7/23/02

LC020723

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> HE WAS A SUPERSTAR ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AND HE SCORED SOME MAJOR POINTS AS A DEVELOPER, BUT CAN MAGIC JOHNSON CONVINCE HIS FANS TO VOTE AGAINST SECESSION?

JARRETT FELLOWS, JR.>> IT'S AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO WOO VOTERS TO THE SIDE OF HAHN, YOU KNOW, TO VOTE AGAINST SECESSION. IF MAGIC SAYS IT'S BAD, THEN IT MUST BE BAD.

VAL>> GOVERNOR DAVIS SIGNS A LANDMARK BILL TO CURB GREENHOUSE GASES AND HE DELIVERS A FEW WORDS TO CRITICS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY.

GRAY DAVIS>> TO THE AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS, I SAY WE CALIFORNIANS LOVE OUR CARS. DON'T CHANGE OUR CARS. JUST CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF HARMFUL EMISSIONS THAT COME FROM OUR CARS.

JESS>> SPEAKING OF CARS, PATT MORRISON SAYS IT'S TIME FOR THE WHOLE STATE TO TAKE A VICTORY LAP.

PATT MORRISON>> CALIFORNIA TAKES THE CHECKERED FLAG AGAIN WITH CLEANER CARS RUNNING THE RACE -- ON TONIGHT'S -- VROOM -- INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> HER ARTWORK HAS PUT CRIMINALS BEHIND BARS. TONIGHT WE'LL MEET AN ARTIST WHOSE SKETCHES LED POLICE TO NOTORIOUS KILLERS. SHE SAYS THE KEY TO DRAWING FACES IS DRAWING OUT WITNESSES.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

TALK ABOUT YOUR STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT JAMES HAHN AND MAGIC JOHNSON WERE AT ODDS OVER BERNARD PARKS. NOW THEY'VE MENDED FENCES AND HAVE JOINED FORCES TO FIGHT SECESSION.

VAL>> THE MAYOR HOPES THAT MAGIC'S POPULARITY WILL STIR SOME PASSION IN L.A.'S PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES. THOSE TWO GROUPS COULD PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN DECIDING THE CITY'S FATE. BUT AS GAY YEE REPORTS, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THEY'LL LISTEN TO MAGIC.

GAY YEE>> AS A BUSINESSMAN, MAGIC JOHNSON HAS SUCCEEDED WHERE OTHERS FEARED TO TREAD. TAKE THE NEW HOUSING AND RETAIL PROJECT HE'S LAUNCHING IN HOLLYWOOD. IT'S THE FIRST MAJOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SEEN IN FIFTY YEARS. BUT WILL MAGIC'S STAR POWER AND HIS TRACK RECORD OF INVESTING IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIGHT OVER SECESSION?

CITY HALL SURE HOPES SO. THAT'S WHY THE MAYOR HAS ENLISTED MAGIC IN THE BATTLE TO KEEP THE VALLEY AND HOLLYWOOD FROM BREAKING AWAY. THE TARGET AUDIENCE OF MAGIC'S ANTI-SECESSION MESSAGE? MAINLY BLACKS AND LATINOS. THEY'RE BEING TOLD THEY HAVE A LOT TO LOSE IF L.A. BREAKS APART.

BETTY COOPER>> WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT CHANCE.

GAY YEE>> BUT MAGIC WILL HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO WIN OVER BETTY COOPER. SHE'S LIVED IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY MOST OF HER LIFE.

BETTY COOPER>> WE HAVE JUST AS MANY LATINOS HERE AND PEOPLE OF OTHER NATIONALITIES IN THE VALLEY AS THEY DO IN SOUTH CENTRAL, EAST L.A., ETC.

GAY YEE>> COOPER IS A MEMBER OF THE NONPROFIT GROUP, PACOIMA BEAUTIFUL. SHE SAYS THE OLD STEREOTYPE OF THE VALLEY AS BEING MOSTLY WHITE SUBURBIA NO LONGER APPLIES. TODAY THE AREA IS MORE THAN FIFTY-EIGHT PERCENT MINORITY, MORE DIVERSE THAN MOST MAJOR CITIES, AND SOME OF CITY HALL'S STRONGEST CRITICS HERE ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO FEEL THEY'RE BEING IGNORED BY L.A.'S POLITICAL POWER STRUCTURE.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ON ARROYO AVENUE. IT BORDERS TWO COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE VALLEY. TO THE NORTH OF ME IS SAN FERNANDO. IT'S AN INCORPORATED CITY AND NOT A PART OF LOS ANGELES. TO THE SOUTH OF ME IS PACOIMA. IT IS A PART OF L.A. AND THE FOLKS HERE SAY THE DIFFERENCE IS NIGHT AND DAY.

GAY YEE>> IF YOU STAND ON THE BORDER OF SAN FERNANDO AND PACOIMA, WHAT DO YOU SEE IF YOU LOOK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?

BETTY COOPER>> NEGLECT.

GAY YEE>> ON WHICH SIDE?

BETTY COOPER>> ON THE PACOIMA SIDE. IN SAN FERNANDO, YOU NEVER CAN SEE NEGLECT. THE STREETS ARE PAVED. MY STREET HASN'T BEEN PAVED IN FORTY-SIX YEARS.

MARIE HARRIS>> HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO GET THESE STREETS PAVED.

GAY YEE>> IN THE MEANTIME, MARIE HARRIS IS TRYING TO GET VALLEY MINORITIES TO MOBILIZE.

MARIE HARRIS>> NOW THIS HAS BEEN SITTING HERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH.

GAY YEE>> DRYWALL.

MARIE HARRIS>> YES.

GAY YEE>> HARRIS USED TO BE A CLOTHING DESIGNER, BUT WHEN SHE MOVED TO PACOIMA, SHE BECAME AN ACTIVIST. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVEN NAMED HER HONORARY MAYOR. SHE'S A STRONG CHAMPION FOR LOCAL CAUSES SUCH AS FIXING POTHOLES, BUT HARRIS CLAIMS CITY HALL USUALLY TURNS A DEAF EAR EXCEPT DURING ELECTION TIMES.

MARIE HARRIS>> LOOK AT THESE STREETS HERE. YOU SEE THE CRACK?

GAY YEE>> HAVE THEY EVER BEEN REPAVED?

MARIE HARRIS>> NO, NO.

GAY YEE>> HARRIS BECAME A MEMBER OF VALLEY VOTE AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO SIGN THE PETITION FOR THE BREAKAWAY INITIATIVE. SHE SAYS IT'S LIKE A DIVORCE.

MARIE HARRIS>> YOU DON'T WANT TO SPLIT THE FAMILY, BUT IF YOU DON'T STRAIGHTEN UP, WE GOT TO DIVORCE. HOW MANY FAMILIES STAY TOGETHER FOR THE WRONG REASONS?

GAY YEE>> THE ANTI-SECESSION CAMP SAYS RESIDENTS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE VALLEY WILL END UP PAYING MORE TAXES FOR FEWER SERVICES IF L.A. BREAKS APART. BUT BETTY COOPER SAYS SHE'LL TAKE THAT RISK.

BETTY COOPER>> I CARE LESS. WE WANT SERVICES.

GAY YEE>> WIN OR LOSE, POLITICAL OBSERVERS SAY MAYOR HAHN WAS SHREWD IN RECRUITING MAGIC JOHNSON, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEIR RECENT FEUD OVER BERNARD PARKS' REAPPOINTMENT.

JARRETT FELLOWS, JR.>> IT'S AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO WOO VOTERS TO THE SIDE OF HAHN, YOU KNOW, TO VOTE AGAINST SECESSION. IF MAGIC SAYS IT'S BAD, THEN IT MUST BE BAD.

GAY YEE>> JARRETT FELLOWS, JR. IS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF BEYOND URBIA, A PUBLICATION THAT COVERS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. HE SAYS MOST BLACKS DON'T TAKE A STRONG STAND ON THE SECESSION ISSUE.

>> JUST ON DEFENSE. I HAVEN'T HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT THE ARGUMENT EITHER WAY. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE SELFISH AND KEEP THEM IN, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY IF THEY DON'T WANT TO BE HERE.

GAY YEE>> THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY --

JARRETT FELLOWS, JR.>> DON'T EVEN CARE RIGHT NOW. THEY DO NOT EVEN CARE. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT. THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS, BUT BECAUSE IT'S SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, THAT'S LIGHT YEARS FROM HERE, SO PEOPLE DON'T THINK IT HAS ANY IMPACT ON THEM.

GAY YEE>> BUT FELLOWS SAYS MAYOR HAHN NEEDS ALL THE HELP HE CAN GET. AFTER HE DUMPED BERNARD PARKS, MANY BLACKS SAID THEY'D NEVER FORGIVE HIM. NOW HAHN DESPERATELY NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE HE ALIENATED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. IN LADERA HEIGHTS, GAY YEE FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> TODAY, ONE MORE MINORITY ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCED ITS OPPOSITION TO VALLEY SECESSION. LEADERS OF MALDEF, THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND, SAID THEY ARE "VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT VALLEY SECESSION COULD HAVE ON LATINOS."

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, THE SEX ABUSE SCANDAL IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS ALSO FOCUSED ATTENTION ON GAYS. NOW SOME SAY PRESSURE IS GROWING ON GAY PRIESTS TO LEAVE THE CHURCH.

>> I FEEL A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ANGER AND SURPRISE WHEN THERE'S DISCUSSION ABOUT TRYING TO ELIMINATE HOMOSEXUALS FROM THE PRIESTHOOD. AMONG OURSELVES, WE JOKE TO SAY, WELL, THAT WOULD MEAN HALF THE CLERGY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.

JESS>> CALIFORNIA IS BREAKING SOME NEW GROUND IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE CARS AND TRUCKS RUN CLEANER. THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR DAVIS SIGNED THE NATION'S FIRST BILL TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES IN AUTO EXHAUST. SOME EXPERTS CLAIM THOSE GASES CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING. THE LAW IS BEING TOUTED AS A MODEL FOR OTHER STATES, BUT AUTOMAKERS CLAIM THE LAW WILL COST CALIFORNIA MOTORISTS PLENTY. GOVERNOR DAVIS SAYS THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS WAGING A FEAR CAMPAIGN.

GRAY DAVIS>> NOW CLEARLY, THERE'LL BE RESISTANCE TO THIS BILL AND OPPONENTS WILL SAY THE SKY IS FALLING. THEY SAID THE SKY WAS FALLING ABOUT UNLEADED GASOLINE. THEY SAID IT ABOUT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THEY EVEN SAID IT ABOUT SEATBELTS AND AIRBAGS. MY FRIENDS, THE SKY IS NOT FALLING. IT'S JUST GETTING A LOT CLEANER.

VAL>> AND JOINING US NOW IS MARY NICHOLS. SHE IS CALIFORNIA'S SECRETARY FOR RESOURCES AND A MEMBER OF GOVERNOR DAVIS'S CABINET, AND YOU WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THIS VERY IMPORTANT NEW LAW. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

MARY NICHOLS>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> HOW SPECIFIC IS THIS NEW LAW YOU'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT? HOW MUCH WILL IT CUT THE GASES?

MARY NICHOLS>> THE LAW DOESN'T SET A NUMERICAL TARGET OR EVEN PRESCRIBE HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE GOAL. WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE THE AIR RESOURCES BOARD, WHICH IS THE COUNTRY'S PREMIER -- I SAY, THE WORLD'S PREMIER -- ORGANIZATION WITH EXPERTISE ON AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMOTIVE EMISSIONS. THEY GET TO SET THE STANDARD AND IT SPELLS OUT WHAT THEY'RE TO CONSIDER, INCLUDING ECONOMICS FEASIBILITY AS WELL AS THE TECHNOLOGY AND LETS THEM DO THAT.

JESS>> ANY RESTRICTION THAT'S MADE, THEN, HAS TO BE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE?

MARY NICHOLS>> THAT'S CORRECT.

JESS>> SO THAT SHOULD ANSWER THE AUTO INDUSTRY?

MARY NICHOLS>> WELL, ACTUALLY, THE AUTO INDUSTRY WAGED A FEROCIOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BILL AND, IN PART, TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE CRITICISMS, EVEN THOUGH WE THOUGHT THE BILL WAS CLEAR TO BEGIN WITH, THE GOVERNOR DIRECTED US TO WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO SPECIFICALLY WRITE IN SOME THINGS SUCH AS A PROHIBITION AGAINST BANNING ANY PARTICULAR TYPE OF VEHICLE.

JESS>> SUV'S?

MARY NICHOLS>> NO BANS ON SUV'S, NO TAXES ON VEHICLES. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE TAXES. SO BASICALLY, THIS IS A STRAIGHT FLEET AVERAGE EMISSION STANDARD TO BE SET BASED ON ALL THE REASONABLE FACTORS INCLUDING ECONOMICS.

VAL>> YOU MENTIONED THE MEDIA CAMPAIGN THAT THE AUTOMAKERS DID WAGE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A CLIP FROM A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. THIS IS A SPOT FEATURING CAL WORTHINGTON.

CAL WORTHINGTON>> "HEY, I'M HERE TO WARN YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. YOU KNOW THEY'RE ABOUT TO PASS A NEW LAW HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT WOULD PREVENT YOU FROM BUYING THE VEHICLE YOU NEED AND WANT?"

PETER HOFFMAN>> THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS LEGISLATION AND THE OTHER SAFETY-RELATED OR ENVIRONMENTAL EMISSIONS-RELATED LEGISLATION IS THAT THIS ONE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY BENEFIT TO CALIFORNIANS. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS ASKING THE CALIFORNIA CONSUMING PUBLIC TO STEP ONTO THE BLEEDING EDGE OF GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FOR THE WORLD AND THERE MAY BE NO BENEFIT.

VAL>> IS THAT TRUE? NO BENEFIT AT ALL TO CALIFORNIA --

MARY NICHOLS>> -- NOT UNLESS --

VAL>> -- I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ACTUAL EFFECT THAT THE CALIFORNIA LAW WOULD HAVE ON GLOBAL GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS IS LIKE ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT.

MARY NICHOLS>> WELL, CALIFORNIA IS TEN PERCENT OF THE U.S. AUTO MARKET AND THE U.S. IS ACTUALLY A SHRINKING SHARE OF THE WORLD AUTO MARKET AS THE REST OF THE WORLD GROWS IN POPULATION AND BUYS MORE CARS. SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF GLOBAL WARMING JUST THROUGH THE CARS WE BUY HERE IN CALIFORNIA. THAT WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE. BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO EXERCISE OUR HISTORIC LEADERSHIP IN THE AREA OF TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY WHERE WE CAN INFLUENCE WHAT THE NATION DOES, WHAT OTHER STATES DO AND, BASED ON PAST HISTORY, WHATEVER CALIFORNIA ADOPTS WILL BECOME A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

JESS>> IF THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS THREATENING TO PUT A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT TO OVERTURN THIS LAW, ARE WE SO ENAMORED OF OUR SUV'S AND OUR PICKUPS THAT WE WOULD THROW THIS LAW OUT?

MARY NICHOLS>> WELL, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S JUST A LIE TO SAY THAT WE WON'T HAVE SUV'S, THAT WE WON'T HAVE PICKUPS, AS A RESULT OF THIS LAW. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED, UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON PAST HISTORY, IF THE AUTO INDUSTRY DOES TRY TO CHALLENGE THE LAW. THEY'VE ALREADY SAID THEY INTEND TO GO TO COURT AND TRY TO STOP US FROM IMPLEMENTING IT. WHETHER THEY'LL PUT AN INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT, WE'RE NOT SURE. IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION TO DO A REFERENDUM --

JESS>> -- BUT SOME POLLING HAS BEEN DONE TO INDICATE PUBLIC OPINION.

MARY NICHOLS>> THAT'S RIGHT. IN FACT, THE PUBLIC OPINION POLLING THAT HAS BEEN DONE SHOWS THE PUBLIC WANTING THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN THIS BILL BY EIGHTY-ONE PERCENT, WHICH IS A PHENOMENAL POLL NUMBER.

JESS>> HE MUST HAVE BEEN READING THAT BECAUSE HE WAS VERY RELUCTANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE.

MARY NICHOLS>> WELL, THE GOVERNOR, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS CAUTIOUS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO CHALLENGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE REALLY DOESN'T LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT IN THIS CASE, HE FELT THAT WE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO DO SOMETHING, PARTICULARLY GIVEN HOW MUCH OF OUR POLLUTION IS CAUSED BY AUTOMOBILES. THIS WILL TAKE ON CONVENTIONAL AIR POLLUTANTS. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SOME ESOTERIC NEW PROBLEM THAT WE'VE SUDDENLY DISCOVERED. SOME OF THE SAME GASES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SMOG PROBLEM ARE ALSO CREATING THE GLOBAL WARMING PROBLEM.

VAL>> NOW SINCE THE AUTOMAKERS AREN'T HERE, I'M GOING TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. ONE OF THE POINTS THAT THEY MAKE IS THAT CALIFORNIA MOTORISTS ARE GOING TO BE VERY ANGRY, THEY SAY, WHEN THEY FIND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE ACCESS TO SUV'S, TRUCKS AND MINIVANS. NOW YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO OUTLAW A CLASS, BUT NEVERTHELESS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS OR COSTS AND SO FORTH MAY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR CALIFORNIANS TO BUY SUV'S OR MINIVANS.

MARY NICHOLS>> NO, I REALLY DON'T BUY THAT ARGUMENT AND I DON'T BUY IT BASED ON HISTORY. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS PROGRAMS FOR TWENTY YEARS, I GUESS, AND EVERY TIME WE'VE TIGHTENED THE STANDARDS, THE AUTO COMPANIES HAVE SAID, OH, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE FLEXIBILITY, CERTAIN MODELS JUST WON'T BE MANUFACTURED FOR CALIFORNIA.

IT'S JUST NOT TURNED OUT THAT WAY BECAUSE WE'RE TOO IMPORTANT A MARKET FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY. WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THE NEW CARS, WE'RE THE PEOPLE WHO BUY -- WE LIKE NEW TECHNOLOGY, WE LIKE TO TRY NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND WE BUY A LOT OF CARS AND TRUCKS AND SUV'S, SO THEY WILL GO WHERE THE CONSUMER DEMAND IS. WHAT THE CUSTOMERS WANT ARE HOT CARS, THEY WANT EXCITING FUN CARS TO DRIVE --

VAL>> -- DO THEY WANT FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS?

MARY NICHOLS>> AND THEY WANT CLEAN CARS. THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THE CARS THAT THEY'RE DRIVING ARE CLEAN. REMEMBER, THIS IS ABOUT EMISSIONS. IT'S NOT ABOUT FUEL ECONOMY. NOW I KNOW THAT THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS ARE TRYING TO CONFUSE THAT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE REGULATING FUEL ECONOMY, BUT WE'RE NOT. WE'RE SAYING JUST DEAL WITH WHAT COMES OUT OF THE TAILPIPE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN DO THAT.

JESS>> THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE AUTO INDUSTRY HAS GOTTEN TOGETHER TO OPPOSE RESTRICTIONS, SOME OF WHICH YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH AS CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD.

MARY NICHOLS>> YES, THERE'S A LOT HISTORY OF THIS AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THE AUTO INDUSTRY, I THINK THE GOVERNOR SAID WHEN HE SIGNED THE BILL, KEEP SAYING WE CAN'T DO THIS, WE CAN'T DO THAT, AND WE HAVE MORE FAITH IN THEIR ABILITY TO DO IT --

JESS>> -- THEY OPPOSED CATALYTIC CONVERTERS?

MARY NICHOLS>> THEY OPPOSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THEY OPPOSED UNLEADED GASOLINE, THEY OPPOSED SEATBELTS. ANY MANDATE COMING FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BASICALLY THEY FEEL IS A BURDEN AND AN IMPOSITION. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT, WITHOUT THOSE MANDATES, THEY WON'T GIVE US THE CLEANER CARS. WE'VE SEEN THIS NOW HAPPENING IN THE AREA OF GLOBAL WARMING WHERE, IN EUROPE, THEY ARE AT LEAST FIVE TO TEN YEARS AHEAD OF US IN TERMS OF RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM AND BEING WILLING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE AUTO COMPANIES ARE OFFERING CLEANER CARS RIGHT NOW IN EUROPE THAN THEY'RE SELLING IN THE UNITED STATES.

VAL>> NOW WE WILL NOT ACTUALLY SEE THESE CARS WITH THIS ADJUSTED TECHNOLOGY UNTIL 2009? THAT'S A WAYS OFF.

MARY NICHOLS>> WELL, ACTUALLY, THE RULES CAN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL THE 2009 MODEL YEAR, BUT ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THIS BILL WHICH WE THINK OUGHT TO BE ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE IT ADDS EVEN MORE FLEXIBILITY IS THAT A COMPANY CAN START NOW INTRODUCING SOME CLEANER MODELS AND TAKE CREDIT FOR THE REDUCTIONS THEY GET THEN TO GIVE THEM MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR MAYBE DOING A DIFFERENT MIX OF PRODUCTS LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD. SO WE REALLY WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH THE COMPANIES AND WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING DOABLE.

VAL>> MARY NICHOLS, CALIFORNIA'S SECRETARY FOR RESOURCES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BY.

MARY NICHOLS>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

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JESS>> AS YOU JUST HEARD, CALIFORNIA'S NEW TAILPIPE EMISSIONS LAW IS THE TOUGHEST IN THE NATION. PATT MORRISON SAYS WE CAN GET A LOT OF MILEAGE OUT OF THIS CONCEPT. HERE'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> CALIFORNIA. IT'S GOOD TO BE FIRST AGAIN. NOT FOR DESIGNER DRUGS OR FOODY TRENDS OR SOME NEW SPIN ON CRIME, BUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT. CALIFORNIA IS NOW THE FIRST STATE TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING WITH A NEW LAW REQUIRING THAT THE CRUD SPEWING FROM VEHICLE TAILPIPES CONTAIN FEWER GREENHOUSE GASES.

OH, RIGHT. CALIFORNIA CAN SAVE THE WORLD OR AT LEAST COOL IT OFF? WELL, WHY NOT? WE'VE PIONEERED SO MANY POLITICAL AND SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHANGES IN OTHER STATES AND OTHER NATIONS, SO WHY SHOULD THIS ONE BE ANY DIFFERENT?

WE'RE ALSO THE PLACE THIS EFFORT COULD DIE OR BE MURDERED BY THE CARMAKERS. THE LAW NOW REQUIRES THIS STANDARD FOR NEW CARS SOLD HERE BEGINNING IN 2010 AND THE CARMAKERS, AS YOU CAN EXPECT, ARE BEWAILING THEIR PUT-UPON CONDITION AND SAYING HOW DARE CALIFORNIA DO WHAT WASHINGTON, D.C. WON'T?

THIS IS THE SAME WHINING WE HEARD IN THE GAS CRISIS OF THE 1970'S WHEN DETROIT WAS HOWLING THAT IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY MAKE FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES ANY MORE THAN IT COULD MAKE A PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE, AND ALONG CAME THE JAPANESE WITH THEIR ZIPPY CARS AND, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT TURNS OUT DETROIT COULD DO IT AFTER ALL.

THEY ALSO SOUND LIKE THE DOOMSTERS OF THE 1970'S WHO WARNED THAT, IF CALIFORNIA TRIED TO CUT SMOG, IT WOULD WIND UP AN ECONOMIC WASTELAND. THIS JUST IN: THE AIR IS CLEARER NOW THAN IT WAS TWENTY AND THIRTY YEARS AGO AND WE'RE THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.

NOW THAT THE CARMAKERS HAVE LOST THEIR EXPENSIVE TV AD CAMPAIGN TO STOP THIS LAW, THEY'LL BE RUNNING TO THE COURTS. AND IF THEY LOSE THERE, YOU CAN BET YOUR WORLDCOM STOCK -- AND A LOT MORE THAN THAT -- THEY'LL PUT UP SOME REFERENDUM DESIGNED TO SCARE SOCCER MOMS INTO THINKING THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END IF SUV'S HAVE TO MEET THESE STANDARDS.

DO WE STILL BELIEVE IN THE TOOTH FAIRY IN THIS COUNTRY? IT ISN'T FREE -- NOT THE LUNCH, NOT THE DRIVE TO LUNCH OR BACK HOME AGAIN. IF WE PERSIST IN DRIVING AND GROWING AND CONSUMING LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW, THERE MOST CERTAINLY WON'T BE.

JESS>> AS POLICE INVESTIGATED THE TRAGIC MURDER OF SAMANTHA RUNNION, THEY REPEATEDLY SHOWED A SKETCH OF THE SUSPECT. IT WAS BASED ON A DESCRIPTION FROM THE ONLY WITNESS TO SAMANTHA'S KIDNAPPING, A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL.

VAL>> POLICE SKETCHES CAN BE CRUCIAL IN TRACKING DOWN A SUSPECT, BUT HOW DOES AN ARTIST GET A GOOD DESCRIPTION FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST WITNESSED A TERRIBLE CRIME? WELL, ONE OF THE TOP PEOPLE IN THE FIELD SAY IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS.

VAL>> A SHOOTING. A VICTIM. A WITNESS. A SUSPECT. A CRUCIAL TIME FOR POLICE TO GATHER EVIDENCE, BUT A TERRIBLE TIME TO GET ACCURATE INFORMATION. VICTIMS ARE ASKED TO DESCRIBE THEIR ASSAILANT, BUT THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS RELIVE THE CRIME. THE NEXT STEP? THE POLICE STATION. WITNESSES AND VICTIMS LOOK THROUGH BOOKS OF PHOTOS WITH 960 FACES.

THEY ARE ASKED TO PICK OUT NOSES, MOUTHS, EYES, FEATURES THAT MAY RESEMBLE THE SUSPECT. BUT ONE WOMAN SAYS THIS PROCESS MAY CONTAMINATE A PERSON'S MEMORY. JEANNE BOYLAN, A FORENSIC ARTIST BASED IN OREGON, SAYS THERE'S A MUCH BETTER WAY OF GETTING ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS OF SUSPECTS. THE KEY IS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRAUMA THE VICTIM MAY BE EXPERIENCING.

JEANNE BOYLAN>> THE MIND IS SO COMPLETELY POWERFUL IN TRYING TO PROTECT YOU THAT, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A HIGH DEGREE OF TRAUMA, THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANT TO DO OR THAT ACTUALLY YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS WANTS TO DO IS TO BRING UP THE IMAGE OF THE ASSAILANT AGAIN.

VAL>> BOYLAN'S DRAWINGS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL IN TRACKING DOWN SUSPECTS IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, THE UNABOMBER INVESTIGATION AND THE POLLY KLAAS MURDER CASE. IN THE POLLY KLAAS CASE, BOYLAN WAS CALLED IN AFTER THE FIRST SKETCH PRODUCED BY POLICE ARTISTS FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY RESULTS.

JEANNE BOYLAN>> THERE ARE SO MANY LESSONS TO LEARN IN THAT POLLY KLAAS CASE BECAUSE, WHEN THE INITIAL DRAWING CAME OUT, IT WAS CIRCULATED FOR TWO WEEKS AND THERE WERE LITERALLY MILLIONS OF THOSE FLYERS SENT OUT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. EVERY LEAD THAT THE FBI WAS CHASING WHILE POLLY POTENTIALLY WAS STILL OUT THERE ALIVE WAS BASED OFF THAT IMAGE. THAT IMAGE WAS OF A MAN WHO WAS SIX FOOT THREE INCHES TALL, FULL-FACED CAUCASIAN MAN WITH A FULL BEARD, WEARING A NEON YELLOW HEADBAND.

FIRST OF ALL, WHEN I WALKED INTO THE COMMAND CENTER AND I SAW THE POSTERS ON THE WALL WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF SIX FOOT THREE, BEFORE I EVEN MET THE TWO LITTLE GIRLS THAT WERE WITH POLLY, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I WONDER IF THAT'S ACCURATE. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT PERCEPTION IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS JOB. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO LITTLE GIRLS THAT ARE TWELVE YEARS OLD. THEY'RE SITTING ON THE FLOOR PLAYING A BOARD GAME LOOKING UP AT AN INTRUDER THAT WALKS IN CARRYING A KNIFE. HE'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE A MONSTER. SO I THOUGHT LET'S GET THAT LITTLE BIT OF A WINDOW. LET'S TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT THESE KIDS ARE TWELVE AND THE SCENARIO IN WHICH THEY SEE HIM. SO LET'S MOVE THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND I BROUGHT IT DOWN TO FIVE FOOT TEN INCHES TALL.

WHEN I INTERVIEWED THEM TWO WEEKS INTO THE CASE, I INTERVIEWED THEM SEPARATELY AND IN NEITHER ONE OF THOSE INTERVIEWS DID A HEADBAND EVER EMERGE. I DIDN'T GO IN WITH THE IDEA OF REPLICATING THE FIRST DRAWING. I WENT IN TO WORK OFF WHAT THESE GIRLS ACTUALLY HAD IN THEIR MEMORY AND THERE WAS NO HEADBAND. AS IT TURNED OUT, OF COURSE, WHEN THEY CAUGHT DAVIS AND, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY GOT TO KNOW A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HIM, THIS WAS A MAN WHO'D NEVER WORN ONE. IT DIDN'T EXIST. PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE POWER OF SUGGESTION.

VAL>> BOYLAN SAYS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS ASK A VICTIM TO RECALL THE CRIME. INSTEAD, BOYLAN ASKS QUESTIONS IN THE PRESENT TENSE TO KEEP VICTIMS FROM RELIVING THE TRAUMATIC EPISODE.

JEANNE BOYLAN>> WHEN I INTERVIEWED THE TWO LITTLE GIRLS THAT WERE WITH POLLY WHEN SHE WAS TAKEN, I NEVER ASKED THEM DIRECT QUESTIONS. BECAUSE IF I WERE TO SAY TO THEM, "WHEN HE ENTERED THE ROOM WITH A KNIFE, WHAT DID HE --" BECAUSE TO DO THAT WOULD CAUSE THEM TO REVISIT THE MEMORY. AS SOON AS THEY BRING UP THE EMOTION THAT COMES ALONG WITH REVISITING THAT MEMORY, THEY'LL BEGIN WORKING OFF THE COGNITIVE LEVEL OF MEMORY INSTEAD OF THE SUBLIMINAL LEVEL AND IT'S THE SUBLIMINAL LEVEL WHICH IS WHERE THAT ACCURATE INFORMATION IS ENCODED.

VAL>> BOYLAN CREDITS THE ACCURACY OF THESE SUSPECT DRAWINGS TO HER INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE MORE THAN HER ARTISTIC SKILLS. THIS IS BOYLAN'S MOST RECOGNIZABLE SKETCH AND POSSIBLY HER TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: THE UNABOMBER SUSPECT.

JEANNE BOYLAN>> I WAS CALLED IN ON THE UNABOMBER CASE SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AFTER THE ONLY WITNESS HAD SEEN HIM FOR LESS THAN ONE SECOND. AS I BEGAN IN THE INTERVIEW, I REALIZED I WAS NOT ONLY WORKING WITH A SEVEN AND A HALF YEAR OLD DESCRIPTION, BUT THAT THE SUSPECT WAS WEARING A HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND SUNGLASSES. I MEAN, THERE WAS ALMOST NOTHING LEFT, SO YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN DO. THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAD LEFT TO WORK WITH WAS THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FACE. WHAT WE DID HAVE WAS THIS SORT OF PROMINENT JAW LINE AND KIND OF A JUTTING CHIN AND A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDER-BITE AND KIND OF A PECULIAR WAY THAT THE LIPS WERE PURSED TOGETHER AND THE HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND SUNGLASSES AND THE LITTLE TUFT OF HAIR.

VAL>> WHEN THE UNABOMBER SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED, BOYLAN SAW LITTLE RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN HIM AND THE SKETCH SHE HAD PRODUCED. BUT WHEN SHE COMPARED HER DRAWING TO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SUSPECT AT A YOUNGER AGE, THE RESEMBLANCE WAS A LITTLE STRONGER. PROOF THAT THE LONGER IT TAKES TO TRACK DOWN A SUSPECT, THE MORE DIFFICULT THE JOB GETS FOR THE FORENSIC ARTIST. DESPITE THE CHALLENGE OF TIME, BOYLAN'S TECHNIQUES HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE. THE NEXT CHALLENGE IS TO GET POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND FORENSIC ARTISTS TO BE OPEN TO A NEW APPROACH.

JEANNE BOYLAN>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE THAT GET INTO THIS LINE OF WORK TEND TO COME FROM AN ARTISTIC BACKGROUND. THAT CERTAINLY CAN BE A BENEFIT. I MEAN, IT DOES INVOLVE DRAWING, OBVIOUSLY. BUT IF YOUR BACKGROUND IS IN ART AND YOU HAVE SUCH A COMMITMENT TO AESTHETICS AND YOUR CONCERNED ABOUT SHADING AND MAKING IT SORT OF ARTISTICALLY ACCEPTABLE AND PERHAPS SOMETHING SUITABLE FOR FRAMING AND YOUR FOCUS IS MORE ON THE ART THAN ON THE PSYCHOLOGY, THAT'S LIKELY TO BE PROBLEMATIC. SO WHEN I COME IN AND I TALK ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY AND MEMORY AND PERCEPTION AND TRAUMA AND I'M TALKING TO ARTISTS, IT'S SORT OF A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO THEM. BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT SKILL SET, THEY PERCEIVE THAT AS BEING VERY THREATENING.

FOR A LOT OF VICTIMS AND EYEWITNESSES, IT'S AN ACTUAL RELEASE FOR THEM. IT'S VERY CATHARTIC BECAUSE IT'S A TANGIBLE IMAGE THAT THEY CAN THEN STAND UP AND WALK AWAY FROM SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CONJURE IT UP IN THEIR MEMORIES. IT'LL BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED IT, BUT IT'S A PHYSICAL SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN LEAVE BEHIND. AS THEY WALK AWAY, THERE'S AN EMOTIONAL ELEMENT TOO THAT TAKES PLACE. I FIND, FOR A LOT OF VICTIMS, IT'S A REAL TURNING POINT IN THE CASE FOR THEM IN TERMS OF THEIR PROCESS OF HEALING.

VAL>> SHE'S A FASCINATING WOMAN AND SHE HAS BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY TRYING TO CONVINCE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND MEETING WITH ARTISTS TO GET THEM TO ADOPT HER TECHNIQUES.

JESS>> FORENSIC ARTISTS, AND THE KEY WORD IS FORENSIC, APPARENTLY.

VAL>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO CHECK OUT TRANSCRIPTS AND AUDIO OF RECENT PROGRAMS.

JESS>> FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, GOOD NIGHT AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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