that's all for us tonight. one programming note, jake tapper will be back here 11:00 p.m. eastern an hour from now with special live report, "crisis in syria, the debate begins." anderson cooper "360" starts right now. good evening everyone. we begin with continuing denial with syria with debate on capitol hill to see if the united states will launch an attack for the use of chemical weapons on its own citizens. the regime has denied it was behind the attack. that drum beat continued today. in an exclusive interview with christiane amanpour, bashar al assad said the allegations are false and unfounded. >> how do you sleep at night defending the regime government who has caused so much bloodshed

and crossed the line from any kind of civil war into weapons of weapons of mass destruction into one of the crimes of highest international law? how do you personally sleep that night? >> i believe that the use of chemical weapons or biological weapons or nuclear weapons is a horrible, appalling crime. and those who perpetrate such a horrible crime whether they are israelis or others should be held accountable. to the internationally established mechanisms, not to the bully of the war, the policeman of the war represented by the american intelligence reports. or false allegations coming from france or britain or saudi arabia or israel. >> by the way, that man has lied for years. he's been on this show as well. just moments before that

interview where secretary of state kerry and other officials made the case for military action to the senate for installations committee. john kerry said he has used chemical weapons multiple times estimated to be in the teens. the united states needs to send a message when it comes to chemical weapons, never means never and it is not the time to be spectators to bashar al assad's slaughter of mothers, fathers and children. john kerry has met with him several times over the years and he met with them in 2009. there was no talk of meetings on associations on the hill today. he said it was time to act with limited operation. he had this to say when asked about the administration would accept a ban for putting the american troops on the ground in syria as part of the resolution. >> i'm absolutely confident, mr. chairman, that it is easy, not that complicated, to work out language that will satisfy the congress and the american people there's no door open here

through which someone can march in ways that congress doesn't want it to, while still protecting the national security interests of the country. confident that can be worked out. the bottom line is the president has no intention and will not and we do not want to put american troops on the ground to fight this to be involved in the fighting of this civil war, period. >> the death toll as it does each day rose today in syria, the opposition groups say 66 people died today including six children. dana bash speaking with lawmakers since the hearing ended and she joins me now live. dana, what are you hearing, what is the mood tonight on capitol hill? do the senators feel they got the answers they're looking for? >> not all of them, a lot of answers and questions still to be answered because some of what they were told they wanted to

know about the military capabilities and so forth. they cannot talk about it in open session. there will be classified briefing with this same panel of senators tomorrow and they hope to get answers. i spoke moments ago with marco rubio who leaned in and sounded like he was going to be for this authorization vote and then he said he's still not sure because he has some questions still. but, i think for the most part, you did see even some of the most traditionally liberal democrats, surprisingly, very much for this. barbara boxer for example, i went back and looked. she was one of the -- a few senators who back in 2002 voted against the iraq resolution. she made clear she thinks this is very different, it's not an open-ended vote and something she thinks is very necessary. you heard that from a lot more of the democrats and maybe republicans than i would have anticipated. >> so, i mean, seems likely the president is going to get the votes in a democratically led senate but what about the house? >> that's up in the air, the president got a huge assist from the house speaker today.

those are words i don't utter much, anderson, but he got assistance from boehner today and the house majority today who came out of a meeting with the president and said they support his effort to go ahead and have these limited strikes against syria. now, the house speaker, the reason why this is so significant isn't just because his political opponent but because what it comes to controversial issues, he tends to stay on the sidelines, particularly those that separate people in his own caucus. this particular issue, the fact that he came out for it, could sway people kind of on the fence. one thing i should tell you is right now we're waiting for final language how they will change what this authorization would look like tonight. they didn't find much of what the white house was appropriate. if you looked closely you saw the senate foreign relations chair and bob working out the language. that we expect to see maybe even moe men tarry that they will put before the committee as soon as

tomorrow and vote on it in order to get to the full senate next week and no troops on the ground, that's something that's going to be new, and a time limit on this. i'm told maybe even 60 days with a 30 day extension. that would be now, something in with the white house sent over the weekend. >> so that will be what's different. will they talk at all about the resolution, what can be targeted, what can't be? >> i don't know for sure but i think that's highly unlikely that anybody in the senate would want to micro manage the military operation like that. having said that, i think that there is going to be -- continued to be language like there is now trying to focus on chemical weapons. but if you talk to people who are familiar with legally what you can take away from authorizations like this, it is -- it may be pretty broad what you can call something that could affect chemical weapons even if conventional. with regard to targets. >> appreciate the reporting. we'll follow it. joining me now are chief national correspondent john

king, fran townshend, also ryan crocker, dean of the bush school of government and public service at texas a&m university, he's an ambassador to syria and more. kerry seemed to fumble about the possibility of boots on the ground and came back to it later and clarified in more definite terms. is that a fair construction for congress to place on military action? do you think no boots on the ground or does it bind the president's hand? >> anderson, i think that president kerry was speaking for the president and for the at administration. as far as i can tell, there is no interest in the white house or in congress to put american troops on the ground. >> but, i mean, but specifically putting language like that in a resolution, does that make sense to you? >> i'm not sure it matters much one way or the other, whether it's in or out. i don't think there is any consideration of boots on the

ground. >> john, it certainly seems like the president had some momentum shift in his favor today. >> there's no question, as dana noted, the speaker and the republicans coming out right after the meeting set the tone for the day, sort of a leadership moment, if you will. we'll fight just about everything, the debt ceiling, immigration, taxes and spending but rally to the president on the side here. that is important because the house is the steeper hill. it doesn't mean they are there, it's a steeper hill. most of this will be done in private and discuss in classified hearings. the people with the classified meetings, more come out in favor of this. however, the public opinion, 6 of 10 americans oppose this and some members of congress will take their cue. so today was about moving that with the public hearing. to your point about senator kerry he was trying to be quote unquote responsible saying if syria imploded we might have to put boots on the ground to keep them away from the bad guys and quickly realized he shouldn't have done that because that

bloodies the debate so he could have retreated and spent the day saying no boots on the ground, no boots on the ground. >> do you think, fran, from a military standpoint are they still looking at this in the same way they were last week? >> you know, anderson, john and i were talking before we went on air and there is a subtle shift in language. we ended last week very targeted strikes, punitive and now today you hear secretary kerry and others on the panel talk about degrading the assad regime's capability to deliver these weapons, and the likelihood that will shift the momentum on the ground, in favor of the remembers. not that that's their goal but talking about degrading capability that will have that effect. >> ambassador, do you see that shift, as well? >> i've -- i think fran is right. the discourse has changed a bit. we heard it today in the testimony, and i think it's a

crucial point because the very worst thing we could do would be to take military action that does not effectively degrade assad's ability to fight and our record with standoff attacks, tomahawk attacks is about 0-4 in the '90s against al qaeda in sudan when we hit the wrong target, twice in iraq, including operation desert fox when the only thing that was destroyed was my house in damascus by an angry mob and once against the taliban in afghanistan. so what we can't afford is for assad to come out of this and launch another offensive against the rebels the day after we stop shooting. >> you told "time" magazine and i quote, our biggest problem is ignorance.

we're pretty ignorant about syria. what do you mean by that? that's alarming with the military operation about to be launched? >> anderson, we don't have people on the ground. our embassy has been closed for, you know, have a very long time now. so we don't have any eyes or ears on a very complex and rapidly changing situation. but beyond that, i'm not sure we've ever understand syria very well. 1982 very few americans understand the significance of that, no syrian will ever forget it -- >> that's when thousands were killed by bashar al-assad's father. >> that's correct, upwards of 10,000 innocent sunni civilians, after he went after the syrian muslim brotherhood by destroying the center of syria's fourth largest city. two things came out of that. first, a deep sense of bitterness and hatred and i think led to an under ground

radicalization which is why we have those currents in the opposition. and the second, a regime that knew that payback could come some day. literally, three decades have been spent by assad father and son developing a security military and intelligence apparatus that could with stand an up raising, if it came. it isn't syria -- it isn't egypt. it isn't libya. it's syria, and it is a much tougher proposition. >> and to that idea, fran, limited strikes against a regime like this, which has murdered it's own people for decades and has it's back against the wall, i mean, some equated to poking a tiger we are a small stick. >> well, that's right. and you run the risk that they'll act in a desperate way whether -- >> which obviously, their back is against the way.

for them, it's a matter of survival? >> that's right, so you worry about the release of what chemical weapons they have, the use of hezbollah, asymmetric attacks that they have. >> and the propaganda victory -- >> and he survives. >> if he's left intact to survive and continue to win in the civil war. >> ambassador, how concerned are you -- because a lot of people that don't support a military involvement in syria make the case, well, look at the opposition. you have these groups, these al qaeda linked groups directly connected to al qaeda in iraq. how concerned are you about who might take over or battle for control if assad does go? is there anything worse than assad? >> you know, when you're dealing with absolutes and evil it's hard to make comparisons, but an

ascendency in damascus would have horrific repercussions throughout the region, in iraq, lebanon, in jordan, possibly in turkey. what the consequences might be for israel, i don't know but probably not good. so assad is bad. >> and john king, you talk about the public opinion a bit. does it seem likely you think the president -- at least, i mean, we've heard from dana on the senate side it sounds like he'll get approval. what about the house? >> they don't have house yet but momentum but the private briefings where conservatives come back with a couple questions. remember, you've got a lot more anti-war democrats in the house. and now the democratic leader nancy pelosi is trying to say this is genocide, this is not iraq. that's important. they need to hear about the very questions we're talking about.

why are we going to do this? is it going to make a difference or will it be a waste? are we going to make a hero out of assad? they want proof they are doing this for a tactical strategic reason and here is the one challenge for the president. right before the iraq vote back in 2002, the safe vote was yes. we can go back and look at that, the mistakes and that but the safe political vote was yes to be with president bush. many republicans now believe the safe political vote for them in the current dynamic is no. they're not going to lose an election by voting no. if the president doesn't make the case, the safe vote is no. so they have more work to do in the house but in much better shape tonight than last night. >> ambassador crocker, john king, fran, we'll have more with you. let us know what you think at home. follow me on twitter at anderson cooper. coming up next, if you're a regular viewer of the program, a fearless voice inside iraq and

he risked his life to say what he's seen in his country. he's been sent to jail twice for it. last year he said syrians felt abandoned by the world. i'll ask him whether he still feels that way tonight. and later, assad and his wife, they look like a normal couple on the town. he studied ophthalmology. was more known for rock music than politics. how wrong was the rest about him? we're looking at who the assads are behind the smiles coming up. i love bold flavors! i'd love it if you'd open the chute! [ male announcer ] progresso. surprisingly bold flavor for a heart healthy soup.

for more than two years we've been speaking with a man who knows first hand the destruction taking place in syria. he's a syrian activist and for

years he's risked his life to speak out on this program as his country is torn apart and city destroyed. as he himself was thrown in jail two times for speaking out against the syrian rejeem. during a conversation back in may of 2012, he told me that the world had abandoned syria doing nothing as people were being killed every day. i'll speak with him in just a moment to find out how he feels now the united states is debating military action, but first, listen to what he said last year. >> everybody is happy watching us being killed on daily basis. nobody cares for us. everybody knows the story. it's okay, we know now the world is happy watching us being killed, and we will do it on our own. if it takes ten years, we're on the streets. we will not retreat, won't give up. >> zaidoun left syria about a

year ago and joins us. good to see you. i don't think i've ever seen you. it always via phone. you always said syrians are abandoned by the world. do you still feel that way? given the debate that's occurring right now? >> yes, i still think so. i mean, we've come to the point that the international community is so late in reaction where any, any action cannot be correct right now. it's too late for anything, i don't know whether we can survive anything. if the air strike happens, limited as is expected, then the regime will will be there. if the air strike doesn't happen, this is a license to kill for mr. assad. >> so even if there is a -- if the strike is limited as is being debated right now, not something that's going to change the calculous on the ground, change the power of the regime, it not going to tip the scales, it's just a design to punish, it's a design to try to make sure that the regime does not

use chemical weapons again, you think that will be interpreted as a victory, the regime will spin that as a victory? >> this regime is criminal. this regime has been using chemical weapons for at least at least, five or six months so far. this regime can use chemical weapons for god knows how long, but what happens right now is not just promises of a limited strike. this means a prolonged crisis. now, for me, even -- i mean, i'm against military intervention. i want peace. i still want peace. i see a peace process through geneva two, i don't know whether that will happen or not but limited strike, i know the propaganda of the regime. they will say we defeated imperialism, we defeated zionism. they will use every possible word and they will dance in the streets. >> do you really believe a

political solution that negotiations are possible at this stage given all that's happened and the nature of the regime and opposition at this point? >> it is difficult to see. that's why i'm saying hopes are really small. this is what i'm saying. but it is the only hope. air strikes will not give us anything. the only thing we can just see right now is the americans talk to the russians, find some solution, compromises from both sides and then come out with a solution. i know the regime will hate, hate peace. it lives on killing. >> there's a lot of concern about al qaeda-linked groups and other extremist groups. do you believe that they have in some ways hijacked this revolution? >> well, yes, to some extent yes. there is al qaeda in syria. if you remember, anderson, one year ago was i warning everybody in the world through ac 360 saying that if you keep just watching us, you will see al qaeda in syria.

al qaeda is trying to hijack the revolution. i hope it will not. at one point of time, all the syrian people should unite against terrorism. terrorism does not fit syria at all, and we will not allow it. the way we are trying to topple the terrorist regime, we need to find terrorism and unfortunately al qaeda is becoming stronger day after day in syria. >> i appreciate you talking to us again and i'm glad your family is okay. thank you for talking. >> thank you so much, anderson, thank you so much. well, if there is a military strike in syria, what if any support can the united states expect internationally? joining me now is my panel. commander, let me start with you, after today's testimony do you have a sense of what a military operation would look like, about what the targets would be, about what the impact would be?

do you think administration has a really firm grasp on that? >> i think they have a firm grasp on what they want to achieve however when they go in for a strike taking out hopefully the facilities that would allow the assad regime to continue making chemical attacks, what they're not thinking through is that the assad regime also gets a vote on whether or not they choose to respond. whether themselves respond or use surrogates like hezbollah to strike israel. on the same token, the regime has every desire to see it expanded because that will draw more players into the region conflict and in fact, hamper our ability to execute the limited short-term military operation >> and mike, fran in the previous block was talking about she's sensing a shift in terms of what the operation would be targeting. do you sense that, as well? >> i sense a shift, a shift of

rhetoric, i'm not sure it's a shift of strategy. senators mccain and graham, they demanded more support for the opposition, and so president obama began speaking about degrading and not just destroying capability. that's all well and good but we really need a paradigm shift in the white house. it's important that this attack be carried out. i agree with what kirk said. there has got to be some concept of follow-up and certain about it but america's credibility is on the line. throughout the whole region, there is a strong sense they are running for the exits. not just because of what happened over the last week, it's the sequestration, it's the whole concept of the pivot to asia, it's a whole host of things, the absolute reluctance to get involved in syria. they created an impression throughout the region the u.s. is an undependable ally and the first priority has to be to correct that.

>> what did you see in these hearings today? >> i agree with what mike duran said. i think we shifted to some extent. we have begun to show greater faith in the opposition in this rebellion. you could hear it in secretary of state kerry. all of a sudden, he's now talking about the fact the syrian opposition is broadly conserved, is broadly representative. >> in fact, you're saying that the united states is more of a moderate shift now? >> absolutely, all of a sudden -- >> right, that surprised me. >> sudden moderation came upon the syrian rebellion. they have to make the argument that somehow or another we have a rebellion on the ground that could inherit this regime. for two and a half years, we talked down the syrian rebellion. for two and a half years, we said al qaeda is there and that we would be the air force of al qaeda. for two and a half years before secretary kerry, there was

secretary clinton and secretary clinton was a theorist in how bad the opposition was and that we didn't want to be partners of al qaeda. we have to have faith in the syrian people and if you're going to do these strikes, you have to trust in the ambiguity what will happen later. in truth, they really don't know what will happen. >> no one does. >> absolutely not. in a way, if you strike at the bashar regime, you could be lucky, there could be luckiness that it will take out the head of the state, the head of the mafia. i think we've entered the fog of war. >> defense secretary hagel said several key allies support the u.s. military action, france, turkey, saudi arabia, how critical is that to the strike and even though some places may support it in a limited way, is that enough? >> well, let me make two points about that. one is it's extremely important,

but it's the raw material to be used to actually build a coalition to support the opposition in at way that fouad was just saying. one of the things that's happened because we have receded and we have refused to touch syria, is that our allies have gone off in our direction and looked for alternatives to support their interest, alternatives to the united states. say for instance. turkey. turkey is -- i wouldn't say it supporting the front, al qaeda in syria but it's turning a blind eye. it's opening up the borders and allowing al qaeda to flow in. why? because it wants to topple the assad regime. it doesn't have the ability to do it on its own. the united states didn't built a coalition to do it so it's found other ways to do it. what we're seeing now throughout the region is all of these powers looking after their interests without the united states. it's very dangerous for the united states because we have significant interest in the middle east and at some point, we're going to get pulled back in.

we got to get back in on our own terms. >> commander, you commanded the "u.s.s. cole" which was obviously in a terrorist attack, and we've now heard from the regime in syria saying that they and their allies and hezbollah which they described being one force would strike out. how vulnerable and likely do you think it is that there will be a repercussion for whatever strike against the u.s.? >> well, just like us stating that we needed to do something in response to the chemical attacks by the assad regime, the assad regime also lent credibility to themselves has to follow through on their threats as well, otherwise, they will be seen as inable, ineffective and not really standing up for the regime's long-term existence. so we have to take it at face value. we need to be prepared to do it. discussions going on today in congress and elsewhere in the halls of the pentagon are good. it's forcing this administration to do what it should have done a

long time ago and that is detail the second and third order effects of what we'll do when we go in there and conduct strikes, how we're going to get through them. if it expands to a broader region, what are we going to do to try to contain it? how are we going to deal with israel if they get struck? these are good discussions that the american people need to hear and know that the administration is thinking through, otherwise, we'll be seen as rushing into this, which we do not want to do and again, try and frame it like mike said on our terms. we need to remain engaged in the region. let's do it in a manner that we will look like we're backing our president, backing our national security interest and achieving the strategic objectives. that our nation needs to stay safe. >> commander, i appreciate you being on, mike duran, faoud is

still with us. up next, running syria along a family lines, a family affair. former dictator al-assad not only pushed his son on a bike but gave the country to him. the man and parol university they are living in, the mafia like rule of that country. we'll look at that. the strange death of a georgia teenager, an athlete. the results of an autopsy requested by his family. new details in the case ahead.

the image bashar al assad tries to show the world is one of a modern leader. he was on facebook, twitter and married to an attractive british born british plate known for her love of french shows. she's considered so western

"vogue" magazine profiled her in 2011 dubbing her a rose in the desert. appearances can be deceiving. syria is a family business. the assad's a dynasty, despite the situation, he would be a reformer, the reality is like father, like son. here is randi kaye. >> reporter: when bashar al-assad took control of syria, it was called the damascus peace of spring. assad was widely known as mild, unassuming and in favor of modernization, a sharply different image than his father hafez al assad, a brutal dictator, accused of using chemical weapons against his own people. >> there's a mafia-like character to the assad family. >> reporter: bashar al assad was different. growing up he was a polite boy who never lorded his status over his friends. >> the family growing up live in

a very sort of typical, modest three-story home in damascus, residential building where they lived on one floor of that building. for most of his childhood, he still lives on one floor of that very same building to this day. >> reporter: assad ended up studying ophthalmology in london and was known more for his love of ross music. in london he met a glamorous investment banker who would later become his wife. in 1994 assad was suddenly called back to syria after his older brother was killed in a car accident. he was now next in line to rule, and took over in 2000 after his father died. but the hopes of the damascus spring didn't last long. >> many from the so-called olgar that had been in syria under their father, been in leadership positions basically came to him and said, listen, son, this isn't how we do things here. this is going to undermine our

legitimacy that we've worked hard to maintain to get through in the decades and so, what ensued about six, eight months later is what many people called the damascus winter. >> reporter: it was a return to the rule of the assad family a continued hard line against israel and the west. and brutal crackdowns against any internal descent. but all the while, the public face of bashar and his wife has been the picture of calm, of a loving and normal family posting pictures on instagram, while all the ignoring the realities of the growing uprising. >> i think that there are some people that have two natures and i think bashar al assad and his wife are this kind of couple. they're very deceptive. they're very alluring for particularly those who don't understand what goes on in syria every day. >> reporter: despite the growing threat of military intervention, assad has publicly vowed never to leave syria. >> this is someone who will be

president for life. this is someone who drunk the kool-aid of power, this is someone who now believes all the sycophants around him praising him on a daily basis. >> reporter: the once mild-mannered ophthalmologist now comfortable with his power. randi kaye, cnn, new york. >> let's get more insight to the assad's rule in syria. back to a senior fellow at the hoover institution. you got a ruler of a mafia. >> randi's piece tell as story. since we're using the metaphor of the mafia, think of his older brother who died in that car accident, think of him as sonny and think of bashar as michael, the cold-blooded guy who inherits the job accidently and turns out to be very good at it. >> so bashar al assad's brother

was supposed to inherit it and the father put the focus on? >> yeah, and there is a bother even worse, the commander of the fourth division that does the real killing. so bashar inherited this job and came into it and in the end he was compelled, i think, to show that he has to prove himself and the strong figure in this family, after the death of hafez assad was annise the wife and mother of bashar, she was known early on to crack down even harder. >> so his mother is pressuring him? >> absolutely. >> wow -- >> absolutely. to show you again, how, again, killing the mafia metaphor, then again there is also a tough sister, bushra, and she married this gangster, you know, one of the barons. intelligence barons of the regime killed last year in an attack on the ministry of defense and again, in the division of labor there were

maternal cousins of bashar and their job was to be bag men, to rob the country blind. so they began with the talk about arab national and turned out to be complete extortion. >> so they have a huge business interest that have made them a lot of money? >> well, we don't even know what the fortune of the assets would be. it turns into the billions. it runs in the billions. they treated the countries as a kind of kitty for themselves. they robbed lebanon. they robbed a racket in lebanon for years. they held up the arab oil states to ransom and received billions. syria has oil in the northeast. not an oil producing state in a big way but there is enough oil and it's regime money and assad money. >> and also explain just sort of the religious divisions. i mean, he has support among alawi alawites. explain why that's so important.

>> the alawites were maids, servers and they went into the armed forces because the good sunni boys never went into the army, so the alawite boys with no skills, no talent for business, became soldiers. and they ended up conquering. and you have half pulling off the 1970s. and as you said, the word you used is right, bequeathing the country for the family. >> thank you. up next, a new autopsy report calling for calls into the investigation of a georgia teenager whose body was found rolled up inside a wrestling mat. the new report says it's not an accident. also head on "360," another dramatic twist over a little girl named veronica. a new setback for her adoptive parents.

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let get caught up on other stories we're following, isha is here. a former high school teacher who was sentenced to 30 days in prison for raping his 14-year-old student will get a new sentencing hearing. the montana judge that imposed the controversial sentence says it may be illegal. the minimum appears to be two years. the judge is also under fire for remarks he made about the young victim.

a "360" follow an oklahoma supreme court delayed the transfer of a little girl named veronica to her adoptive parents in south carolina. under an emergency stay, she will remain with her biological father until the court issue as custody ruling. the high-profile case has already gone to the u.s. supreme court. well, dennis rodman says he plans to talk to kim one union about basketball. there was speculation he might try to negotiate the release of kenneth bay. this helped chinese police get a robber. he apparently thought wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a bag was a great disguise. they identified him as a co-worker. my only question is how. >> yeah, i don't understand that at all. that doesn't make sense. isha, thanks very much. coming up next, the mysterious death of a georgia teenager whose body was found inside a rolled up wrestling mat. a new autopsy report shows it was not an accident.

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crime and punishment tonight, an autopsy report obtained by cnn is calling fueling calls for new investigation into the death of kendrick johnson. it was ruled an accident at the time but to kendrick's parents inside the high school game. now a second independent autopsy paid for by kendrick's parents says his death was not an accident at all. we want to warn you in the report there is a photo of kendrick taken after his death and may be disturbing to some viewers. here is victor's report. >> reporter: kendrick johnson was a high school three-sports star in the south georgia down of valdosta. >> played football, basketball and ran track. >> reporter: good at all of them? >> good at all of them. >> reporter: so when 17-year-old kendrick was not at the basketball game on january 10th and didn't come home, his

parents kenneth and jacqueline johnson knew something was wrong. >> there is a dead body out here. >> okay. where at, sir? >> lowndes high school in the gym. >> reporter: this is a photo of him found the next morning upside down in the center of a rolled six-foot wrestling mat. >> i just got weak, nervous. >> reporter: investigators believe kendrick got stuck if the mat while reaching for this shoe, that had fallen into the center of that mat. >> we examined all the alternatives presented to us and the only one that fit, the physical evidence and the forensic evidence and the testimonial evidence was this an an accident. >> reporter: but it didn't add up with kendrick's family and this picture of kendrick only fueled concerns. >> as handsome as my son was, and you see him like that is crazy. i really feel he was murdered. >> reporter: the photo has gone viral online, shared thousands of times through social media. >> what do we want?

justice. >> reporter: crowds backed the small southern town demanding answers. in may they got them. the georgia bureau of investigation confirmed the sheriff's theory, cause of death, physicianal asphyxia, simply, the state said johnson was smothered by his body weight, no significant injuries. >> saying there was no foul play. he had no bruises, no nothing. >> reporter: did you believe that? >> no. >> reporter: and you still don't believe it? >> no, i don't. >> reporter: in june, at his parents request, kendrick's body was exhumed and taken to florida for a second independent autopsy. this time the findings were dramatically different. the report obtained exclusively by cnn sites the cause of death as unexplained apparent non-accidental blunt force trama, blows to the neck, not an accident. despite the new report, the state and local authorities stand behind their findings.

>> we're fired up! >> ready to go! >> reporter: supporters for kendrick's family are calling for a department of justice investigation and kenneth johnson says he will not stop until he finds the person that killed his son. >> no matter who you are, how much money your parents have, the color of your skin, every one deserve justice, everyone. >> victor blackwell joins me now. it's not just the johnsons requesting the investigation. the coroner says the scene was compromised, how so? >> first, anderson, the coroner bill watson saws law in georgia is the coroner is to be called immediately once the body is found. we checked and that's true. kendrick's body was found at about 10:00 a.m., he was called about a quarter to 3:00. he said, once he arrived, the body had been moved. the sheriff's office said they did nothing wrong on that scene. we received an e-mail from him a

few days and he told us i want to put up part of the e-mail anderson, and he wrote, i would appreciate it if you would destroy this interview with me. i do not want this to be shown whatsoever. i feel our situation should not be aired. we have air that interview here on cnn and that request only fueled the skepticism from the johnsons and supporters. >> thank you. we'll continue to follow it. we'll be right back.

ran out of time, that's does it for us. thanks for watching, "early start" begins now. ♪ breaking news overnight. ariel castro the man who kidnapped and tortured three cleveland women for upwards of a decade found dead inside his prison cell. we are live with the latest. the crisis in syria. new developments, president obama picks up crucial support for military action in congress. but overnight, a fresh warning from the russian president. you'll want to hear it. and shot right through. >> how close was it your face? >> like this much. a fewnc