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American Kidnapped in Pakistan; Iowa Holds Pivotal Straw Poll; Philadelphia Teens Detained for Breaking Curfew; Warren Jeffs Gets Life in Prison; DSK Pleaded Not Guilty to Criminal Case; Sweat Lodge Retrial?; Palin Grabs Iowa Spotlight; Perry to Declare Candidacy; Legal Guys on Casey Anthony, Dr. Conrad Murray; Saving Pennies at the Ballpark

Aired August 13, 2011 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Extremely busy in the world of politics. Two major stories happening right now, one in Iowa where Republican presidential candidates are taking part in the state's critical straw poll. And then, in South Carolina, Texas Governor Rick Perry is about to throw his hat into the ring. We'll have live coverage of that big announcement and Iowa's straw poll throughout the day.

But first, we begin with breaking news this hour out of Pakistan. An intense search is underway for an American kidnapped from his home in Lahore. The victim is identified as Warren Weinstein, a development expert, who works for a U.S.-based consulting firm.

CNN's Reza Sayah is live from Islamabad. So, Reza, what more have you learned about this kidnapping?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, if you look at the details of how this kidnapping went down, I think it's clear that it was a very intricate and well-coordinated plot. Police say it happened around 3:15 A.M. Saturday morning. Eight to 10 assailants were involved in this kidnapping, according to police.

It is the month of Ramadan right now, the holy month of Ramadan. A lot of Muslims fasting in Pakistan, and police say, at that hour, 3:15 A.M., Warren Weinstein's three security guards and his driver were getting ready to do a pre-fast meal in their front yard when they heard a knock in the front gate. It was three men offering food, which is customary during Ramadan.

Well, that turned out to be a ploy for these men to get in. They were the assailants. Once the front gates were open, they forced their way in. Investigators say in the meantime, other assailants - at least five of them - scaled the walls of the home. They managed to tie up Warren Weinstein's security guards, duct-taped their mouths, pistol-whipped his driver and forced him to take them to Warren Weinstein, who was sleeping in his room, and eventually left with him. A neighbor's security guard is telling police that the assailants left with at least two vehicles.

Weinstein, an employee of the Virginia-based development company J.E. Austin - there's a lot of western development companies doing important work when it comes to social and economic development here in Pakistan. That's the type of work, Fredricka, that Warren Weinstein was involved in. It's an important work in Pakistan. But, at this hour, he's missing, the victim of what appears to be a very intricate kidnapping plot.

WHITFIELD: So, Reza, who would be leading this search? Would it be Pakistani authorities, would they be some international intelligence authorities? How does this work?

SAYAH: I - yes, at this point, based on what we know, it's Pakistani security agencies, police and investigators. The U.S. embassy is obviously involved. They're aware of this kidnapping.

Police tell us at this point no one has claimed any responsibility for this kidnapping. No group has come forward with any demands. A lot of people are inclined to think Islamist militants are involved in most kidnappings in Pakistan. Sometimes they are, but investigators way most of the time it's criminal gangs who are looking to make some fast cash by making - coming off with a - with a ransom. But, at this point, it's not clear who is involved in this kidnapping.

WHITFIELD: All right. Reza Sayah, thanks so much, from Lahore, Pakistan. Appreciate that.

So, right here in the U.S. now, the presidential playing field may take a dramatic turn today as Iowa holds its critical Ames straw poll. The poll is a key test of a candidate's strength in the nation's first caucus state, and then the results can either make or break a campaign.

Voting is underway right now, actually. The Best Political Team on Television is on the ground there in Iowa, among them CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser.

So, Paul, why is this poll so important, beyond what I just mentioned, Iowa being the first caucus state?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes. It's called almost, in a way, the unofficial start of the race for the White House on the Republican side, Fred, and - and, yes, because it really can break a campaign. While it may not anoint a nominee here - it rarely does - some of the candidates who finish lower down here may - may drop out.

We saw that four years ago. Former governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin did not do well here. He dropped out of the race for the nomination the next day because, yes, as you said, it really is a key test of a campaign's organizational strength, grassroots efforts, because the campaign's can actually bring their supporters here to vote. It's a key test of how they can do here in Iowa, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So what is the atmosphere there like?

STEINHAUSER: Well, here's how it goes right now. Right behind our bus is the coliseum, the Hilton Coliseum. That's where the candidates will speak. That's where the voting take place. But all of the action, besides that, is right around the coliseum. We were walking around earlier. We saw a bunch of volunteers for Michele Bachmann wearing their orange t-shirts. They were milling around. You know, Bachmann and all the other candidates have tents here, surrounding the coliseum, where they provide music, entertainment.

We went over to Tim Pawlenty's tent earlier today as well. That's just a couple of hundred yards away from where we are. He has a band playing there, there are people, there's festivity, there is food. It really is a party atmosphere.

And one other thing about the straw poll here, Fred, all the money, all the proceeds go towards the GOP here in Iowa. So, it's a fundraiser, in a way, as well.

WHITFIELD: So the - the pressure is really on some candidates in particular. Who really needs to do well in order to stay in that?

STEINHAUSER: OK, let's start with Tim Pawlenty. We were just talking about him, the former Minnesota governor. I think he needs a very strong showing here to show that his campaign is still viable. He's not doing that well in the polls and his campaign is known as having a good organizational strength. But it needs to do well here.

Another person who needs to do well here, Rick Santorum. He spoke to our Candy Crowley. He's the former senator from Pennsylvania. He spoke to her yesterday and he said if he doesn't finish in the top five, maybe that may be it for him.

So, for a couple of these candidates, a strong showing is very important.

WHITFIELD: OK, meantime, Sarah Palin not on the ballot there. Neither is the governor, Texas Governor Perry. But, somehow, their names are still being talked about quite extensively.

STEINHAUSER: Oh, yes. They're stealing the spotlight. The spotlight is supposed to be right here on the people who are actually candidates, but, yes, you're right.

Rick Perry today in South Carolina, he's going to officially announce he's running for president, doing it in the Palmetto State, which is the first Southern state to have a primary. That's why we have our Jim Acosta down there, and I know a lot of coverage coming up on that.

And, as you also mentioned, Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, we don't know if she's a candidate or not. She says she'll maybe decide by September. But, guess where she was yesterday? Right here, here in the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. And, let me tell you, she got a lot more attention yesterday than any of the announced candidates, because it's Sarah Palin.

Fred, back to you. WHITFIELD: All right. Paul Steinhauser, thanks so much. We'll check back with you throughout the afternoon from Ames, Iowa. Appreciate that.

Again, straw poll results, well, that comes tonight. Join - join CNN in the NEWSROOM, a special report, the Iowa Straw Poll with CNN's Don Lemon and Candy Crowley. That's at 7:00 P.M. Eastern this evening.

And then, later on this hour, we'll tell you how Sarah Palin stole the spotlight even further in Iowa, even though she is not on the straw poll ballot, as Paul was underscoring there. And we'll go live to Charleston, South Carolina, where Texas Governor Rick Perry is preparing to make that announcement of his presidential bid.

So, it was a strong message, police fanning out across the streets of Philadelphia. Why did they take 50 teens into custody shortly after 9:00 P.M. Friday? The answer and a live report, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Mob attacks injuries, a mayor fed up, and a police force clamping down. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter instituted a beefed-up weekend curfew last night in an attempt to curb recent violence. They put the cut-off at 9:00 P.M. for kids 17 and under in two key districts.

CNN's Susan Candiotti was there when the law went into effect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's Friday night. We're in downtown Philadelphia, Center City, one of the two areas where the extended curfew is kicking in, and it's just about to start. We've got police ready to go. You have some volunteers who are here to help patrol the streets.

Anyone under the age of 18 has to be off the streets by 9:00 or they will be in big trouble. There have been a number of incidents, eight of them in the last 20 months, and police are tired of the havoc that they're creating.

So we're about to talk to the police commissioner about why he thinks this extended curfew is going to make a difference.

COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: I think it sends a very strong message to children and parents that we're serious about this. We cannot have any kind of attacks or the kind of nonsense that we've experienced over the last couple of weeks in Center City or any other part of our - our city.

CANDIOTTI: Among the volunteers who are out this Friday night is Tyrone Werts. You know, you were in jail, interesting story, for 36 years, got out, minding your own business at home. Why are you getting involved to come out and help? TYRONE WERTS, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, INSIDE-OUT CENTER: Well, I'm a citizen of the city and I'm really concerned about the city and the youth. And I wanted to give my time because - you know, try to make - make a difference in the world.

CANDIOTTI: It's 9:00. That extended curfew is now in place. It is underway, and so far it is quiet.

Now, police have been out here for at least an hour. We'll see how the rest of the night goes.

(voice-over): It didn't take long before dozens of juveniles were taken into custody.

RAMSEY: They will be with us until the parent comes and get them.

CANDIOTTI: If they don't, parents could also be in trouble, all part of an ongoing effort to keep streets safe and kids on the right track.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Susan now joining us from Love Park in the Center City of Philadelphia. So how did it go throughout the evening?

CANDIOTTI: It worked, mainly because there wasn't any trouble, and that's thanks - mostly due to the strong police presence that was out here, and also help that they had from volunteers who came out and stood alongside police on the streets here.

The question, of course, Fred, is whether they can keep this up tonight and, after that, whether people will keep getting the message or is this just a lot of publicity this weekend and will they fall back into bad - bad habits once again as the days go on?

WHITFIELD: Yes. I was wondering, how long is - is this ordinance, you know, to be enforced?

CANDIOTTI: Well, they hope as long as they can get it to work.

You know, they picked up 50 kids last night and, the thing is, none of them were allowed to leave that police station until someone came and picked them up and in each and every case, a parent or guardian did. If they didn't, those parents could have been reported for - and investigated for child neglect. So - and if these same kids get in trouble again, then they could be fined - the parents could be fined for up to $500.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

CANDIOTTI: So police are keeping an eye on all these things. They're also trying to give alternative things for the teenagers to do so that they don't get into trouble and give them mentors. So it's a holistic approach the police are trying to use. WHITFIELD: All right. This is a big undertaking, that's for sure.

Susan Candiotti, thanks so much.

We're going to be talking some legal cases straight ahead. Polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs was sentenced to life in prison this week. He fired all of his attorneys and represented himself, but does that mean that there are grounds for an appeal?

Our legal guys weigh in, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, so we've been watching this case closely. Polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs sentenced to the maximum this week, life in prison, plus 20 years and a $10,000 fine for sexual assault on two underage girls who were part of his 78-wife harem. But, is this the end of the story or could there be a potential reversal?

Let's bring in our legal guys. Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor, in Cleveland. Good to see you. And Richard -

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi. Welcome back.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Glad to be back.

And Richard Herman, a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor, joining us from Vegas. Good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Hello.

All right, so gentlemen, this is really interesting because Warren Jeffs fired all of his attorneys along the way and seemed to be OK with whatever was to happen next. Now, he's been sentenced to life in prison. So, Avery, does he have grounds for an appeal that he can argue still in the end, even though he fired everybody, that he just had insufficient defense?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. You know, you really think about that. I want to appeal based on ineffective assistance of counsel, ineffective assistance by me.

It's not going to be reversed, Fredricka, because the Judge Barbara Walther was very careful in making sure that he exercised the right. You always have the right to represent yourself no matter how serious or non-serious a crime is. And, in fact, this is probably the best example why you don't represent yourself.

The important thing is the integrity of the record was - was there. It was insured by the judge. This case will be affirmed, that is, the convictions, by a three-judge panel in Texas. WHITFIELD: So, in other words, you know, Richard, the court did not fail him, and that's what the court is going to be able to establish. But, even to file an appeal, doesn't he need a little assistance in order to do that? Who would actually file that motion for him?

HERMAN: Well, he's not going to draft it, but he'll have people draft it, Fred. And, in addition to the one issue Avery raised, there is another, I think, substantial issue on appeal, and that is the fact that the very trial judge, Judge Walther, who tried the case, was the same judge who issued a warrant which allowed all of the police to walk into the premises there, into the - the ranch, raid homes, take 400 people out, interview them, remove photos and tapes -

WHITFIELD: Oh, so you're saying there's a potential conflict of interest here?

HERMAN: Well, what I'm saying is that warrant that was issued was based on a hoax phone call, a home call - a phone call which was a joke by someone. And, therefore, if that warrant is found to be defective, all the material that was gained from the ranch is going to be stricken from the record. It's going to be reversed and there could be a new trial.

FRIEDMAN: No.

WHITFIELD: All right. Real quickly, no on that, Avery? OK.

FRIEDMAN: No objections to it. No objections to it, Fredricka. None of it, so...

WHITFIELD: OK, let's move on to the Dominique Strauss -

HERMAN: We'll see.

WHITFIELD: OK, let's move on to the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case, and we're talking about the accuser in this sexual assault criminal case is now filing a civil suit. Richard, why would an accuser - why would anyone want to potentially cloud the criminal investigation by now filing a civil matter simultaneously?

HERMAN: Well, I think the criminal investigation is hanging by a thin thread, so I think the civil attorneys are looking to push the issue on that. I think they're afraid that he's going to flee the country once the district attorney's office says we're not going to prosecute you, he's going to take off the next day.

So at least they want to get this record on file. They filed it in the Bronx, in New York, which is the absolute greatest jurisdiction for plaintiffs' personal injury cases. The awards there are astronomical. Great - great jurisdiction. That's where she lives, so it's every right to bring it there.

But, you know, one of the theories - one of the problems the district attorney is having is that she's doing all this for money, and when she files this lawsuit right now, seeking money, you know, it kind of corroborates where it's at and maybe it - it lessens her story.

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK. So Avery -

HERMAN: We'll see.

WHITFIELD: So Avery, while her attorneys may think this is a great advantage to do this because the criminal case seems to be kind of crumbling, is it your belief that it will backfire?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. I mean, in - well, in several respects. Number one, the fact is that if this thing is, as Richard put it, hanging by a hair, he just cut the hair. I mean, the value of bringing a civil case at this juncture, I think, makes no sense. We have treaties with France. We could get him back if he takes off.

But the bottom line is I think the lawyers are saying, we don't have a chance of getting any charges from the D.A. We're going to move forward with that personal injury case.

WHITFIELD: OK. Now let's talk about the sweat lodge case, and this was the case of James Ray being convicted of negligent homicide. A number of people died in his, you know, so-called sweat lodge, and so he says he wants a new trial. On what basis, Avery?

FRIEDMAN: Well, what happened is the prosecution entered during the penalty phase an audio clip which had not been introduced at trial. The defense - and that's one of a number of arguments the defense is using to - to say, look, we need a new trial, that was prejudicial.

The jury unloaded with nine years on this thing. They're saying that audio clip made a difference. The prosecution says, no. It was argued this week. I don't think the judge is going to grant a new trial, although the defense will be introducing 18 witnesses during the - the next phase, the pre-trial - the sentencing phase.

WHITFIELD: All right, Richard, misconduct of the prosecutors?

HERMAN: Yes. This is said a lot on appeal issues, but here it's egregious, he's claiming. I don't know that it's egregious. I think we're going to be welcoming the words that we hear a lot, harmless error. I think that very well may be the end result here.

FRIEDMAN: That's right.

HERMAN: The other evidence was overwhelming of guilt here. I'm surprised it was so low. I'm surprised they didn't get a clean sweep on convictions across the board for this guy. But I don't think it's going anywhere on appeal, and he's sweating it out right now, as he should be.

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow. All right, part two, Avery and Richard. In about 20 minutes, we're going to be talking about a number of other cases, including the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Still lots to be said about it as it still has yet to take off.

And an American man kidnapped in a brazen raid in Pakistan. Now, an intense manhunt is underway.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.

An intense search is underway in Pakistan for a kidnapped American. The victim, Warren Weinstein, a developer who works for a U.S.-based firm. He was abducted from his home in Lahore.

Pakistani police say eight to 10 gunmen were involved. They gained access to Weinstein's home by posing as neighbors offering food.

At least 20 people are injured after a bus crash in Pennsylvania. The Greyhound overturned on the Pennsylvania turnpike in Lancaster County early this morning. Highway officials say the driver was severely injured. The bus was traveling from Philadelphia to Columbus, Ohio.

The FBI is joining the investigation into an American woman missing in Aruba. Yesterday, agents searched the Maryland home of the man held in Robyn Gardner's disappearance. Aruban authorities say Gary Giordano will appear in court Monday.

Giordano says he and Gardner were snorkeling when he lost sight of her. Island officials say there is no trace of Gardner and no evidence that she is dead.

And in the U.S., it's a crucial day for GOP presidential candidates taking part in Iowa's straw poll. The contest is a key test of a candidate's strength in this early voting state, and the outcome can make or break a campaign.

Voting is underway right now and results are expected tonight. We'll bring you live results.

And Sarah Palin isn't on the Iowa Straw Poll ballot, but that hasn't kept her away, out of sight, from Iowa. The former Alaska governor made a surprising appearance there.

CNN political reporter Peter Hamby is in Ames, Iowa, and joins us now live. So, Peter, what's she doing there?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Well, she was in Des Moines yesterday, at the Iowa State Fair, which is a famous carnival full of rides and deep-fried junk food.

It's also the center of the political universe this week. There was a debate the other night. Every candidate kind of passed through the state fair and gave a little stump speech. And, lo and behold, Sarah Palin shows up.

She's kicking off the Midwestern leg of this national bus tour that grabbed so much attention this spring. And, you know, we caught up with her. She talked to reporters for over an hour. It was a total media crush. There were all kinds of well-wishers, too.

Our Don Lemon caught up with Palin and asked her, are you stealing the spotlight, or trying to steal the spotlight from some of these other candidates. Take a listen on what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: I don't think I'm stealing any spotlight. In fact, (INAUDIBLE) the spotlight, go. Go find the other folks and say hello.

I'm very thankful to have been invited to the state fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMBY: So, you know, Palin says she's not stealing the spotlight, but she's a very canny politician. She knows that she can command such attention. She knew that every reporter in the political universe was out here in Iowa and, you know, all of the television cameras were as well.

But she wasn't just grabbing headlines. She was also doing some quiet meetings with a few activists around the site in case she does decide to run. She says that if she does jump in the race, it will be at some point in September. But she says, you know, it's an earth shattering decision and she still has to chew it over with her husband and her family - Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, that's interesting, Peter, because we've kind of seen this scene before. She just happened to be kind of in the neighborhood when Mitt Romney was announcing his presidential, you know, intentions.

Has she remarked any further about what she is weighing, besides family, as to whether she will be in or out of the race? Is she waiting for someone to perhaps write her in during the straw poll today?

HAMBY: She said she was going to leave the state before the straw poll voting today. She didn't really want to get into that. She does have kind of an informal support network. It's nonofficial. They might be lining up some votes for her, some write-in votes for her.

What - she's really just trying to wait and see. I mean, she's getting paid millions of dollars to give speeches. You know, she has a cable news contract. So she's - I think she's trying to draw that out.

But she's just kind of waiting to see what the field looks like. She's waiting to see what - how Rick Perry impacts the field. Her and Rick Perry, the Texas governor, have a close, friendly relationship, and he's going to jump in the race today and kind of hit the ground running for the next two weeks. So, you know, she has a comfortable life right now, and she's just trying to wait and see if this is the right thing for her.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. You've just kind of planted the seed now, whether there could potentially be a pairing between a Perry and a Palin. We'll see. We'll watch. Peter Hamby, thanks so much.

All right, we have another huge political story unfolding right now in South Carolina. In just a half an hour, Texas governor Rick Perry is expected to take the podium at a major conservative gathering in Charleston and announce his presidential bid.

CNN political correspondent Jim Acosta is there, and he's joining us now live. Kind of set the scene for us. I see all the cameras and the crowd behind you. What's going on?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, Fredricka, you heard Peter Hamby say just a few moments ago that Ames is the center of the political universe. But conservatives might argue that the lone star, if you'll pardon the phrase, of the GOP field is here in South Carolina. You're right, he is expected to announce in the next 30 minutes or so that he is running for president. He is going to do it at this Red State conference, where we're gathered here in Charleston. It's a conference put on by our CNN contributor, Erick Erickson. It's become a very influential blog among conservatives.

And Rick Perry signed on to this event several months ago, when he was saying he wasn't running for president. But in the last couple of months, as you know, Fredricka, he's been telling reporters that he's feeling called to run for the White House. And that's what he's expected to do in just a few moments.

Now, last night in Alabama, he was talking to a different group of Republicans, and he really gave sort of a sneak preview of his speech today, talking about what he would do to go after the national deficit, what he would do to create jobs in the country. He also said that the main thing that needs to happen in Washington is basically an infusion of more conservative Republicans like himself. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: When you get to thinking about it, the answer to our nation's challenge is sending more principled Republicans to Washington, D.C. You know, when the Republicans are -- we were working together back in 2010, and the power of what happened during that election cycle was a sight to behold. I mean, it was a powerful moment.

And if there was any doubt in anybody's mind, just the fact of what they've been talking about over the last two weeks in Washington, D.C., is we've seen this display, if you will -- there is still a whole bunch of work to be done in Washington, D.C. And we need to send truly physical (SIC) conservative Republicans to Washington to get the job finished!

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now, you can see right there that Rick Perry knows how to fire up a Republican crowd. He is expected to give another raucous speech here in Charleston. And if you look at the latest CNN ORC poll, Fredricka, he is a major threat to the GOP field. He is nipping at the heels of frontrunner Mitt Romney, just 2 points behind the former Massachusetts governor.

And after this speech here in South Carolina, it's off to New Hampshire. He will be at an event later this afternoon, and then in Iowa. And Fredricka, he picked a very interesting spot to talk to voters in Iowa tomorrow. He is going to be giving a speech at the very same spot where Michele Bachmann jumped into this race just a few weeks ago.

So Rick Perry is starting to make a lot of the moves that come with a presidential contender -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Acosta, thanks so much. I know we're going to check back with you throughout the afternoon so I can't wait to ask you about whether Governor Perry is running away from or embracing any comparisons being made between he and the other former -- the former Texas governor George W. Bush. We'll talk about that a little bit later on.

Also, we're going to keep you posted at home on the coverage of the Iowa Straw Poll. And again, in about less than 30 minutes from now, Governor Perry will be making his announcement out of South Carolina.

Later on this evening, our own Don Lemon and Candy Crowley will be along with a CNN special report, "The Iowa Straw Poll." That is at 7:00 PM Eastern time.

All right, more legal cases to talk about. Casey Anthony returns to Florida for a judge's ruling in her check fraud case. She's facing a year of supervised probation. We'll hear what our "Legal Guys" have to say about that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The man accused of administering a fatal dose of anesthetic to pop star Michael Jackson will soon get his day in court. Jury selection for Dr. Conrad Murray's manslaughter trial is set to begin September 8th, and the defense has revealed a potential bombshell witness.

Our "Legal Guys" are back, Avery Friedman in Cleveland and Richard Herman in Las Vegas. All right, good to see you guys again.

All right, Richard, you first. So this young man by the name of Jason Pfeiffer was a former employee of Jackson's dermatologist. He could be on the witness list. What would he have to say in court? HERMAN: He's going to testify to -- well, first of all, he's got problems. He's got ghosts in his closet, this guy. But he's going to say he worked for Arnie Klein. He knows the relationship between Klein and Michael Jackson. He knows Klein was forwarding drugs to Michael Jackson.

And that's the nutshell here, Fred. Basically, the prosecution is going to say, Listen, using propofol at home, that is gross negligence and that is manslaughter. The defense is going to say, No, he's used it for years at home and on the road. He's never had a problem. It's administered carefully, and that in and of itself is not (ph).

The defense is also going to say that Conrad Murray did not know about all these side doctors who were feeding medication to Michael, and that's what caused his death. And therefore, Conrad Murray should be found not guilty. It's a viable defense, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Avery, this is getting confusing, is it not? Because if that's the case, then why isn't Dr. Arnold Klein on trial just like Dr. Conrad Murray would be?

FRIEDMAN: Well, there you go! I mean, the confusion is exactly what the defense team is trying to create here. This is a sideshow. What's going on here, is that --

WHITFIELD: So in other words, I fell for it, huh?

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEDMAN: I don't think the judge is going to, though, because I don't think Pfeiffer's ever even going to get close to that witness stand, and here's why.

WHITFIELD: OK.

FRIEDMAN: You need expert testimony connecting this medical evidence. This is off the wall. I mean, the fact that Dr. Klein has been his dermatologist and has provided medication and controlled substances --

HERMAN: Painkillers.

FRIEDMAN: -- over the years is interesting, but they have to connect it. And that's something I don't think the defense can do. There's no expert testimony in that. I don't think Pfeiffer's even going to take the stand. I don't think you're going to see the guy.

WHITFIELD: You don't? You don't see him on the witness -- but what about this other case --

FRIEDMAN: I don't think so.

WHITFIELD: Apparently, Pfeiffer has filed his own legal matter against Dr. Klein. That's going to kind of muddy the waters here, wouldn't it, Richard? FRIEDMAN: Well, it is --

HERMAN: Look --

FRIEDMAN: Plus, Dr. Klein -- Dr. Klein is suing Pfeiffer for embezzling millions of dollars. You think there's a possible connection? I think so.

WHITFIELD: OK. Richard, you got anything to say on that one before we move on to the next thing?

HERMAN: Yes, Fred, the cause of death was not just propofol. The cause of death was not just propofol overdose. That's a major point for the defense here.

FRIEDMAN: We'll see.

HERMAN: I'm telling you people --

WHITFIELD: You're going to see (INAUDIBLE)

HERMAN: -- this is a viable defense for him.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. OK. All right. Casey Anthony --

FRIEDMAN: I don't think so.

WHITFIELD: -- let's move on to that. People thought that case was over, done with. At this point, it was just, Where is she now? Where is she living? But no, another legal matter that has her facing one year of probation as a result of some check fraud, an unresolved check fraud case, which is now resolved, I guess. Avery, so when and where would she have to serve that?

FRIEDMAN: Well, she's going to serve it there in Florida. But I have to -- you've got to cheer for Chief Judge Perry. I mean, he did it exactly right. The fact is that there was a technical error. That's it. And what the judge did -- recall that I predicted administrative probation because you need to protect the privacy because of some of the wingnuts down there who want to do her harm.

The judge talked about it. He talked about Casey Anthony being, based on a poll, the most hated person in America, protecting her privacy, keeping control of her. I'm a former probation officer. You don't do probation in jail. Chief Judge Perry did exactly the right thing.

FRIEDMAN: Richard?

WHITFIELD: Fred -- Fred, it's gone even worse than that. The judge has made ethical claims against Baez. What he said was --

FRIEDMAN: Right.

HERMAN: -- at the sentencing portion on the check fraud case, this was extensively discussed, the issue of probation. All sides knew it was going to commence upon release from prison.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

HERMAN: That was an argument that was raised and discussed at length. Therefore, when there was a, quote, "scrivener's error" -- that's what they're saying, Fred, "scrivener's error" -- it's a legal term -- for the judge, who was too lazy to sit and read his own order before he signed it --

(LAUGHTER)

HERMAN: What the judge is saying is the intent and the clear statement was she's going to serve it when she gets out. For Baez to argue differently and for him to allow some sort of purported probation to occur when she was in prison was wrong and unethical. He should have brought it to the attention of everyone. I think this judge is going to file --

FRIEDMAN: The judge did the right thing.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: There is nothing simple about this case!

FRIEDMAN: Judge did the right thing.

WHITFIELD: Not even now. All right, let's move on to something else. This is going to have a lot of college graduates listening intently. So now we're talking about some law graduates of New York Law School and Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan are suing their alma mater, saying, You all said that we were going to get jobs, but you didn't involve details about what kinds of jobs that graduates would get, so we're suing.

So Richard, is this a fair claim? They say it doesn't necessarily guarantee a job in your field.

HERMAN: Yes, well, that's the point. The law students are saying, You said that, you know, up to 90 percent of us would find jobs within nine months of graduation, but you didn't delineate the fact that a lot of these jobs are not in the area of law. So we thought it was law. We went out and borrowed all this money to go on and finish three or four years of law school, and now we can't get jobs in law, we can't pay it back. You misled us. You defrauded us.

WHITFIELD: So you can -- you can blame --

HERMAN: And therefore, we want $200 million.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: No. Lookit --

HERMAN: That's what they're saying.

FRIEDMAN: -- Fredricka, this is the worst lawsuit filed for 2011. It's going to wind up in the top 10 worst cases --

WHITFIELD: Filed by law students.

FRIEDMAN: They're --

WHITFIELD: Just saying.

FRIEDMAN: Filed by law students who are claiming they are -- indentured servitude. I don't know who was teaching them constitutional law. ABA had a rule that said just report jobs, not law-related. Awful, actually --

WHITFIELD: You guys are so funny!

FRIEDMAN: -- Cooley brought -- the law school brought a counterclaim against these guys. And Cooley is trying to open up another school in --

HERMAN: Defamation.

FRIEDMAN: -- I think Tampa Bay. So it's going nowhere!

WHITFIELD: They should have called you all first for advice on that one.

FRIEDMAN: Oh, I'd have said call Richard!

WHITFIELD: I think you would have given it to them straight, huh?

HERMAN: We would have told them paralegal. Paralegal is the way to go. Forget law school. Paralegal is the way to go.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, paregoric, I think.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: Avery, Richard, thanks so much. Always good to see you guys. Thanks so much.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: Have a good weekend, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, you, too.

FRIEDMAN: take care.

WHITFIELD: All right, we're going to talk more politics straight ahead. The Republican presidential field is about to change. We'll explain how and why after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, some political news happening right now. Iowa is holding its famous straw poll. Today's contest is a major test of the candidates' support and organizational skills, and the outcome can make or break a campaign. Results are expected tonight, and we'll bring those to you live.

And we're also monitoring the podium at a conservative Red State conference in South Carolina. That's where Texas governor Rick Perry is preparing to throw his hat into the presidential ring. He is expected to take the stage at the top of the hour. We'll bring that to you live.

And in fact, Perry's website has already announced his campaign, and it lists the reasons for his candidacy. Perry says he wants to get America working again and bring back fiscal restraint to Washington.

All right, we're going to talk weather now. It has been so hot everywhere, but nowhere hotter than in Texas, and drier. And Reynolds Wolf, finally, a little relief?

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: A little bit. I mean, you're absolutely right, though. That really has been the one-two punch from Mother Nature that's really been affecting much of Texas, the extreme heat and the lack of rainfall.

Today we're taking care at least of one of those things, that being the rain. Rain has been fairly heavy this morning from Lubbock back over towards places like Dallas. We're expecting this air of low pressure that's going to stay right over parts of the southern plains to continue to pull in a lot of that moisture. And that with your daytime heating is going to give you some rainfall. That's good news.

Want to talk about the extreme heat. Take a look at this. We got numbers to share with you. In fact, as we put this into motion, just the sheer length of this heat wave is one of the things that's been so brutal, 40 straight days -- wow! Just makes -- it hurts just to think about it, 40 straight days of 100-plus degrees from July 2nd all the way to August 10th. It's the second longest streak in history for places like Dallas.

However, you go a little bit farther south, in Waco, they've been dealing with it, too, for quite a while, 61 days of 100-degree-plus temperatures year. It has just been insane.

But thankfully, they are going to getting some of the shower activity today. That's going to help them cool down a little bit.

Better chance of rain, though, at least severe weather is going to take place right in parts of the central great lakes and back into the Ohio Valley. Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis -- all those spots may be dealing with some delays into the afternoon hours. And you might have a few of those possibly in parts of the Southeast, namely in Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson, if we have some pop up into the afternoon.

Your high temperatures along the Eastern Seaboard, they range from the 80s all the way down (ph) to the 90s when you get way down to Miami. Back out to the west, it's a mixed bag, as you might expect, Seattle with 72 degrees, 79 in Portland, 68 in San Francisco, 70 in Los Angeles, 89 in Denver, wrapping it up in Kansas City out by Coffman (ph) Stadium with 85 degrees. All right. Fred, you're up to speed.

WHITFIELD: All right. Sounds good. You a big baseball fan?

WOLF: Absolutely. You bet.

WHITFIELD: OK. So maybe you have some favorite picks of baseball stadiums around the country?

WOLF: I like -- I'm a Fenway Park guy, Boston.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, let's find out if it made the list --

WOLF: Let's do it.

WHITFIELD: -- because, apparently, there's a list out there to see just how far your family dollar may go at a baseball game.

But before we take a swing at that, take a swing at this. The all-sports website TheBleacherReport ranked the major league baseball stadiums, all 30 of them, based on -- here we go! -- comfort, value, food, atmosphere and just plain old fun. Is Fenway in there? Oh, maybe it's one of the top three! You see the question marks there? We're going to reveal the top three. Maybe it's in there. You might be surprised -- when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, just a minute ago, I promised to reveal the top three ballparks in the major leagues. This is according to TheBleacherReport. Let's finish the list now -- Wrigley Field, home to the Cubbies for 95 years, the brand-new Target Field in Minnesota is a big hit with fans. But the oldest ballpark in America also ranks among the best. I know Reynolds is so happy about this. There it is, Fenway Park in Boston.

All right, so taking the family to a ballgame is a special occasion, but it doesn't have to break the bank. For the "On the Go" today, here's a couple of tips to save some cash at the ballpark.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLOS DIAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If you're going to head out to the ballpark this summer, there are ways to make the most of the national pastime. When you go can make a big difference.

JASON SHEETS, TRAVELZOO: There's days of the week that are better than others for finding a great deal. Family value days actually happen often on Sundays. Tuesday nights seem to be days of the week that need the most help, with tickets being upwards of 50 to 60 percent off.

DIAZ: Be sure to check your tickets because some include coupons for concessions. And if you have the appetite for it, paying for the "all you can eat" section could be the way to go.

SHEETS: By having two hot dogs and a drink and having a ticket, you've covered the cost what you normally would be paying.

DIAZ: Also consider the minors. It's more of an intimate experience. And get this. Tickets prices start as low as $5. And check out your team's website, where you can find deals and unique promotions that can make the experience all the more special, like this "Bark in the Park" event with the Gwinnett Braves.

What better way to spend the dog days of summer?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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