Russians Flags Fly Over Crimean Border
BANFIELD: The attorney for Michael Dunn has filed a motion to withdraw from that case. You'll remember, this is the so-called "Loud Music" case. Dunn was found guilty last month on three counts of attempted murder, but the jury was hung on the most serious of the charges, first-degree murder, for shooting and killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis. Dunn's attorney is citing, quote, "slight but irreconcilable differences," end quote. He's also noting Dunn can't pay his attorney fees. This is the same attorney who filed a motion for a new trial. In the crisis in Ukraine, the Ukrainian prime minister is headed west this week, all the way to the White House, that's Wednesday, and then the United Nations Security council, that's Thursday. For its part, Moscow is saying that it is preparing, quote, "counter- proposals" to resolve its armed occupation of Crimea, quote, "on the basis of international law." Ukrainians expressed their views yesterday in these dueling demonstrations, loud and very, very populated. This was in a city near the Russian border. The Ukraine military, meanwhile, though completely overshadowed in the Crimea standoff is nonetheless holding exercises, but not fully mobilizing for now. Question remains, is all of this too late? A visit to the border shows that armed and masked Russian fighters have pretty much taken Crimea. Just seems to be a fact, period. And it also means they are none too keen to let the rest of the world see what they're up to, which means that CNN's Anna Coren and her crew were not particularly welcome as guests at the border, and you've got to see what their report shows.</s>COREN (voice-over): Parked along the highway linking Crimea to Ukraine, a convoy of Russian trucks and armored personal carriers. We're approaching a checkpoint, flying the Russian flag, where troops are searching cars, targeting media crews, and confiscating equipment. We hide our cameras as soldiers inspect the van. One of them is spotted. It's taken and turned off. This is now effectively part of Russia, and they don't want us filming the evidence. The local soldier in charge who's sworn allegiance to Russia agrees to an interview. "We're defending our people," he tells me. "This is not about Russia, but about protecting our homeland." As we drive through the checkpoint, we see the new border that's being erected along this windswept plain. Once out of view from Russian troops, we stop the car and resume filming.</s>COREN (on camera): While Russia says it has no military presence on the Crimean peninsula, well here is your proof. Russian troops have dug in armed personal carriers of rolled up barbed wire, dug fence posts and there are also signs that indicate that there are landmines in the area.</s>COREN (voice-over): A local resident says they aren't just signs. This is a mine field. "One of my neighbor's dogs ran in there and was blown up," he tells me. "Why are the Russians laying land mines? Why are they being so aggressive?" For those living here, the military buildup on their doorstep is alarming. "I'm frightened about the future," this grandmother tells me. "We don't want a war, we just want to work, live peacefully and feed our families." Several miles up the road, the Ukrainian checkpoint appears. They too are digging in, setting up camp, well aware this standoff could turn bloody. "We are warriors following the orders of the people of Ukraine," says this soldier. "If they want us to defend Crimea, then we will do this, and we're willing to die." A sacrifice they're prepared to make for the sovereignty of Ukraine. Anna Coren, CNN, Chonga (ph), on the Crimean peninsula.</s>BANFIELD: And our thanks to Anna Coren and her crew who are doing some very brave work for us to make sure that this story has international eyes on it. Marijuana is a huge cash crop in Colorado, where recreational use is now legal. But there is this lingering problem. The business mavens are now facing, what do you do with all that cash? Lots and lots and lots of bills that the banks will not take. You can't open an account with this kind of money, folks, so what do you do with it? The legal view on the pot boom, just ahead.