[Cooper:] Breaking news tonight in the Casey Anthony trial, a 360 exclusive. We now know what Casey's parents really believe about their daughter's role in 2-year-old Caylee's death. For that, we go to Gary Tuchman in Orlando. Gary, what did you find out?
[Gary Tuchman, Cnn National Correspondent:] Well, Anderson, George and Cindy Anthony say they love their daughter, they're supporting their daughter. At least one of them have been in this courthouse every day of her trial, both of them here today on day 25. But ever since she was charged with murder, it has not been clear. We have not known how they feel about the charges against her. And it's especially relevant now because of the opening statements where George, the father, was raked over the coals by the defense attorneys. So we asked today we said, how do they feel about these charges? And now we have the answer. They feel their daughter is not innocent. The details are intriguing and heartbreaking Anderson.
[Cooper:] Gary thanks very much. We have more we will have more on that later on. More breaking news, though, right now New York could be on the brink of being the sixth and largest state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage, the legislation going right down to the wire in New York's Republican-controlled state Senate. The vote of one single GOP senator could make the difference between passage and defeat 29 out of 30 Democrats support the measure. One says he never will. Two Republicans have changed from no to yes. Tonight, New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo says he remains hopeful for passage, but the bill has been on the brink of a vote for days now, while lawmakers have voted on measures to make sweet corn the state vegetable, a bill for refined bingo rules, and legislation to let disabled people hunt big game with crossbows. Our thanks to the Huffington Post for that list. So why the delay? Joining me now, senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin and Evan Wolfson executive director of freedomtomarry.org. Evan, why the delay? I mean, why whether or not it passes, but why why not just let it come up to a vote?
[Evan Wolfson, Executive Director, Freedom To Marry:] Well, we're very hopeful that there will be a vote. We're calling on the Senate to move for a vote, because we feel like we have made the case. Thousands and thousands of New Yorkers, Democrats, as well as Republicans, business leaders, as well as labor unions, even professional athletes, as well as individual people and their families and their loved ones, have contacted their legislators, have called the senators, have visited the senators, and have spoken out, and actually 58 percent of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage.
[Cooper:] Do you think you have enough votes among the legislators?
[Wolfson:] We are very hopeful that if the Senate brings it to a vote, which I hope will happen very soon, that we will have a happy day for New York.
[Cooper:] Jeff, as you look at this, why why is it taking so long just to come to a vote one way or another?
[Jeffrey Toobin, Cnn Senior Legal Analyst:] Well, I think this is a hard vote for a lot of the Republicans. The Republican Party institutionally and in New York State has been opposed to same-sex marriage. I mean look at the debate we just saw in New Hampshire. Every candidate was for a constitutional amendment to stop same-sex marriage. New York is different. And the New York's Republicans are different. But it's hard for them to come around. And they they are now concentrating, it seems, on side issues as a way from detract as pushing attention away from the main issue. But the fact that they are so close and it really looks like, if there is a vote, it will pass is a huge, huge change, especially when it failed in the New York State Senate
[Cooper:] Right.
[Toobin:] by a wide margin just two years ago.
[Cooper:] But Evan, I mean, it seems like some the final sticking points have been over religious exemptions or religious concerns. What are the concerns? And and I mean, there are legitimate religious concerns. Some churches don't want to be forced to marry gay people.
[Wolfson:] Well, no church should be forced to marry any couple they don't want to. A church is as free to not marry a gay couple as it is to not marry an interfaith couple. Nobody can force the Catholic Church to marry divorced Catholics. But the Catholic Church, of course, can't tell the city clerk not to issue a license, a marriage license from the government to that divorced Catholic couple. So, everybody agrees that they're this bill, like any bill, has to have a significant balance between non- discrimination on the one hand and religious freedom on the other. And the good news here is that the governor, Majority Leader Skelos and others have been today saying that they actually believe the language looks good, that this is a gap or a question that can really be resolved. And I don't actually think that will prove to be a sticking point.
[Cooper:] But it seems like they're debating stuff behind closed doors that have nothing to do with same-sex marriage. It seems like they are they are focusing on other other issues in the state.
[Toobin:] Well, I think, in terms of the politics, the Republicans are looking for ways to justify their vote for same-sex marriage. And at least a significant number of them are saying, look, I I wasn't going to support this unless we protected the Catholic Church from being sued. Now, in fact, that's a non-issue. It's a red herring. There's been same-sex marriage in Massachusetts for seven years. It's never been any sort of problem like this. But this is giving some Republicans political cover. And it looks like Cuomo and Skelos, the majority leader of the Senate, are going to give it to them.
[Cooper:] Is there a date by which they have to vote or it will go away?
[Wolfson:] No. This is Albany, and they can do what they can do. And what we're watching is them working on not as you said, not just the freedom to marry, but also other important matters to New Yorkers. But Governor Cuomo, who has been a really strong champion when he was a candidate and as governor, has made it clear that he wants to see a vote, and we are really hopeful we're going to see a vote.
[Cooper:] As someone you know, you have been campaigning for for this to happen obviously nationwide. What do you think the impact of this happening in New York would be?
[Wolfson:] I think it will be immense. I mean first of all
[Cooper:] More than other places?
[Wolfson:] Well, first of all, if New York moves to marriage, which we're very hopeful is going to happen very soon, it will more than double the number of Americans who live in a state where gay people share in the freedom to marry. We're going to go from 16 million in this country to 35 million. So, that's, in and of itself, significant to families and loved ones who are eager to celebrate and solidify the love and commitment that bring people into marriage. But beyond that, this is New York. New York is a global face of America. New York sends a message. New York is going to be giving the rest of the country and indeed the world a chance to really see that, when marriage discrimination ends, families are helped and no one's hurt, with all the power that New York brings.
[Cooper:] So your so your hope is, if it happens here, because so many more people will have that that freedom to marry, that right to marry, that those who oppose it currently will see that their marriages aren't affected, their lives aren't affected, nothing really changes?
[Wolfson:] That's exactly right. And, as Jeff said, that's exactly what we have seen in other states. When people see it for real, not just in scary ads, they realize that actually it takes nothing away from my family for the family across the street to be stronger and better off. And that's why actually now six polls have shown that a majority in this country do support the freedom to marry.
[Cooper:] Evan Wolfson, we'll talk to you in the coming days. Thanks so much.
[Wolfson:] Thank you.
[Cooper:] Jeff Toobin as well. Coming up, more on our breaking news in the Casey Anthony trial; as Gary Tuchman told us, Casey Anthony's parents do not think she is innocent. That's according to their lawyer. But George and Cindy Anthony are in the courtroom almost every day. Are they still supporting their daughter? That's ahead, plus, the latest from today's testimony. And Mexican authorities say that's essentially the end of one of the country's most violent drug cartels details of the capture of the leader of La Familia next.