Day Three of Michael Jackson Trial; Martha's Makeover
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. Day three of the Michael Jackson trial starts with some big questions about the defense's strategy. Jackson's attorney hinting yesterday that the singer might actually take the stand. Jeff Toobin has a seat in the courtroom. He's going to tell us about that, plus some bruising cross-examination for the very first witness.</s>BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, Dennis Rader charged with 10 counts of murder in the BTK serial killings. But it might not end there. Cold cases around the state of Kansas now being opened, and we'll talk to one sheriff about whether or not he might connect a 1977 murder to the BTK suspect.</s>O'BRIEN: Jack's back with the "Question of the Day." Good morning.</s>JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Should it be permissible for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in government buildings in this country? The Supreme Court of the United States is going to hear arguments on that question. Ironically, an image of Moses carrying two stone tablets which contained the original Ten Commandments is visible on the ceiling of the Supreme Court chambers. Do you think it should be or not? AM@CNN.com.</s>HEMMER: All right, Jack. Thanks. To this developing story now out of Europe. Reports of terrorists eying New York's Grand Central Terminal. In our CNN "Security Watch" this morning, a Spanish newspaper, "El Mundo," is reporting that a hand-drawn map of the train station was found in the apartment of the suspected Madrid train bombers. Now, that map and some other information and a computer were found last March, two weeks after four trains were bombed. They were bombed on the 11th of March. Nearly 200 were killed that day. But it was not until December of 2004 that Spanish investigators told U.S. authorities about them. Now, there are still many details of "El Mundo's" reports that we are checking out here at CNN. We'll continue to flush out details throughout the day. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. That's our first story this hour. The other stories and the headlines now with Carol Costello. Good morning.</s>CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you. "Now in the News," at least 13 people are dead after a pair of suicide bombings in Iraq. Coming just two hours apart, the bombs targeted an Iraqi military convoy and an army recruiting center in Baghdad. The attacks come on what has been declared a national day of mourning in Iraq. More than 120 people were killed Monday in a suicide bombing in Hillah. The search for a missing Florida girl still on this morning. Thousands of flyers will be distributed today in the Citrus County area in the hopes of getting the word out about 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford. Rescue teams have scaled back their search, focusing on a three-quarter mile radius around the Lunsford home. They're looking for any clues as to the whereabouts of this girl. Federal Reserve chair Alan Greenspan set to give an update on the economy next hour. Greenspan will testify before the House Budget Committee. He's expected to talk about the federal deficit and Social Security, but analysts will listen for any comments about interest rates. And nearly six decades after he broke baseball's barrier, Jackie Robinson is reaching another milestone. The late Brooklyn Dodger is being honored today with a Congressional Gold Medal. That is the highest civilian award. Robinson is only the second baseball player in history to receive the honor. Roberto Clemente being the first. Also, President Bush will host the world champion team, the Boston Red Sox, at the White House. So Johnny Damon and company will be there. And Johnny Damon says the president probably will not have any problem at all with his long hair.</s>HEMMER: You don't think so?</s>COSTELLO: No.</s>HEMMER: Maybe they'll go to the barbershop together.</s>COSTELLO: I don't think so. But he does want to throw back a few beers with the president. You never know.</s>O'BRIEN: A couple buddies. Who knows. Carol, thanks.</s>COSTELLO: Sure.</s>O'BRIEN: Let's get right to the people versus Michael Jackson. Prosecutors will present more testimony today in the child molestation trial. Jurors yesterday saw a controversial documentary and heard the defense suggest that Jackson himself might testify. CNN's Miguel Marquez live at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, for us this morning. Hey, Miguel. Good morning.</s>MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you there, Soledad. You know, usually when Mr. Jackson comes in and out of this courtroom, he'll give a little wave, a little peace sign to the fans out here. Well, yesterday, after a very emotional day in court, to a reporter's question, he had one word.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you feeling today?</s>MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: Angry.</s>MARQUEZ (voice-over): An angry Michael Jackson left the courtroom after he sat threw a viewing of the documentary, "Living With Michael Jackson." Its producer, Martin Bashir, was also in the room.</s>MARTIN BASHIR, PRODUCER, "LIVING WITH MICHAEL JACKSON": We began a journey together, across continents, through his past, and rapidly into the disturbing reality of his life today.</s>MARQUEZ: The program originally aired on Britain's ITV on February 3, 2003. The prosecution says the molestation and conspiracy to cover it up happened after it hit the air. Jackson and his defense deny the molestation or conspiracy ever happened, and say Bashir was really out to get Michael Jackson.</s>BASHIR: The world needs a man who is 44 sleeping in a bed with children?</s>JACKSON: No, no, you're making it all wrong.</s>MARQUEZ: On cross-examination, Jackson's defense asked question after question about whether Bashir misrepresented himself to obtain the interview. Bashir refused to answer, citing California's reporter shield law and the First Amendment.</s>MICHAEL CARDOZA, LEGAL ANALYST: I'm sure the jury walked out with some questions about Bashir's motives.</s>MARQUEZ: During the portion of the documentary where Jackson holds his baby out an open window, the pop star began to cry.</s>CARDOZA: He reached for tissue paper, dabbed his eyes, dabbed his nose a number of times. That went on for about 10 minutes. So he had very much of an emotional reaction to that.</s>MARQUEZ: But Jackson also seemed to enjoy other parts of the documentary, particularly when his own music was playing.</s>STEVE CORBETT, "SANTA MARIA TIMES": "Thriller," he moved, he nodded, he bopped. "Billy Jean," he moved, he nodded, he seemed enthralled.</s>MARQUEZ: Now, on the stand today, Ann Marie Kite -- or Ann Gabriel. She's a PR person who was hired immediately after that documentary aired. And she will testify for the prosecution about the reaction in the Jackson camp to that documentary -- Soledad.</s>O'BRIEN: Miguel Marquez for us this morning. Miguel, thanks.</s>HEMMER: Soledad, senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin now, closely following that trial. He was in California inside the courtroom. He's back in New York now. Good morning to you.</s>JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Howdy.</s>HEMMER: From a voyeuristic standpoint, what is it like to be inside that courtroom?</s>TOOBIN: It is really breathtaking, I have to say.</s>HEMMER: Breathtaking.</s>TOOBIN: It is a shocking courtroom because, you know, Michael Jackson is not just a celebrity. He comes to court every day dressed like something out of a Marx brothers movie. I mean, he just looks like no one you've ever seen before in your life. And he's just so famous that -- it is striking to have him walk by, you know, as close as I am to you every day.</s>HEMMER: You give me the impression you can't take your eyes off him.</s>TOOBIN: Oh, it's -- he's a very compelling figure. He doesn't look particularly good. I mean, you know, his skin is this really ghostly pallor, and his nose is all messed up. But he is -- you know, he moves, even walking down the hall, the corridor there, he moves with a grace that is unmistakable.</s>HEMMER: Do jurors have the same eye lock that you do?</s>TOOBIN: You know, I don't think so. They seem to be getting their sea legs so far. They don't even know where they sit. They laugh with each other. They talk with each other. They are conscious of Michael's celebrity, but I don't think -- I think they don't want to stare at him too much. They'll see plenty of him over the next months.</s>HEMMER: Let's move to the Martin Bashir documentary. We saw a little bit in Miguel's report there. Here is another clip from that documentary now.</s>BASHIR: Is that really appropriate, for a man, a grown man, to be doing that? How do you respond to that?</s>JACKSON: I feel sorry for them, because that's judging someone who wants to really help people. Why can't you share your bed? The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone.</s>HEMMER: What did you observe from Michael Jackson watching that at first?</s>TOOBIN: Well, you know what was so interesting? What we had blacked out there, the kid there, that is the accuser in this case. And in the documentary, as it was shown in the courtroom, his face was visible to the jury. And he has been named throughout the trial. So that was the jury's first look at the accuser.</s>HEMMER: How did they respond then?</s>TOOBIN: Well, you know, they are fascinated, although, you know, it's a pretty relaxed group. In that surreal playing of the Michael Jackson -- of the Martin Bashir documentary, there's a lot of funny stuff in there. Jurors were laughing when Martin Bashir tries to dance with Michael. The jurors were sort of cracking up. And, you know, when the music was playing, everybody was getting involved. It's actually kind of a good sound system in the courtroom. So you're hearing "Billy Jean," you're hearing all the old Jackson Five songs. People were enjoying it.</s>HEMMER: What do you take away from Thomas Mesereau, the attorney for Michael Jackson, hinting that Jackson may take the stand?</s>TOOBIN: I was sitting there with my notebook and I went, "Whoa." I mean, I was shocked. To hear him twice -- it wasn't just once, it was twice -- in his opening statement, he said, "Michael Jackson will tell you..." And I think it means that Mesereau believes the only way Michael Jackson can get acquitted is to look the jurors in the eye and say, "I did not do this."</s>HEMMER: Well, clearly, he's setting up Jackson's word against the accuser's word when it comes to pornography and it comes to the alcohol.</s>TOOBIN: Absolutely. And that is -- a lot of lawyers believe that when it comes to an accusation like this, one so personal, not a white collar crime, not a crime of violence, but something so awful as child abuse, the defendant needs to get up there and indignantly say, "I didn't do it." And it sounds like that's where we're heading, months from now.</s>HEMMER: Welcome home.</s>TOOBIN: Nice to be here.</s>HEMMER: Good to talk to you again. Thank you, Jeff.</s>TOOBIN: All right.</s>HEMMER: Soledad.</s>O'BRIEN: Well, let's talk about Martha Stewart. She prepares to be released from prison as early as Friday. Her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, has announced the resignation of its executive vice president. Last week the company reported its fourth consecutive operating loss, nearly $9.5 million during the last quarter of last year. So from domestic diva to convicted felon, will Martha Stewart be able to help her company, repair her reputation and stage a big comeback? National correspondent Kelly Wallace has the first in a series of reports on Martha's post-prison makeover. She's got a lot to do.</s>KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She's got a lot to do, Soledad. And image is everything, right? That's what people say. Well, no question, her image has been rocked a bit by this trial, also time behind bars. So we gave this assignment to a top advertising executive: what would she do to re-brand Martha Stewart?</s>WALLACE (voice-over): What do you do after you've been called everything from liar to poster child for bad boss behavior, to symbol of corporate greed? And after you haven't sounded all that remorseful?</s>MARTHA STEWART, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid whatsoever.</s>WALLACE: You might want to find someone like Linda Kaplan Thaler, CEO of one of the fastest-growing advertising agencies in the U.S. How would she repair Martha's image? (on camera): Humor.</s>LINDA KAPLAN THALER, ADVERTISING CEO: Lighten up, OK?</s>WALLACE (voice-over): Thaler says humor can make Martha seem less pretentious.</s>THALER: So make me laugh, Martha.</s>WALLACE (on camera): Make you laugh.</s>THALER: Hire a comedy writer.</s>WALLACE: Hire?</s>THALER: That's the first thing that I would do, hire a comedian.</s>WALLACE (voice-over): Number two, humility.</s>THALER: Let's see the humble side of Martha Stewart. OK? People love in this country when somebody's been knocked down -- we love to knock people down and then we love to build them up again.</s>WALLACE (voice-over): And that is why prison may ironically turn out to be one of Martha's best career moves. After all, her ordeal has brought her two new television shows, including an "Apprentice"- like prime-time program and a return to the spotlight at her company after it distanced itself from the domestic diva. Baylor (ph) says that was a big mistake.</s>THALER: Big mistake, the absolute worst thing you can do. She is the brand. That's like taking, you know, Wise Potato Chips and saying, OK, we're going to do it now but without the potatoes. It can't happen.</s>WALLACE: The rest of Thaler's five-point plan for Martha, empathy. Show you are more sensitive after serving time. Plan B, embrace the post-prison chapter of your life since Plan A did not include five months behind bars. And finally, give 'em a surprise.</s>THALER: Astonish me, startle me. When I see you, show me a different side that I haven't seen before.</s>WALLACE (on camera): Because if she's trying to incorporate your five-point plan, what do you think are the biggest challenges she'll face?</s>THALER: She's not listening to her gut.</s>WALLACE (voice-over): And, of course, remember, Martha, as you begin your makeover following Camp Cupcake, first impressions are oh, so important.</s>THALER: I wouldn't wear stripes on the first day.</s>WALLACE: Thaler joking a bit there, but she is serious about this. She thinks Martha Stewart will create an even bigger bang after prison than before she went in, Soledad. And if her stock price is any guide, it has quadrupled since her sentencing in July.</s>O'BRIEN: I'm with her on that. I think that's exactly true. She's got a good opportunity here.</s>WALLACE: Absolutely.</s>O'BRIEN: Kelly, thanks.</s>WALLACE: Sure.</s>O'BRIEN: What's up tomorrow?</s>WALLACE: Tomorrow we're going to look at the rules following Martha Stewart's release. She will face five months under house arrest. We'll take a look at what that means for her, what she can do and what she can't do.</s>O'BRIEN: All right. Kelly, thanks.</s>WALLACE: Sure.</s>O'BRIEN: Bill.</s>HEMMER: Soledad, 12 minutes past the hour. Back to Chad Myers, watching the weather outside.</s>HEMMER: In a moment here, flu cases are on the rise, we're told, and hospitals are feeling that pain. One doctor tells us the last thing you want to do if you haven't gotten a flu shot yet.</s>O'BRIEN: Also, Wichita police think they have found the BTK killer. But could the suspect be linked to even more killings? One sheriff tries to solve a case that went cold for him years ago.</s>HEMMER: Also, a gritty look at the war in Iraq seen through the eyes of ordinary soldiers. We'll go on the front lines a bit later this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.