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Strauss-Kahn Freed From House Arrest; Arrested Then Cleared; Murder Arrest After 54 Years; "Essence" Music Festival On-going; Google Plus Beta

Aired July 02, 2011 - 19:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on CNN:

A woman in Rochester, New York, who was arrested after videotaping a police stop from her front lawn --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILY GOOD, ARRESTED AFTER RECORDING POLICE: Not deserving what they're doing. And they're arresting me. I don't understand what's going on. I did nothing. I did nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: She was arrested for obstruction. Well, the case was dropped. We're going to talk to her and see what happens now.

Fellow soldiers honor one of their own lost in combat in Afghanistan. He was serving as an openly gay soldier. His parents are honoring his memory by fighting for same-sex marriage in Minnesota.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you enter the military, you have to take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and to protect the country against foreign and domestic enemies. The enemy here is intolerance, misinformation, bigotry, probably greed. So, as a soldier, that is what he was fighting for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I'll talk to them and a lawmaker in the state who wants to outlaw gay marriage. Plus this --

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: Boy, looks like a great time. One of the biggest music events in the country is in full swing in New Orleans. We'll take you live to the Essence Music Festival.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

A lot of news right now. So, let's get you caught up.

And we start with this: a tragic holiday weekend for a family in Indiana. One boy is dead, and his older stepbrother now faces a murder charge. Police arrived at the home near Martinsville on Thursday. The 6-year-old had been shot in the head. He later died in the hospital. Family and friends are still struggling to understand just what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARRI VANDAGRIFFT, AUNT OF THE TWO BOYS: They got along just fine, all normal, nothing out of the ordinary to suggest that anything would happen. I was crushed. I cried all night. The kids didn't know what was going on. It's hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The 11-year-old stepbrother has a hearing next Wednesday. He could be charged as an adult. We'll follow.

A Missouri man has been charged with felony sexual assault after allegedly raping an unconscious woman on a city sidewalk. Forty- eight-year-old Melvin Jackson told Kansas City police he thought the woman was dead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN PETERS BAKER, JACKSON CO. PROSECUTOR: This is a new one. This is not one that I've seen come through before.

There were witnesses that saw this happening, and they stepped up and reported it. They -- they gave help to this woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The alleged victim said she became dizzy after walking in the heat. After lying down, she lost consciousness. She said she awoke to a Good Samaritan shouting at the suspect to get off of her. Jackson is in jail on a $70,000 bond.

A 71-year-old Seattle grandfather has been arrested for a child murder more than five decades ago. Police say Jack Daniel McCullough was living with his wife under an assumed name in a retirement community. He's accused of killing -- kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl in 1957 outside Chicago.

Here's her photo on the cover of today's "Chicago Sun-Times" newspaper. McCullough was a suspect early in the investigation, but police say the case went cold after he changed his name and joined the military.

The former head of the International Monetary Fund is free from house arrest. Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his wife today left the Manhattan townhouse where they've been staying. He was arrested in May for an alleged sexual assault against a hotel housekeeper.

But in recent days, the case appears to be unraveling because of the alleged victim's own credibility issues.

CNN's Susan Candiotti is covering the story for us from New York.

Susan, bring us up to date.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have additional information for you, Don, from a source with direct knowledge of the investigation. This has to do with a couple of other credibility issues that investigators from the district attorney's office have uncovered.

The first thing we're talking about has to do with a jailhouse phone call that investigator discovered was made, they said, from -- according to our source -- from the maid -- or rather, from a jailhouse inmate to the maid. This is a boyfriend of hers. And this phone call was made the day after the alleged sexual assault.

Investigators say that the girlfriend said -- the maid said to her boyfriend, quote, "She says she's fine, and this person is rich and there's money to be made." Now, this is a critical phone call. Naturally, it's one of the credibility issues.

There's one other thing, Don. We also learned about the existence of several bank accounts that were in the name of the maid. These were in several different states, and we understand that several thousand dollars had been put in there by people that sources tell us had a criminal background. These stories were initially reported by "The New York Times."

But our source tells us, quote, "She was getting deposits of several thousand dollars at a time from people she knew potentially involved in drug dealing."

Don, back to you.

LEMON: All right. Susan, thank you very much for that.

I want to go to the heartland now where the Independence Day weekend is a chance for political candidates to work the crowds. Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is in Iowa, home to the Iowa caucuses, the first big election event in 2012.

CNN's Shannon Travis is the only reporter to speak with Bachmann today, and he asked her why Iowa is so important.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Iowa's the first in the nation. It's very important to be here and have a presence here because the values and the opinions that people have in Iowa count. They count for the nation. So, it's important that we come here.

This is the bread basket of the world for a reason. This is where the food is grown. We have the best farmers in the world right here in Iowa.

So, it's important to come and listen to what people have to say here in Iowa and then take that message back to Washington, D.C.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Michele Bachmann has been on a roll recently, joining Mitt Romney at the front of the GOP presidential field in a recent Iowa poll. She officially kicked off her campaign in Iowa just last month.

Fourth of July celebrations in Minnesota have been scaled down for this weekend. State parks, the state zoo, even race tracks are all closed right now. A budget stalemate has shut down almost all of Minnesota's state business.

Closed signs went up early Friday after budget talks broke down between Republican lawmakers and Minnesota's Democratic governor. The sticking point: taxes or, as some call them now, new revenue sources.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAROLD WIEGNER, MINNESOTA STATE EMPLOYEE: Sad commentary on politics. It's turned into a sport rather than working to solve a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, this is Chris Lapakko. When the government is up and running, he gives driving tests. Right now, he is camped out on the capitol lawn. It's his way of protesting the shutdown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS LAPAKKO, MINNESOTA PUBLIC SAFETY DEPT.: These people back here are acting like kids. I couldn't work with my co-workers like this. And just, you know, walk out of the room and say I don't want to talk to 'em or not -- not give any room on anything. Never make any compromise with anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: (AUDIO BREAK) on the capitol lawn until he can go back to work.

There are to be no more executions in Illinois. Fifteen inmates already on death row have had their sentences commuted to life in prison. Governor Pat Quinn signed the ban on capital punishment in March, and it officially took effect today.

No one has been executed in Illinois in more than a decade. And Governor George Ryan imposed the moratorium after a review cleared more than a dozen condemned inmates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOOD: I'm sorry I was standing in my front yard. I don't know what was going on in my neighborhood. And you're arresting me. What the hell is going on right now?

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Video of this arrest went viral. And outrage online grew. Now, this Rochester, New York, woman has every reason to say "in your face" to the officer who handcuffed her. Emily Good joins me live next.

And many of you have been sending and asking for information through social media. You can reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, CNN.com/Don, and on Foursquare. And you can check out my book "Transparent," available anywhere books are sold.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POLICE OFFICER: You seem very anti-police. So I don't feel safe standing behind you. Would you mind standing in the house?

GOOD: I'm going to stand in my yard if that's OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So, remember that video? Emily Good of Rochester, New York, recorded police as she stood in her own front yard. Then police put Good under arrest, raising the question: did officers -- did that officer in particular overstep his authority?

Good's supporters say yes, he did. And they felt even more justified this week after the charge against her of obstruction of government administration was dropped. Good is on the left there hugging her attorney.

But, now, the police union says officers are in greater danger on the street and that several of them have been threatened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE MAZZEO, PRES., ROCHESTER POLICE LOCUST CLUB: An example of some of these threats are: "I hope this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) gets killed." "I want to see cops like this getting fried and hung in the streets." "If you wear a badge, you're a target."

I'm going to add -- these threats are not the worst threats, and they're not the threats that are being investigated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. So, Emily Good joins me now. And we're also talking to Erica Bryant, a columnist for the Rochester "Democrat & Chronicle."

Thank you both for joining us.

Emily, it wasn't the judge but the Monroe County prosecutor that dropped the charge. What was your immediate reaction? You must have felt some sense of I was right and the officer was abusing his power. GOOD: Yes, I was relieved. But I also feel like justice has not been done, and that officer has not yet been brought to justice. He's still hasn't faced the reality that he committed an unlawful act. And I am also alarmed that the president of the police union maintains that that was a lawful arrest, and he insists that citizens do not have the right to observe or to question police officers.

LEMON: OK. We asked the officer who was arrested, who arrested you, and the leaders from Rochester police and the police union to join us tonight. All declined and they did not respond.

But, this week, I have to say the union, the Rochester Police Locust Club, right, said your episode, Emily, has created defiant and a dangerous attitude.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAZZEO: Mrs. Good's message that has gone out to the public is that you have a right to interfere and question the actions of a police officer is irresponsible, is a danger to the officers, the individuals the officers are dealing with and any of the bystanders. A simple street stop can turn deadly in seconds.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Emily, what's your response to that?

GOOD: If we don't have a right to question police officers, then where we're living in a police state. And I absolutely maintain that we have a right to question authority in every level of the -- of our government, every civil servant.

LEMON: Yes.

Erica, as a Rochester native and you wrote a column there, what do you think about the union statement that it's dangerous for people to interfere with police business? Which, first of all, they're saying she was interfering, but the prosecutor said she was not interfering. What do you think -- do people have the right to question?

ERICA BRYANT, COLUMNIST, DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE: Of course, I do believe that people have the right to question. And that if you are in a situation where you feel that your rights are being violated, you should stand up and say something.

But the column that I ended up writing about this incident was -- my husband and I were talking about Ms. Good and how she stood her ground and how brave that was, but I said that I wouldn't want my son to do that because I would fear for him due to cases like Amadou Diallo where a man who was reaching for a wallet was actually believed to have been thought to be reaching for a gun and was shot 41 times, and other cases where citizens who have been thought to be confronting the police have had -- had things end badly for them.

So, though, I do believe that people have a right to stick up for their civil liberties, I also believe I would tell my son, I'd say, you know, if you want to stick up for your civil liberty, go to law school because it can -- things can end badly if are you seen to be making police feel unsafe.

LEMON: I have to ask you -- there have been a number of incidents, some of them chronicled on YouTube and in your particular paper. Is there an issue with Rochester police? Is it heavy-handedness? Is it racial profiling?

What's going on there that seems to be different than many other places? Or is there anything going that's different?

BRYANT: I don't -- I don't believe that it's different from any other places. And I believe that -- I would say that all of my interactions with Rochester police officers in life have been excellent, and I've never had any problem with any particular Rochester police officer. And I have family who are police officers.

But when you see specific incidents where, for example, in the city close to Rochester recently, there was a young man, a young African- American male, who was shot during a police stop. And the police believed he had a gun but no gun was ever found in the car, and --

LEMON: Listen, I don't have much time here. What are you saying, that --

BRYANT: Oh, sorry.

LEMON: -- that nothing is different in Rochester? Or is it an issue nationwide?

BRYANT: No, I don't think it's different in Rochester. Sorry?

LEMON: You believe there is an issue or not an issue, an issue nationwide and Rochester is no different or there's no issue at all in Rochester and the police are fair?

BRYANT: Oh, I believe it's an issue nationwide.

LEMON: OK. Emily, I have to get to this -- there have been other questionable events involving you and police. Last week, your supporter came together and police came out and issued five parking tickets. Look at this real quick --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, really? You have civilian complaints? Regarding the parking being further than 12 inches from the curb? OK, that's 12 inches from the --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You can see the officers brought out rumors showing how far people had parked from the curb. Some say this was police retaliation and you also had a burglary in your home. And the iPod that was used to shoot your arrest was taken, and police took some time to respond to your home. What do you think? Was it retaliation, the parking? What do you think happened with your iPod and the police response?

GOOD: I do feel that the burglary was suspicious considering my iPod was the thing that was targeted. I can't speculate any further than that on the burglary.

I feel like the meeting of my supporters in which four uniformed police officers showed up in four patrol cars and issued tickets is clearly a case of intimidation. There was also an arrest the night of my case's dismissal of a young African-American man who was videotaping the police again. He was arrested for jaywalking.

LEMON: And, Emily, you're going to sue, right?

GOOD: Yes.

LEMON: All right. Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Erica.

GOOD: Thank you.

BRYANT: Thank you.

LEMON: The British royals are getting some hands-on experience during their tour of Canada. Prince William and his new wife are now in Montreal. We'll have a report.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: And speaking of royals, a bride's tears of joy in Monaco. We'll take you to Prince Albert's royal wedding.

But, first, some New York City kids are out painting the town literally. They're adding a splash of color to their communities and their futures.

CNN's education contributor and high school principal, Steve Perry, explains in tonight's "Perry's Principles."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Thierno Diallo had no idea a paintbrush would change his life. He moved from Guinea in West Africa to New York City when he was 10.

(on camera): What is the reason you came to the U.S.?

THIERNO DIALLO, PUBLICOLOR VOLUNTEER: Better education. My mother thought that I would have that opportunity, you know, to just succeed in life.

PERRY (voice-over): Thierno had a hard time fitting in at school. He didn't speak English, kept to himself, and eventually started hanging out with the wrong crowd. But then he found Publicolor.

DIALLO: I basically came every day. PERRY: The non-profit puts paintbrushes in the hands of students to brighten up schools, neighborhoods, and low income areas across New York City.

RUTH LANDE SHUMAN, FOUNDER, PUBLICOLOR: Color has huge power.

PERRY: Ruth Lande Shuman founded Publicolor 15 years ago with the idea that color can positively affect attitudes and behaviors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The colors that we choose, they're very bright. They brighten up a person's mood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything, like your whole perception of the place changes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I finish a project, I just look back and say, wow, I really helped the community.

SHUMAN: I think society is letting kids get away with not caring. These kids - they'll become what we help them become.

PERRY: Publicolor provides tutoring, mentoring, college scholarships and career workshops.

SHUMAN: Last year, 100 percent of our students went on to college.

PERRY: Thierno graduated from college two years with the help of a Publicolor scholarship. Today, he works as an analyst for a "Fortune" 500 company and volunteers for Publicolor on the weekends. His dream is to return to Guinea and open his own business.

DIALLO: Publicolor was always around to make me, you know, come back to who I truly am and stay on my path and try to reach success.

PERRY: Steve Perry, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Three days down, six busy days to go. Prince William and wife Catherine are on their first official tour of Canada. Today in Ottawa, the royal newlyweds planted an eastern hemlock tree near the same spot Prince Charles and Princess Diana planted a Pin oak back in 1983.

And right now, they're in Montreal where they visited a children's hospital. Next week, the duke and duchess of Cambridge head to Los Angeles -- a first visit to the U.S. for Catherine.

You know, with Prince William and Catherine on their royal vacation, they could not attend another royal event. The marriage of Prince Albert of Monaco to Charlene Wittstock of South Africa. The couple held a civil ceremony, a civil service today, on Friday, I should say. And today, before 3,500 guests, they made their union official under the Catholic Church. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

PRIEST (through translator): -- in health and in sickness, to love him for all the days of your life?

CHARLENE WITTSTOCK (through translator): Yes.

(MUSIC)

(CHEERS)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Look at the festivities there.

You know, it's Stephen Colbert versus Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN COLBERT, COMEDIAN: Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry to say we won! I am a super PAC and so can you!

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, he's gotten the go ahead to form a political action committee that he calls a super PAC. And with that, he is jumping into the world of campaign finance. We're going to explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's get you catch you up on the headlines now.

Moammar Gadhafi issues a new warning to Europe. The Libyan leader is vowing vengeance for NATO's bombings in his country. He says homes and offices across Europe could be potential targets. A State Department spokesman says the U.S. takes Gadhafi's threats seriously and will continue to support NATO's mission in Libya.

Texas authorities are urging Americans to stay away from the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo this weekend. The warning indicates a violent Mexican drug cartel plan to target Americans for robbery, extortion, and carjackings. Nuevo Laredo is just across the border from Laredo, Texas.

Help maybe on the way for fatigued air traffic controllers. The FAA is out with new rules that should help them stop falling asleep on the job. There must be at least nine hours between shifts. And during overnight hours, controllers can read or listen to the radio, but only when there is not a lot of air traffic. They can also take sick days if they're too tired to work. The controllers still can't nap on breaks.

Rhode Island has legalized civil unions. Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the bill into law today. It will give same-sex couples a bunch of new state tax breaks, health care benefits, and other legal perks. But it falls short of marriage rights.

Three marines in California are accused of a marriage scheme that bilked the government out of $75,000. The female marine at the center of the case admits she is married -- she married a straight marine at Camp Pendleton to receive a $1,200 monthly housing allowance. Her civilian girlfriend did the same thing with another marine. The financial assistance is offered by the military to heterosexual couples, married couples.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLBERT: I don't know about you, but I do not accept limits on my free speech.

(CHEERS)

COLBERT: I don't know about you, but I do not accept the status quo.

(CHEERS)

COLBERT: But I do accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. He can't be serious, can he? I don't know. Maybe not. You never know because he is Stephen Colbert. But he's making a serious point there. I want to bring in Maureen O'Connor, staff writer for gawker.com. Hello, Maureen.

MAUREEN O'CONNOR, STAFF WRITER, GAWKER.COM: Hi, Don.

LEMON: You know, Colbert was in D.C. collecting money. What - what is this all about?

O'CONNOR: So in satirizing campaign finance laws loosening, Colbert started his own "Super-Pac," which is a type of organization that only recently became legal. They can raise money and spend money from private citizens as well as corporations without limit. The one sort of caveat on that is that they do have to disclose who donates to them. So he both started his own "Super Pac" and Colbert also petitioned to have about sort of created something that people are worried might turn into a loophole in that they ruled the FCC rule that the money that comes from VIACOM, which is the company that owns "Comedy Central," won't count as donations when Colbert starts working on his "Super Pac."

The fear here, some people say is that this is allowing media organizations to have an unprecedented way of funneling resources then into campaigns and into these "Super Pacs."

LEMON: OK. You know, that happened on Thursday. And just two days before, he was tightlipped about it when he met with me in his studio, and we taped an upcoming appearance by me on his show. Take a look at some of the pictures that we were shooting.

Anyway, there's me in front of the "Colbert" set. I can't give it away because I've been sworn to secrecy until it happens, but it's a skit that involves obviously CNN. And there's Stephen Colbert, also my book that you see when the banner's down. So I'll be on there. But there's no air date for it. You know what he didn't tell me anything about this. He wouldn't talk. He wouldn't talk. But he's a very funny guy. I'll be on the upcoming Stephen Colbert, "The Colbert Report," shortly. There's his producer right there, Jeff Kupperman, right there in the middle.

OK. So Maureen, look for me. Make sure you watch. Tell everybody on Gawker to watch.

O'CONNOR: Yes.

LEMON: Let's talk about President Obama.

O'CONNOR: Will do.

LEMON: A light moment at a news conference this week when he said Congress could learn a lesson from his school-aged daughters about how to meet a deadline to reduce the deficit. But there was a problem. Why don't you listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Malia and Sasha generally finish their homework a day ahead of time. Malia's 13, Sasha's 10. It is impressive. They don't wait until the night before. They're not pulling all-nighters.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: They're - they're 13 and 10.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. So did he get ahead of himself on Malia's age?

O'CONNOR: He - he did. Malia's actually only 12. She's turning 13 next week. These moments when Obama ad libs about his family, he's previously referred to Malia's growth spurt and to a test she took when he was talking about education, are sort of interesting moments because we see a little bit of how Obama reconciles his sort of private and personal life, that he does keep his daughters away from cameras. But you can tell that when he ad libs he does go to thoughts about them and you know, thoughts like - I would assume about her birthday, which is coming up and getting ahead of himself on the age there.

LEMON: Yes. So he probably just, you know, averaged it out, went ahead just a little bit. And then - as you get older, you go backwards a lot. So, all right, Maureen, we appreciate it. Thank you. Happy 4th, OK?

O'CONNOR: Sure. Yes, you, too, thanks.

LEMON: All right. A mother and father who lost their son while he was fighting in Afghanistan are taking on a fight of their own for same-sex marriage rights. Coming up, hear why this course is so important to them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Now that New York state has legalized same-sex marriage, Minnesota is shaping up to be the next battleground. A ballot initiative there next year proposes limiting marriage to one man and one woman. Which brings us to Army Corporal Andrew Wilfahrt. He was from Minnesota and last February at age 31, he was killed in combat in Afghanistan. One other thing that you should know about him, Corporal Wilfahrt was openly gay.

In fact, he was the first openly gay soldier killed in action since the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell." And just a short time ago, really just a few minutes ago, I spoke with his parents, Jeff and Lori Wilfahrt, about why they have taken up the cause of defending same-sex marriage and fighting against next November's ballot initiative and what their son would say about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORI WILFAHRT, MOTHER OF GAY SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN: This is a guy who read the constitution, and he thought that states took great liberties with the constitution by putting topical things of the day on it. He believed it was a - a document that protected all human beings, and it was for equal rights, and he would be really upset by this for two reasons. You know, putting another amendment on the constitution, that is maybe only important to a small group of people at this period of time in history. And it marginalized his - himself and his community. So yes, he would be really upset about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I also spoke with State Senator Warren Limmer who pushed to get the marriage initiative on to next November's ballot. I asked him what he would say to the Wilfahrts who believe this initiative discriminates against gay people like their son.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN LIMMER (R), MINNESOTA STATE SENATE: First, I want to tell them that I'm very sorry for the loss of their son and the service that they - that their son provided for the people of the United States, the people in Minnesota. However, that son may have had a different view than I have.

But why is his views any more important than let's say a heterosexual soldier that lost his life in Afghanistan, as well? How do we define the direction, and do we just listen to one - one soldier, one family, or do we try to - to include everyone in it, in this decision? (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You'll hear much more from both Senator Limmer and the Wilfhart family tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern here on CNN. And you can learn more about corporal Andrew Wilfahrt, how he lived and how died on cnn.com.

Remember Google Buzz and Wave? Probably not. They didn't really catch on. Now Google is trying to get into the social networking game again. This time with Google+. But some say it looks a lot like some popular site. A preview coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (on camera): Stephen, are you jealous that I'm here?

COLBERT: Of course, I'm jealous.

(INAUDIBLE) This guy's only two years younger than I am. He looks like a baby. Look at this - my face looks like a moccasin. Look - look how smoothes that is. The guy doesn't even have to shave yet. It's not fair! Follow Don Lemon at donlemon@cnn --

LEMON: That's it.

COLBERT: Is that it? Do I have to throw a dot-com in it or anything?

LEMON: No.

COLBERT: I don't understand you kids with a twitter speak -

LEMON: You have twitter?

COLBERT: I do have a twitter account, it's @stephencolbert@cnn.com.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Stephen is crazy. All right.

In this next story, if it sounds familiar, it's because we've been here before. Once again, Google is trying to get into the social networking game. The funny thing is Google+ looks an awful lot like Facebook and Myspace, once the most popular social networking site but was dumped at a fire sale for $35 million. That's just a fraction of its worth, just a few years ago.

So let's bring in now Brian Tong, the senior editor of CNET. First of all, Brian, I am Donlemoncnn, not Don Lemon - you're tweeting the wrong person. You're supposed to be the tech ex-exerts, and I just busted you out on twitter. OK.

BRIAN TONG, SENIOR EDITOR, CNET: Don, we didn't even get to the story and the first thing you did is called me out on CNN about your twitter name. What is all with that? Don, come on. Show me some love. A little bit.

LEMON: I keep it real. All right. So listen -

TONG: I know you do. I realize that.

LEMON: Let's talk Google buzz now and Google wave. Now Google+. I mean, is it going to work this time?

TONG: Well, here's the thing - Google+ is right now in a limited beta. And really the tech world or the tech community, kind of the geeks like me that want to dig this stuff, they're the ones who have access to it. The invites were so popular that they shut it down. But why it might work is because really we've kind of been trained on Facebook of how to do social network. This is the first time that it got to the masses.

But now Google, what they're trying to do with plus is make it more specific. They have these things called circles. And in our lives we all have different circles of friends. Now on Facebook we normally post something that goes out to all of our buddies. But with Google+, you can kind of drag and drop your specific buddies and then send out a message to them. So it's very catered for you to choose who I want. It's kind of the next level of how you can kind of get Facebook more advanced to target the specific people in your life that you care about. Now the big thing - sorry, go ahead.

LEMON: No, I just want to ask you, so it's exclusive. Is that a good strategy, though?

TONG: Well, the problem is Google is such a big company, and the general consumer, they share a Google+ as the new social network but then they share I can't get in it. So that in itself is already a mixed message. This is in early release. It's not - everyone can't get access to it yet. But the main thing is if people want to jump over to Google+, the challenge is getting your mom, my grandma, my grandpa, my mom and dad, those are the people that area really going to decide if Google+ is successful, not someone like you and me it has to have that mainstream audience that really wants to jump over to Google and interact differently with their social network.

LEMON: OK. Do you remember when Facebook and Myspace - I mean, they were going neck in neck and then, you know -

TONG: Oh, yes.

LEMON: And then Facebook overtook it.

TONG: I was there.

LEMON: News Corp. unloaded myspace for next to nothing. And now Justin Timberlake is one of the investors. Can the Myspace brand be saved now with Justin and other folks?

TONG: Well, that's the question that we're going to have to see how it plays out. One good sign is that Justin Timberlake deeply involved in the music industry. We've seen some of these celebrities like Lady Gaga aligned with Polaroid, Will I Am aligned with Intel where there's not really as creative directors and it's not really that cohesion of the problem. With Justin Timberlake, he is a music guy. He is a media guy, and MySpace - that is its roots and it's DNA where it started.

So if they can bring that back with compelling content that's original and that more than anything - he said he wants to make it a real connection or place for celebrities and fans to interact with content, then it could see a surge. It's not going to come back on the levels that it ever used to be at. At one point it was valuated at $1 billion. But if they can kind of get an audience to come back and interact and be a part of it, I guess you could say that would be a mild success. But you know, we'll see how it shakes out. But I think the alignment of Timberlake and Myspace actually makes a little sense.

LEMON: All right. So listen, the Pope now has made the leap doing his first tweet. He's on twitter. What do you think?

TONG: Well, I think that he won't get your name wrong on twitter, first of all.

LEMON: Yes. Because he's -

TONG: But you know, he - he is the Pope Benedict XVI. He tweeted to promote their news.va site. And really the Catholic Church has been really involved with technology to spread their message. They have Facebook, Youtube pages, and a twitter stream. They even approved like this iPhone prayer app. They endorsed it a while ago. So you know, it shows that they're in touch with the younger generation and everyone that's interactive on the web. I think it's a good sign and it's kind of fun and silly to see the Pope tap on an iPad and tweet.

LEMON: I know. It would be great if he was like pound chilling with my boys at pound Vatican - you know, what I mean like real tweet talk. It would have been like - hey we got -

TONG: Hash tag real talk.

LEMON: Yes, real talk. Seriously, in five seconds -

TONG: Go, go.

LEMON: Do you think that there is - do we have like certain Twitter people and Facebook people and the two don't mesh? Like do you find one more - that you like one more than the other?

TONG: Twitter for people that, you know, work in media allows you to send a message out to people where Facebook is at least more personal. And even though you can get access to someone on Twitter really quickly, Facebook is more of your personal friends. So that's really where it's different. You know, that -- that's how I see it and how I use it.

LEMON: Yes. I find myself using it. I was wondering - I find myself using twitter much more. I wondered if there's like -

TONG: Yes, definitely. OK. You got a lot of messages to send out to people.

LEMON: Yes, thank you. Appreciate it, Brian.

TONG: All right. Thanks. See you, Don.

LEMON: Don Lemon CNN.

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LEMON: Oh, it is billed as the ultimate party weekend. The 18th annual "Essence" Music Fest is in full swing in New Orleans. Straight ahead, we take you to the Big Easy for the big party. Soledad's there. We're going to talk.

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LEMON: Oh, man, from Jennifer Hudson to Mary J. Blige and Usher to Kanye West. Major R&B star power is descending on the Big Easy this weekend for the 17th Annual "Essence" Music Festival. And we've got some CNN stars there, too. And some "Essence" stars, as well. Soledad O'Brien joins us live from New Orleans with a special guest. Hello, ladies. By the way, the official sponsor this year's festival, CNN. So how's it going so far?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: I'll answer that. It's been going really, really well. Michelle Ebanks, of course, is the president of "Essence" Communications. So she is sort of the person in charge of making sure we're all having fun. But it's been great.

I want to ask you a quick question about the empowerment sessions, which is really a big part of the day today. Why did you guys decide to do empowerment sessions?

MICHELLE EBANKS, ESSENCE PRESIDENT: Empowerment sessions are always very important of this idea of coming to celebrate "Essence" here in New Orleans. You know, the idea was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Essence" with a party, a concert in the Superdome but you know, the editor said we're "Essence," we can't just have a party, we have to be present in the lives of the community for those who can't afford a ticket to the concert and those who can. And we have to really add value. And then, you know, from there was born the empowerment seminars.

O'BRIEN: How do you gauge success? Is it in the number of tickets sold, is it in how much money you make, is it in how many people come?

EBANKS: It's how many people come to New Orleans. You know, this is an event that attracts people not only from around the country but around the world. And how many people were there in the superdome in the evening over three nights and how many people are here in the convention center. We take over 600,000 square feet. And we can accommodate a lot of people here.

O'BRIEN: Yes. He's walking by, my feet hurt. A lot of walking today. Talk about your commitment to New Orleans, which is a city that I love, but "Essence" also loves New Orleans. It has for a long time.

EBANKS: Yes. Absolutely. This is a 17th "Essence" Music Festival. And 16 of those years have been in New Orleans. And New Orleans is our natural home. It is - this is really cultural celebration, a cultural festival and New Orleans is a mecca for all things cultural, music, food, diverse communities here. This is where we celebrate culture best.

O'BRIEN: You have launched really your new editor in chief, Constance White. I've had a chance to chat with her.

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O'BRIEN: It's been great to see her out on the stage and really - she's been there for a while now, but really launched officially here at this festival. What do you want viewers, readers really to know about her and about where the magazine is going?

EBANKS: Well, Constance White as the editor in chief of "Essence," you know, she is just adding such, infusing more energy and style into the magazine while still reflecting the real lives and stories of black women, still creating that very sacred place and space that black women have. And it's just going to be that much more exciting place to be.

O'BRIEN: She's terrific. So Don -

LEMON: Can I jump in there?

O'BRIEN: We're eating and dancing.

LEMON: Yes, can I jump in because I'm watching. I'm so jealous. I was there yesterday. I want to be there now. I'm glad you said that about New Orleans. I talked to the mayor who is concerned about the crime problem. But I saw lots of police out in force, lots of security. So people should feel safe that they're there. And as someone who grew up in Louisiana, thank you for making a commitment to New Orleans.

I want to talk to you about what New Orleans is known for. By the way, guys enjoy "Essence" as well. So thank you, Michelle. I want to talk to you about the food. Because yesterday I ripped through that place and ate everything that I could see. What have you guys been munching on? Have you had a chance to chow down?

O'BRIEN: You should pack on a lot of pounds.

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O'BRIEN: Fried oysters. Well, (INAUDIBLE) which is a wonderful restaurant here that has a sandwich that is a fried oyster and bacon and tomato sandwich. It's so delicious. But you can't - you really can't have that more than once a year really. But, yes, I mean, New Orleans is all about great food - EBANKS: Great food and great music.

O'BRIEN: This is a vacation or a party you have to rest from.

EBANKS: Well, you eat a lot and then the idea is that you dance it all off in the evening. But you have to balance the two.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Very true.

LEMON: And you can become empowered by eating and dancing. I have to say. Right?

O'BRIEN: Yes, you can.

You know what? I'm going to go to the parties for you tonight, Don. Just because I love you.

LEMON: All right.

O'BRIEN: I'm going to go for you and represent for you because you can't be here.

LEMON: All right. I'll dance off some of my weight today that I gained yesterday. Hey, Soledad and Michelle, thank you so much. Have a great time, OK?

O'BRIEN: Thanks.

EBANKS: Thank you.

LEMON: We're back right after this with the headlines.

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LEMON: All right. Here are your headlines.

A huge break in a cold case that's 54 years old. Police arrested 71- year-old Jack McCullough in Seattle for the murder of seven-year-old of Maria Ridulph of Sycamore, Illinois. McCullough has been living in a retirement community with his wife. In 1957 investigators found the girl's remains. McCullough under a different name was a suspect back then but police lost track of him after he enlisted in the military under a different name.

A Missouri man has been charged with felony sexual assault after allegedly raping a woman who had passed out at a Kansas City on a sidewalk. 48-year-old Melvin Jackson told police he thought the woman was dead. The alleged victim said she became dizzy after walking in the heat. After lying down she lost consciousness. She said awoke to a good samaritan shouting at the suspect to get off her. Jackson is in jail on $70,000 bond.

An 11-year-old Indiana boy faces murder charges tonight in the fatal shooting of his younger stepbrother. A hearing has been set for July 6th. The boy should be charged as an adult or could be charged as an adult. Police arrived at the boy's home near Martinsville on Thursday to find the younger boy shot in the head with a .22. Prosecutor now says the shooting does not appear to be accidental.

Some Minnesota attractions are closed right now and not just for the holiday. State parks, the state zoo, even racetracks are all not operating right now because of a state government shutdown. Fourth of July celebrations have also been scaled back. This is day two of Minnesota's closure because of an impasse between Republican lawmakers and the state's democratic governor.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN World headquarters in Atlanta. Thank you for watching. Hope you enjoy. In the meantime, "Nepal, Stolen Children," a CNN Freedom Project documentary starts right now.