nypd confirms it was all part of a surprise birthday party and, yes, there will be no charges. so there you have it, it was a hoax. that is it for us. >> tomorrow we have former senator olympia snowe and peter shumlin. join us please. >> in the meantime, cnn newsroom with carol costello begins right now. happening now, march madness horror. >> that is a gruesome looking injury to kevin ware. >> louisville guard kevin ware and the stunning injury that shocked everyone, breaking his leg, a painful open fracture. >> it was a gruesome sight. nothing like i've witnessed before. also texas on edge. >> we'll find you, we'll pull you out of whatever hole you're

in, and we'll bring you back. >> a district attorney and his wife brutally murdered in their home. the assistant d.a. killed two months ago. who is targeting the prosecutors? plus firefight. cnn on the ground and on the front lines with u.s. special forces in afghanistan. >> we know there is a taliban strong hold from here. >> a cnn exclusive straight ahead. and easter finale. >> i am coming soon. >> the history channel's series making history, the actor who plays jesus moved by the powerful story. >> i can tell you that at one point being on that cross, i had a flash of my entire life leading up to that moment. >> the stunning series that has all of america talking this morning. you're live in the cnn newsroom.

good morning. i'm carol costello. thank you so much for being with me. we begin with one of the premiere events in sports and a heart breaking moment that mesmerized millions of viewers. >> he's dislocated some portion of his leg there. >> his team is in tears. >> college treated mates, opposing players and even coaches struggling to deal with the who are filing injury. kevin ware wrooithing in pain. the bone poking through the skin. yet amid the horror, he inspired his teammates. today the cinderella magic of march madness has a new chapter. >> while kevin was down, one of the players called the players over and said win the game, win the game. it was his message to the team. and they certainly took to heart and got the task accomplished. >> did they ever. they transformed the game from a dead heat to a blowout.

here is jared greenberg with more. >> reporter: a trip on the final four on the line. the game, oh, so close. 6:33 left in the first half. kevin ware leaps to contest a shot on the perimeter. then the unthinkable. ware lands, he breaks his leg. a mohorrific open fracture. players are stunned. fans in shock. a rare sight, a coach visibly emotional. louisville's rick pitino wiping away tears. time stands still as medical personnel stabilize ware. >> it was a gruesome sight, nothing like i've ever witnessed before in my liffor a basketball game. >> reporter: and then -- a standing ovation as ware is wheeled from the court and taken it to the hospital. >> i didn't ever think in a million years i would see

something like that. and that happened especially to a guy like kevin ware. i was completely devastated. >> reporter: but he's a brave young man because all he kept saying is win the game. louisville did win the game beating duke 85-63. advancing to the time four in atlanta, not far from ware's high school. >> real proud of our guys. real disappointed for kevin, but we're getting him home to atlanta. >> i can't imagine the pain. jared greenberg joins us now. kevin ware had surgery last night. how is he? >> they were happy with the surgery. routine two hour surgery. medical field pretty used to things like this. and the team is hopeful that he'll be released from the hospital on tuesday, travel back to louisville, and then maybe even go with the team to atlanta to be on the befshlg fnch for tl four. >> as far as the injury is concerned, will it affect his future in basketball? >> absolutely. but it depends on how much he wants it, how hard he wants to

work. coach pitino saying it's at least a year recovery. but injuries like there are up to the individual. if he puts in a lot in physical therapy and wants to get back on the court next year at some point, maybe we see him. seems like a pretty tough kid. i wouldn't toonuldn't doubt him. >> he took a picture of him in the hospital with the trophy. good luck to him. we wish him all the best. >> certainly do. security tight at the kaufman county courthouse this morning just days after a texas district attorney is gunned down. mike mclelland and his wife, cynthia, were found shot to death inside their home near dallas saturday night. their murders come just two months after an assistant district attorney was shot and killed. now the d.a.'s office will stay closed as the manhunt goes on for whoever is responsible. here is more from cnn's george howell. >> we'll find you. we'll pull you out of whatever hole you're in, and we'll bring you back and let the people of

cause kaufman county prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. >> reporter: a promise from mike mclelland two months ago to the unknown killer of an assistant da. a promise he would never see fulfilled. saturday night, police found the bodies of the da and his wife, cynthia, at their home. >> they both have been shot. we're in the process of completing the crime scene workup. >> reporter: an investigator says police found several shell casings inside the home from a high powered rifle. >> pretty obvious it's unnerving and it's unnerving to the law enforcement community, it's unnerving to the community the at large. >> reporter: there are no suspects and the sheriff's office has not officially said whether the mclelland's deaths are connected to the killing of kaufman county assistant d.a. mark hasse who was shot outside the county courthouse in january. the sheriff says extra precautions are being taken to

protect county elected officials as well as the public. >> there will be increased security at the courthouse tomorrow. visible security. >> reporter: mclelland said his co-workers were like a family, but they all knew their job came with risks. >> when you deal with bad people on a regular basis, you know that there is always the potential for these bad people to do something bad to you because they've already done something bad to somebody else. and so they can always concentrate and backlash on you. >> george howell joins us live now. georgia county judge thinks there is a strong connection between the killings. what are investigators saying, though? >> reporter: well, investigators, carol, at this point, they are not making any connection between those two killings. but look at it like this. we're talking about the murder of two prosecutors in the span of two months. if you hear this over and over here, people say it's not the sort of thing that happens here. you find this community really

taken by shock, fear, by what's happened here. so what we're finding now obviously there will be extra security at the courthouse as it opens today. and even public officials, carol, they're not taking chances. we know for instance in houston, texas, harris county, mike anderson, the d.a. there, he has taken an officer from the sheriff's office to have round the clock security to watch him and his family. one example of how public officials are not taking a chance here in the case that public officials are being targeted. >> unbelievable. george howell, many thanks. a former fbi assistant director joins us now. hi, tom. >> good morning. >> between these murders in texas and the killing of colorado's prison chief at his home last month, it might be logical to some to draw a connection. is there one do you think? >> well, it's hard to tell. i think the investigators are doing everything they can to try to determine whether or not there is a connection.

but obviously the murder of three very high ranking law enforcement officials in the span of three months is a pretty chilling development for u.s. law enforcement. >> and of course the alleged killer of the prison chief in colorado was found in texas. >> right. and that will be something they will be looking at as what were his connections in texas. and also how long he's been out of prison, the last four years since being released from the colorado system, what's he been up to, who has he been with, what organizations may he have been associated with that may have led to this. and again, it's going to be a very, very difficult investigation to try to determine the connections between even the two events of the murder of assistant district attorney hasse and district attorney mclelland and his wife. >> we know the suspect in

colorado was connected to a white supremacist gang. why would a white supremacist gang target prosecutors or a prison chief? >> it's hard to tell what motivated him to do that. it's been reported that he made threats against various prison guards during his stay in the prison system in colorado. so it could have been in connection with that. or it could have been -- it could be unrelated to that. we just don't know at this point. and obviously with him dead, we probably may not ever know what the true motivation was to pick clements himself, the director of connections, as opposed to one of the prison guards that he may have had a dispute with while he was in prison. >> tom, thanks so much for joining us this morning. >> thank you, carol. checking our other top stories, about two hours from now, james holmes is due in court. he's expected to learn if prosecutors will take the death penalty off the table. holmes defense team says he's ready to enter a guilty plea in

exchange for life in prison for killing 12 people and injuring 58 others last summer in aurora, colorado. as the threat from north korea grows louder, the u.s. steps up its military mind. it's deployed f-22 raptors to south korea as part of joint military exercises. in the meantime, south korea's president is warning north korea that any provocative move is met with a strong response. the man accused of crashing into a california walmart is behind bars. he drove more than ten feet into the store, jumped out and started attacking customers with a blunt object. don't know a motive. but police believe drugs or alcohol may have been involved. new for you this morning, new york police say a videotaped abduction was a prank. surveillance video showed a couple walking down the sidewalk. seconds later, two people who appear to be wearing masks are

seen running up behind the couple. witnesses say they heard a woman scream and saw her and her male companion forced in to a minivan and it sped away. police searched for the couple all weekend long. apparently it was just a big elaborate hoax. those involved, though, will not face criminal charges. today is opening day for major league baseball with games across the country kicking off the season. we have to talk about the weather because it will be cold in some of the ballparks across the nation. jennifer delgado is here to fill us in. good morning. >> good morning. you're right, it will be plenty cold out there. they will be selling a lot of coffee and hot chocolate. we are expecting temperatures in some parts around 10 to 20 degrees below average for this time of the year. i want to go cuss on the tiger versus the twins. in minneapolis, we're expecting a temperature of 33 degrees. that happens at 4:10. for the yankees as well as the red sox, temperature right around 54 degrees. that's not bad at all. but we do have a slight chance

we might catch an isolated shower. but nothing that will disrupt play. now royals at white sox, it will be cold there. a reading of 39 expected at first pitch. phillies and braves, we'll have the best weather really i think for all of baseball to start off that season. but the reason why we're talking about such cold temperatures, that jet stream is in place. it's coming in from the north bringing that cold air and spreading over towards the east. it will be cold as we go through about thursday. look at these numbers running 10 to 20 degrees below average. and notice those temperatures really drop off tomorrow. i can tell you this, i can't predict who will win the games today, but i can tell you minneapolis, they will win the pitch of the day for the coldest start. we're talking windchill values 10 to 20 windchill values. >> justin verlander, you know how fast he throws, he can -- >> the ball might slow down in the cold, too. >> i'm a tigers fan and they

will beat minnesota. thank you, jennifer delgado. u.s. special forces in afghanistan are used to this intense fighting. cnn crews are not. we'll show you exclusive and riveting report from the front lines. but i wondered what a customer thought? describe the first time you met. you brought the flex in... as soon as i met fiona and i was describing the problem we were having with our rear brakes, she immediately triaged the situation, knew exactly what was wrong with it, the car was diagnosed properly, it was fixed correctly i have confidence knowing that if i take to ford it's going to be done correctly with the right parts and the right people. get a free brake inspection and brake pads installed for just 49.95 after rebates when you

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17 past the hour. time to check our top stories. in alaska, three are feared dead. crash of a state trooper helicopter. the pilot and state trooper had just rescued a stranded snowmobiler northeast of anchorage. the chopper was on its way to meet medics when it disappeared. another aircraft spotted the burned wreckage but did not find any survivors. the numbers keep climb management massive pileup on i-77 in southern virginia. a total of 95 cars were involved in the chain reaction of

accidents when thick fog obscured the highway, three were killed, dozens more injured. the man who won last week's $338 million power ball jackpot could see his luck run out today. he's due in court for $29,000 in unpaid child support. a warrant was issued for him a few years ago, but a judge shelved it pending today's court appearance. we have exclusive reporting to show from you afghanistan. we're giving and you firsthand account of some very intense fighting from the front lines in afghanistan. anna coren and our crew were this embedded with u.s. special forces when a firefight erupted. trust me, you will not be able to look away. >> reporter: as rounds of gunfire ring out in the sdachbs, u.s. special forces run straight into the thick of it. they're the military's elite and this is what they're trained to

do. they don't just fight back. they hunt down the enemy. we come under heavy machine gunfire less than 400 meters away. and incoming round flies close overhead. we take cover behind a mud brick wall. with the attack coming from three different directions, special forces spread out across open farmland. their only cover, low lying ditches and sparse undergrowth. >> weep containing the river bet until we get to the left side. >> reporter: for a brief moment, they pause. special forces operator targets the enemy firing position with a .40 millimeter grenade

launcher. but the firefight rages on. we got intelligent that there was an ied in this area with a number of associates. we've come into these open fields taking fire. we know that there is a taliban strong held about a kill oomete from here. a soldier reloads preparing for another assault. we run towards the compound where insurgents stage one of their attacks. they quickly secure the area. not knowing what's behind these walls. >> somebody looking back that way? >> nope. >> reporter: movement inside has everyone on high alert. >> somebody ran across the door

and back again. >> reporter: soldiers locate the enemy firing point. >> they're taliban, which we're getting reports that they probably are, they may not necessarily live in these areas. which means that when they go into other people's compounds, they may get some intel relayed back to us. so that's what we're hoping on. >> reporter: apache helicopter gun ships search for the enemy who have made their escape. but they've already vanished blending back into the community and the landscape. >> i admire their resiliency and their conviction for sure. there's a degree of mutual respect. but that doesn't mean we want to kill them any less. >> reporter: while america's war may be finishing up soon, these brave soldiers know it's yet to be won. anna coren, cnn, eastern afghanistan. still ahead, our talk back question today, is it racist to

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now is your chance to talk about on one of the stories of the day. the question this morning, is it racist to celebrate confederate war symbols? symbols of the american confederacy areoo taboo. civil war buffs in north carolina found that out the hard way. they hung a confederate battle flag inside the statehouse to commemorate ral loeighraleigh's the civil war. the flag is coming down after protests. the idea to name april confederacy month was dropped just as fast in a town filled with civil war symbols. >> it's important to maintain our history and this area, you can't put your foot down but

you're stepping on history. >> they served our country so they should be honored just like the veterans in the u.s.. >> confederate symbols coming down throughout the south. in memphis, parks named after slave holders were renamed to the less controversial memphis park and health sciences park. much to the chagrin of those opposed to the change like the ku klux klan which rallied in protest. but here is the thing. civil war buffs say it's important to understand history and not secensor it by removing symbols. but to some it's a painful reminder of the racial violence also part of the confederacy. talk back question, is it racist to celebrate confederate war symbols is this?

coming up up, u.s. fighter jets head to south korcore koco a. our political panel will weigh in fp it's a hawk with night vision goggles. it's marching to the beat of a different drum. and where beauty meets brains. it's big ideas with smaller footprints. and knowing there's always more in the world to see. it's the all-new lincoln mkz. a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. the usual, bob? not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib:

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accrued oil pipeline burst friday in may flower, arkansas. more than 12,000 barrels have been recovered. 22 homes evacuated. exxonmobile still looking for the cause of that still. the annual white house easter egg roll begins about an hour from now. more than 30,000 people from across the country have tickets for the event. the first family will be joined by danica patrick and the vikings adrian peterson. time to talk a little politics. first up, north korea. the united states has deployed f-22 rafters to south korea as a part of joint military exercises. but make no mistake, the stelt bombers are ready for the reeld thing if the north launches an attack on south korea. although some have suggested including dennis rodman that instead of sending f-22s, president obama out to pick up the phone. >> as far as i see, this is not

even the government, it's like an organized crime family running a territory. he's brutal, his father was brutal, his grandfather brutal. i don't see any purpose at all doing that. it would serve no constructive purpose whatsoever. >> but north korea still talking tough. so what do you do? joining me now, cnn contributor maria cardona along with analyst for the blaze will cain. welcome to both of you. >> good morning. >> so i'll start with that question. should president obama pick up the phone and chat with kim jong-un? will? >> no. and i'll tell you why. peter king's analogy out a little further. it's not just like a mafia family, but it would be like the gambino crime family after john gotti fell. it's in still disarray. he's not the guy you call up on the phone and have everything expect to fall in line. he's fighting for his own life there. he's fighting for his own power.

attempting to consolidate it with the generals that were under his father. so acting tough, all these shows of force are an attempt to solidify his base of power. that's not the guy you negotiate with. >> maybe. the latest threat from north korea labeled the united states a boiled pumpkin, whatever that means. but maria, can you reason with a leader who says things like that? >> well, certainly it's not something that comes to mind and i agree with will that the president should not certainly pick up the phone and frankly listen to anything that dennis rodman is advising him on. but i will say this, i do agree that in terms of kim jong-un being like a mafia family, look, he is literally looking to solidify his base of power. he's trying to demonstrate that he is a tough guy, and he wants to make sure that he has credibility among his own people. the problem is that in order to

be a credible leader globally, he also has to have credibility among his allies. and when you have russia and china already basically frustrated with him as well telling him to, you know, come down a notch, then i think he's in trouble with his own base from a global perspective. so this is a show of bravado that's happened before. i think that we need to be, you know, on alert as we are right now. but essentially he's not really being taken seriously right now. and that's his own fault. >> on to the next topic because you know i love the easter egg roll at the white house. i don't know why. i just think it's a great tradition. and as you know, the white house, crisis averted. it may be april fool's day, but the easter egg roll will go on as planned and that's no yolk. did you like that? >> no, i did not. >> anyhow, danica patrick and

victor cruz will join in the festivities along with "american idol" alum jordin sparks. but all of that may pail in comparison to this, bo obama getting the first look at the eggs. it actually seems to me, will, that the easter egg roll is becoming more than an easter egg roll these days. will. >> i lost the last part of your question. >> you were. >> dan: dazzled by my joke. >> and bo's energy as he lethargically walk z arous arou grounds searching for eggs and setting on command. >> they should let him chew on an egg. >> but you had a question. i'm sorry. >> the question was is the easter egg roll becoming more than just an easter egg roll

because this is the 135th annual event and there is a theme. be healthy, be active, be you. >> yes. so that's good. a little more than an easter egg roll there. a way for example the first lady, that's her platform. that's what she's championing. it also became a political issue, it also became a little bit of sequester grand standing. we must shut down the easter egg roll because we can't afford it. i'm sure there are other things within this government we can look at saving money on. >> the "washington post" today, maria, when the easter egg roll was threatened, a donor ponied up $25,000 to save it. like right now. >> well, sure, carol. look, it certainly has become a terrific event that is open to so many across the country. and i've been to it a couple times with my kids. my kids love it and it's great to go in there and see all these kids actually learning about healthy eating, learning about

making sure they are active, learning about exercising. and i have to tell you, every -- >> conditions they just look for easter eggs? >> well, of course, but that's part of it, too. and i can guarantee you this, that every single person that comes out of the easter egg roll is egg static. >> you guys are -- seriously, this is terrible. >> we'll end it here then. thanks to both of you, maria cardona, will cain. let's talk about jesus now. of course the crucifixion of jesus, many could not hold back their tears. many on the emotional finale of the bible just ahead. the american dream is of a better future,

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i've got news for all the gleeks watching this morning. 30-year-old glee star cory mondayteeth has checked in to rehab for substance addiction. no details were given about what substance he's addicted to, but for all of those who don't watch the musical drama, here is a clip of his singing football star character fin hudson. ♪ ♪ tell me why ain't nothing but smoets. >> th g.i. joe smashed the b office over the weekend. bringing in will $132 million worldwide. it hook in more than $41 million in its opening weekend here in the united states. five weeks, ten hours and the finale that brought many to

tears. i'm talking about the epic might be any semini series the bible. some of what you're about to see might be disturbing. >> the king of the jews. >> last night's finale featured the crucifixion and it was timed of course to coincide with easter. a.j. hammer joins us now. and i guess twitter lit up with people expressing how that scene moved them to tears. >> yeah, and there really is something a little bit odd about even referring to the bible as a hit mini series. but that's what it was for the history channel. and last night's easter finale with that graphic representation of the crucifixion of jesus christ really touched a nerve among viewers. an explosion of twitter comments about how the last episode was so moving, people were having these emotional visceral reactions. and, yeah, the comment about

people being reduced to tears was one we are seeing over and over again. the whole series did spectacularly well in the ratings. brought in northemore than 10 m an episode. and while we don't have last night's numbers just yet, i think you can certainly expect to see the biggest ratings of series so far. now, not all the twitter chat was serious. the actor who plays jesus has developed somewhat of a devoted following. and i think he might be a little embarrassed by the fact that he's the focus of the hot jesus hash tag. and i should point out i saw josh groban tweeted did i just see a commercial for the book version? now, if you're a fan or if you missed it, you want to catch up, the dvd is now available on the history channel's website. i have a feeling it's going to do very well. >> i think you're right. a.j. hammer, many thanks. next in the newsroom, call it the great tusk robbery.

a man breaks into a museum armed with a chain saw. his target? an elephant with a famous past. [ male announcer ] what?! investors could lose tens of thousands of dollars in hidden fees on their 401(k)s?! go to e-trade and roll over your old 401(k)s to a new e-trade retirement account. none of them charge annual fees and all of them offer low cost investments. e-trade. less for us. more for you.

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scores dramatically improve. among those charged, beverly hall. she has denied any role in the scandal. a young man is under arrest after police say he used a chain saw to chop off a tusk from an elephant's skeleton. that elephant once belonged to king louie xiv. the skeleton has been on display at the natural museum in paris. it will be repaired. >> the nra will jump back into the debate over guns and school safety. nra announced a school safety initiative. they will unveil training recommendations for armed guards and guidelines for cities to change rules to allow for those armed guards at schools. last surviving member of jfk's family could soon be this public service. a democrat familiar with the discussions tell cnn that caroline kennedy has been asked to serve as u.s. ambassador to japan. jessica yellin says kennedy is

being vetted for the post. excuse me, i have to cough. so sorry. okay. i'm back. pope francis, let's talk about him celebrating his first easter mass before thousands this st. peter's square. among them, a physically disabled boy who the pope kissed after the boy was passed through the crowd. observers noted francis' interaction with the crowd and how it was a departure from his predecessor. the pope called for an end to conflicts in several parts of the world. >> translator: peace in iraq, that every act of violence may end. and above all, for dear syria, for its people torn by conflict and it for the many refugees who a wait help and comfort.

>> the easter mass marked the end to holy week during which pope francis washed the feet of a dozen youths at a detention center. our talk back question, is it racist t celebrate confederate war symbols? your responses next. acceler-rental. at a hertz expressrent kiosk, you can rent a car without a reservation... and without a line. now that's a fast car. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz. we are outta here! finding you the perfect place. hotels.com. how old is the oldest person you've known? we gave people a sticker and had them show us. we learned a lot of us have known someone who's lived well into their 90s. and that's a great thing. but even though we're living longer,

one thing that hasn't changed: the official retirement age. ♪ the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need to enjoy all of these years. ♪

is it racist to celebrate confederate war symbols? >> this from antonio. from shun we shouldn't have to censor history for those who are too sensitive to handle it the way it happened. this from frank. it's racist. absolutely. in another country they would be called terrorist. why celebrate a hate symbolal? >> and from steve we need to completely white wash history. nobody shtd ever be allowed to be proud of or even remember anything that offends or irritates someone else. we'll be right back. switchgrass in argentina,e annd change engineering in dubai, aluminum production in south africa, and the aerospace industry in the u.s.? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections

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do i need to tell you baseball is back? first day of the season. most major league teams are in action today. in the meantime, the new york yankees captain, derek jeter starts the season on the disabled list. he sat down with rachael nichols talking first about the tragedy in newtown, connecticut. >> on opening day major league baseball will honor the victims of sandy hook. why do you think it is

important. >> i have a younger sister, i have a nephew and i can't tell you how i would feel but it is unimaginable to think what those families were going through, a horrific incident like that and going to the school and not knowing whether or not your kids were safe. it's something that is just mind boggling to think about. >> you called the mother of one of the teachers, the 27-year-old who was protecting her kids was killed. >> i didn't do that for any attention in doing it. i just understood that she was a big yankee fan. i just did it. i thought just to reach out and say what a hero her daughter truly was. i think sometimes people use that term loosely. you're speaking about a true hero there. >> to start opening day on the

d.l. because of your ankleal what will be going through your head? >> it will be odd. i feel as though it is my job to be ready for opening day but it didn't happen. >> what is different as you are years old from 22 years old? >> i think you spend much more time preparing to play. now you get up at night and you have to stretch before you get out of bed. it is a lot more difficult. >> what are you better at now than you were at 22 or 23 years old? >> answering questions from you. a lot of people don't realize i have been answering your questions for years. we have been working together for a long time. >> second act for you. anything else you want to accomplish? >> i want to win again. i hear from m.j. all the time.

he got five. it would be fun to have just as many as all your friends. >> you have played baseball or thought about baseball or preparing to play baseball every day of your life probably as long as you can remember. what is scary about the idea of not being in the game whenever down the road it does happen? >> i'm pretty sure i will be involved in the game in some fashion. i want to own a team one day. >> you think the yankees are available? >> too expensive unless you give me some of your money. >> derek jeter. i hope he comes back to the game soon. coming up in the 10:00 hour of "cnn newsroom" which is coming up in just about two minutes i sat down with prince fielder. he revealed he was bullied in

school. talk about that with prince fielder in the next hour of "cnn newsroom" which starts right now. happening now gunned down in his own home, another texas prosecutor is killed. >> we are very confident that we are going to find you. we are going to pull you out of whatever hole you are in. >> police believe it is a revenge killing. plus gun control. would you turn your gun in for beyonce. players and coaches in texas unable to watch louisville's kevin ware's catastrophic injury. i sat down with outfielder prince fielder. >> little kids always bullied me a little bit.

whenever i would get mad i would get in trouble because i was bigger. >> you are live in the "cnn newsroom." good morning. thank you so much for being with us. i'm carol costello. security is tight, nerves are frayed and a man hunt grows. a produce cuter is find murdered. district attorney mike mclelland and his wife cynthia were found shot and killed. investigators work to figure if there is a connection between the killings of mclelland and hasse. they are looking for links with the colorado prison chief murder last month. i spoke with former fbi assistant director. >> it is hard to tell what motivated him to do that.

it has been reported that he made threats against various prison guards during his stay in the prison system in colorado. it could have been in connection with that or could be unrelated to that. we don't know at this point. with him dead we probably may not ever know what the true motivation was to kick clements as opposed to one of the prison guards that he may have had a dispute with while he was in prison. >> and more on the city in texas searching for a killing. >> anything that you people can do to accelerate our getting our hands on this gun will be appreciated. >> reporter: mclelland's tough talking swagger was on full display when he vowed to find

the killer hasse. >> translato >> i hope that the people who did this are watching because we are very confident that we are going to find you. we are going to pull you out of whatever hole you are in and we are going to bring you back and let the people of kaufman county prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. >> reporter: now two months later mclelland and his wife cynthia have become victims themselves. investigators recovered several shell casings in the house belonging to a .223 power rifle. a month before mark hasse was killed the texas department of public safety warned it received credible information that members of the white supremacist group was planning to retaliate

against law enforcement officials they suspect issed of targeting the a gang's leadership. law enforcement officials say they are taking extra precautions. the courthouse will be open for business on monday but the prosecutor's office will be closed. >> it is unnerving to the community at large. that is why we are striving to assure the community that we are still providing other safety and will be able to do that. >> reporter: the murders of these two high profile prosecutors has the hallmarks of well coordinated hits. targeted killings of law enforcement officials are rare but not unheard of. earlier this year in southern california christopher dorner targeted with a hit list of people he wanted to kill. in many ways the kaufman cases are scarier.

no one knows what it killer is thinking. >> they are afraid that someone else will be targeted by these people. >> reporter: it is not clear why the prosecutors were killed or who if anyone might be next. sgle all eyes are on any link between these shootings. i am joined by george howell in texas and former senior fbi profiler. back to the potential link between mclelland's murder and the white supremacist group. what are investigators telling you? >> officially investigators are not making any connection or link to the arian brotherhood. it is a question that keeps coming up and here is why. you heard the texas department of public safety put out a bulletin in december saying they had credible information that the arian brotherhood would actively target law enforcement.

mclelland said that would be mere speculation. the same question so that is why we are hearing that law enforcement is not indicating that that is the case at this point. >> mary ellen as a former fbi profiler, can the similarities and i want to take into account the shootings, the prison chief in colorado was shot in his home when he answered the door. in texas the prosecutor and his wife were killed inside their home. what does that tell you about the killer or killers? >> well, that tells me several things. first of all, it is very high risk for an offender to go into a victim's home and kill them inside their home. and the reason that i say that is because these homes were in residential neighborhoods. there are people walking about. it is day light. the offender can be seen, the car can be seen so it is very risky to take on that kind of a

challenge. in addition going into somebody's home, a home you have probably not been in before means that there has to be some kind of surveillance ahead of time. so you know that they may be the only ones there. putting the shooter for such a long time in the neighborhood, maybe over a period of days really elevates their risk level but also goes to the commitment that they have to get those victims as opposed to victims of opportunity and they're willing to take that risk. >> and back to you, george. i know there has been no connection made between the colorado shooting and the texas shooting. still they were done in similar ways. the suspect in the colorado shooting was shot and killed after a police chase in texas. are police making it a link officially that you are aware of? >> you know, when we talk about

this particular office here they are very tight lipped. whether they have information that they don't want to get out or if they don't have information we don't know that at this point. what i can tell you is here in kaufman you can tell that officials are taking it seriously. they are aware. in fact, we know that they are counting on law enforcement. in fact, in harris county which is just south of us in houston we know that mike anderson accepted an offer from the sheriff's department to have around the clock security for himself and his family. so that is one example of what we are finding. these officials are taking it seriously. they are aware, taking steps to protect themselves. >> how can police and prosecutors and corrections officers protect themselves? i know they have this protection. this is really scary. >> it is very scary.

and i'm sure in addition to the security and they are really telling folks to be very careful about your surroundings and your family. they may be moving their families to different locations. they are also going to be very careful about what they say in the media. and the statement that the last victim made in terms of referring to the word "scum" "we'll pull you out of the hole" those remarks could have been seen and that could have been seen as a challenge, certainly could have been interrupted as insulting. any comments made from this point on my sense is they are going to tone down that rhetoric. >> thank you so much for joining us. >> you're welcome. >> thank you. other top stories this morning. as the threat from north korea grows louder the united states steps up its military. it has deployed f-22 raptors as

point of joint military exercises. south korea's president is warning north korea that any provocation would be met with with a strong military response. cleanup still on going after a crude oil pipe burst in arkansas. more than 12,000 barrels of oil have been recovered. and the man accused of crashing his car into a california wal-mart is behind bars this morning. san jose police say the suspect drove more than ten feet into the store skand jumped out of t car. it was a moment that transcended sports and shocked the national tv audience. louisville guard kevin ware shattered his leg. the injury so gruesome the bone poked through the skin.

advancing to next weekend's final four. >> i don't think any of us with what we have had to witness could have overcome it if it wasn't for kevin ware 12 times saying to the guys i'll be fine. win the game. >> doctors reset his bone and inserted a rod in his leg and called the surgery successful. ware hopes to watch saturday's game from the bench. carlos diaz jones joins me now. >> when you have guyed like jim nance and the announcers who are seasoned professionals and they are at a loss for words you know it is horrific. it is a freak accident. he comes down after trying to block a shot.

both major bones in the leg broken. as you said, as you pointed out, one of the bones coming through the skin. there are reports that several louisville players bombed it right there when they saw it happened. you can see he is wiping away tears right there and this guy has seen it all. he went over to help him up and then he saw that basically his leg was just kind of broken in half. he went to methodist hospital in indianapolis during the game. he had the surgery last night. rick petino stayed behind. kevin ware is from atlanta. the team wants to get him to atlanta for the final four. this harkins back to joe when he went out after lawrence taylor knocked him out during a "monday

night football" game. and then after the game rick petineo mentioned michael bush. he had to sit out his senior year. there still might be hope for kevin ware. a horrific injury. when you put it up against other injuries you would have to say this is the worst looking injury ever. even with players who break their legs in baseball they have pants on and you can't see what is going on. this is exposed skin. this was a horrific thing to see on national tv. they replayed it one time and that was is it. >> talk about being strong on the inside. kevin ware says win this one for me. i want to be back on the bench and watching you in the final four. >> they say he will be out for at least a year but are saying he will come back. he will use this as an inspirational tool and build

next season around kevin ware. >> i don't think he has to try. amazon.com losing one of its biggest advantages that gave it a competitive edge over brick and mortar stores. the popular online retailer challenged efforts forcing it to charge state sales tax. >> it wouldn't be such a shocker to see amazon take this issue to the supreme court especially since the highest court in new york said you have to collect state sales taxes, something amazon doesn't want to do. other states like illinois said no problem amazon. you don't have to collect sales taxes. you see the two sides of this. it is a fiery issue. different opinions on each side. it makes it a prime candidate for supreme court review especially since each state has different laws. if amazon loses this battle it

could mean the company could say good bye to its edge over brick and mortar stores. the possibility of amazon losing this battle, that is a win for retailers who have physical stores because they have had to charge state sales taxes all along. your biggest investment may well have been your biggest fear in recent years. now new signs that housing market is on the rebound and may be charging back. ♪ you know my heart burns for you... ♪ i'm up next, but now i'm singing the heartburn blues. hold on, prilosec isn't for fast relief. cue up alka-seltzer. it stops heartburn fast. ♪ oh what a relief it is!

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awarded five-stars from smartmoney magazine. it's the news millions of you have been waiting to hear. the housing crash is over. prices are on the rebound. all this week we will be looking to the nation's housing comeback. we have a look at the once sizzling market of south florida. >> reporter: fort myers is hot. it's the real estate market. after years of economic misery, one of the hardest hit areas in the country is bouncing back. listen to this real estate

investor. >> years ago, 2009 to get people into a community and show life we played music. we made sure there were people present. we don't have to do that anymore. >> reporter: the last time we were at this 200 high rise complex called the oasis it was 2009. the building was a ghost town, the pool unused. in 2009 there was one family living here. now they have plenty of neighbors. the building is almost at capacity and that is a reflection of the real estate market across south florida. >> love it. >> reporter: terry moved in two years ago. do you like that you have neighbors now? >> absolutely. the more people the merrier. it's a blast. >> reporter: a report shows new construction was up more than 50% in the last quarter of 2012 compared to the year before. a standards and poorz study says

across america home values are riegz at the fastest pace. prices are still affordable. that is attracting buyers. anyone who bought before the slump got burned. >> he can buy that for half of what he paid for it in 2009. >> reporter: along this river front three years ago there were 1,500 condos for sale. today only 150. that was fort myers, florida. the west coast of florida. today we are in miami. you can see great demand for construction. i am going to bring in fernando martinez. he is the president of the miami realtors association. how do we know we are not getting ourselves into the same jam? >> the market is different today because a lot of the people that are purchasing and a lot of the inventory that has been taken

off the market is through foreign investors. foreign investors today represent 70% of the deals that are being done. out of that 70%, 90% are cash deals. they are solid. we are not talking about mortgages. >> reporter: as you can see behind me this building began construction in the earl ay 2000s before the crash and now they are finishing the rest of the 35 stories. back to you. >> reporting live from miami this morning. checking our top stories at 20 minutes past the hour. in alaska three people are feared dead after a state trooperer helicopter crashed. the pilot had just rescued a snow mobiler. another aircraft spotted the burned wreckage but did not spot any survivors. the man who won last week's jackpot could see his luck run

out today. he is due in court for $29,000 in back child support. a warrant was issued for him a few years ago. the numbers keep climbing on the massive pileup in southern virginia. a total of 95 cars were involved in a chain reaction of accidents. thick fog on the highway. three people were killed and dozens more injured. is it racist to celebrate confederate war symbols? facebook.com/carolcnn or tweet me.

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the white house easter egg roll survives. you see all of those people waiting for the president and his family to come out. this easter egg roll is more than just about finding eggs.

kids will learn about healthy eating and how to exercise. there will be a rocking egg roll stage. the performers slated to perform on the slate, jordan sparks from "american idol" and elmo. after the kids hunt for easter eggs they can gather around the story time stage and danica patrick will read to them. it will be fabulous and fun. when it gets underway we will take you back live to the white house. now is your chance to talk back on one of the stories of the day. the question for you this morning, is it ratest to celebrate confederate war symbols? the symbols are becoming taboo even if they are part of a historic exhibit. civil war buffs in south carolina found that out the wrong way. they hung a confederate battle

flag in the state house to commemorate raleigh's role. the governor's office says it has been relocated. the idea to name april confederacy month was dropped just as fast in tennessee. >> it's important to maintain our history. and this area you can't put your foot down but you're stepping on history. >> served the country just like anybody else during that time so they should be honored just like the veterans in the u.s. >> confederate symbols are coming down. park were renamed to the less controversial memphis park and health scientists park much to the chagrin of those opposed to

the change like the ku klux klan. tempers played when the klan showed up to rally in protest. civil war buffs say it is important to understand history and not censor history by removing its civils but for civil right advocates to give us an incomplete history of the civil war and our painful reminder of the racial violence that was also part of the confederacy. is it racist to celebrate confederate war symbols? facebook.com/carolcnn or tweet me @carolcnn. d had them show us. we learned a lot of us have known someone who's lived well into their 90s. and that's a great thing. but even though we're living longer, one thing that hasn't changed: the official retirement age. ♪ the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need

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for more information including cost support options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. for more information including cost support options, anncr: and many of the tornado's victims are... without homes tonight. girl: first, i saw it on cable. then i read about it online. i found out how to help. i downloaded the info. i spoke up... and told my friends... and they told their friends... and together, we made a difference. anncr: and tornado relief has been pouring in from... across the country. girl: we might be hundreds of miles apart... but because we're connected, it's like we're all neighbors. good morning i'm carol costello. thank you for being with us. 30 minutes past the hour the

easter egg roll has begun. let's head back to the white house where these annual easter roll is getting underway. all of the people won tickets through an online lottery. dan lothian is there. it looks like a lot of fun. >> reporter: it is and i'm right on the other side of the building. it is a huge event. it is the largest public event here at the white house. more than 30,000 people did win the lottery and got tickets to attend this event, day long event. did you know that over 300,000 people actually entered the lottery? so that gives you a sense of how popular this is. you know for a while we were reporting about whether or not this would take place because when the invitations were sent out to some of the vips they were told due to the funding uncertainty it was possible this

event would not happen. sort of on pins and needles even though the white house was fairly confident that it would take place. the focus will be on health and wellness. there will be lots of food and fun and festivities. the first lady and the president will come out and deliver remarks. the big event is the egg roll. >> that is very exciting. the other exciting new addition this year is the presence of beau who will manage to put his paw print on what? >> reporter: beau -- where will he put his paw print? >> i thought on an egg. >> reporter: and squash it. beau is always around. beau is always seen on the north lawn or the south lawn traveling around taking walks. beau has been the center of attraction here at the white house. >> he seems so lethargic. i just want to grab the egg.

you don't see him run that often. >> there is in egg. there is an ig. he is a cute dog. i shouldn't make fun of the dog. there is a special place you know where for people who make fun of dogs. part of the festivities today there is going to be a rocking egg roll stage. jordan sparks from "american idol" will sing with the kids. also i understand danica patrick and adrian peterson are going to be. >> my son is a big nascar fan. she will be here, very popular on the nascar circuit. a number of other professional athletes, as well. victor cruz from the new york giants, volleyball players, soccer players all here. while the kids come to see the president and first lady and participate in the egg roll itself they also get a chance to

see some of their fans or these people they see from a distance they get to see them up close today. >> when the east r egg roll gets underway we will go back there. we'll be right back. hey! [squeals] ♪ [ewh!] [baby crying] the great thing about a subaru is you don't have to put up with that new car smell for long. introducing the versatile, all-new subaru forester. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. your doctor will say get smart about your weight.

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need some extra cash in your pocket, exclusive mentoring or maybe free beyonce tickets? all you need to do is show up for guns 4 greatness buyback and turn in your gun. more than 100 weapons were collected. the program's founder explains how the program works. >> turning in the gun part is totally anonymous. you don't have to give your name or special security number.

you come in, you turn in your gun. if it is an operable gun you get a $200 gift card. >> guns 4 greatness founder is here to talk more about the program. good morning. >> good morning. >> what struck us especially was bringing a gun and you might get beyonce tickets? >> the conversation started with trying to keep kids that would come in engaged and to keep them coming back to do work so i wanted to offer them things like tickets to concerts, sporting events and maybe head phones. to get kids to do the mentoring work i need to give them things to keep them engaged. >> beyonce must be on board with this? >> less about her but more about the venues that her concerts are at that i would go to them and

get them to donate tickets. >> you don't merely want young men to bring in guns. you want them to be mentors. is that working? >> i want young men to get on a different tath. this weekend at the first event and i want to thank the christian culture center for letting us have it there. the first stories that came in were parents that kim in with their children that were asking us to make sure that we mentored their children. the mentoring part we are hoping that we can help make changes. >> so as the parents who brought in their kids, how young were the kids and who did the gun belong to? >> one parent found the gun in his son's room. the father brought him and the gun in and asked us if we could help mentor his son and get him on the right path to success and change his life. >> what will say to you from

people who tell you they have gun buyback programs in cities all over the united states and those cities still have a violence with gun violence. >> i think they are one more tool than trying to get illegal guns off the street. i think that you have to give some of the young people out there that are carrying guns some type of alternative of going to jail, put them in a situation where they can see that there is a light at the end of the tunneling. >> thank you so much for being with us this morning. >> thank you. thank you for having me. coming up in the "cnn newsroom" a pastor calls out the religious rights saying the religious rights wants the country to live in the past. it happened while the pastor was delivering an easter sermon which was attended by the president. everyone's retirement dream is different; how we get there is not. we're americans. we work. we plan.

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to help her get the nutrition she was missing. and now she drinks it every day. well, it tastes great! [ male announcer ] boost has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones, and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. and our great taste is guaranteed or your money back. learn more at boost.com [ dietitian ] now, nothing keeps mom from doing what she loves... being my mom. turning our attention to politics and the religious right under fire and republicans seek to rebrand there are signs that this segment of the party may be losing foot holes when it comes to the services. a liberal pastor saying the captains of the religious right are always calling us back, back, back, for blacks to be in

the back of the bus, for women to be back in the kitchen and for gays to be in the closet and for immigrants to be on their side of the border. >> welcome to you both. >> good morning. >> good morning. i guess what surprised me about the most was that the pastor said that during a church service on easter sunday. >> it is not surprising. don't we remember reverend white? none of this is new. the republicans need to stop -- republicans remind me of a guy with bad dress. it is because of what is coming out of your mouth. republican party is criticized because of what they are saying. these comments are going to keep coming. >> must they be criticized on easter sunday? >> i guess i would agree that i

don't actually have a problem with it. i think this is sort of a normal part of american religion. i think it should be a little uncomfortable for liberals who spent a lot of debates arguing that any kind of mixing in religion and politics instituted a dangerous march. if that is your perspective then you should be troubled by the fact that the president is sitting there on easter sunday hearing political sermons. there is a long history of this in american life. liberal christians have every right to go after conservative christians and vice versa. i think it is more of a reminder that liberals are only mixing when it is conservative doing the mixing. >> it is easter sunday. >> i don't think it is appropriate. i am concerned about marsh marrow peeps and eggs.

he was at a church where he heard it was fiery comments. >> we have to interrupt you because the president and the first family you can see them on the balcony at the white house. the easter egg roll is about to begin. ♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly

streaming ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ and the home

of the brave ♪ >> there was no lip siyncing there. let's listen to the president. >> big round of applause. give kid president a big round of applause. the easter bunny is here. give the easter bunny is big round of applause. it is wonderful to see all of you. i just want to say welcome. you guys brought the great weather. it was a little shaky this morning. but all of you did a great job sending a message upstairs. now we have beautiful weather. and i now want to introduce the star of the obama family, my

wife, the first lady, michelle obama. >> thank you. thank you, mr. president. thank you kid president, robby novak. isn't he wonderful? robby, we are so proud to have you here. you have been so inspiring. i can't imagine there is anyone who hasn't seen your video, right? you make us all want to work hard and be better. that's right. you are going to spend a little time in the oval office fixing things up for this president. it is good to have you here. it is great to have everyone here this morning. we are so excited. the easter egg roll is the biggest event that we have here on the south lawn of the white house each year. today we are going to have more than 30,000 people who will pass through this yard in celebration of nutrition and health and activity. and we could not do this if it were not for all of our

wonderful volunteers, our staff, all of the terrific performers and athletes who have taken time out of their lives and their busy days to make this important. so we need to give all of them a round of applause for all of their hard work. yes indeed. so today we want you to have a great time. we want you to run around. we want you to go over and see the white house garden. we want you to learn about making tasty, healthy food. we are going to do some easter egg roll. we are going to read some stories and we want you guys to have a good time and keep moving and be healthy and kids eat your vegetables. take care. we'll see you down there. thank you. >> it's not just about hunting for easter eggs. it is also about staying healthy. i admit that a part of me just wants it to be about finding easter eggs. i'll lay that one on you.

>> and marshmallow peeps. >> i am curious about the easter bunny up there. >> looks like the easter bunny needs help getting down the stairs. >> there is a message about obesity here, too. michelle obama, we want a cautionary tale with the easter bunny. >> i think it is terrific. i don't know if it was a threat that the easter egg hunt would be cancelled for budgetary reasons. everybody seems to be glad it is on. >> this is sort of the washington monument phenomenon where whenever budget cuts are threatened they say we will have to shut down the washington monument. there is no scenario in which a white house with any interest in politics would end up canceling the easter egg roll. >> there was an article this

morning. as soon as the threat came to life the democratic donor stepped up and donated $25,000 and said this must not happen. this is america. >> obama is going to use any excuse he can to do more fundraising. it was an empty threat. obama and michelle like having these kinds of events. of all of the government waste and salaries we cut the easter egg hunt should never be on the list. >> this is such a great spectacle. they are taking pictures of the president and the kids are on the shoulders of their parents. it is a beautiful thing. >> are you trying to coax me into saying something partisan or antieaster. i am not going to do it. it is that easter bunny i am a little concerned. >> 30,000 people will attend this event today. and they are going to have like

amazing people. they are going to have a rock and egg rolling stage. >> american humor isn't dead yet with those kinds of puns. >> i even thought the pledge of a aliegeance was great. >> who is the kid president? >> kid president is robby novak. he is a 9-year-old boy from tennessee. apparently he is a video maker. his video went viral. he pretended to be the president and so they invited him. >> did he give remarks? >> he just said hello and a few words. he is nine. >> are you saying -- cnn did not broadcast the kid president speech live, only the actual president? as a cnn contributor i am

concerned. >> equal times. >> when you look at the obama daughters they didn't look overly thrilled to be there this year. i think they are getting a little older. >> that's right. we need the teenage president to sort of go up there and says something obnoxious about adult authority. >> they are so bored. they are done with it. >> i can sort of understand. we will bring in more of the easter egg roll throughout the day. >> absolutely. happy easter. we went out and asked people a simple question:

how old is the oldest person you've known? we gave people a sticker and had them show us. we learned a lot of us have known someone who's lived well into their 90s. and that's a great thing. but even though we're living longer, one thing that hasn't changed: the official retirement age. ♪ the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need to enjoy all of these years. ♪

you can say play ball. 12 major league teams on the schedule today as the texas rangers and astros opened the season last night. the astros win 8-2. it was the franchise's 4,000th win. with baseball comes hot dogs and apple pies.

detroit's prince fielder comes to mind. i sat down with prince during spring training where he revealed he had been bullied as a little boy. our conversation began on a lighter note. >> jim leland told me is fans don't realize how athletic you are. why do you think they don't know that? >> you look a certain way, it's fine. as long as i know i'm working hard and trying to get better every day. >> i think i was watching one game and you ran into someone and afterwards you hugged the player. >> when he hit me i felt i was going to be upset. i didn't want him to worry about it too much. >> if i were you i would want to

intimidate him. >> that works in the movies. everybody is in the big leagues now. i just let the play do that. >> you were quoted as saying you were bullied? is that true? >> i was big so little kids always bullied me a little bit i guess because whenever i would get mad i would get in trouble because i was bigger. >> did it bother you a lot? >> it did. every now and then -- it bothered me but once i got older it kind of stopped. >> the boys are with you today. why is it important to have them with you so often? >> as a kid i was able to be with my dad all the time. for me even if i didn't play baseball it was a great experience just because i got to see so many all stars and hall of famerers. whether i played baseball or not i