3/4/02

LC020304

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> THEY'RE DETERMINED TO OVERTHROW THE RELIGIOUS FANATICS WHO CONTROL IRAN. THE QUESTION IS, CAN THEY DO IT FROM A SMALL TELEVISION STUDIO IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD?

GAY YEE>> AROUND THE CLOCK, THEY BEAM A NONSTOP BARRAGE OF AMERICAN-MADE INSULTS AND INFORMATION INTO IRAN.

[FILM CLIP]

GAY>> BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE IN IRAN TO RISE UP?

ZIA ATABAI>> YES, WHY NOT? NOT WITH THE GUNS.

VAL>> CALIFORNIA'S HIGH COURT SAYS SERVING A REGULAR JAIL TERM MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOR THE MOST VIOLENT SEXUAL CRIMINALS. TONIGHT A LOOK AT WHY THESE OFFENDERS ARE BEING KEPT BEHIND BARS EVEN AFTER THEY'VE DONE THEIR TIME.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> WHY ARE YOU HERE, PATRICK?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> I'M A RAPIST.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU RAPED?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> BETWEEN EIGHT AND TEN.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> WHO WERE THEY?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> STRANGERS.

JESS>> HE IS A SCIENTIST AS WELL AS A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR AND HE WORRIES THAT HALF OF ALL THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ON EARTH MAY BE EXTINCT BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY. TONIGHT HARVARD PROFESSOR, EDWARD WILSON, IDENTIFIES SOME OF THE PLACES HE CLAIMS ARE IN GRAVE DANGER -- YES, CALIFORNIA'S ONE OF THEM -- AND HE HAS SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE TO SAVE THEM.

VAL>> 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.

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.

WE ALL KNOW HOW POWERFUL TELEVISION CAN BE AS A TOOL FOR SPREADING INFORMATION AND IDEAS, BUT IS IT STRONG ENOUGH TO TOPPLE THE MULLAHS WHO RULE THE NATION OF IRAN? A SMALL GROUP OF IRANIAN-AMERICANS HERE IN LOS ANGELES MAY SOON FIND OUT.

VAL>> THEY'RE TRYING TO LAUNCH A POLITICAL REVOLUTION FROM A TELEVISION STUDIO IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD. EVERY DAY THEY BEAM MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT AND POLITICAL SATIRE INTO IRAN, THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THE GOVERNMENT THERE GENERALLY FORBIDS. BUT AS GAY YEE REPORTS, TAKING ON A FOREIGN POWER, EVEN LONG DISTANCE, CAN BE RISKY BUSINESS.

GAY>> IT'S NOT EXACTLY CNN, MSNBC OR FOX, BUT NATIONAL IRANIAN TELEVISION BRINGS NEWS, TALK AND ENTERTAINMENT INTO MILLIONS OF LIVING ROOMS AROUND THE WORLD, ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT AND ALL IN FARSI.

[FILM CLIP]

GAY>> ITS SIGNAL IS BEAMED VIA SATELLITE TO THE FAR CORNERS OF THE EARTH OUT OF THIS TINY STUDIO THE SIZE OF A MECHANIC'S GARAGE IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, A SHOESTRING OPERATION WHERE ONE OPERATOR MANS THREE LOCK-DOWN CAMERAS, DOUBLES AS A FLOOR DIRECTOR THROWING OUT TIME CUES ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE. IN THE CONTROL ROOM, HARDLY ANYONE USES HEADSETS. DIRECTIONS ARE CALLED OUT THROUGH A HOLE IN THE WALL.

ZIA ATABAI>> MY NAME IS ZIA ATABAI.

GAY>> NITV HIT THE AIRWAVES TWO YEARS AGO, BANKROLLED BY ITS FOUNDER AND CEO, ZIA ATABAI. ATABAI THOUGHT THE FOUR MILLION IRANIAN EXILES AROUND THE WORLD WERE UNDER-SERVED BY THE REGULAR CHANNELS AND WERE STARVED FOR FARSI ENTERTAINMENT.

ZIA ATABAI>> WHEN I STARTED NITV, I BELIEVED THAT I'M GOING TO GATHER ALL THE IRANIAN -- ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MILLION -- ALL OVER THE WORLD AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND HERE INSIDE IRAN.

GAY>> AND DESPITE THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO JAM NITV'S SIGNAL, IT HAS MANAGED TO INFILTRATE IRAN AND INFURIATE ITS LEADERS WITH SUCH SATELLITE SUBVERSIVES AS POLITICAL SATIRIST, ALI DEAN.

ALI DEAN>> I DESCRIBE IT AS A "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" IN FARSI. (LAUGHTER) I TELL PEOPLE THROUGH WHAT I'M DOING, IMPERSONATING THIS GUY, WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG POLITICALLY. YOU COULD DELIVER YOUR MATERIAL AGAINST SOMEONE TRUE TO THE LAUGH, TRUE TO THE COMEDY, AND THEY WILL GET IT JUST LIKE THIS. SO FAR, IT WORKS. IT'S A GOOD WEAPON.

GAY>> NITV DISCOVERED IT HAD A RICH TALENT POOL OF VETERAN BROADCASTERS AMONG IRANIAN EXILES RIGHT HERE IN LOS ANGELES. MR. MEYBODI, FOR EXAMPLE, IS CONSIDERED THE LARRY KING OF NITV. WHEN HIS CALL-IN SHOW IS ON, THE FAX MACHINES RING OFF THE HOOK.

THE FLOOD OF FAXES AND INTERNATIONAL CALLS THAT INUNDATE THE STATION EVERY TIME MEYBODI'S SHOW IS ON THE AIR IS NITV'S PROOF THAT PEOPLE IN IRAN ARE WATCHING.

ATABAI AGITATES THE ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT OF IRAN EVEN FURTHER BY FEATURING PEOPLE LIKE REZA PAHLAVI, SON OF THE DEPOSED SHAH.

BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE IN IRAN TO RISE UP?

ZIA ATABAI>> YES, WHY NOT? NOT WITH THE GUNS.

GAY>> BUT AS A RESULT OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU HAVE GOTTEN DEATH THREATS, YES?

ZIA ATABAI>> YES.

GAY>> ATABAI IS CONVINCED BY THE RESPONSE HE GETS THAT THE MAJORITY OF IRANIANS IN IRAN DO NOT HATE AMERICANS THE WAY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE US TO THINK. HE FEELS HE OWES IT TO THE PEOPLE IN HIS HOMELAND TO ALLOW THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD.

ZIA ATABAI>> I BELIEVE THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT RELIGION AND RACE WE HAPPEN TO BE, WE HAVE TO HELP EACH OTHER. WE CANNOT LIVE IN PEACE BECAUSE WE ARE IN AMERICA, AND AFRICA IS VERY FAR FROM US. WE HAVE TO CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE TO HELP THE PEOPLE.

GAY>> MEANTIME, NITV IS STRUGGLING TO STAY ON THE AIR EVEN WITH FORTY MILLION VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. MANY INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISERS JUST AREN'T INTERESTED EVEN IF IT IS NEWS, TALK AND ENTERTAINMENT FARSI STYLE.

JESS>> GAY JOINS US NOW. IF IT'S NOT COMMERCIALLY VIABLE, HOW LONG CAN THEY STAY ON THE AIR?

GAY>> WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S NOT COMMERCIALLY VIABLE IS THERE ARE NO ADVERTISERS. IT'S JUST NOT WORTHWHILE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS A RESTAURANT IN ENCINO TO BE ADVERTISED IN NEW YORK CITY AND THERE ARE NO INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISERS WHO WANT TO EVEN TOUCH IT APPARENTLY. SO WHAT HE'S LOOKING AT IS POSSIBLY TRYING TO SCRAMBLE THE SIGNAL. THEY HAVE JUST STARTED THAT, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE A CARD TO DE-SCRAMBLE IT IN ORDER TO GET THE PROGRAMMING AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S HOPING, AT ABOUT $120 A POP FOR THE DE-SCRAMBLING CARD.

VAL>> SO BASICALLY GO FROM AN ADVERTISING MODEL TO A SUBSCRIPTION MODEL?

GAY>> EXACTLY. NOW THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU GET THOSE INTO IRAN? (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> WELL, HOW DO THEY MANAGE IN IRAN ANYWAY? SATELLITE DISHES ARE BANNED IN IRAN.

GAY>> ABSOLUTELY, BUT SOMEHOW THEY GET SMUGGLED IN AND --

JESS>> -- YOU DON'T HIDE A BIG SATELLITE DISH. (LAUGHTER)

GAY>> YOU DON'T, BUT APPARENTLY THEY HAVE DONE THINGS. THEY HAVE AERIAL PHOTOS WHERE PEOPLE WILL DISGUISE THE SATELLITE DISHES ON THEIR ROOFTOPS. THEY MANAGE TO SOMEHOW DO IT AND SO THERE IS A FOLLOWING THERE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE FOLKS AT THE STATION, RELATIVES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BUY THE CARDS AND FED-EX IT TO THEIR FAMILY IN IRAN SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE PROGRAMMING.

VAL>> THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A TIME, I BELIEVE, WHEN SOMEBODY APPEARED ON NATIONAL IRANIAN TELEVISION AND ENCOURAGED IRANIANS TO GO OUT AND WAVE AMERICAN FLAGS AND, SURE ENOUGH, PEOPLE DID.

GAY>> GO TO A SQUARE AND HOLD CANDLES. IT WAS RIGHT AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 AND THERE WAS QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP. BUT THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT, APPARENTLY, FROM MR. ATABAI, WAS THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS, AFTER THE CANDLES WERE SHUT OFF, MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE BEATEN. SO THERE WAS A DOWNSIDE TO IT.

VAL>> OH, I SEE.

JESS>> BUT THE PRODUCT OF THAT TELEVISION STATION IS ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS INFORMATION?

GAY>> IT'S ENTERTAINMENT, AND IT STARTED OUT TO BE PURELY ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL. HE WAS REALLY ACTUALLY TARGETING PEOPLE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE. LO AND BEHOLD, IT WENT BACK TO HIS HOMELAND.

VAL>> WELL, WE'LL SEE HOW LONG IT SURVIVES. INTERESTING LITTLE PLACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GAY.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, IT'S ELECTION DAY AND WE'LL HAVE THE LATEST ON ALL THE MAJOR ISSUES FROM THE REPUBLICAN RACE FOR GOVERNOR TO ALL THE PROPS AND BIG LOCAL RACES. PATT MORRISON AND KERMAN MADDOX WILL BE HERE AS WELL FOR ELECTION ANALYSIS. THAT'S TUESDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES AT 7:00 P.M.

JESS>> JUST WHEN IS IT SAFE TO ALLOW A CONVICTED SEXUAL PREDATOR BACK ON THE STREETS? IT'S A QUESTION NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT AND, UNTIL THE JUSTICES REACH A DECISION, SOME OFFENDERS ARE BEING KEPT BEHIND BARS EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME.

VAL>> TONIGHT WE'LL EXPLORE WHAT'S AT STAKE WITH OUR LEGAL EXPERT, JUDGE KEVIN ROSS. BUT FIRST A LOOK AT THE KINDS OF CASES THE COURT IS CONSIDERING. ONE OF THEM INVOLVES PATRICK GHILOTTI, A SEXUAL CRIMINAL WHO'S STILL CONFINED WHILE THE STATE TRIES TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO WITH HIM. WE FIRST MET GHILOTTI THREE YEARS AGO WHEN HE SPOKE WITH SAUL GONZALEZ AT THE STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL IN ATASCADERO.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> ON A LATE SPRING AFTERNOON, THE HILLS AROUND THE CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY OF ATASCADERO LOOK LIKE A LANDSCAPE FROM A BEAUTIFUL DREAM. BUT HERE AT ATASCADERO STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL, THERE ARE MEN WHO COME STRAIGHT OUT OF SOME PEOPLES' NIGHTMARES, MEN LIKE PATRICK GHILOTTI.

WHY ARE YOU HERE, PATRICK?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> I'M A RAPIST.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU RAPED?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> BETWEEN EIGHT AND TEN.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> WHO WERE THEY?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> STRANGERS.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> WELL, IT MADE ME FEEL MORE POWERFUL AND IN CONTROL AT THE TIME. IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD, BETTER, TO BE ABLE TO OVERPOWER SOMEBODY AND CONTROL SOMEBODY.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> SEE THEM AFRAID?

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> SEE THEM AFRAID. SEE THE FEAR.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> GHILOTTI IS ONE OF NEARLY 300 REPEAT SEX OFFENDERS COMMITTED TO ATASCADERO HOSPITAL. THEY ARE SEXUAL SADISTS, RAPISTS AND CHILD MOLESTERS THE STATE CALLS SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS.

CRAIG NELSON>> THE PREDATOR IS REALLY SOMEONE WHO IS OUT SEEKING PREY. THEY ARE OUT ACTIVELY TRYING TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL VICTIMS.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> CRAIG NELSON IS IN CHARGE OF THE ATASCADERO SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR PROGRAM.

CRAIG NELSON>> IT'S USUALLY SOMEONE WHO HAS A PREFERENCE OR AT LEAST AN EXTREME INTEREST IN SEXUALLY VIOLENT ACTS, USUALLY MOLEST OR RAPE AGAINST WOMEN. TYPICALLY, THESE PEOPLE OFFEND AGAINST STRANGERS OR THEY ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP FOR THE PURPOSE OF VICTIMIZATION.

JESS>> THE QUESTION NOW AT HAND, SHOULD SEXUAL PREDATORS SUCH AS THE MAN YOU'VE JUST SEEN BE SUBJECTED TO A HIGHER LEGAL STANDARD FOR RELEASE? JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, KEVIN ROSS.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THIS CASE NOW? THAT MAN IS THE FOCUS OF THIS WHOLE ISSUE, IS HE NOT?

KEVIN ROSS>> THAT'S CORRECT, JESS. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, ACTUALLY IN DECEMBER, HE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED, MEANING THAT HE HAD DONE ALL THE TIME THAT HE WAS SENTENCED TO WHEN HE COMMITTED THOSE RAPES.

JESS>> AND CERTIFIED BY THE PSYCHIATRIST?

KEVIN ROSS>> AND CERTIFIED BY THE PSYCHIATRIST, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS, HIS CRIMINAL SENTENCE WAS OVER AND THEN ONCE A DECISION HAD TO BE MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE SHOULD BE RELEASED, UNDER THE 1996 STATUTE THAT SAID THESE INDIVIDUALS COULD BE KEPT IN CUSTODY, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY CANNOT BE KEPT CRIMINALLY, BUT THEY CAN BE KEPT CIVILLY IF THEY HAVE THESE DIAGNOSED MENTAL DISORDERS.

VAL>> CIVILLY, MEANING HE'S IN SOME KIND OF TREATMENT PROGRAM?

KEVIN ROSS>> HE'S AT THE ATASCADERO STATE HOSPITAL. SO HE'S ACTUALLY BEING HOUSED THERE UNDER A CIVIL COMMITMENT FOR TWO YEARS. SO TWO YEARS WENT BY AND HE WAS STILL DEEMED TO HAVE THIS LIKELIHOOD OF RE-OFFENDING, SO TWO MORE YEARS WENT BY. THAT'S FOUR YEARS BEYOND HIS SENTENCE FOR COMMITTING THE RAPES. AFTER THE FOUR YEARS, THE DOCTORS DECIDED, BASED ON EVALUATIONS, HE IS NOT LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND, SO THEY WANT TO RELEASE HIM. IN RELEASING HIM, WHAT THAT DOES IS TRIGGER THE ISSUE OF SHOULD HE EVER GET OUT? THAT'S WHERE THE CASE IS RIGHT NOW AND THE SUPREME COURT IS ACTUALLY NOW LOOKING AT THIS WHOLE NOTION OF WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND? THAT'S THE ISSUE.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT HE SAYS. HERE'S HOW HE DESCRIBES THE MOTIVATION BEHIND HIS CRIMES.

PATRICK GHILOTTI>> I UNDERSTAND WHY I DID WHAT I DID. THERE WAS NO MENTAL ILLNESS INVOLVED, THERE WAS NO UNCONTROLLABLE IMPULSES, THERE WAS NO MAGIC THINGS HAPPENING. IT WAS MY CHOICE TO GO OUT AND DO WHAT I DID.

JESS>> SO HE DID IT DELIBERATELY, HE DID IT KNOWINGLY, HE'S NOT MENTALLY ILL, AT LEAST IN HIS VIEW. HOW IS THE SUPREME COURT LIKELY TO VIEW THAT?

KEVIN ROSS>> WHAT THEY'RE CHARGED WITH IS MAKING A DECISION AS TO HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE WORD "LIKELY"? WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CASE, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS INDIVIDUAL, BUT UP NORTH, HIS FAMILY IS VERY WEALTHY. GHILOTTI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. HE MARRIED A WOMAN WHO WORKED AT THE ATASCADERO STATE HOSPITAL. HE'S SOMEWHAT CHARISMATIC. THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE. SO SOME FEEL THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL OVERTONES TO HIS PARTICULAR CASE. NOW WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN CALIFORNIA, HE WILL BE THE FIRST INMATE WHO HAS COMPLETED THE CIVIL TIME AND IS NOW SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED.

VAL>> BUT WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THE COURT HAVING TO DECIDE WHAT THE WORD "LIKELY" MEANS? "LIKELY" TO RE-OFFEND.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, WHEN THE STATUTE WAS ENACTED IN 1996, THE LEGISLATORS SAID IF THIS PERSON IS LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND, THEN THEY NEED TO BE KEPT IN.

VAL>> BUT I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT HE'S BEEN EVALUATED AS NOT LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND. SHOULDN'T THAT SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

KEVIN ROSS>> THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM.

JESS>> BY THE PSYCHIATRISTS.

KEVIN ROSS>> THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM BECAUSE, IN ORDER FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO EXTEND ANOTHER TWO YEARS, TWO PSYCHIC EVALUATIONS HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED AND THOSE PSYCHIATRISTS HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT HE IS LIKELY TO OFFEND. HE HAD THREE PSYCHIATRISTS AND THEY ALL SAID HE'S NOT. SO THE PROBLEM IS, WHAT TRIGGERS A NEW PROCESS, YOU CAN'T TRIGGER WITH THOSE PSYCHIATRISTS SAYING HE'S NOT LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND.

JESS>> THERE HAS BEEN A CALL FOR THEM TO ESTABLISH SOME CLINICAL STANDARD, FIFTY PERCENT LIKELY TO OFFEND, SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT LIKELY NOT TO OFFEND, HOW DO THEY COME UP WITH A STANDARD?

KEVIN ROSS>> IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. IT'S LIKE FORECASTING THE RAIN. HOW OFTEN DO WE HEAR IT'S A THIRTY PERCENT CHANCE AND THEN IT DOESN'T RAIN. YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE, WELL, THERE WAS A SEVENTY PERCENT CHANCE IT WASN'T GOING TO RAIN. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO NEED MISS CLEO (LAUGHTER) TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, DETERMINE THIS BECAUSE IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE. YOU'RE TAKING THE WORD "LIKELY" AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT SOME SORT OF PERCENTAGE OR SOME SORT OF STANDARD TO THAT AND THE COURT IS IN A VERY TENUOUS POSITION.

THE PROBLEM IS, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU RELEASE SOMEONE, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A TEN PERCENT LIKELIHOOD OF RE-OFFENDING, AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND COMMIT A RAPE? THEN YOU HAVE THE ISSUES OF LIABILITY, WHAT DID THE STATE KNOW, SHOULD THEY HAVE RELEASED THIS PERSON? SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, SHOULD THESE INDIVIDUALS EVER GET OUT?

VAL>> BUT ISN'T THIS THE CASE FOR ANY CRIMINAL? LET'S SAY I'VE COMMITTED AN ASSAULT OR A BURGLARY. IF I'VE DONE MY TIME, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT I'M GOING TO GO STRAIGHT. I COULD COMMIT ANOTHER BURGLARY. IS THAT JUSTIFICATION FOR KEEPING ME IN PRISON FOREVER? NO.

KEVIN ROSS>> DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WHO REPRESENT THESE INDIVIDUALS WOULD SAY EXACTLY THE POINT THAT YOU'RE MAKING. IN FACT, ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM ARE ALL MEN. THERE'S ONLY ONE WOMAN IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RIGHT NOW WHO'S UNDER THE SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR CASE.

JESS>> BUT IF I UNDERSTAND THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM FOR SEXUAL OFFENDERS, IT'S FAR, FAR HIGHER THAN IT IS FOR THE COMMON CRIMINAL?

KEVIN ROSS>> BUT THE ISSUE BECOMES POST-TREATMENT. IN THE CIVIL COMMITMENT, IS THAT RATE OF RECIDIVISM AS HIGH? YOU WILL HAVE EXPERTS THAT SAY THAT, IF WE CAN GET THEM TREATED AND WE CAN KEEP THEM ON STRICT TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PROBATION -- ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH GHILOTTI IS THAT THEY INDICATED THAT WE DON'T WANT YOU TO GET ON THE INTERNET, WITH THE ASSUMPTION BEING THAT OFTENTIMES PEOPLE WILL USE THE INTERNET TO VISIT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SITES OR ANY OTHER TYPES OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.

HIS POSITION WAS I'VE DONE MY TIME, I DON'T HAVE A MENTAL DISORDER, HOW CAN YOU RESTRICT MY ACCESS TO THE INTERNET? WELL, LET'S JUST SAY I WANT TO GO TO A KCET WEBSITE. YOU'RE SAYING I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE SEXUAL OFFENSE THAT I COMMITTED YEARS AGO. SO THERE ARE SOME VERY INTERESTING PROBLEMS AND I AM ACTUALLY CHALLENGED WITH BEING THE JUDGE IN L.A. COUNTY WHO IS HEARING THESE CASES.

VAL>> HEARING THESE SEXUAL PREDATOR CASES? NO KIDDING?

KEVIN ROSS>> THIS MONTH, I STARTED HEARING THESE CASES, SO I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MAKING FINDINGS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S PROBABLE CAUSE TO GO TO A TRIAL WHERE THEN JURORS WILL SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AND THEN JURORS WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON SHOULD GET TWO MORE YEARS OF CIVIL COMMITMENT IN THE ATASCADERO STATE HOSPITAL.

JESS>> THAT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR JURORS.

KEVIN ROSS>> IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR JURORS. IT'S TOUGH FOR ME --

VAL>> -- TOUGH FOR JUDGE ROSS.

KEVIN ROSS>> -- BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE, IN GHILOTTI'S CASE, I MAY HAVE TO LET THAT PERSON OUT IF THE EVALUATION IS SUCH THAT SAYS THIS PERSON IS NOT LIKELY TO RE-OFFEND.

JESS>> EVEN IF YOU HAVE RESERVATIONS.

KEVIN ROSS>> AND THERE IT IS.

VAL>> OH, A TOUGH ONE. GLAD WE'RE NOT YOU, IN THIS CASE. (LAUGHTER) JUDGE KEVIN ROSS, ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BY.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
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LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
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LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
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VAL>> TONIGHT A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR LOOKS INTO THE FUTURE AND OFFERS A GRIM FORECAST ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US. HE SUGGESTS THAT, BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY, HALF OF THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ON EARTH COULD BE EXTINCT.

JESS>> HIS NAME IS EDWARD WILSON. HE'S NOT ONLY A GIFTED WRITER, BUT A HIGHLY-REGARDED HARVARD SCIENTIST. DR. WILSON HAS IDENTIFIED SOME ECO-HOTSPOTS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING SOME IN CALIFORNIA. HE SAYS THESE AREAS FACE A HUGE RISK OF SUFFERING WHAT AMOUNTS TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL MELTDOWN, ENTIRE SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS DISAPPEARING IN THE WAKE OF ECOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE PREVENTED. PROFESSOR WILSON HAS DETAILED HIS CONCERNS IN A NEW BOOK CALLED "THE FUTURE OF LIFE". HE JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE MEANS. IS THERE A FUTURE FOR US?

EDWARD WILSON>> WELL, I THINK SO. IT DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF WISDOM AND GOOD WILL THAT WE CAN SUMMON TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE SOLUTIONS, BUT I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM WORLDWIDE IS MUCH WORSE THAN MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT.

JESS>> WELL, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED 25 ECO-HOTSPOTS WORLDWIDE AND ONLY ONE IS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THAT ONE IS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

EDWARD WILSON>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S TRUE. IT'S CALLED THE CALIFORNIA FLORISTIC PROVINCE AND IT RUNS FROM SOUTHERN OREGON TO BAJA AND IT INCLUDES ESPECIALLY THE COASTAL SAGE REGION OF CALIFORNIA WITH HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF PLANTS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD AND MANY OF THEM ENDANGERED BY THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PART OF THE STATE.

VAL>> AND LOS ANGELES IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS HOTSPOT, YES?

EDWARD WILSON>> UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S TRUE.

VAL>> SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY? THAT WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT ARE ENDANGERED HERE?

EDWARD WILSON>> THAT'S TRUE. WELL, NOT NECESSARILY IMMEDIATELY ENDANGERED OF EXTINCTION, BUT IN DUE COURSE IF PRESENT TRENDS CONTINUE.

JESS>> WHAT'S THE ENEMY? DEVELOPMENT?

EDWARD WILSON>> THE ENEMY IS, SHALL WE SAY, CARELESS DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE, AS IN ALL HUMAN AFFAIRS, IF THERE'S GOOD WILL, IF THERE'S KNOWLEDGE -- AND WE NEED A LOT MORE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PRECISE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE ENDANGERED PLANTS AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIT THAT TO THE BEST DEVELOPMENTAL DIRECTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE STATE BASED ON SOIL, WATER SUPPLY, THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION AND SO ON -- IF WE CAN PUT ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THEN IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT AT A REASONABLE RATE AND ALSO TO BRING THROUGH MOST OF CALIFORNIA'S ENDANGERED FLORA AND FAUNA FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BUT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT TAKES KNOWLEDGE, IT TAKES GOOD WILL AND IT TAKES COMPROMISE.

VAL>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THE SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED. SOME OF THEM ARE -- MANY ARE PLANTS WHICH WE OFTEN FORGET ABOUT IN THE WAKE OF THE POPULARITY OF PARTICULAR ANIMALS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE ANIMALS.

JESS>> BIGHORN SHEEP IS A CLASSIC.

VAL>> NOW THEY'RE NOT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THOUGH.

EDWARD WILSON>> NO, THOSE ARE MOUNTAIN -- REDWOOD FOREST --

VAL>> BECAUSE THIS HOTSPOT STRETCHES ALL THE WAY UP TO CANADA.

EDWARD WILSON>> ACTUALLY, IT DOES. THERE ARE SEVERAL ZONES IN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE IN THE CATEGORY OF HOTSPOTS.

JESS>> THESE ARE ELK, RIGHT? WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, OR WHAT WE WERE SEEING?

EDWARD WILSON>> THAT IS A PYGMY NUTHATCH.

VAL>> PYGMY NUTHATCH.

EDWARD WILSON>> YES. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE HALF DOZEN OR SO SPECIES OF HUMMINGBIRDS THAT GRACE THE FAUNA OF THE STATE.

JESS>> AND THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR?

EDWARD WILSON>> AND THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR, WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY BE EXTINCT IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN HEROIC EFFORTS TO RESCUE IT.

VAL>> THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ONE OF THOSE SUCCESS STORIES.

EDWARD WILSON>> THAT'S RIGHT. A ROCK SQUIRREL FROM THE STATE, AND SO ON. WE COULD GO ON FOR THE EVENING REVIEWING THEM ONE BY ONE AND PARTICULARLY IF WE STARTED INTO THE PLANTS. THE FLORA HERE, REALLY, WE CALL IT SCRUB OR SAGE, BUT IT REALLY IS A MAGNIFICENT CONGLOMERATE OF DISTINCTIVE PLANTS, MANY OF THEM QUITE BEAUTIFUL.

JESS>> LOOKING AT YOUR MAP OF CALIFORNIA SHOWING THE HOTSPOTS, THE ONE AREA THAT SEEMS LEAST DISTURBED IS THE DESERT.

EDWARD WILSON>> WELL, YES, THAT'S NOT SO EASILY DEVELOPED, I SUPPOSE.

VAL>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS ONLY ONE OF 25 HOTSPOTS AROUND THE WORLD AND THERE ARE SOME VERY SERIOUS THINGS YOU'RE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THAT'S HAPPENING ESPECIALLY IN THE TROPICAL CLIMATES?

EDWARD WILSON>> YEAH, IMPORTANT POINT. AS IMPORTANT AS CALIFORNIA'S FLORA AND FAUNA ARE ESPECIALLY TO YOU AND TO AMERICANS GENERALLY, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, THE SO-CALLED HOTTEST OF THE HOTSPOTS, OCCUPYING PERHAPS IN THE CASE OF LAND, 1.4 PERCENT OF THE LAND AREA OF THE EARTH, MOST OF IT IN THE TROPICAL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, THAT CONTAIN NEARLY HALF OF THE SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT ARE IN GRAVE DANGER.

VAL>> SO 1.4 PERCENT OF THE LAND CONTAINS OVER HALF OF THE ANIMALS THAT COULD --

EDWARD WILSON>> -- ALMOST HALF. TO BE PRECISE, THAT'S AN AREA OF ABOUT EQUAL TO ALASKA AND TEXAS. TO BE PRECISE, 44 PERCENT OF THE PLANT SPECIES ARE FOUND IN THAT 1.4 PERCENT AND --

VAL>> -- TREMENDOUS CONCENTRATION --

EDWARD WILSON>> -- EXACTLY, SO THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WORLD'S FAUNA AND FLORA TOGETHER THAT IS BOTH AN ISSUE OF GREAT URGENCY AND CONCERN, BUT ALSO OF HOPE BECAUSE, IN ONE STROKE, IF TRENDS CONTINUE IN PLACES LIKE THE TROPICAL ANDES OF SOUTH AMERICA, OF THE WESTERN GAPS OF INDIA -- TO MENTION TWO OF OUR HOTTEST OF HOTSPOTS -- IN ONE STROKE, YOU COULD ELIMINATE A HUGE NUMBER OF THESE ANCIENT SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS. BUT WITHOUT ENORMOUS EXPENDITURE OF MONEY OR EFFORT, WITH SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE THEM IF IT ONLY COVERS A RELATIVELY SMALL PART OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE.

VAL>> AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR PREDICTION COMES FROM?

EDWARD WILSON>> THAT IS EXACTLY THE POINT OF THE BOOK, NAMELY THAT WE NOW ARE GETTING A GRIP ON THE PROBLEM. WE KNOW IT'S REALLY SERIOUS. IF PRESENT TRENDS CONTINUE, AS YOU SAID, WE COULD LOSE HALF OF THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF THE WORLD BY THE END OF THE CENTURY IF -- BIG IF -- WE HAVE A GRIP ON THE PROBLEM, WE KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AND, STEP BY STEP, WE'RE MAKING THE STRATEGY TO SAVE THE WORLD -- WELL, THE CREATION. MAY I CALL IT THE CREATION? -- IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES. SO THIS IS NOW ONE OF THE GREAT CHALLENGES, I THINK, BEFORE HUMANITY.

JESS>> WE'RE OUT OF TIME EXCEPT FOR ONE QUESTION THAT MUST BE ASKED. DO WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO IT?

EDWARD WILSON>> NOT NOW, BUT I THINK THAT, AS THIS WHOLE MATTER BECOMES MORE APPARENT AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ACTING ARE OBVIOUS, THEN WE CAN DEVELOP THE POLITICAL WILL.

JESS>> IT HAS TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.

VAL>> PROFESSOR EDWARD WILSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGAIN, MANY OF YOUR IDEAS CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR BOOK "THE FUTURE OF LIFE". THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION. APPRECIATE IT.

THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING. REMEMBER, YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTS ON OUR WEBSITE.

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

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