[Baldwin:] So, a suspect in a string of rapes that absolutely terrified women in Dallas has now been arrested in Louisiana. Police say DNA evidence linked Van Dralan Dixson to four of the nine attacks reported in the Fair Park area since June. Dixson was arrested at a motel near downtown Baton Rouge. He will be sent back to Dallas for questioning while police wait for DNA results in these five remaining rapes. But this is the twist I wanted to talk to you about because it involved this other man. His name is Alan Mason. Police named Mason, this person of interest, in the serial rape case last week. The police chief even sent out this tweet announcing it. Mason, by the way, is sitting in jail on a charge that has nothing to do with the rapes or any violent crime whatsoever. He says being named a person of interest in a serial rape case has ruined his life.
[Alan Mason, Named "person Of Interest" By Police:] It really affected my life. I'm 29-years-old. I built, you know, my reputation based off of integrity and doing what's right, and for him to just take that away overnight, that's really I don't have any words to explain it.
[Baldwin:] Mason wants police to apologize and clear his name. Dallas police say he is still a person of interest, at least until the results of the DNA tests are in. Mason's story got us wondering. What happens if you are named a person of interest in a crime and you're totally innocent? What kind of recourse do you have? Let's talk about that with criminal defense attorney Danny Cevallos. And, Danny, first things first, just language-wise, can you please explain the difference to me between a person of interest and an actual suspect?
[Danny Cevallos, Cnn Legal Analyst:] A person of interest is just that. Somebody the police want to talk to and who may have information. It doesn't go that extra step of naming them as a suspect, in other words, that they think this is the person that committed the crime or they believe is reasonably likely to have committed the crime. And there's an important distinction there. Being named a person of interest doesn't mean that you are a suspect, so that goes a long way to defeating any defamation claim this individual may have.
[Baldwin:] So, OK, let's say you're a person of interest, in this case, Mr. Mason, and police will ultimately find out there is zero connection between him and these rapes, for example. What kind of recourse does he have?
[Cevallos:] First, let's talk about defamation. He would have to prove that if he's allowed to even bring that, and I'll address that in a second if he's allowed to bring defamation, he would have to prove this somehow monetarily damaged his reputation. One big hurdle is he's already in jail anyway, so if there was any implication he has committed crimes, that might help to defeat that defamation claim. But, secondly, and most importantly, police officers, unless they go out of the scope of their duty, are almost always immune. It's what we call sovereign immunity. In other words, you can't sue the king. Similarly, you can't sue the government in most cases unless they let you. And the general rule is, as long as the police officer didn't act outside the scope of his duty, statements that he makes in the course of his duties as a public official will leave him immune from lawsuits like defamation.
[Baldwin:] OK, and who knows, even if you are ever a person of interest and cleared, if it really ultimately ever clears you. Danny Cevallos, thank you very much, "On the Case" with us today. In the 12 years since 911, more than 2 million U.S. service members have deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Hollywood director J.J. Abrams, you know his work, "Mission Impossible 3," "Star Trek," "Lost," the list goes on and on, well, so now J.J. Abrams has another mission, helping vets find purpose when they come home. This is today's "Impact Your World."
[J.j. Abrams, Director:] Hi, I'm J.J. Abrams and we can make an impact helping veterans acclimate back into society. It's incredibly important that we are welcoming them when they're done with their service, looking to them not as charity cases. This is about people who can teach us. The Mission Continues is a nonprofit that helps veterans returning from service find their purpose. Whether you're a vet or not, I think it's one of the dreams in life, to find the thing that you know you can do and that you love. And what you learn when you're in the service, there's organizational skills, there's skills of leadership, so to come back to communities that are desperately in need of that kind of voice, it seems like communities need it. The vets need it. It's important that we take advantage of that and find them the training and find them the jobs and the opportunity to continue to serve even though they're not in the service. Join the movement, "Impact Your World," CNN.comimpact.
[Baldwin:] Today, here, as we talk so much about 911, today also marks one year since that attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi. We're now getting word today of whole new explosion. It's rocked the city. Jake Tapper joins me next.