Kansas Justice; Michael Jackson Trial
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The man suspected of being a serial killer who terrorized Wichita, Kansas, for more than 30 years appears in court. We're live with the latest on the BTK killer case.</s>KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A federal judge comes home to find her husband and mother shot to death. Investigators speak out about a possible connection to threats from a hate group.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Automatic weapon, he is at the back door shooting at these people.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am, hold on.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh, they're still shooting.</s>O'BRIEN: Shots ring out at a Texas courthouse. Horrified witnesses call 911, and surveillance cameras show it all. Survivors tell their stories this hour. We have the tape, of course. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.</s>PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.</s>O'BRIEN: We begin this hour with Kansas justice. Ten counts of first-degree murder, a $10 million bond for the longtime pillar of the community who prosecutors say led a double life as the infamous BTK serial attacker. CNN's Bob Franken is our man in Wichita -- Bob.</s>BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And it's officially, Miles, called a first appearance. That, of course, is what it was, his first appearance in court, or it was his image in court. Dennis Rader was appearing in his orange jumpsuit from the Sedgwick County jail via a video hookup. He was accompanied by an attorney, Richard Nay (ph), who is only representing him in this procedure. This is very preliminary. This is simply having the charges read to him and having bond set, which, as you pointed out, stays at $10 million. And then the date for the next phase of this, which is the preliminary hearing and the arraignment, which was set for March 15, two weeks since. That would be routine, but we are warned that in this particular case, which is anything but routine, that could very, very easily slip. We're told that there could be any number of defense motions now that the public defender's office has been appointed to be his legal counsel. There could be a request for a competency hearing. You know what that is, of course, to question whether he has the mental capacity to be tried. There could be a request for a change of venue. Now, there has never been, in this jurisdiction -- that is to say, Sedgwick County -- never has been a change of venue. But many attorneys are saying, given the notoriety of this case and the decades that people lived in fear, that there could be. The district attorney was the only lawyer who did any speaking whatsoever.</s>NOLA FOULSTON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Today, in the district court, charges were filed against Park City resident Dennis Rader. A 10-count complaint and information has been filed in this case, alleging 10 homicides that occurred in our jurisdiction over a series of years. As you might know, this case has ended with the arrest of Mr. Rader, and now the case makes its way to our courthouse. These, ladies and gentlemen, are allegations against an individual.</s>FRANKEN: Those are the kinds of warnings that you always hear from prosecutors. But in this case, they may be pointed. There's been some criticism that the early publicity about this -- not only news media coverage, but comments from various police officials -- has, in the words of one defense attorney, convicted him before he even goes to court -- Miles.</s>O'BRIEN: CNN's Bob Franken in Wichita. Thank you -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: One can hope for a miracle. More than five-and-a-half days after Jessica Lunsford was last seen by her family in Homasassa, Florida, Florida's governor suggests it may take more than a lucky break to find her. Today the search was transformed from a largely volunteer effort, covering a wide radius, to a concentrated effort with experts and scent dogs in the lead. Jessie's family insists she didn't run away. And the Citrus County sheriff says he doubts it too. But so far, none of many hundreds of leads has given investigators anything to go on. Still, they want your help. If you have anything to offer, you can call the sheriff's department at 352-726-1121, or the second number there, 352-726-4488. Now to an unfolding investigation in Chicago. Police are asking for the public's help in solving a double homicide at a federal judge's home. The bodies of her husband and her mother were found in a pool of blood in the basement. Each had a gunshot wound to the head. Police say Judge Joan Lefkow found the victims when she returned home from work last night. No weapon was found at the scene, but a window was broken, and police recovered two .22 caliber casings. A few years ago, Judge Lefkow was targeted for a death in a failed white supremacist murder plot. But police say they have no indication that last night's killings are related to that case.</s>CHIEF OF DET., JAMES MALLOY, CHICAGO POLICE DEPT.: There is much speculation about possible links between this crime and the possible involvement of hate groups. This is but one facet of our investigation. We are looking in many, many directions, but it would be far too early to draw any definitive links. The case is too new, and the evidence is still being worked up. It is also too soon to determine a motive.</s>PHILLIPS: White supremacist Matthew Hale was convicted in 2004 of trying to hire someone to kill Lefkow. He is still awaiting sentencing on those charges. Police are asking anyone with information about the deaths to contact them at 312-744-8445.</s>O'BRIEN: Dueling images verbally painted in the child molestation trial of Michael Jackson. Prosecutors say his Neverland ranch is an enticing playground with a sordid underside, while the defense portrays his accuser's mother as a scheming manipulator and a gold digger. Testimony begins with a British journalist today. Our Miguel Marquez outside the courthouse in Santa Maria, California -- Miguel.</s>MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and that testimony has begun. Tom Mesereau Jr. finished up his opening statement today. During that opening statement, he dangled out there a tantalizing tidbit that Michael Jackson may, in fact, testify today. Mr. Jackson arrived here on time with his mother and Jackie -- his brother, Jackie. No other members of the family today other than those two. Mr. Mesereau in court using the phrase several times "Michael Jackson will tell you," in addressing the jurors. "He'll tell you this, he'll tell you that." Several times he used that phraseology during his opening statement. It all leads to the question of whether or not Michael Jackson himself will testify in this trial. Mr. Mesereau certainly opened the door to that, particularly when he said yesterday that an opening statement is a contract with the juror -- with the jury, and that you'd better not say anything in any opening statement that you don't mean to prove as court gets rolling along. He also said during the end of his opening statement that a physician will testify. Michael Jackson's physician will testify that was on that plane where that alcohol was allegedly served to Mr. Jackson and to this boy in a coke can. And that physician was in a position to see everything and saw none of what the prosecution is talking about. Right now what's going on is that television producer Martin Bashir, who now works for ABC television, but back in 2003 worked for ITV in Britain, he testified for a very short period of time just about his credentials. And right now they are showing the ITV version, or the British version of the "Living with Michael Jackson" special that aired in Britain. Prosecutors say once that aired, it kicked off this series of events that caused the conspiracy. And then after it aired and after all of these investigations started was when the molestations of these boys occurred, allegations that Mr. Jackson, of course, denies -- Miles.</s>O'BRIEN: Miguel Marquez in Santa Maria. Thank you. Across the country, keep the snow shovels and the cold weather gear handy. The second winter storm to hit the East Coast in less than a week, making getting around pretty miserable today. Classes are canceled in hundreds of schools from North Carolina to Maine. So are some airline flights. Our Jacqui Jeras can pinpoint where the blustery weather is headed next -- Jacqui.</s>O'BRIEN: The weather caused an unusual kind of fender-bender this morning at Boston's Logan Airport. Actually, you probably could call it an aileron bender. A snow plow clipped the left with of this U.S. Airways jet while it was on the tarmac. A flat-bender maybe? The plane was between flights. Well, I guess that's obvious. It was on the ground; of course it was between flights. No one was on board. Authorities tell CNN the plow received worst damage than the plane. Nevertheless, FAA inspectors plan to look it over while they are between flights -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: I just want to make sure we made the point, between flights, Miles. All right. Serious stuff now. Caught on tape, we showed it to you just moments ago. As the glass shattered, the bullets flew at the Texas courthouse. And some people now are questioning why the man responsible for the shooting spree was able to buy a gun legally. That story ahead on LIVE FROM. Opening statements in the Michael Jackson trial. Attorneys on both sides lay out the case. We're going to talk with our CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin about who was in the courtroom later on LIVE FROM.