two men tell espn that robert bobby dodd molested them back in the 1980s when they were playing on dodd's aau basketball team. cnn george howell is in memphis. he joins us now live. so, george, what more, if anything, is being said about these allegations? >> reporter: fredericka, we just got off the phone with police. they say there's an active investigation into bobby dodd. the amateur athletic union is one of the largest sports organization in the country. two men spoke out claiming they were sexually abused back in the 1980s by dodd. one of them spoke anonymously. frank west spoke out. said he was sexually abused six times while a teenager. listen to what he told "outside the lines." >> i was dead asleep and i don't remember anything but waking up and he has -- he's trying to put his hand in my boxer shorts. i jumped up straight out of bed and he's not there but he's laying on the floor next to me down by the bed and of course i was freaked out. >> how did he get in the room? >> he had a key. he always somehow had a key to whatever room i was in. >> we are just starting to see bits an

memphis police tell us there's an active investigation into the alleged actions of robert bobby dodd the now former president and ceo of the amateur athletic union which is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in sports. the investigation comes after two former players now grown men came forward espn outside the line alleging that dodd touched them inappropriately when they were teenagers playing for one of his teams here in memphis. one of the men spoke anonymously to espn. but ralph west in miami spoke publicly. he said he was sexually abused six times in the 1980s, sneaking into the hotel's hotel room when the team traveled out of town. dodd drugged him and suing gived to pay him $1,000 to perform a sex act. since the story broke the aa uconn tacted memphis police about these allegations and dodd's former nonprofit released a statement basically saying that they launched their own investigation after these investigations and the organization named a new leader saying dodd has cancer and has been planning to retire. but, again, the full story on this, set to air on espn at 10

two men tell espn that robert bobby dodd molested them back in the 19 0s when they were playing on his aau baseball team. there's been no comment from dodd. he's battling colon cancer right now. >>> there was a candlelight vigil last night on the virginia tech campus. they were remembering a police officer that was killed. the officer was killed before the gunman killed himself. he was a part-time student at nearby radford university. they're still searching for a motive. people trying to come together after that. >>> the supreme court has agreed to hear a challenge to texas's congressional redistricting plan. state republicans aren't real happy with the way a federal court redrew the map last month. that court was responding to a lawsuit filed on behalf of minority groups. the supreme court will hear that case in early january. >>> let's talk about newt gingrich. he says palestinians are an invented people. raising a lot of eyebrows this morning. he made the strong statement in an interview on the jewish channel. take a listen. >> i believe that the jewish people have the right to hav

in an in depth report today on espn's "outside the lines" two men tell how robert "bobby" dodd molested them in the 1980s when they played on one of his basketball teams. he's being treated for colon cancer and denied the allegations in a meeting with aau officials last month, but cnn has confirmed the organization investigated those claims and then fired dodd. >>> so with all of these new allegations of coaches abusing children allegedly, what can you do to ensure your child's safety? what standards should be set for organizations designed to actually help children? we get those answers when we talk to the executive director of the national children's advocacy center today in the 5:00 eastern hour. >>> from syria now, a warning. a blood bath could be imminent. the syrian government is giving protesters a deadline. the details straight ahead on that. >>> checking news headlines overseas now. an earthquake struck southern mexico overnight, centered about 100 miles south of mexico city but still felt in the capital city. officials say the 6.5 magnitude quake killed at least two people and

it's working with police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against former director robert "bobby" dodd. two men say me molested them in the 1980s. the 63-year-old dodd left the aau last month. he's undergoing treatment for colon cancer. the aau says dodd denied the allegations when they first surfaced last month. >>> and national league mvb ryan brawn could miss the first 50 games of last year because he tested positive for a banned substance. synthetic testosterone was found in braun's system when he was tested in october. he is appealing the test. a spokesperson for braun said there were highly unusual circumstances surrounding the case and that the milwaukee brewers all-star will be cleared. >>> another sports story. a nasty one. look at this mess. this is a crosstown rival. became an all-out brawl. the end of the game between xavier university and their rival, university of cincinnati. this started shortly after xavier's point guard taunted players and coaches on the cincinnati bench. there will no doubt be suspensions after officials review this game. again, this happened just wit

there's an active investigation into the former president and ceo of the amateur athletic union, robert bobby doddis investigation started after two men decided to confront dodd and share their stories on espn's "outside the line" claiming that dodd sexually abused them back in the 1980s when these men were teenagers. both say they decided to speak out, given the sexual abuse allegation that are playing out at syracuse university and penn state. now one of the men spoke anonymously to espn but one of the men, ralph west decided to speak on camera saying he was sexually abused at least six times back in the 1980s. just look at what he told "outside the lines." >> i was dead asleep. i don't remember anything but waking up and he's trying to put his hand in my boxer shorts. and i jumped up straight out of bed and he's laying down there next to my bed. of course i was freaked out. >> how did he get in the room? >> he had a key. he always had somehow had a key to whatever room i was in. >> since the story broke, the aau contacted memphis police. an active investigation happening here. the aau brought o

robert bobby dodd was dismissed from his post about a month ago. that's according to a pr firm hired by the aau firm hired to take care of this crisis. dodd denied the allegations when confronted but the aau saw fit to tell dodd to leave his post and not return. george howe, they must have found something to force dodd out. do we know what that was? >> reporter: don, at this point that does seem to be the case. in fact, we are learning new details as we examine the time line of events. how long did this group know about these allegations before making the call to contact police? now, what we do know is that two men spoke publicly to espn outside the lines to share their story about the alleged sexual abuse that happened back in the 1980s when the men were teenagers. what we learned is that a third person may have also contacted that group with similar complaints but it all goes back to the timeline. on november 7th and 8th, this group apparently received anonnous e-mails about a source only known as shrimp breath. again, it took a little over a mon

two men told espn that robert bobby dodd molested them in the 80s.here has been no comment from dodd, battling colon cancer now. >>> now the aau and are bringing sexual abuse out of the shadows. at noon, we'll hear from the ex-wife of an abuser and the impact it has on the families. >>> a connecticut jury has recommended the death penalty in the case of a bulths home invasion. it left a mother and her two daughters dead. >> christi, the petit family came to this courthouse ever day of the trial and every day of the penalty phase as witnesses testified for the defense as to why the jury should spare the life of joshua karmashecsky. in the end, it was not enough. the jury did not buy the argument that karmaschevsky was mentally impaired during the commission of this horrible home invasion, nor did they believe that he played a minor role. death on all six counts for the murder of the mom, jennifer hawke-petit and her two daughters hayley and michaeala. the sole survivor, dr. william petit says this was not about blood loss or vengeance. >> we certainly

the allegations are coming from two men who claim they were molested by robert bobby dodd in the 1980s when they were teenagers. details and a live report straight ahead. >>> also, are police closer to what happened to missing mom? divers conducting a search in a canal in a home owned by the primary suspect's father. we'll have the latest on this investigation. >>> and two weeks left in the holiday shopping season. needed a nagging. >> me, too. if you're trying to cross off people on your list like we are, we have gifts for pup flat screens to gadgets to gamers. >> i'm still compiling the list. busy time. >>> allegations of child sex abuse leveled against the ex-president of the amateur athletic union. jay gray has details. >> reporter: good morning, lester. in the wake of the scandal's here at penn state and syracuse university, the scenario's become hauntingly familiar. young athletes and allegations of abuse by a coach. this time the focus shifting to the former head of the amateur athletic union. this morning there are shocking new accusations that the longtime president and ceo of

two men tell espn robert bobby dodd molested them back in the 1980s when they were playing on his aaul team. one told reuters dodd drugged him and offered him a thousand dollars for oral sex. no comment from dodd who is battling colon cancer. >>> how do you deal with sexual abuse? it is a mature subject that may not be appropriate for all audiences. dottedy sandusky she continues to believe her husband, jerry, is innocent. the former penn state assistant football coach faces a number of sexual abuse charges. he hasn't been tried yet but it is not unusual for abusers' families to remain in denial even after the abuser has been convicted. julie peterson talked exclusively to the ex-wife of one sexual predator. >> he was arrested for soliciting minors on the internet. >> her nightmare started eight years ago with a phone dpraul jail. it was her husband. he had been arrested at a shopping mall preparing to meet a young girl online. instead of the young girl it was the fbi. he was indicted on five sxoupts pleaded guilty to one charge transferring obscenity over the internet. we hid her fac

commenting, talking about these allegations of sexual abuse by its former ceo an president, robert bobby dodd. police confirm there is an active investigation into this. this basically came after two men shared their story with espn's outside the lines claiming that dodd sexually abused them in the late 80s. both men saying they decided to speck out after things happening that we have seen play out at penn state and syracuse university. one of the men spoke anonymously to espn but ralph west spoke publicly on camera, claiming he was sexually abused six times in the 1980s. just look at what he told outside the lines. >> i was dead asleep. and i don't remember anything but waking up and he has -- he is trying to put his hand in my boxer shorts. and i jumped up, straight out of bed, and he is not there, but he is laying on the floor next to me down by the bed. and you know, of course i was freaked out. >> how did he get in the room? >> he add key. he always somehow had a key to whatever room i was in. >> thp story, supposed to air on espn tomorrow, sunday at 10:00. clearly, this story creating a

two men told espn that robert bobby dodd molested them in the 80s.phis, tennessee opened an investigation. no comment from dodd, who is battling coal yn cancer. >>> the next story is about an adult subject matter. and may not be suitable for all audiences, especially younger children. the charges against former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky have many people telling their own stories about sexual abuse. julie peterson talked with a woman who was molested in her childhood home. >> married a year and a half -- college gradate, heidi, likes letter life. not even her hearing impairment gets in the way. but the 26-year-old has a devastating past. for several years, beginning at 8 years old, she said she quietly suffered sexual abuse by her step father. >> just like in every other incident, i just -- closed my eyes and the only thing that i could think or say in my mind was, jesus, jesus. even they he didn't take state n satan away right there, i knew he would get me through it. >>> at 21, her stepfather tried to abuse her again. this t

that they apparently received anonymous e-mails connected to these allegations, again, against robert "bobby" dodd with the amateur athletic union. again, this is a big sports organization for young people, one of the biggest in the country. this investigation, though, comes mainly from two former players who came forward to espn's "outside the lines" basically saying dodd toughed them inappropriately when they were teenagers in the 1980s, decades ago. both are now grown men. both say they decided to confront dodd and speak out in light of the sex scandals at penn state and syracuse university. again, we're getting these tips from the aau they got these anonymous e-mails also leading them to send this over to memphis police who are conducting an investigation into this. now, one of the men spoke anonymously, but ralph west spoke in that report on espn's "outside the lines" and claimed he was sexually abused at least six times in the 1980s. and the full story is set to air, don, on espn "outside the lines" at 10:00 p.m. sunday. since the story broke, the aau says that mr. dodd is no longer the pres

the men tell the sports network they were playing for robert bobby dodd's aau basketball team when he molested them. there's been no dment, by the way, from dodd. he's battling colon cancer right now. >>> newt gingerich facing strong criticism this morning for comments he made about the palestinian people. he said they were invented. take a listen. >> well, i believe that those people have the right to have a state and i believe that the commitments that were made at the time -- remember, there were -- there was no palestine state as part of the ottman empire. i think that we have invented palestinian people who are historically part of the arab community. >> gingerich went on to say that it's tragic the palestinians didn't leave the area when he had the chance. he also called the middle east peace process, quote, delusional. you know there are people that have something to say about this. here i want to let you know what top members of the palestinian executive committee are saying this morning. hanan ashrawi says gingerich has lost touch with reality. she says his statements show ig

shocking new accusations that the long-time president and ceo of the amateur athletic union, robert bobby dodd sexually abused young basketball players while he was their coach during the 1980s. >> that was his m.o., was coming in in the middle of the night when you were asleep and trying to assault you. >> reporter: one of dodd's accusers spoke with espn. >> must have been 3:00 in the morning, i was dead asleep and i don't remember anything but waking up and he has his -- he's trying to put his hands in miz boxer shorts. and i justed up, straight out of the bed. and he's not there but he's laying on the floor next to me, down by the bed. and i -- you know, of course i was freaked out. >> reporter: nbc news has been unable to reach dodd for comment on the accusations. in written statements released overnight, both the aau and memphis police confirmed they are investigating the allegations. while at penn state, federal agents, local police, the university and big ten conference all continue separate investigations as jerry sandusky and his attorney prepare for their first court hearing early ne

shocking new accusations that the long time president and kre o of the amateur athletic union robert bobby dodd sexually abused young basketball players while he was a coach during the 1980s. >> that was his m.o., coming in in the middle of the night when you're asleep and trying to assault you. >> one of the dodd's accusers spoke with espn. >> it must have been 3:00 in the morning. i was dead asleep and i don't remember anything but waking up and he's trying to put his hands in my boxer shorts. and i jumped up straight out of the bed. he's not there, but he's laying on the floor next to me down by the bed. and i -- you know, of course, i was freaked out. >> nbc news has been unable to reach dodd to comment on the accusations and written statements released overnight. both the aau and memphis police confirmed they were investigating the allegations. while at penn state, federal agents, local police, the university and big ten conference all continue separate investigations as jerry sandusky and his attorney prepare for their first court hearing early next week. >> this is going to be a one-side