Supreme Drama; Missing in Aruba
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is Monday, June 27. The high court ends its term today with the chief justice in the spotlight. He's been sitting in the seat of power on the nation's highest bench, but is William Rehnquist ready to hang up his robe? Plus, what happened to Natalee Holloway? It's been nearly a month; still no answers. And the beaches are opened again, but do people in Florida think it's safe to go back in the water?</s>ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.</s>COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on the Supreme Court in just a minute. Also ahead, the suspected BTK killer back in a Kansas court today. He's accused of killing 10 people. And later, was there a high-level cover-up surrounding Notorious BIG's death? Some say yes. We'll take a look at the ongoing court case. But first, "Now in the News." Just under two hours ago, a Kenyan judge acquitted three men of conspiracy in a 2002 suicide bombing. The attack at an Israeli-owned hotel killed 15 people. The judge says prosecutors failed to prove their case. They have a lot to talk about. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder meets with President Bush at the White House later this morning. On the agenda, the war in Iraq and a proposed expansion of the U.N. Security Council. A shakeup in Saudi Arabia's diplomatic ranks. Arab sources tell CNN that Prince Bandar plans to leave his longtime post as the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Since 9/11, there's been growing criticism of Bandar's ties to the Bush family. Firefighters have their hands full in southwestern Utah this morning. They're trying to fend off a fast-moving wildfire that's threatening the small town of St. George. The blaze has quadrupled in size to 8,000 acres. And we want you to know you can experience the power of CNN on your computer. Long on to CNN.com, click on the video link and browse for yourself. To the forecast center now and Chad. Good morning.</s>CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.</s>COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.</s>MYERS: Sure.</s>COSTELLO: We have just gotten word within the hour of a helicopter crash in Iraq. The U.S. military says an Apache attack helicopter has crashed north of Baghdad. The helicopters carries a crew of two, but it has not yet been determined if there are any casualties. Of course we'll bring you more information as we get it in. More and more Americans are asking when will the war in Iraq end? Recent polls show public support falling. Insurgency attacks continue to take their toll on Iraqis and Americans. On the Sunday talk shows, the commander of U.S. forces in the region and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld were asked about Iraq.</s>GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Clearly, there is an end to this. That the end comes when Iraqi security forces and Iraqi governance come together in such a way that they're able to dominate the insurgency. The end comes when the insurgency clearly understands and recognizes that they can't achieve any progress. The only thing they can achieve is killing innocent people.</s>DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Anyone who tries to estimate the end, the time, the cost, or the casualties in a war is making a big mistake. You don't -- you -- war is your absolute last choice. And you don't, as George Washington said, make a decision to use war unless you're willing to stick with it.</s>COSTELLO: General Abizaid also expressed concern about public support for the conflict. He told Wolf Blitzer that American soldiers don't need to fight this war looking over their soldiers, worrying about support back home. The Iraqi prime minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari is calling for Marshall Plan for Iraq and the Middle East. The Marshall Plan was designed to bring Europe's economy out of the chaos of World War II. Here's what Mr. al-Jaafari writes on the editorial page of today's "London Times." He says -- I quote -- "Today is the time for a new international Marshall Plan towards Iraq and the broader Middle East, directed not for or against any policy, but against ignorance, tyranny, hatred and anarchy." What he really wants is he wants help and money from European nations, as well as from the United States. A report out today from two human rights groups will criticize the Justice Department for its handling of terrorist suspects at Guantanamo Bay. The report from Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union claims the Justice Department has abused its authority. The groups say the report will shed light on what they call a wall of secrecy surrounding a law allowing the indefinite detention of some suspects. Coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, I'll talk with the father of one Gitmo detainee and a detainee's attorney. And Chad, that brings us to our e-mail "Question of the Morning."</s>MYERS: It certainly does. Keep it open, close it? Do you have enough information? Is it just rhetoric from both sides? What do you think? Is it time to close Gitmo, yes, no, and why? DAYBREAK@CNN.com. E-mail. We'll be answering those e-mails -- reading them in a few minutes.</s>COSTELLO: We certainly will. On to another top story this morning. Supreme drama at the Supreme Court. The justices end their current term today. And we're watching for some big decisions. The court will likely rule on whether The Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. Also, whether Internet file-sharing services can be held liable if customers illegally swap songs or movies. A ruling could also come in a death penalty case. The question: how much leeway do courts have to reopen such cases? But there's a lot more than legal issues on the nation's highest bench. Speculation is mounting that Chief Justice William Rehnquist might announce his retirement. The aging Rehnquist is battling thyroid cancer, but he's putting up a tough fight. CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has more for you.</s>BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a man who delights in fighting the odds. So there was Chief Justice William Rehnquist on January 20, swearing in the president, when so many experts said he would be too sick to do so.</s>WILLIAM REHNQUIST, SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE: And repeat after me...</s>FRANKEN: And here he is back on the bench, taking an active role, leading the court, even while he struggles with his thyroid cancer, surprising many medical experts. And here he was in May, giving a brief videotaped message to graduates from an Arizona College.</s>REHNQUIST: I shall always be honored by having received the degree.</s>FRANKEN: Still, the expectation he'll resign and trigger a brutal confirmation battle over his replacement has permeated Washington politics.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm obviously going to spend a lot of time reviewing the records of a variety of people.</s>FRANKEN (on camera): That review has been going on for quite some time now, but the speculation about the chief justice is just that, speculation. And whatever he does will almost certainly be kept secret until he does it. (voice-over): The man who would chair a confirmation hearing for a successor, a senator fighting cancer himself, says he believes a hearing won't soon be necessary.</s>SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R), PENNSYLVANIA: That thinking about my own situation, it seemed to me that he just might want to stay there because he's doing some very useful work. And for him, it's the best therapy.</s>FRANKEN: Many of his former clerks say they were quite pleasantly surprised at how much more robust Rehnquist seemed to be at his recent annual reunion. Still, Washington rattles with the chatter over a possible replacement for the chief justice, even before anyone really knows whether he's ready to be replaced. Bob Franken, CNN, the Supreme Court.</s>COSTELLO: So what is your take on the future of the Supreme Court? If there is a vacancy at the end of this term, do you want a new justice who could make the court more conservative, more liberal, or who would keep things the same? According to a CNN-"USA Today"- Gallup poll taken this month, 41 percent of the people who responded said more conservative. Thirty percent say more liberal, and 25 percent want no change. There is some movement in the case of Natalee Holloway, but it may not bring -- be bringing police any closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance. Two people in custody have been giving their walking papers. That leaves three still in custody. CNN's Karl Penhaul is in Palm Beach, Aruba, with the latest.</s>KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police took five suspects into court on Sunday morning. By the time the judge had finished his deliberations several hours later, there were only three suspects left in the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The judge, who had flown in especially from the neighboring island of Curacao, ordered the release of Paul Van Der Sloot. He's the father of another suspect, 17-year-old Joran Van Der Sloot. This is what Paul Van Der Sloot's attorney had to say about the reasons for his release...</s>ARIE SWAEN, ATTY. FOR PAUL VAN DER SLOOT: The judge gave a decision. And that's</s>PENHAUL: The judge also ordered the release of Steve Croes. He was the deejay on the Tattoo party boat. Aruba's police commissioner, Jan van der Straaten, said Croes would likely walk free some time before midday Monday. Just look at the reaction of Croes as he came out of the court after being told the news. He was all smiles. Back at the Holiday Inn, though, Natalee's family were less than delighted about the release of the two suspects. This is what Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, had to say...</s>DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S FATHER: My focus has always been the search and rescue efforts. Basically, what I've seen in the investigative side of it has been what has been portrayed on TV and through Natalee's mother. So my role in this has always been, you know, to find Natalee. And if we find her, that will resolve the entire case. That's where I stand on it.</s>PENHAUL: Beth Twitty, Natalee's mother, was too upset to talk in front of the camera. She said she felt that the release of these two suspects was a severe setback to the case and for the search of her daughter Natalee. Karl Penhaul, CNN, Palm Beach, Aruba.</s>COSTELLO: In news "Across America" now, the search for a missing Boy Scout will resume this morning at Yellowstone National Park. Thirteen-year-old Luke Sanburg fell into the Yellowstone River while playing with other scouts. Park officials say they found two tennis shoes they believe belonged to the missing teenager. The NAACP has chosen a former Verizon executive as its next president. Fifty-nine-year-old Bruce Gordon is the choice to replace Kweisi Mfume, who resigned in November. Gordon still must agree on the financial part of the deal and also has to be confirmed during the national convention next month. An unusual scene during Sunday's mass at a church in Los Angeles. This man was supposedly upset with the way the Catholic Church has handled the priest abuse scandal, so he handcuffed himself to Cardinal Roger Mahoney's chair. The cardinal continued the service. The man was arrested afterward. Coming up, fear on the beach. A family mourns after a summer camping trip turns deadly. Carol Lin will have more on the shark attack. An Italian judge orders the arrest of 13 American citizens believed to be CIA agents. Alessio Vinci has more about that. And the man accused of leaving a trail of bodies around Wichita, Kansas, for 30 years is back in court this morning. Jonathan Freed is on the case. But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday.