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"Whitey" Bulger Returning to Boston; Minot Flood Sets New Record; Feds Tap Reserves, Ease Gas Prices; Reputed Crime Boss Headed to Boston; Minot Bracing for 5 More Ft. of Water; Bin Laden Cellphone Secrets; Casey Anthony's Mom on Stand; Hackers Target Arizona Police; Two Charged with Seattle Attack Plot; Motorcycle Chase Caught on Tape; Bill Puts Pot Laws in State Hands; Usher Wants Pippa to Model Lingerie; Clooney Splits with Canalis; Octomom Goes on a Date; Syrian Protests Rage On
Aired June 24, 2011 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PHILLIPS: 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast; 7:00 a.m. out West. Hello everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips.
In Orlando, Casey Anthony's mother Cindy on the stand right now. Both Casey and her mother cried while a video of Caylee was played for the jury.
Legendary crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger headed back to court in Boston to face the murder charges he fled 16 years ago. The FBI arrested him and his long-time girlfriend in Santa Monica Wednesday night.
Floodwaters reaching record levels in Minot, North Dakota. By Monday, the high water mark could be six feet higher than the disastrous flood of 1881.
Well, this morning, you have new reason to actually look at that gas pump and not get angry. Today is the 21st straight day that prices dipped and the White House wants to push them even lower.
The feds are tapping the emergency stockpile now and we could see another drop of 50 cents in the coming weeks. Allan Chernoff with the good news in New York. Even though he probably takes the subway, he's telling all of us and other parts of the country it's good news.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra, you know, the price of the subway hasn't come down here in New York City, but for most of the country this is good news.
Let's see how much gas prices do actually decline. Certainly, gas right now is much cheaper than it was only a month ago. AAA say it is national average right now is $3.60, 21 cents lower than a month ago.
And as you mentioned, one analyst saying this move to release oil reserves could send gas prices down about 50 cents a gallon. Now a lot of analysts are saying that's probably too optimistic.
Keep in mind, it takes a few weeks for gas prices to actually catch up to what oil is doing. It's a typical lag in this process and also, gas station owners, well, they the end to keep prices a bit higher while oil prices are falling.
Makes up for losses that they suffered on the way up. It is a low margin business. We can't put all our blame on the guys who pump the gas for us. Oil fell 4 percent yesterday. This morning, it is down one third of 1 percent. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: All right. We still want to see that extra 50 cents off the price. Allan Chernoff, we'll be watching it. Thanks.
Well, alleged mobster James "Whitey" Bulger could be in a Boston courtroom this morning. Bulger was caught by the FBI Wednesday night in Santa Monica, California. His arrest making news internationally. Our Zain Verjee in London. So what are the overseas papers saying about this guy, Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hi there, Kyra. Let's go straight to the "The Irish Times." This is the headline that they put out. It says, "U.S. crime boss captured after 17 years on run."
So corrupt and sordid it says was the relationship between Bulger and the FBI that many Bostonians assumed the FBI was not really looking for him.
Take a look at "The Irish Independence." It's headline, "Links to Ireland helped mobster stay free." James "Whitey" Bulger it says was immensely proud of his Irish heritage. In fact, it was the Irish- American connections that are believed to have helped America's most wanted successfully stay on the run from the FBI for 16 years.
Those are the headlines today out of Ireland. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: OK. Zain, thanks.
Flooding in Minot, North Dakota, back here at home coming faster than first predicted. A lake near the city is already overflowing. CNN's Jim Spellman is live in Minot where people now expect record flood levels.
So Jim, more rain in the forecast or no?
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It might get a little bit of rain, but the real problem is all the rain they've been getting up in Canada.
The other day they got six inches in one day and that's gone beyond the capability of any of the dams upstream to hold any of the water back. They say at this point it's a done deal. This city will flood.
They're just trying to mitigate what they can. You can see here the water's already been coming up fast. This is a street right here, an intersection. It's filling up fast. It's coming up about -- advancing towards us about a foot every hour or so.
Still even with the water coming up, people are trying to save their property. They're building these temporary dikes here. This is around a business. If you come over to this side, you can see this one around city hall and the police station here.
They know they can't save the whole city, Kyra. They're trying to preserve the valuable infrastructure that they can keep managing this disaster as it continues. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: Jim, thanks. We'll follow along with you.
Also this morning, we are learning more about the tentacles of support that may have kept Osama Bin Laden hidden in plain sight for years. More than seven weeks after the U.S. raid, U.S. Intel officials prying secrets from the cell phone of his trusted courier.
And according to "The New York Times" he had spoken with militant groups long tied to Pakistan's spy agency. Well, we are told it's no smoking gun of secret government support, but it does raise some serious questions.
Nick Paton Walsh is in Kabul. Nick, what does it tell us? It looks like we had gunshots there. Nick, are you all right?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It does seem to suggest that there was this long-standing support. That's fine. Artillery being fired. We are on a military base on the Afghan/Pakistani border and at times there are artillery shots in the distance.
So do give us a basis to fire at Taliban positions behind me in the base around, but let me ask your answer question. Forgive me. Yes, this relationship according to "The New York Times" does seem to suggest the courier who helped Bin Laden stay in the compound was tied to a group called (inaudible), which seemed to be one of these many groups living in Pakistan who the Pakistani Intelligence Service are accused of supporting.
These groups created some reserve force in an eventual war in India so goes the theory. The courier's supposed to have a relationship with this militant group and this militant group to have a relationship with the Pakistani Intelligence Services.
There are no other signs of a direct link and as you say there's no smoking gun. But what this does point out is how vital the cell phone was that Bin Laden's courier used.
Not only that it lead the Navy SEALs to that compound, the location of that compound, but it seems now its data seems to be suggesting how Bin Laden stayed there for some time. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: OK, Nick, thanks.
We want to take you back live now to Orlando, Florida. They've taken a 15-minute break there in the courtroom. That is Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy. She was just testifying on the stand.
Sunny Hostin been watching this for us all morning. Sunny, go ahead and bring us up-to-date, catch us up about why today is so significant.
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: Well, today is so significant because really what happened yesterday, Kyra. Yesterday, Cindy Anthony got on the witness stand for the defense and said that she is the person that conducted the searches for chloroform on the family computer.
Before today, this jury had been told that Casey Anthony was the only likely person at home at that time and conducted the chloroform searches. The reason that's so very important is because the prosecution's theory in this case is that Casey Anthony premeditated this first-degree murder by searching for chloroform on the computer in March 2008.
And then in June 2008 drugged her daughter with the chloroform, placed duct tape over her daughter's nose and mouth and suffocated her to death. That is the prosecution's theory. Yesterday, the defense clearly poked holes in that theory.
Now today, the defense is putting on evidence of its theory which is, no, Casey Anthony did not kill her daughter. This was an accidental drowning in the family pool. And that is why today we're hearing so much of this evidence about a pool, about whether or not the ladder was down on June 16th, 2008.
I think, Kyra, that what is so very interesting about this alleged accidental drowning is that in Florida death by drowning is the number one cause of death for children under the age of 5. This is a jury made up of Floridians.
So this is a defense theory that really may reverberate with this jury and Cindy Anthony is giving this scenario to the jury this morning.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sunny Hostin, appreciate the context.
All right, legendary crime boss "Whitey" Bulger's long run from the law is over, but today big questions remain. We're going to talk with a former mobster all about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country. In Arizona, hackers releasing hundreds of personal files about police officers including e-mails, names, phone numbers and addresses.
They're doing this in retaliation for the state's tough immigration law. The State Highway Patrol Association says it puts officers at risk.
FBI agents in Seattle arrested two Americans who planned to attack a military recruiting station. The FBI calls them would be terrorists. Police grabbed them in a sting operation and when they showed up a warehouse to buy machine guns to use in the attack, they were caught.
And look at this motorcycle chase in Fort Worth, Texas. A man wanted for a parole violation zoomed off from a traffic stop. Police chased him through at least two cities. Along the way, he taunted police, but finally gave up and was arrested.
All right, let's talk about legalizing marijuana and a bill that would actually end the federal prohibition of pot and lets states decide how or if they want to continue enforcing marijuana laws.
It is a pretty unusual effort by a political odd group or odd couple, rather, Democrat Barney Frank and Republican Ron Paul. Our Brian Todd is working the story for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A bold, new plan to end a major battle in the war on drugs. Two prominent congressmen say it's time for the feds to stop regulating marijuana.
Democrat Barney Frank and Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul are pushing a bill that would let the states make their own laws on marijuana.
The states could legalize, tax and regulate the use of pot and the federal government would only crack down on smuggling across the national border or into states that don't legalize marijuana.
(on camera): Is this a legalization bill?
REP. BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: We should not have federal laws to make the use, personal use of marijuana criminal or even the growing of it. It should be criminal if a state wants to maintain its restrictions and the federal government should honor that state's laws.
TODD (voice-over): Frank says there are two principle reasons he's behind this. To make sure that the government doesn't intrude on freedom of choice and to stop wasting federal resources own enforcement of anti-marijuana law that he says hasn't been effective.
(on camera): During this slow recovery, the economics of legalization also come into the debate. According to a study published six years ago by a pro-legalization professor at Harvard, cash-strapped California could bring in more than $105 million a year in revenue if marijuana sales were taxed there.
Look at what New York, Florida, Texas and Ohio could make. That same study found if marijuana was legalized states would save more than $5 billion a year in law enforcement costs. Federal government could save more than $2 billion a year on police, courts and prisons.
(voice-over): But Sue Thau, an opponent of legalization shoots through the numbers. She cites a federal study, which shows illegal drug use, all drugs cost society nearly $200 billion a year in lost productivity, health care, criminal justice and child welfare.
SUE THAU, COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS OF AMERICA: The issue is do we want more harmful substances more available to our youth and I think the answer is, no. I think we have enough societal problems dealing with alcohol and we're doing a pretty poor job of dealing with that as it is.
TODD: Even if the marijuana bill makes it through Congress, a long shot, it would have to get past President Obama. The White House tells CNN, it won't comment specifically on this new bill, but says legalization is a nonstarter with them because research shows it's too commonly associated with treatment admissions, fatal accidents and emergency room admissions. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: She wowed the world as the maid of honor in the royal wedding. Now Kate Middleton's sister is being eyed as a, well, special kind of model. That story straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: From royal relative to magazine model, Usher is not keeping quiet about who he wants to promote his upcoming lingerie line.
"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host A.J. Hammer joins us. I don't know, A.J. I have a feeling Pippa would not say yes to this. She could get in some big trouble with her new relatives.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": You might think. Yes, certainly, if nothing else, this is a great PR stunt. Usher is telling "Look" magazine he does have his sights set on Pippa Middleton as the model for his new lingerie line.
And Pippa, of course, became a worldwide sensation when her sister married Prince William. "Look" quote Usher as saying this, "I don't think there's a more beautiful, more stunning, more talked about woman in the world at the moment."
That may be true and if you're looking for a lingerie model, certainly would make sense to reach out to world celebrity that has Facebook sites devoted exclusively to her backside.
And now he gets attention just for saying that he plans to reach out to Pippa without paying her a penny so it kind of works for him. As for the odds of this happening, yes, Kyra, I'm not sure the royal family would really appreciate it if the princess sister-in-law all of a sudden started modelling underwear.
It sounds a little too progressive for them. I don't hear the queen signing off on that.
PHILLIPS: I don't think so. We should point out that she is a very smart and very educated, as well. All right, George Clooney, back on the market. What more are you uncovering about this break-up?
HAMMER: Well, of course, everybody's talking about this and a bunch of stories out there now about Clooney's breakup. This may not exactly be a shock and most of the stories point to Clooney breaking up with his Italian model girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis and not the other way around.
Italian television ran an interview where a friend of Canalis says she was blindsided by the breakup and that she stormed out of the house when Clooney ended things. This source also says the relationship was complicated by Clooney's massive celebrity.
And Canalis was as they put it terrified about speaking about the private life and I can see that, Kyra, because as we know George has always done a terrific job at keeping his private life relatively private. Something that's pretty tough to do when you're as big of a star as he is.
PHILLIPS: Very true. A new gig for Octomom. She's joining the cast of a dating show, really?
HAMMER: Yes. This is a good Friday show, isn't it. Good Friday story to tell you. I don't know. This is very strange category to me.
There's a new show called "Celebri-date." Nadya Suleman, the Octomom says, she's going out on a televised date. Now she tells (inaudible) she was invited to appear on the show and then she dropped this bombshell.
Listen to what Nadya is saying, "I've never dated. This is actually the first time I've dated in my life. I've had only one boyfriend. It was very fascinating to me. It was an unforgettable experience. I'm painfully shy and anxious. That's just my personality."
A bit unexpected from a woman who has 14 kids, but there you are. Now if you are looking for a chance to go out with the Octomom, the show is being produced by Roger Lodge.
Roger, you may remember was the host of the show "Blind Date." The casting call is out there for males or females, 18 to 38 who want to date, quote, "some of Hollywood's hottest celebrities."
Nothing against Octomom, Kyra, not exactly sure how she fits in there, but there you have it. Happy Friday.
PHILLIPS: Happy Friday. Have a great weekend. Thanks, A.J. If you want information on everything and anything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J.'s got it every night HLN 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
President Obama making headlines during a fund raising swing in New York City. It's what he said or didn't say about gay marriage.
And the Chicago Bulls made Jimmy Butler their number one pick in the NBA draft. But any challenges he'll face in the pros pale in comparison with how he grew up. You'll meet Jimmy and the mom who took him in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: More demonstrations in the streets of Syria. For more than three months, anti-government protests have exploded in several cities across the country, but a different scene on the streets of Damascus. A rally supporting the government.
CNN's Hala Gorani is there. So Hala, why are things so different in Damascus?
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, things are different in the larger cities, Damascus. We haven't seen widespread protests in the heart of the capital and the heart of the second largest city in Syria.
We have seen the demonstrations on Youtube that we still cannot independently verify, Kyra. The reason for that is that we're here in the Syrian capital for the first time since the unrest began. But our range of motion is rather limited.
We still have government minders with us telling us where we can and where we can't go. That being said, it's an interesting perspective on what the regime here wants us to see and it shows us, as well.
Some of the people in Syria support the regime either because they're convinced that the Assad regime is what's right for the country or because they have somehow benefited economically from it.
Today on the streets of old Damascus outside of the mosque, we saw a small, but vocal demonstration in favor of Bashar Al-Assad and what's interesting we see this pro-regime demonstrators use the same refrain every time.
And that is that the outside world, the west, news channels are all conspiring to create this story that people inside of Syria are unhappy with the regime.
That in fact, there are armed gangs, terrorists and those refugees on the Turkish side of the border, in fact, they're being held hostage by the Turkish government. So that's what we're hearing in the Syrian capital today, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Hala Gorani live from Damascus. Thanks, Hala.
He was a criminal kingpin in Boston and a cranky, elderly neighbor in Santa Monica. How did Whitey Bulger remain on the loose for 16 years? Coming up, I'll talk to a former mobster and ask him what took so long.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories. The "New York Times" reports that a cell phone of Osama Bin Laden's courier had contacts for a militant group tied to Pakistani intelligence. A member of the militant group denies that report.
Alleged crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger could be headed back to Boston today. Bulger was captured in California this week after being on the run for 16 years.
And a tsunami warning has been canceled for some Alaskan coastal towns following an earthquake. The 7.2 magnitude quake hit near the Aleutian Islands.
Political Buzz, your rapid fire look at the hottest political topics of the day. Three questions, 20 seconds on the clock and playing today, Democratic National Committee member Robert Zimmerman, Siruis XM political talk show host and comedian, Pete Dominick and conservative radio host and CNN contributor -- pete, what are you doing in exercises? Neck stretches? Getting ready to get beaten up here?
Here we go, first question, the president said last night he believes in equal rights for gay couples, but he didn't say that one word that so many people there wanted to hear, marriage. How did he handle the political tight rope? Dana?
DANA LOESCH, CO-FOUNDER OF ST. LOUIS TEA PARTY: He was a spinmeister at that speech. I mean, he walked up to it. He danced around it. He looked at it and then fell back on federalism is what he said.
He was talking about having equal rights for all and said I'm happy that the locals are doing what they're doing and it was something of which Bill Clinton would have been incredibly proud.
PHILLIPS: Robert?
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, MEMBER, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Standing up to civil rights and social justice should not be a political tightrope for this president and in fact, he ought to stop evolving or really flip flopping on the issue and leading by supporting the majority of Americans for marriage equality. And my Democratic talking head friends, stop making excuses and speak some truth to power.
PHILLIPS: Pete?
PETE DOMINICK, COMEDIAN: Well, I think it's classic Orwell, Kyra. All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. I think when president is elected - if he gets elected, he should glitter himself and show up in a sequined suit and announce he was full-out for gay equality.
But we're going to have to wait because this is purely politics.
PHILLIPS: That would definitely make headlines and also our "Political Buzz."
All right. Eric Cantor walks out of debt negotiations with more calls for President Obama to take over. To take charge. Should the president get directly involved, Robert?
ZIMMERMAN: Of course, the president's directly involved this process, and the vice president's doing regular meetings. But he didn't put President Obama on the spot. What the Republican House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, did is throw the Republican speaker of the House under the bus by putting him in the middle of the controversy about spending cuts.
They're about as effective of a team as Anne Hathaway and James Franco were when they were hosting the Oscars.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Dana?
LOESCH: A lot of people say that Eric Cantor punted, but I think the president is sort of punting towards his congressional leadership, as well.
I mean, bottom line, I do think that it benefits for the discussions if the president were to get involved because he has to show whether or not he's serious about cutting spending or whether or not he just wants to raise taxes. Either the American people can stop spending or government can. One of the two.
PHILLIPS: Pete?
DOMINICK: Eric Cantor. This is a really, really great thing that he did for Eric Cantor. For the country, not so much. For his party, you know, he's definitely going to - Boehner's going to have to handle it. Cantor and no Republicans wants their fingerprint on any tax raises.
They have taken a blood oath, Kyra! You can't raise any revenue anywhere ever - we're not even going to talk to you if you decide so. So, Eric Cantor -
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
DOMINICK: -- won't have to touch this one.
PHILLIPS: "Buzzer Beater." Ten seconds to answer this one. We have heard the Tea Party complain about the so-called mainstream media. So what did it do this week? Launched a new TV show. Will you watch? Robert?
ZIMMERMAN: Great. So the same people that taught Sarah Palin about Paul Revere are now doing a TV show. Very frankly, it sounds like a political spin-off of the "Jersey Shore." I'll pass.
PHILLIPS: Dana? LOESCH: I don't think that their criticism is of mainstream media. Moreso mainstream media bias, and I think it's great. More diverse voices that we have on the air waves, the better.
PHILLIPS: Pete?
DOMINICK: Kyra, I think this is going to be a great show. All its viewers are going to love it. I'm going to have a Colonial-themed party, and everybody can come. But you have to wear a wig. Finally, an excuse for me.
Kyra, you're invited, but you're going to have to bring your own wig!
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Okay.
DOMINICK: It is a wig party show.
PHILLIPS: I'll yell, "The regulars are coming" as I dash through the streets. Thanks, guys. Robert, Dana, Pete.
All right. Checking stories "Cross Country." Take a look at New York. Water gushing down city streets and sidewalks from severe flooding caused by recent heavy rains. Rockland County declared a state of emergency for the worst flooding in more than a decade.
This in a park in (ph) Oklahoma. A wildfire destroyed more than a dozen homes and threatened many more. Businesses, too. Many people had to evacuate. Firefighters said it burned about 5,000 acres.
Bargain hunters at this Memphis, Tennessee flea market found themselves in the middle of an S.W.A.T. raid. Police and the FBI, even postal inspectors, swooped down on this. Two others flea market also known for selling bootleg and imitation goods. At least eight people were arrested.
And in Legoland, California, employees pulled quite off a prank. They actually hid the boss' Volvo and replaced wit a Lego version. Took more than 201,000 Legos. Luckily the boss thought it was pretty funny.
Jimmy Butler is heading to the NBA. Just hours ago, he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Butler beat huge odds off the court to get to that point. He joins us live along with the woman who's become his mom.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: We were introduced to the next generation of NBA stars last night, and for at least one night, Cleveland Cavalier fans could wipe away all the scars of seeing Lebron James leave town. The Cavs had the number one pick, and they chose Duke guard Kyrie Irving. No one's predicting he's going to be the next Lebron, but he should be a very good point guard. College basketball's biggest star, Jimmy Fredette going to the Sacramento Kings. He was the tenth pick. He'll add some instant offense.
And it was a dream come true for a young basketball player to have his name called last night at the NBA draft. Listen to NBA commissioner David Stern announce pick number 30 in the first round.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID STERN, NBA COMMISSIONER: The Chicago Bulls select Jimmy Butler from Marquette University.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, you may not have heard of Marquette University's Jimmy Butler, but after you hear his entire story, I can promise you you'll never forget him.
Jimmy Butler joins us from Houston with his mom, Michelle Lambert. Great to see you both.
MICHELLE LAMBERT, JIMMY BUTLER'S MOTHER: Good morning.
JIMMY BUTLER, DRAFTED IN FIRST ROUND BY CHICAGO BULLS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: So Jimmy, tell me what it was like. I mean, you're in. You're going to be playing in the NBA! When you heard your name called, what did it feel like?
BUTLER: It was an amazing feeling. I was there with my family and Tom Ball, and instantly I hugged her. and we started crying because I felt like I've had an incredible journey but now my -- I reached my dream.
PHILLIPS: You sure did. Michelle, what did it feel like for you?
LAMBERT: Well, I think I stopped crying probably about 4:00 this morning. And I promised him I wouldn't cry today, but I can't promise anything anymore.
PHILLIPS: That's okay. That's understandable.
Now, folks may be watching this segment going, okay, this seems like a really nice young man and his mom and, oh, isn't this a great story?
But here's the kicker. Jimmy, and you kept this quiet for so long and we appreciate you coming forward and telling this story. But actually when you were growing up at a very young age, age of 13, your biological mom kicked you out of the house in Brooklyn. Your brother died. Life was not going well for you at all. You didn't have a dime in your pocket. You became homeless.
What do you remember? As you're looking at your life now and reflecting on, oh my gosh, this is where I started, are you just completely amazed at how you have survived?
BUTLER: I am. But I found incredible people in here and people that I met through the high school and throughout Marquette. And they continue to be on my side through the ups and through the downs. I'm very blessed to have them in my life, and without them, I definitely wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have had my name called last night.
And I'm just very blessed and I can't -- I can't thank enough people, but I want to thank everybody for believing in me and being there for me.
PHILLIPS: And Jimmy, only one more question because I think folks want to know, why did your mom say she didn't want to be your mother any longer, that she wanted you out of the house?
BUTLER: I can't even tell you. I think just a lot of stress built up in her, and she just took it out on me for the most part. I'm not mad at her for it. I think one of these days I'll forgive her, but I really couldn't even tell you the answer to that question.
PHILLIPS: I know it took a number of years to figure out, OK, what am I going to do? How am I going to survive? You went from one friend's house to another friend's house, and then you met a remarkable young man by the name of Jordan, Michelle's son. He brought you home one day.
And Michelle, you decided to take him in. You already had so many kids, money was tight. Why did you bring Jimmy into your home?
LAMBERT: Anybody that meets Jimmy just instantly falls in love with him. You just can't help it. He's an incredible, incredible child. He says we did so much for him, but he's done the world for us.
PHILLIPS: And Jimmy, how did you remain not angry, not rebellious? How did you keep your center throughout all this?
BUTLER: I just believe that God does everything for a reason. He puts people in your life for a reason. He takes people out of your life for a reason. And I took that and I moved on with my life. And the people that he put in, I stuck with them and they stuck with me. And look where it got me.
PHILLIPS: Final question, Michelle. You said to your son, you got to stay strong. I need you to be a role model. Why?
LAMBERT: You know, especially I think -- especially in sports and stuff, there's so many role models that are so -- not the best, I guess. And I just wanted him to, you know, take this, learn from it. Everybody makes mistakes and go on and be a better person. And he's done that more than I could even imagine I've expected from him.
PHILLIPS: Jimmy, you are a blessed young man. Congratulations. So great to talk to you and your mom, Michelle. We'll be watching you. We expect great things in your career.
BUTLER: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: You bet. Jimmy, Michelle, appreciate it.
Straight ahead, legendary crime boss "Whitey" Bulger's long run from the law is over. But today, big questions remain. We'll talk to a former mobster all about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: So sometime today, legendary crime boss "Whitey" Bulger could be headed back to Boston to face a slew of charges. He fled from the law 16 years ago after a rogue FBI agent tipped him off that he was about to be arrested. Bulger, you see, was an informant who worked for the FBI and some say worked the system itself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BOERI, WBUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: His big career move was to understand that if he helped the FBI take out the Italian faction, the Mafia, which was the national directive to take it out, that he would put out of business his rivals. And in return, he got from the FBI protection. It was both legal and illegal protection. He corrupted the bureau.
Basically, Bulger would like to say that he had turned the Federal Bureau of Investigation into the Bulger Bureau of Investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Strong words. So, was there too cozy of a relationship between an alleged murder and the feds?
Michael Franzese knows the mob all too well. He was a captain in the Columbo crime family before leaving it behind. He joins us live from Culver City, California. So, Michael, what do you think about that? He actually said he felt "Whitey" corrupted the bureau.
MICHAEL FRANZESE, FORMER MOBSTER: Well, you know, I don't think these are -- this policy comes from the top of the FBI but, you know, my experience on the street is sometimes the agents get a little bit too comfortable, a little bit too cozy with some of their informants.
And in this case, you know, to protect a guy like this, to get a guy like, you know, some of the guys I knew back there, Jerry Angiolo (ph) and a few guys in the New England family, that was a bad tradeoff. I can tell you that.
PHILLIPS: Now, did you know "Whitey" at all? Did you ever deal with him, come in contact with him, talk to him?
FRANZESE: Never met "Whitey" but, you know, a well-talked about -- well, I shouldn't say well-talked about. He was an often-talked about guy on the street because he put a lot of guys in the trouble. He had as much to worry about from guys on the street as he did from the FBI. PHILLIPS: So, do you believe that the FBI actually turned the other way when he was committing the crimes just so they could get good intel on other mobsters?
FRANZESE: Well, you know, I mean, some agents have priors in that regard. It's happened in New York with a couple of agents, and I think these are rogue agents. I don't believe it comes from the top. That, you know, top people in the FBI would allow such behavior.
But like I said some of the agents get too cozy, you know, with their informants and they do look the other way in order to make a case on somebody that they want.
PHILLIPS: When you think that he was on the run for 16 years, is it that easy to evade capture when it comes to the FBI?
FRANZESE: You know, it is not that easy. I mean, you know, "Whitey" was obviously a guy with a lot of discipline. You know, he cut off ties with everybody.
You know, he's not the first to have made it that long. I knew a guy that made it 18 years and really never left his own backyard. He was a New York guy and was in New York 18 years until he got captured. So, if you discipline yourself, you know, you can get a good run out of it. I know the FBI is spinning this, "we'll eventually get our man," but I'll tell you, if guys on the street facing the time that he had knew that they would get 15 years out, they'd go for it.
PHILLIPS: Did you ever dupe the FBI? Were you able to talk your way out of something? Were you ever able to pull something off?
FRANZESE: You know, not really. I didn't have that kind of relationship with the FBI so, you know, I never experienced myself anything like that. But I know others that have.
I mean, it was -- you know, it was a guy in our family that did it for many, many years. Greg Scarpa. I think you know the name. And we got a way with it for a long time. A few other guys I know of. Willie Boy Johnson was a Gotti guy. And these guys are talking to the FBI and meanwhile, they're involved in criminal. And they get a long run out of it, it seems.
PHILLIPS: Interesting to watch. Michael Franzese, it was good talking to you today. Appreciate it.
FRANZESE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Abortion politics in the spotlight today. CNN's Paul Steinhauser here with the Political Ticker. So, Paul, tell us about the big gathering going on.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, National Right to Life Convention, Kyra. It's in Jacksonville, Florida, right now. Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania, he was just speaking there moments ago. He just wrapped up. He is one of five candidates, Kyra, five Republican presidential candidates speaking at the convention.
Listen, abortion is an important issue. Among all Americans, though, it's far, far down. The economy of course right at top. The top concern. But among Republicans and especially in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination, it is a little bit more important. Weighs a little bit more.
In fact, there's a controversy right now because two of the candidates, Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney have refused to sign an anti- abortion plan by a major pro-life organization. So, abortion politics, playing a role right now. We're keeping an eye on it. We'll get back to you with more. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: All right. The president speaking in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this morning. Anything special about the location?
STEINHAUSER: Very much so. Pittsburg is in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a battleground state. I guess it's always about those battleground states. By my count, this is the ninth visit by the president to one of the battleground or swing states since kicking off the re-election campaign back on April 4th. Remember, these are crucial states that the president wants to win again if he wants to be re-elected next year and nothing new.
But this is nothing new. It's not like President Barack Obama is the only one that's done this. Listen, every president running for re-election often goes to these crucial states to speak on the economy or something else. So, we'll keep an eye on it and of course, we'll keep him honest. And we always do, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Paul, thanks. We'll have your next Political Update in an hour. And a reminder, for all the latest political news you can also go to our Web site, 24/7. CNNpolitics.com.
Coming up next hour of CNN NEWSROOM, a cell phone seized in the raid that killing Osama bin Laden could show ties to Pakistan's spy agency. Did a country that's supposed to be our ally know all along where the world's most wanted man was hiding. That's next at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: CNN In Depth looks closer at slavery but not as a historic perspective. Slavery is very real right now, and it's fueled by human trafficking. Did you know worldwide 800,000 people are snatched every year and forced into slave labor? It's a $32 billion industry.
And actress Mira Sorvino is a U.N.O.D.C. Goodwill ambassador and is working hard to raise awareness of it. I had a chance to speak about human trafficking and the business of slave labor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: -- talking about a billion-dollar industry. I mean, if you talk about supply and demand, it is happening because people are paying for it. But who exactly is paying for this?
MIRA SORVINO, ACTRESS AND GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: Well, everyone is paying for slavery in some way, whether it's the direct consumer of commercial sex. No one can be certain now if they're buying the services of a prostitute whether that people is trafficked or not, so just by supporting the practice of prostitution, you are supporting trafficking and slavery and the devastation of lives.
But even the consumer at -- buying goods at any store -- right now, we have the responsibility as consumers to ask whether the goods we're buying have been touched by slavery in any part of the supply chain. And very few companies right now are accountable. Very few have cultures of zero tolerance for slavery. And if we the consumer rise up and say, well, I demand to know whether there's slave labor involved in making this product, then companies will respond.
PHILLIPS: Is that the only way to stop it?
SORVINO: Oh, no. There are many ways to stop it. Right now, the United Nations has a trust fund called the U.N. Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of human trafficking, and you or a country or a corporation can contribute any amount and the money will go directly towards assisting victim of human trafficking and working with NGOs around the country - around the world.
Many have applied already and the NGOs do the work of the angels on the ground. They do incredible things helping human beings who are in slavery, who are getting out of slavery. They help provide all of these services -- the beds, the shelter, the counseling to help these people rebuild their lives and assist prosecution in convicting traffickers.
And we really need to raise the bar in terms of the penalties for trafficking because right now, we're even finding that gangs are switching from drug trafficking to human trafficking because it is more profitable, there is less jail time and its easier to do and you can sell a person many more times than you can sell a bag of coke.
PHILLIPS: Well, you talk about the angels working hard to stop this. You're one of them, too and your efforts have made a tremendous impact.
Mira Sorvino, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.
SORVINO: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Young girls in Nepal, bought and sold for sex. Now finally they get a voice. Actress Demi Moore joins the CNN's 2010 Hero of the Year to take you inside the fight to end this modern day- slavery. "NEPAL'S STOLEN CHILDREN," CNN Sunday night, 8:00 Eastern.
And you can look for these stories coming up later today on CNN. 11:30, President Obama will be in Pittsburgh for a speech on the economy. He'll highlight the importance of manufacturing and research and development at Carnegie Melon University.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney also talking economy. At 5:15 this evening, he'll meet with small business owners in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Also on the campaign trail, the latest Republican to announce he's running for president will be in Nevada, 6:55 p.m. Jon Huntsman will be in Reno for a rodeo.
Potty mouth pilots spouts mystery insults. Jeanne Moos tries to get to the bottom of it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANK SINATRA, SINGER (singing): Fly with me. Let's fly. Let's fly away.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ah, for the days, like in the movies, when everyone looked up to the captain and looked at what were then called stewardesses.
SINATRA: Come fly with me. Let's take in the view.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I should have been a pilot.
MOOS: But maybe not this pilot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eleven (EXPLETIVE DELETED) over the top (EXPLETIVE DELETED) homosexuals and a granny.
MOOS: Caught on the radio complaining about how his flight crew included hardly anyone worth hitting on. Take it from a famous former flight attendant.
STEVEN SLATER, FORMER JETBLUE FLIGHT ATTENDANT: I was horrified. I was absolutely horrified.
There was just something about this particular incident that kind of -- kind of struck the ick factor.
MOOS: But you had to admire all the alliteration in that ickiness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Gays and grannies and grandes. " What a charmer this guy is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never heard the word "grandes" before.
MOOS (on camera): Now, it gets a little confusing, because in the language of Starbucks, a grande is merely a medium.
(voice-over) And we're pretty sure the chatty pilot used "grande" to mean women he considered too large. Maybe it's cockpit slang. (on camera) Had you ever before heard the word "grande"?
SLATER: No, that was a new one for me. Only going through the drive through at Taco Bell. No, I can't say I'd ever heard that.
MOOS: As if grande isn't bad enough, how about grenade? That's what the guys in the show "Jersey Shore" call women being unattractive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good thing I'm trained in the art of dodging a grenade. So that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to dodge this grenade.
MOOS (voice-over): They've even got a grenade warning horn.
That pilot sure tooted his own horn by dissing everyone else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean it's all these (EXPLETIVE DELETED) old dudes and grannies, and there's like maybe a handful of cute chicks.
MOOS: He better not lay over near Whoopi Goldberg.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, ABC'S "THE VIEW": If I meet you, I'm going to be the granny from hell, honey.
MOOS: When the pilot finished evaluating potential sleeping partners...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With two girls, one of them that was probably doable.
MOOS: ... others pilots couldn't wait to disown the transmission.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're 195230 and that was not us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it wasn't us either.
MOOS: That pilot's a big man all right, a grande of the skies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now I'm back in Houston, which is easily one of the ugliest bases.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN...
SLATER: I'm glad I'm not a Houston-based flight attendant. I think my self esteem would be down the Rio Grande.
MOOS: ... New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: The only grande you and I had from Starbucks, right? Or --
(CROSSTALK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Exactly!
PHILLIPS: Good to see you, fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, it's good to start a Friday on a nice laugh, right?
PHILLIPS: There we go! Have a great weekend.
WHTIFIELD: Thanks so much. Good to see you! Have a great weekend.
