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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

'Whitey' Bulger not Fighting Extradition; Same-Sex Marriage Vote; Anthony Family Attorney Speaks Out; Cindy Anthony's Bombshell Testimony; Going to Bat for Those in Need

Aired June 23, 2011 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Good evening, everyone.

Breaking news tonight: a major arrest in one of America's most wanted criminals after a sting operation straight out of the movies. Yet every single law enforcement source that we have spoken to outside the FBI -- and we've spoken to plenty today -- every one of them doubts it really went down the way the FBI is now telling it.

We're talking about the arrest of the number two man on the FBI's most wanted list, second only to Osama bin Laden. Tonight he is in jail. James 'Whitey' Bulger is shown here with his girlfriend Catherine Grieg, a legendary Boston crime boss.

Inspiration for Jack Nicholson's blood thirsty killer in the movie "The Departed" and FBI informant; for years he ratted out his competition, some of them, others he allegedly murdered, tortured. Enemies associated to anyone who crossed them, 19 in all according to authorities. And all the while, all the while, while he was killing others his handler in the FBI turned a blind eye to his blood lust.

In fact it was this same FBI agent who alerted Bulger that he was about to be indicted, sparking him to make a run for it. That was in 1994. Since then there have been Bulger sightings all around the world. But it was here in a rent-controlled apartment on a modest street in Santa Monica, California where agents arrested him last evening.

Eighty-one year old Bulger and his 60-year-old girlfriend Ms. Grieg were arraigned today in L.A. federal court, agreeing to extradition back to Boston. The FBI crediting his capture to a public service campaign, TV spots aimed at making Grieg's face as well-known as her boyfriend's.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD DESLAURIERS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, BOSTON FIELD DIVISION: On Tuesday, June 21nd, just after 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, a tip was received by the FBI's Los Angeles office. The tip was generated as a direct result of the FBI's unique publicity campaign organized by FBI Boston and FBI headquarters this past Monday. As part of that campaign, the FBI paid for a public service announcement to run in 14 media markets across the country. Those media markets were chosen because the FBI knew that Bulger and Grieg had ties to those areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, "Keeping them Honest" tonight, numerous sources and law enforcement tell us they have doubts that a public service campaign that didn't even run in Los Angeles could get results so quickly.

Drew Griffin and producer David Fitzpatrick have been talking to those sources. They say it stretches belief that government TV spots could get such a quick response. And that's not all they say.

Drew joins us shortly with the details that may support two alternative theories of how Bulger's 16-year run finally ended.

But first, a quick look back at timeline.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: The international manhunt for one of America's most wanted men ended here in a nondescript apartment building just blocks from the ocean in Santa Monica, California. Federal authorities say the affable couple known as Charles and Carol Gasko were in fact infamous Boston gangster James Whitey Bulger and his long time companion Catherine Grieg.

DESLAURIERS: We have captured one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives, a man notorious in Boston and around the world.

COOPER: Bulger wanted in connection with 19 murders had been on the run since a corrupt former FBI agent tipped him off in 1994 to an impending indictment. For more than 16 years, sightings of Bulger were reported across the globe, from New York to Oklahoma, Florida to California. And in London where authorities say there was a confirmed sighting in 2002; whether or not Bulger actually made the risky move of leaving the country and then returning remains unclear.

Local media reports indicate he and his companion have been living in the rent-controlled Santa Monica two bedroom since the late '90s. Officials say the apartment was filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and an arsenal of weapons. Despite a $2 million reward for his capture, the largest ever for a domestic fugitive, Bulger was never a household name nationwide.

But in Boston, Whitey was a larger than life legend. For years, the now 81-year-old Irish mobster was a secret FBI informant, providing the federal government with details about the Italian mafia, at the same time allegedly continuing his own murderous reign of organized crime.

The question of where is Whitey was one that many Bostonians thought would never be answered. Some wondered just how badly authorities wanted to capture Bulger given what had been described by some Boston reporters as his unholy alliance with the FBI, a suggestion authorities have always denied.

DESLAURIERS: Although there are those who have doubted our resolve at times over the years, it has never wavered.

COOPER: That his brother, William Bulger, formerly the powerful president of the Massachusetts Senate, once took the Fifth Amendment and refused to testify regarding his brother's whereabouts only added to the intrigue and guessing. And while the saga of Whitey Bulger is far from over, his capture marks a milestone that the families of his alleged victims have been waiting 16 years for.

SANDRA PATIENT, NIECE OF ALLEGED BULGER VICTIM: I'm in disbelief. I -- tears come to my eyes. I'm elated. You know, I'm in disbelief, shocked. I'm just extremely happy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Joining me now is Drew Griffin who's been hearing that the TV and tip explanation of how the FBI caught Bulger could be a cover story for something else. Also CNN contributor and former FBI assistant director Tom Fuentes joins us and Dick Lehr, co-author of the bestselling chronicle of "Whitey Bulger's reign of terror and run from justice "Black Mass."

Drew let's start with you. I mean if you listen to the FBI it was these TV spots. You've been talking to a lot of law enforcement sources outside the FBI. They -- they are casting doubt on that.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Yes and it's important to say outside the FBI. These sources are saying it was just too easy. Look, 16 years on the run, thousands of tips have come in. There's been movies, TV shows, newspaper reporting. And all of a sudden one day after they air this PSA in all these TV markets, not Los Angeles, they get a tip that leads to the arrest.

COOPER: So what do these people say maybe --

(CROSSTALK)

GRIFFIN: That -- that maybe this was a smoke screen to protect the real tipster and protect that person because that person's life may be in danger. Or perhaps Bulger himself was turning himself in. There's $2 million for him, $100,000 reward for her. They just don't believe it. And they're telling us that, look at, watch what happens in the days ahead. We're going to get a different story.

COOPER: Tom, do you -- do you think -- do you cast doubt on what the FBI has been saying?

THOMAS FUENTES, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Not really. I've had friends of mine that were involved in this investigation and involved in, you know, catching fugitives over the years tell me that they ran the public service announcement and the person that called in the tip did not see the direct announcement but saw the media coverage that the FBI had done an announcement on one of the cable network channels and they wouldn't tell me which one.

But that's what they're saying. And as far as the smoke screen to protect the tipster or protect an informant, they could protect that informant in any event. They could prevent -- protect the tipster no matter how that information came in.

So I don't -- I don't see why the FBI -- and it would take a long time to prepare that public service announcement. It cost money to air it. I just don't buy that part of it, either. The suspicion that they would use that as a ruse to cover a tipster --

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Right.

FUENTES: -- that they could cover in any event.

COOPER: Dick, you've written a lot about this. And there's been a lot of anger towards the FBI in Boston because they are -- they more or less protected Whitey Bulger for so long. Talk a little bit about -- I mean, what makes him so fascinating, the history. Our piece kind of got interrupted there.

DICK LEHR, CO-AUTHOR, "BLACK MASS": Yes, sure. I mean, obviously the capture of someone from the ten most wanted list who's connected to 19 murders and possibly more, a crime boss from Boston who's been on the run for 16 years, that -- that is a huge story and a huge development.

But just as important -- and you mentioned it -- is that -- is the corruption in the FBI Boston office for so many years. That watched his back and became part of the Bulger gang, a crew of corrupted agents. And --and -- and they enabled Whitey Bulger to -- to carry on the way he did for so many years. And that makes people mad.

If you're in the city during the 70s and 80s when -- when the dirty deal was -- was really in play and you lost a family member to the Bulger gang or someone got shaken down or beat up and you came to realize that the nation's elite law enforcement agency, the FBI, was not the place to go to, to try to get some justice. When that truth comes tumbling out as it did in horrific detail during the 1990s, you get mad.

COOPER: What made Whitey Bulger so tough? I mean, was he just completely ruthless?

LEHR: Yes. And he's a sociopath, cold-blooded killer. I mean come up with all the terms. I mean, he's a -- he's a guy who didn't think twice about blowing your brains out. And there's been ample evidence coming out. And the bodies they've dug up. And you know, when they killed someone, they -- this is pre-DNA. They pulled the teeth out, cut the fingers off, tried to make it so the victims if they were discovered from their graves couldn't be identified. There's just no bottom. It doesn't get much uglier than someone like Whitey Bulger. COOPER: Tom, did -- did -- I mean, after he escaped and all these problems with the FBI field office there were revealed, were a lot of changes made?

FUENTES: Yes. There were changes made. But, you know, I'd like to add something that there have been thousands of agents working this program for the last three decades. You've had two rogue agents in Boston that did horrific damage to the FBI, to the community, to the 19 victims and their families. There's no question about that. And it was a horrible tragedy.

But I'd like to add that -- that the FBI did conduct the investigation to go after John Connolly and eventually convicted him. And he earned a 10-year prison sentence from that. So the investigation that went on to try to uncover what happened within the FBI office and what happened with those two agents was extensive.

And I was involved personally in many of the meetings that discussed it. I was not involved in the investigation because I was recused from it being involved in the organized crime program over almost all of my career of nearly 30 years. And I ran the organized crime program for five. So I'll admit I'm not going to be the most objective person here.

COOPER: Right.

FUENTES: But what I'd like to say is thousands of agents have worked in this program. And along with prosecutors from the Department of Justice strike force have dismembered and dismantled much of La Cosa Nostra, prevented Chinese, Russian, Albanian, African and other organized crime groups from getting the kind of foothold in the United States that La Cosa Nostra and some of these other organized crime groups had.

So -- thousands of people did tremendous work.

COOPER: Right.

FUENTES: But unfortunately in the situation you have two rogue agents that did horrible damage. And there's no question about that. And the FBI in Boston has paid for this damage within the law enforcement community for decades.

COOPER: Right. Drew, what do we know about this girlfriend?

GRIFFIN: Yes. Catherine Grieg; 21 years Whitey's junior and I think Tom will agree with me, she may be the Achilles heel as you know often is. They focused on her in the PSA, focused on that he's with this woman. And she was with him from the start of his -- of his run, wanted for harboring a fugitive. Not a -- not a major penalty there. Five years would be the maximum. But they are possibly looking at more charges for her.

COOPER: Dick, as I was reading today some Bostonians were remembering Whitey fondly, almost sort of a "Robin Hood" figure; that's not really though, that's certainly not the reality. And -- and most people sort of changed that -- that -- their mind on that over the years, right?

LEHR: Yes. That's a throwback. This story has been around for so long. I mean the Bulger story you have to break it down into chapters or acts.

And the first act was this notion of Whitey Bulger being a "Robin Hood" from south Boston. This is -- this is a -- an image that the corrupt FBI agents promoted relentlessly for years that he was a good bad guy, in the streets of Boston.

COOPER: Drew Griffin, I appreciate it. Dick Lehr and Tom Fuentes thanks so much.

Let us know what you think. We're on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter @AndersonCooper. I'll try to tweet some tonight as well.

Up next: with protesters circling the New York state capitol, lawmakers are working late into the night tonight possibly getting ready to vote on same-sex marriage bill. We've got a live update with time running out.

And later, a true shocker in the Casey Anthony trial and what her mom said on the stand about Googling the word "chloroform" and how it could help establish reasonable doubt.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, it looks like this could be one way or another for a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York State. Sources say that if -- if Republican lawmakers who control the New York Senate decide to bring it to the floor, a vote on the bill would likely happen very late tonight or very early tomorrow morning. If.

As it stands the Senate is said to be almost evenly split, 31 in favor, 29 opposed and two undecided according to a tally done by CNN affiliate New York One. Now, President Obama who does not support gay marriage was at a gay and lesbian fundraiser tonight in Manhattan touting his record.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's why we're going to keep on fighting until the law no longer treats committed partners who have been together for decades like they're strangers. That's why I have long believed that so-called Defense of Marriage Act ought to be repealed. It was wrong. It was unfair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: And in a 1996 questionnaire, Mr. Obama said he supported marriage rights. His position changed as he got into being a national politician. And now he says his position is evolving. That is certainly true for a pair of GOP lawmakers in Albany who changed their minds and are now supporting a marriage rights bill.

But everything is moving very slowly there as Mary Snow has been finding out. She joins us now from Albany. Mary, what is the latest that you are hearing? Will this bill come up for a vote tonight or early in the morning tomorrow?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we're being told, Anderson, is that a decision on whether to bring this bill up for a vote will likely now come after midnight. And if it will be brought up for a vote, that it would come probably hours after that.

There have been intense negotiations going on throughout the day. And inside the Capitol there have been demonstrators both for and against this bill growing in volume.

And I was talking to a veteran political reporter who's been here more than 20 years. And he has said that he has not seen anything this intense in the time that he's been here.

But exactly what is causing this delay at this point unclear. And you know, these lawmakers still have other legislation that they need to vote on. Rent regulation and property tax caps.

COOPER: Late tonight, though, GOP State Senator, Mary, named Greg Ball officially announced that he would vote no on the same-sex marriage bill. Is that -- is that a bad omen for the bill's passing?

SNOW: No. Because, you know, it's not a big surprise that he is saying that he is going to oppose it. The Democrats were not really expecting him to change his mind. There are a handful of Republicans who are in play.

One of them is Andrew Lanza. And he has been negotiating. He's one of three Republicans who have been negotiating with Governor Cuomo on the language of the bill. There's been concerns among some Republicans about protections for religious organizations.

He says he considers himself a no but listening; we caught up with him a few hours ago. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STATE SEN. ANDREW LANZA (R), NEW YORK: I think at the end of day it's about treating each other the way we want to be treated. Where I am stuck is on the -- is with the notion that we can do all that without changing the definition of the word "marriage."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: And Anderson, in his words he told us that there was great progress being made on that language. We can tell you that people have been lining up here since this morning to get a seat in the Senate chamber. And they've been sitting now waiting for hours to see -- witness this potentially historic vote.

COOPER: Mary, I appreciate the update.

With me now is Evan Wolfson, executive director of FreedomToMarry.org and senior analyst Jeffrey Toobin. Just Evan to -- as a supporter of same-sex marriage answer what that state senator was saying about why change -- you know, he's stuck on the word. He's stuck on changing the definition of the word "marriage."

EVAN WOLFSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FREEDOMTOMARY.ORG: Right. Well, the first thing I would say is that marriage is not defined by who is denied it. When gay people are able to share in the freedom to marry because they are in love, because they have made a commitment in life and they want a commitment in law, that doesn't change marriage. It doesn't take anything away from anyone else. It doesn't use up marriage.

Marriage is there for all of us to share, those of us who have made a commitment. And what gay people want is to be able to participate in that legal commitment.

And the other thing I would say is that some states have tried to come up with alternative, parallel, other mechanisms, civil union partnership. And right across the river in New Jersey where they have civil union, the official state commission that was appointed by the legislature and the governor to study how is civil union working reported that it isn't working, it doesn't fully protect family, it does make a difference when you're able to say, I'm married and have everyone understand who you are in relationship to the primary person you're building a life with.

COOPER: Jeff, Albany politics are a kind of a mystery to me. I've read a lot about it. I still don't understand how it all works. Explain what is the hold up on actually just voting one way or another?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, democracy is not something that is a big part of how Albany works. You would think a bill before the state Senate gets voted on. Well, that's not necessarily the case. The way the New York State Senate work is that the majority lead, Dean Skelos -- Skelos, he gets to decide whether this vote comes to the floor.

He doesn't have to bring it to the floor even if he thinks it's going to pass because it is entirely up to him. That is -- that's why we don't know whether there will be a vote tonight or ever.

Another thing people may wonder is, what's this business about why is it going to be voted on at midnight or 2:00 in the morning. Well, there's a long history in Albany of doing things in the middle of the night because people aren't there, and newspaper deadlines will be missed. So that the news will really sort of dribble out, even in the Internet era.

That's how these politicians think. It has very little to do with democracy or the public trust.

COOPER: Jeff, have you been kidnapped and are you being held in a cave somewhere? Because you are just blank.

(CROSSTALK)

TOOBIN: Yes, yes. I'm actually in West Virginia. This is -- this is Skype. And you know, it's a work in progress.

COOPER: Ok, it looks a little ominous.

TOOBIN: Believe me. There's no hostage situation.

COOPER: All right. All right. What are you hearing, Evan, in terms of the actual vote.

WOLFSON: Well again, we're very, very hopeful that they are going to bring it to a vote. Certainly New Yorkers are clamoring for a vote. Thousands and thousands of people have talked to their legislators, called their legislators.

COOPER: Evan Wolfson, I appreciate it; Jeff Toobin as well.

Still ahead the lawyer for Casey Anthony's parents speaking out. He told Gary Tuchman they don't believe their daughter is innocent in the death of their granddaughter Caylee. I asked him why he's now taking issue with our report. My interview with him is next.

Also all of the latest that happened on the stand today, it's quite a day.

Also late breaking details of the historic and dangerous flooding in Minot, North Dakota.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Just ahead, today's dramatic developments in the Casey Anthony trial. Cindy Anthony, Casey's mom taking the witness stand again today. This time she was called by the defense. And what she said clearly did not please the prosecution and could be a game changer.

We'll take you inside the courtroom.

But first a "360 Follow-Up": Questions were raised today over a report we brought you last night, a report that we stand by. Yesterday Mark Lippman, the lawyer for Casey Anthony's parents and brother talked on the record to Gary Tuchman and told him that Cindy and George Anthony do not think their daughter is innocent. But at the same time do not want her to receive the death penalty. That's what we reported last night.

A lot of other news outlets picked up our reporting. Today Mr. Lippman put out a statement that Gary had taken the statements out of context. We wanted to give Mr. Lippman a chance to explain his objections so I talked to him earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Mr. Lippman, I know an interview you did with Gary Tuchman yesterday has caused a lot of -- a lot of drama. I want to just clear up because you put out several statements about it. I just want to clear up what we aired and what issue you may have with it. I want to play what Gary said on our program last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Mark Lippman has told me this. I asked him this very specific question. I said, "Do your clients, George and Cindy Anthony, think that she is not guilty?"

And his answer was, they do not think that. He said, they want to see justice done. They want to see the truth come out. And then he added to me, he said, "They do not believe she is innocent."

That being said, ok and this is very important -- and he wanted me to stress this and it's important that I do stress this -- they love her, they support her, and they do not want her to get the death penalty. And they will do all they can to avoid her getting the death penalty in this case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: So in all the statements that I've seen put out today, it doesn't seem like you are denying anything specifically that Gary actually said in that.

MARK LIPPMAN, GEORGE AND CINDY ANTHONY'S LAWYER: No. I'm going to clarify what I was talking to Gary about.

First and foremost, the banner ads and the teasers on the show yesterday indicated that my clients believe that their daughter is guilty. And by inference that would mean that she would be guilty of first-degree murder, which is premeditated.

COOPER: We never said that -- I've looked at the transcript. We never said that they think she's guilty or they think -- we just said "not innocent."

LIPPMAN: Right. Not innocent -- well, and again, I don't -- I'm a black and white person. I don't need to have anybody speculating. Therefore I'm trying to clarify. The evidence that's been presented especially with the opening statements suggest that George Anthony had something to do with either molesting his daughter and/or something to do with the removal of Caylee Marie Anthony's body after she was found dead. And none of those things are true.

COOPER: So the bottom line, though, just so we are all clear, you did say to Gary Tuchman yesterday in a conversation that was on the record -- in fact you had two conversations yesterday. In the first conversation you said that they do not believe she is innocent.

LIPPMAN: Based on the evidence that's been presented by the defense so far in their opening and the evidence that's been presented by the state, you can see in court their statements. I'm certainly not going to discuss their personal feelings or anything that we have discussed.

COOPER: So again, I don't want to harp on this and this will be the last time. But just for the record, you are not denying that you told Gary Tuchman yesterday they do not believe that Casey is innocent.

LIPPMAN: Again, the totality of the conversation it's based on the evidence. And I'm clarifying and making sure it's specific that my clients never, ever suggested that their daughter is guilty of murder. They do not know what happened, and that is the only reason they want to sit in court to get the truth of what happened.

COOPER: And just for the record, we last night never said that you had told us that they believe their daughter is guilty. We just simply said "not innocent" which were the words you used to us yesterday. And if that was misconstrued by others which it seems to have been to indicate they believe she's guilty of something specific that would be incorrect. But that's not our mistake, that's other people's interpretations of it.

LIPPMAN: It started from here so I wanted to end it here. And just to make sure that clarification is there that one, this is not anything that they certainly have said directly to anyone, nor can they give a press conference. They're under the rule of sequestration.

But as their attorney I can say that the evidence that's been presented specifically against George is just a total lie.

COOPER: Mark Lippman, I appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.

LIPPMAN: Thanks very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, as I said, we stand Gary's reporting. You just saw for yourself Mr. Lippman didn't deny saying what Gary reported on air last night. I talked to Gary a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Gary, what did you make of what Mark Lippman said to me? Because, you know, beyond all the press releases and the press conferences that he had today and the kind of the backtracking he's done publicly -- bottom line, he didn't disagree that he said what you said he said. That Casey -- that George and Cindy Anthony do not believe their daughter is innocent.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was kind of interesting today. I understand at a press conference it was to refute what I said. But you're right he did not disagree with it. He was very ambiguous and I think he purposely wanted to be ambiguous about this. But that's a very important point.

I was glad to see that he did not deny the quotes. He did not say he was misquoted. And he did not say it was off the record. It was on the record. Basically he doesn't disagree with what we said he said on TV.

COOPER: Right. It seems like basically this got a lot of pick up. Some people were saying George and Cindy Anthony believe their daughter is guilty. We never said that on this program. You never reported that. Other people may have interpreted it that way. And it seems like the attorney today, Mr. Lippman was basically having to kind of cover himself for criticism and that's basically what happened.

TUCHMAN: I mean there's no question about it. Some people might watch our newscast and say, ok, they think she's guilty of murder. We didn't say that. What we said was he believes that George and Cindy are saying their daughter is not innocent. "Innocent" is not a legal term. "Guilty" and "not guilty" are legal terms. What is she not innocent of? He wouldn't tell me that.

We said what the news is, that they feel she's not innocent. But we also said something that's very important to him, which he did not complain about and that is that his clients' number one priority is that she not get the death penalty. They'll do all they can to have her avoid the death penalty. And he didn't complain about that when we reported that, too.

COOPER: Any idea what George and Cindy said to him about his comments to you?

TUCHMAN: I'm wondering a lot but I guarantee you, 100 percent sure, that's why I didn't ask him that but I think if I asked him he would have told me I'm not telling you. That's attorney-client privilege.

COOPER: I think that's probably a good bet. Gary Tuchman, appreciate it. Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Gary is back in the courtroom today. His report is just ahead. What a day in the courtroom today. We may have seen what Casey Anthony's mom will do to save her daughter from a possible death sentence. Or perhaps she was just telling the truth. She took the witness stand and dropped a bombshell. All that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, on "Crime and Punishment," jaw-dropping testimony today in the Casey Anthony trial, especially for the prosecution. Called to the witness stand by the defense Cindy Anthony, Casey's mom was asked about computer searches that investigators retrieved from the hard drive of the Anthony's family computer, a computer that everyone in the household could access.

The prosecution's case, as you know, rests heavily on some of those search terms that were recovered including the word "chloroform." Keep in mind just yesterday Mark Lippman, Cindy and George Anthony's lawyer, told Gary Tuchman the couple do not believe their daughter is innocent in the death of 2-year-old Caylee. But they also said they will do everything they can to save Casey from a death sentence if convicted.

Today, well, we may have seen Cindy Anthony making good on that promise.

Here's Gary's report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN: Casey Anthony's mother was a dramatic witness for the prosecution in the beginning of the trial. And today she remains a dramatic witness, in a different way; this time for the defense.

The prosecution says alleged murderer Casey Anthony searched for the word "chloroform" on the home computer, and that she ultimately poisoned her daughter Caylee with it and then suffocated her. But listen to her mom.

JOSE BAEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR CASEY ANTHONY: In March of 2008, were you doing any types of searches for any items that might include chloroform?

CINDY ANTHONY, MOTHER OF CASEY ANTHONY: Yes.

TUCHMAN: It's a huge twist in the case. Cindy Anthony says she was the "chloroform" computer searcher. She claimed one of her dogs was getting tired. And even though records say she was at work, she thinks she was home on the computer, looking up chemicals that might be causing the problem.

ANTHONY: So I started looking up sources from the backyard that could potentially cause her to be more sleepy than it would affect a larger dog. And I started looking up chloroform -- I mean "chlorophyll" and then that prompted me to look up "chloroform."

TUCHMAN: The prosecutor clearly angry at what she believes is untrue testimony from Cindy Anthony reminds her of what she said in a deposition in 2008.

LINDA DRANE-BURDICK, PROSECUTOR: Do you recall denying that you made any searches for how to make chloroform?

ANTHONY: I didn't look up how to make chloroform, I looked up "chloroform."

TUCHMAN: The prosecution has presented evidence Casey Anthony typed these exact words, "how to make chloroform," into a Google search bar.

DRANE-BURDICK: Did you type in to the search bar on Google, "How to make chloroform"? Did you type those words into the search bar on Google?

ANTHONY: I don't recall typing in "how to make chloroform." TUCHMAN: And the prosecution claims "chloroform" was looked up 84 times on one Web site.

ANTHONY: I didn't do 84 searches of anything. But I don't know what my computer does while it's running.

TUCHMAN: The allegation is that Casey also looked up violent terms on the computer as she plotted hurting her daughter at the same time she was looking up "chloroform."

DRANE-BURDICK: Do you recall whether or not you did a search for the word "shovel"?

ANTHONY: No, I wouldn't need to look up the word "shovel."

DRANE-BURDICK: Do you recall denying that you searched for "self-defense"?

ANTHONY: Yes. I did not search for self-defense.

DRANE-BURDICK: Household weapons?

ANTHONY: I did not search for household weapons.

DRANE-BURDICK: Neck breaking.

ANTHONY: I did not search for neck breaking.

DRANE-BURDICK: Alcohol?

ANTHONY: Yes.

DRANE-BURDICK: Peroxide?

ANTHONY: Yes.

TUCHMAN: What was on that computer could be evidence of premeditation. But if the jury believes Cindy was on it, that evidence is neutralized.

However, could the grieving grandmother be lying for Casey? That is likely to be one of the subjects in the prosecution closing argument.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Orlando, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Coming up, after months of being barred, CNN journalists finally allowed inside Syria today. What they're finding is actually two Syrias; the pro Assad Syria that the government minders want them to see in Damascus, and the violence that is still out there.

I'll talk with Arwa Damon in Damascus next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Tonight, inside Syria: after months of being barred CNN journalists were finally allowed into the country today although with government minders keeping a very close watch. In just a moment I'll speak with our reporter, Arwa Damon, who's inside Syria and Damascus for the first time since the uprising began, the uprising that the Syrian government is still trying to crush with violence.

Every day activists post new videos online; this one, taken in Homs on Tuesday appearing to show security forces beating and then detaining a man. We can't independently confirm the details.

This video also said to be shot in Homs according to activists. Security forces opening fire on protesters killing four people.

And this one said to show security forces firing in the direction of protesters near a mosque.

Now human rights activists say more than 1,100 people have died, thousands jailed in the three months of protests for government reform. And about 10,000 refugees have now fled to the Turkish side of the border.

Inside the country there seem to be at least two very different Syrias. Arwa Damon joins us now live from Damascus.

Arwa, you've spent plenty of time in Damascus over the years. This is your first time there since the uprising began. What's it like?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESONDENT: Well, Anderson, it was quite surreal to be coming here, especially because we've spent so much time covering the story of the refugees along the Syria-Turkey border; just hearing about how they had to flee with the clothes on their back out of fear of the military, believing that they would have been killed or detained had they stayed behind.

And all of a sudden we're in Damascus, in the capital. We went to the center of the city, next to the old city. Now, this is not an area that has been the scene of any significant demonstrations in the past. And while we were there, we were hearing music blaring from this giant microphone that had been set up. I had never seen this in this part of the city before.

We were told that it was just put up, pro-government lyrics, chant songs about how the president was the protector and savior of the nation. People peddling pro government wares; anything from party hats to key chains to t-shirts with the president's photo on them. And people saying that they support the president and they believe that government is simply targeting these armed gangs.

And a lot of anti-Western, anti-American anger, Anderson; a number of people coming up to us saying that it was none of America, none of the West's business; that they need to stop meddling with Syria's internal affairs. That this was an issue that the government was going to handle -- they believe the government was going to handle best. COOPER: Now, obviously the government of Syria, the regime there is tightly controlling your mobility. Can you go to the areas where the protests are? Can you go to these cities? Can you go to Homs and elsewhere and Daraa?

DAMON: Well, Anderson, we've asked. And we've also asked to go up to the northwest just to the (INAUDIBLE) the other areas where the crackdown is still ongoing in some cases. And we also asked specifically on Friday to be allowed to go to the areas where the post-Friday prayers demonstrations are taking place. Because we said we wanted to see for ourselves exactly what was unfolding inside the country.

We were told that that would be looked into and that we would be able to go. We have to wait and see if in fact they are going to allow us and take us to these areas.

The interesting thing, Anderson, is in speaking to the government officials they are incredibly angry and frustrated at the coverage. They feel as if, you know, the international media is deliberately trying to skew what is happening inside Syria.

A number of government officials have been asking me and also the foreign minister appeared on television a few days ago saying the exact same thing. But basically asking and wondering, why is it that world's making such a big deal about 10,000 Syrians who were forced to flee to Turkey when they give the example that a million Iraqis have been forced to flee their own country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. So that gives you a bit of an idea of where the psyche of the government is right now.

COOPER: In terms of what is happening elsewhere in the country where the violence is actually happening, what are we hearing? What's the latest?

DAMON: Well, again concentrating in the northwestern part of the country. And we have been increasingly hearing that Syrian military was inching closer and closer to the Turkish border. And then we heard in the early hours of the morning from eyewitnesses and activists that they did enter this one small village called Hudvitajus (ph).

And this village is significant because it was the village that's right behind a hilltop. In front of this hilltop is the Syria-Turkish border; that makeshift camp that a number of us have been reporting from, have been referring to. And the fact that they came this close sent not only hundreds of people streaming across the border into Turkey but forced those who had been left behind to seek shelter in the olive groves.

This was pretty much everyone's worst-case scenario. In fact, in video that we were able to see it appears that from the Turkish side of the border where we were just reporting from, you could in fact see the Syrian military's movements.

COOPER: Arwa thanks. Stay safe Up next, "Perry's Principles": How major league baseball players are teaming up with high school students to try to transform communities in need.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In tonight's "Perry's Principles," high school students across America are teaming up with Major League Baseball players to try to make a difference in their community. Here's CNN education contributor and principal, Steve Perry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: It's Saturday Sunday morning in Camden, New Jersey and these teens gather at a drug addiction facility. It's not what it sounds like. They're here to help. Here to make this a better place.

(on camera): What makes you want to give back? You're a young kid. A lot of young kids are not thinking about giving back right now.

JUSTIN JOHNSON, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR: I'd rather not be in the streets all day. I'd rather do something productive.

PERRY: This ace rough neighborhood for sure. Why here?

ERICA BENEDETTI, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR: It's not about where here. It's about who needs the help and when they need it.

PERRY (voice-over): Justin Johnson and Erica Benedetti are here as part of the Action Team. It's a program that was created eight years ago by the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America. Major Leaguers and high schoolers come together so that they can encourage young people to make a difference in their communities across the country.

(on camera): What made you decide to come out and help these kids out?

BEN FRANCISCO, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: We take our job off the field seriously, too, in being a part of making a difference and influence kids and coming to see them do their work.

PERRY: Do you feel like what you're doing here is going to make an impact?

FRANCISCO: Yes. Everything you do makes an impact if it helps one person or helps a thousand.

JIMMY ROLLINS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: It isn't always, you know, giving money. Sometimes it's giving time.

PERRY: What do you want the kids to get out today?

RYAN HOWARD, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: You know what? I think that they've already gotten the message just because they're here. You don't have to be a Major League Baseball player or an athlete or anything to be a good role model in your community.

And I mean I think that's the biggest thing for all these kids. Being able to give back, the feeling that you get it's like nothing else. So, all these kids are great role models.

GREG BOURIS, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION: We take players off of a pedestal. We lift the high school students and put them on a pedestal and give them the resources to go out in their own communities, inspire their peers to go out and pick causes that are important to their own environments, their own communities, their own schools and make a difference. And then they realize that they do have that power.

PERRY (voice-over): Today, there are 163 high schools that have Action Teams in 33 states.

(on camera): And real life I'm a high school principal. It's a challenge sometimes to get my kids involved in activities. What advice would you give me and other adults who want to get kids involved?

BENEDETTI: I would tell them it's very rewarding. Seeing people happy, helping them out, it's the best feeling.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: It's great to see those ball players really getting involved like that. How can major league teams give back to communities?

PERRY: Well, they can partner with schools. There are a lot of high school athletes who look up to these guys and they want to figure out what they can do and what they're going to be. They dream of being a professional athlete. But on the road to professionalism, not just as an athlete but as a professional in the community, they learn to give back. These action teams are filled with kids who want to make a difference.

On that day we had a great day in Camden. And the kids and I and some of the Major League players were digging holes and planting trees. I'm not very good at that but it was a lot of fun.

COOPER: It looked like it.

Principal Perry thanks.

PERRY: Thank you.

COOPER: Hey, that's it for 360. Thanks for watching.

Piers Morgan starts now.

I'll see you tomorrow.