Professor Fights Attacker Saving Student Lives; No Action on Same-Sex Marriage
FEYERICK: In Wyoming, a teacher at Casper college may have saved the lives of several of his students. James Crumb, who was a computer science teacher, was teaching Friday when a man burst into his classroom, shooting the instructor in the head with a hunting bow. Crumb tackled the man giving students time to escape. More shocking, police say the attacker was the teacher's own son and that before the attack, 25-year-old Christopher Crumb had fatally stabbed his dad's girlfriend at the couple's home. The son ultimately stabbed his father to death before fatally stabbing himself. I'm joined by Nick Valencia who has been following this story. And, Nick, you know, I understand police are really praising Jack Crumb for his actions and how he responded.</s>NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Deb, this is a troubling day and one many of us hope never happens in our community. But this has the potential, Deb, to be much, much worse. There are reports that at least six students were in the classroom at the time of this incident. We do know, as you mentioned, that the suspect has been identified as the son of that victim, the Professor Jim Crumb, who was shot with a crossbow in his classroom. We know that this student -- I'm sorry, his son, 25-year-old Chris Crumb, who's been identified, entered the classroom and had reportedly concealed the crossbow in a blanket. He also had several knives on him. Surely after entering the classroom police say that's when he shot that mortally wounding shot from the crossbow, injuring his father. But miraculously, Deb, police say that the -- the professor was able to stay alive long enough to struggle with his son so that six students could escape the classroom. In a press conference held by local police, the local police chief praised Jim Crumb's actions as courageous.</s>CHIEF CHRIS WALSH, CASPER, WYOMING POLICE: The suspect stepped into the classroom where Professor Crumb was getting ready to begin the day. Fired one arrow and struck the professor in the head. Professor Crumb got up after being knocked down from the blow from the arrow. And even though mortally wounded, he fought the suspect off. The students in the room were all able to escape during this altercation because of the courage of the professor.</s>FEYERICK: Pretty remarkable there. And do we know about the motive? Anything about the motive as to why this young man was clearly so angry that he'd killed his dad and his dad's girlfriend?</s>VALENCIA: Clearly something snapped in this 25-year-old. We know that he drove from Connecticut, which is over 2,000 miles, Deb, to Wyoming, and he was staying reportedly in a hotel locally. I spoke with a neighbor of the couple of these professors, the neighbor said the couple was very friendly. She met her last summer -- she met them last summer, but they largely kept to themselves. So it's still a mystery about what happened here and what the motive was behind that. We put in a call to Casper Police Department, still waiting on a call back.</s>FEYERICK: And what's incredible, the people who know most about what happened and why it may have happened, they all are dead. OK, well, Nick Valencia, thanks so much for bringing us that reporting. Appreciate it.</s>VALENCIA: Thank you.</s>FEYERICK: Well, same-sex marriage, the Supreme Court is still considering whether to review one of at least five key cases. Many thought word would come Friday, that's when the justices met behind closed doors, but in the end, well, we heard nothing. Richard Socarides is Bill Clinton's former adviser on gay civil right issues. He's also a civil rights attorney and Democratic strategist. Now, Richard, what is fascinating to me is it's your former boss, Bill Clinton, who signed the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA essentially defining marriage as between a man and a woman only. It's not in the Supreme Court. Does he regret his decision?</s>RICHARD SOCARIDES, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Well, he said he has -- he has said before that he regrets it and now he's a strong proponent for marriage equality. Yes.</s>FEYERICK: And so, the court -- I think everybody have a lot of expectations that the court will at least pick one of these cases. Because this really boils down to equal protection and what it means. Why do you think the court did not come out with a decision on which case to review?</s>SOCARIDES: Well, I think that they probably decided that these are complicated issues, in fact they're quite complicated and quite historic and they probably need a little bit more time. But we expect -- I think the big news for next week is we expect either tomorrow, Monday morning, where -- but at some point next week, maybe as late as Friday afternoon, but at some point next week, we're going to start to hear from the Supreme Court, which cases they will consider, we feel pretty strongly, those of us who follow this closely that they will accept for consideration a case involving the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. And the big news that may come out of the court next week is on the Proposition 8 case out of California. Because if they decide not to hear the proposition 8 case, then same-sex marriage will once again be legal in California.</s>FEYERICK: So -- what's so fascinating, I think it was something that many people don't understand is that, you know, there may be folks who do marry in states where it's legal. Maybe entitled to right in that state. But they're not entitled to federal protection which is one of the big issues --</s>SOCARIDES: Well, that --</s>FEYERICK: And that's one of the reasons that it's being considered, no?</s>SOCARIDES: That's exactly right and that is the -- a very important and a key point here relating to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, that is the law which says that even if you're married to your same- sex partner in a state which recognizes such marriages, a state like New York where I am this afternoon, that the federal government will not recognize you for federal purposes so that you can't fil e-- you cannot file a joint income tax return, you can get survivor benefits, you can't get Social Security benefits, you get none of the other benefits that heterosexual couples would get. Even though you may live in a state where your same-sex marriage is recognized. And that's why most constitutional scholars believe that when the court issues a decision next June, it will declare the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.</s>FEYERICK: Which would be rather fascinating. All right, Richard Socarides, thank you so much. We really appreciate your insights today on this.</s>SOCARIDES: Thank you.</s>FEYERICK: Well, John McAfee is an Internet pioneer. Police want to question his about a killing but he's not talking to them. Instead he's talking to us here at CNN in an exclusive interview. Plus, would you be willing to give up your career to pursue your faith? These two brothers did just that.