposition 8, the state measure that eliminated same-sex marriage. what she didn't know, her shy and withdrawn 13-year-old son was gay. being eaten alive by a sense of shame over his secret. >> the most scary part for me was he trying to kill himself. i remember nights i had to sleep with my eyes open. >> reporter: shortly after cal dal banned same saeks marriage, anthony came out to his family, changing everything for the self described conservative and religious mother. >> i think it's very important for a lot of people that are gay now why they have to wait so many years to realize they tee serve a marriage like the same

rules that we have. and i support my son. >> reporter: her husband disagrees. >> it's about family. it's about proceed creation. it's about, you know, values. he's not going to be a second citizen in any way. >> reporter: except he can't get married according to your beliefs. >> according to what i believe, yeah, i'm against it. i have my reasons, you know, and i believe strongly in those reasons. >> reporter: what is it like for you to hear your father speak? >> just hard to hear him say stuff like that, but i knowt's a process for every. i don't think he realizes how much it hurts me individually that he does not support gay marriage. because i would like to get married one day. and i would want him to be there. >> reporter: this is quite the list of achievements. anthony now a high school senior is a young activist with the gay straight alliance, but also senior class president, on the homecoming court, and finds out this week about his acceptance into harvard. on the eve of his graduation,

this high cheever wants it all, including equality in the home, why he pushed to paint this mural this his hometown. >> how much longer is it going to take? how much longer do i have to wait to have a marriage? >> reporter: are you talking the supreme court or your father? >> i'm talking to both. talk back question this morning, if you fly, should you have to pay what you weigh? your responses next.

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