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(Rolling Stone) -- Saturday night, Buffalo Springfield will wrap up their seven-date reunion tour with a headlining slot at Bonnaroo. According to the group's singer and guitarist Richie Furay, fans who missed out on seeing them this time around will have plenty of chances later in the year. "The plan is to do 30 dates this fall," he tells Rolling Stone. "The anchors will be Los Angeles and New York. What the other cities are, I can't tell you right now -- but we're almost certainly doing Red Rocks." The plan is to play mostly large theaters, as opposed to arenas and amphitheaters. "We want to keep it a little more intimate," he says. "Rather than going out and playing a huge something . . . There have been people from Florida, Chicago and Texas saying to me, 'Hey, you gonna come my way?' I have to say that with 30 shows, we're gonna hit those cities." Choose Rolling Stone's Cover: The Sheepdogs vs. Lelia Broussard. Vote Now Furay became a born-again Christian in the mid-1970s, and since 1983 he's worked as a pastor at Calvary Chapel Church in Broomfield, Colorado. "The church has been very supportive of this tour," he says. "I have an assistant pastor that's doing some of the Sundays and we have a guest speaker come in too. Everybody's taken care of." Hours before taking the stage with Buffalo Springfield at the Santa Barbara Bowl tonight, Furay called into Rolling Stone to chat about the tour. Let's start at the beginning. Where were you and what you were doing when Neil Young first contacted you last year about a Buffalo Springfield reunion? I think I was probably just in my home studio office, probably working on some church stuff. This thing was not on my radar. I got one of those calls that Neil was calling me, so I got on the phone and we just started the conversation. He said that he'd been talking to Stephen [Stills] and they thought it would be really fun to do the Bridge School Benefit. They wanted to know if I was into it. It's kind of funny, 'cause Neil said, 'Well, you know, we don't have to do it this year if this is too soon. We can do it next year or the next year..." And I'm thinking, "Neil, I mean we're not 20 years old again. We better do this while we still can!" I think a day later we all got on the phone -- Stephen, Neil and myself. We all agreed to do it. I was on my way to Israel in a couple of weeks, so right after I came back I had four days and then I went out to Northern California. We just kind of started rehearsing and it led to this. Buffalo Springfield Launch First Tour In 43 Years How long after the two Bridge School shows did you start talking about doing more shows this year? Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of last year it was decided. I don't know how it all got done. The three of us and our managers just kind of agreed to go ahead and take it to the next step. I imagine that Bonnaroo was the anchor for these six California shows this month. Absolutely. They all build up to it. It started in Oakland, which is a little obscure and out of the way. Then we went to Los Angeles and there was a little more tension and publicly visible. Now here we are at a smaller outdoor venue. It's given us a feel building up to being outdoors at Bonnaroo. Photos: Buffalo Springfield Kick Off Their Reunion Tour How many days did you guys rehearse? A solid week. It was to our advantage that we had played in October, so we had at least an hour's worth of music that we'd already started to rehearse. And then we just moved on from there. One of the neat things

How many dates are planned?

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(Rolling Stone) -- Saturday night, Buffalo Springfield will wrap up their seven-date reunion tour with a headlining slot at Bonnaroo. According to the group's singer and guitarist Richie Furay, fans who missed out on seeing them this time around will have plenty of chances later in the year. "The plan is to do 30 dates this fall," he tells Rolling Stone. "The anchors will be Los Angeles and New York. What the other cities are, I can't tell you right now -- but we're almost certainly doing Red Rocks." The plan is to play mostly large theaters, as opposed to arenas and amphitheaters. "We want to keep it a little more intimate," he says. "Rather than going out and playing a huge something . . . There have been people from Florida, Chicago and Texas saying to me, 'Hey, you gonna come my way?' I have to say that with 30 shows, we're gonna hit those cities." Choose Rolling Stone's Cover: The Sheepdogs vs. Lelia Broussard. Vote Now Furay became a born-again Christian in the mid-1970s, and since 1983 he's worked as a pastor at Calvary Chapel Church in Broomfield, Colorado. "The church has been very supportive of this tour," he says. "I have an assistant pastor that's doing some of the Sundays and we have a guest speaker come in too. Everybody's taken care of." Hours before taking the stage with Buffalo Springfield at the Santa Barbara Bowl tonight, Furay called into Rolling Stone to chat about the tour. Let's start at the beginning. Where were you and what you were doing when Neil Young first contacted you last year about a Buffalo Springfield reunion? I think I was probably just in my home studio office, probably working on some church stuff. This thing was not on my radar. I got one of those calls that Neil was calling me, so I got on the phone and we just started the conversation. He said that he'd been talking to Stephen [Stills] and they thought it would be really fun to do the Bridge School Benefit. They wanted to know if I was into it. It's kind of funny, 'cause Neil said, 'Well, you know, we don't have to do it this year if this is too soon. We can do it next year or the next year..." And I'm thinking, "Neil, I mean we're not 20 years old again. We better do this while we still can!" I think a day later we all got on the phone -- Stephen, Neil and myself. We all agreed to do it. I was on my way to Israel in a couple of weeks, so right after I came back I had four days and then I went out to Northern California. We just kind of started rehearsing and it led to this. Buffalo Springfield Launch First Tour In 43 Years How long after the two Bridge School shows did you start talking about doing more shows this year? Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of last year it was decided. I don't know how it all got done. The three of us and our managers just kind of agreed to go ahead and take it to the next step. I imagine that Bonnaroo was the anchor for these six California shows this month. Absolutely. They all build up to it. It started in Oakland, which is a little obscure and out of the way. Then we went to Los Angeles and there was a little more tension and publicly visible. Now here we are at a smaller outdoor venue. It's given us a feel building up to being outdoors at Bonnaroo. Photos: Buffalo Springfield Kick Off Their Reunion Tour How many days did you guys rehearse? A solid week. It was to our advantage that we had played in October, so we had at least an hour's worth of music that we'd already started to rehearse. And then we just moved on from there. One of the neat things

what is the reason for playing in large theaters

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Where did this scandal take place?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

What was Strauss-Kahn arrested for?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Was his career ended?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Who denies there was a set up

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Where was the chief arrested?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Who was arrested?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

Who was potentially set up?

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(CNN) -- A leading figure in French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party, the UMP, has dismissed any suggestion that ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up when he was arrested on charges of sexual assault in New York in May. "To imagine that what would have happened to Mr. Strauss-Kahn would be the object of some sort of complicity from the UMP, it seems too hard to believe," said Jean-Francois Cope, secretary-general of the UMP party. Charges against Strauss-Kahn were dropped in August after questions were raised over the credibility of his accuser, hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. However, the scandal ended both his career at the IMF and any hope of the leading Socialist politician challenging Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. Now an article in the New York Review of Books says Strauss-Kahn suspected a cellphone that disappeared just before his arrest had earlier been hacked. It also describes CCTV footage showing employees of the Sofitel hotel appearing to celebrate after the maid reported the alleged attack. A female friend of Strauss-Kahn allegedly warned him that an email he had sent had been read at UMP offices in Paris. If this was the case it meant, according to the New York Review of Books, "he had reason to suspect he might be under electronic surveillance in New York. He had already been warned by a friend in the French diplomatic corps that an effort would be made to embarrass him with a scandal. The warning that his BlackBerry might have been hacked was therefore all the more alarming." The author of the New York Review of Books story, Edward Epstein, told Agence-France Presse: "I didn't say it was a political conspiracy but I would say that people wanted to find evidence of an indiscretion of his that could derail either his (French presidential) candidacy or even (his work at) the IMF." One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, William Taylor, also told the news agency his client was possibly "the target of a deliberate effort to destroy him as a political force." However, Taylor did not say exactly who might be to blame. In France, right-wing politicians described the entire story as pure fantasy. "For me, if there are facts, if there is clear evidence, of course, it goes without saying that conclusions will have to be drawn," said the UMP's Cope. "As long as they are only rumors, gossip, allegations on the basis of anonymous testimony, which we know absolutely nothing about, you can understand that we remain a little more reserved and certainly not fooled." In a television interview following his return to Paris, Strauss-Kahn confessed to a "moral weakness" and an "inappropriate relationship" with Diallo, but denied any violence or aggression. Strauss-Kahn still faces a civil suit from Diallo in New York, but he has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing his job gave him immunity from civil cases. The New York hotel where the alleged incident was reported also dismissed the story as "inaccurate and speculative." The Sofitel hotel chain released a statement saying: "The article states that two Sofitel employees were seen 'celebrating' on tape for three minutes. In fact, the incident in question lasted only eight seconds and both employees categorically deny this exchange had anything to do with Mr. Strauss-Kahn. "Sofitel Luxury Hotels has cooperated with law enforcement authorities for the entirety of this case as was its civic and legal obligation. As the civil trial remains pending in the U.S., it would not be appropriate to comment on the facts of the case."

What post did Dominique Strauss-Kahn hold

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was inevitable that a tragedy on the scale of Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest, would have a transformative effect on English football. A Liverpool supporter Wednesday, outside Anfield. Ninety-six fans died from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. But there was little reason to believe 20 years ago that, rather than being pushed even further towards the margins of society, the sport was on the brink of a revolution that would give birth to a global sporting phenomenon. Even before Hillsborough, it had seemed as if there was something irredeemably rotten at the heart of English football. Hooliganism, a scourge synonymous with the English game, had receded from its peak in the 1970s but English clubs were outlawed from European competition after rampaging Liverpool fans caused a wall to collapse at Brussels' Heysel Stadium before the 1985 European Cup final, causing the deaths of 39 people, mostly supporters of the Italian side Juventus. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, showing little understanding or patience for the traditions of the sport, had virtually ghettoized fans, promoting a scheme to have each supporter issued with an identity card. On the field, sides such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest were renowned for their attractive play but elsewhere a corrosive cult of long ball football pervaded the game. That trend seemed to find vindication when arch-exponents Wimbledon, who in the course of a decade had bullied and scrapped their way through four divisions to reach the top flight, defeated Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, prompting match commentator John Motson to declare that "the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club." With its clubs banned from Europe, many top British players opted to leave England altogether -- Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to Barcelona, Glenn Hoddle to Monaco, Chris Waddle to Marseille -- adding further to the sense of terminal malaise. Hillsborough had not been caused by hooliganism but the tragedy was a product of the environment that hooliganism had created; stadiums resembling decrepit fortresses, the fans caged inside steel bars and heavy-handed policing which treated all supporters equally -- as potential troublemakers. Coupled with Heysel and a fire at Bradford in 1985 in which 56 fans died, it also served to reinforce the belief that going to a football match was something which could put your life in danger. In "The Last Game: Love, Death and Football," a book examining the lasting impact of the events of 1989 on the sport, author Jason Cowley describes Hillsborough as English football's "psychological moment, the point of no return." "The culture of the game had to change definitely if football was ever to be perceived as anything more than the preserve of the white, working class male, a theatre of hate and of violence, often racist and misogynistic excesses, if it was to survive at all," says Cowley. English football not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet. The engine for this transformation, in the wake of Hillsborough, was the Taylor Report, an inquiry into the causes of the disaster which called for the steel fences inside grounds to be dismantled and for the phasing out of the traditional terraces of standing fans with all-seater stadiums. Initially clubs received government funding to help them meet the costs but the sport was about to receive an injection of cash that would radically change its financial prospects. Despite its poor reputation, there remained a huge appetite for televised football -- ironically, itself a by-product of the fact that many supporters were no longer going to matches. Realizing this, the country's top clubs broke away from the game's traditional power structure, setting up the Premier League and selling TV rights for £191 million ($286 million) to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's newly established satellite television venture, BSkyB. The money was a shot in the arm

What status does the English Premier League now have?

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was inevitable that a tragedy on the scale of Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest, would have a transformative effect on English football. A Liverpool supporter Wednesday, outside Anfield. Ninety-six fans died from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. But there was little reason to believe 20 years ago that, rather than being pushed even further towards the margins of society, the sport was on the brink of a revolution that would give birth to a global sporting phenomenon. Even before Hillsborough, it had seemed as if there was something irredeemably rotten at the heart of English football. Hooliganism, a scourge synonymous with the English game, had receded from its peak in the 1970s but English clubs were outlawed from European competition after rampaging Liverpool fans caused a wall to collapse at Brussels' Heysel Stadium before the 1985 European Cup final, causing the deaths of 39 people, mostly supporters of the Italian side Juventus. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, showing little understanding or patience for the traditions of the sport, had virtually ghettoized fans, promoting a scheme to have each supporter issued with an identity card. On the field, sides such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest were renowned for their attractive play but elsewhere a corrosive cult of long ball football pervaded the game. That trend seemed to find vindication when arch-exponents Wimbledon, who in the course of a decade had bullied and scrapped their way through four divisions to reach the top flight, defeated Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, prompting match commentator John Motson to declare that "the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club." With its clubs banned from Europe, many top British players opted to leave England altogether -- Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to Barcelona, Glenn Hoddle to Monaco, Chris Waddle to Marseille -- adding further to the sense of terminal malaise. Hillsborough had not been caused by hooliganism but the tragedy was a product of the environment that hooliganism had created; stadiums resembling decrepit fortresses, the fans caged inside steel bars and heavy-handed policing which treated all supporters equally -- as potential troublemakers. Coupled with Heysel and a fire at Bradford in 1985 in which 56 fans died, it also served to reinforce the belief that going to a football match was something which could put your life in danger. In "The Last Game: Love, Death and Football," a book examining the lasting impact of the events of 1989 on the sport, author Jason Cowley describes Hillsborough as English football's "psychological moment, the point of no return." "The culture of the game had to change definitely if football was ever to be perceived as anything more than the preserve of the white, working class male, a theatre of hate and of violence, often racist and misogynistic excesses, if it was to survive at all," says Cowley. English football not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet. The engine for this transformation, in the wake of Hillsborough, was the Taylor Report, an inquiry into the causes of the disaster which called for the steel fences inside grounds to be dismantled and for the phasing out of the traditional terraces of standing fans with all-seater stadiums. Initially clubs received government funding to help them meet the costs but the sport was about to receive an injection of cash that would radically change its financial prospects. Despite its poor reputation, there remained a huge appetite for televised football -- ironically, itself a by-product of the fact that many supporters were no longer going to matches. Realizing this, the country's top clubs broke away from the game's traditional power structure, setting up the Premier League and selling TV rights for £191 million ($286 million) to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's newly established satellite television venture, BSkyB. The money was a shot in the arm

how long has it been since the tragedy?

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was inevitable that a tragedy on the scale of Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest, would have a transformative effect on English football. A Liverpool supporter Wednesday, outside Anfield. Ninety-six fans died from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. But there was little reason to believe 20 years ago that, rather than being pushed even further towards the margins of society, the sport was on the brink of a revolution that would give birth to a global sporting phenomenon. Even before Hillsborough, it had seemed as if there was something irredeemably rotten at the heart of English football. Hooliganism, a scourge synonymous with the English game, had receded from its peak in the 1970s but English clubs were outlawed from European competition after rampaging Liverpool fans caused a wall to collapse at Brussels' Heysel Stadium before the 1985 European Cup final, causing the deaths of 39 people, mostly supporters of the Italian side Juventus. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, showing little understanding or patience for the traditions of the sport, had virtually ghettoized fans, promoting a scheme to have each supporter issued with an identity card. On the field, sides such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest were renowned for their attractive play but elsewhere a corrosive cult of long ball football pervaded the game. That trend seemed to find vindication when arch-exponents Wimbledon, who in the course of a decade had bullied and scrapped their way through four divisions to reach the top flight, defeated Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, prompting match commentator John Motson to declare that "the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club." With its clubs banned from Europe, many top British players opted to leave England altogether -- Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to Barcelona, Glenn Hoddle to Monaco, Chris Waddle to Marseille -- adding further to the sense of terminal malaise. Hillsborough had not been caused by hooliganism but the tragedy was a product of the environment that hooliganism had created; stadiums resembling decrepit fortresses, the fans caged inside steel bars and heavy-handed policing which treated all supporters equally -- as potential troublemakers. Coupled with Heysel and a fire at Bradford in 1985 in which 56 fans died, it also served to reinforce the belief that going to a football match was something which could put your life in danger. In "The Last Game: Love, Death and Football," a book examining the lasting impact of the events of 1989 on the sport, author Jason Cowley describes Hillsborough as English football's "psychological moment, the point of no return." "The culture of the game had to change definitely if football was ever to be perceived as anything more than the preserve of the white, working class male, a theatre of hate and of violence, often racist and misogynistic excesses, if it was to survive at all," says Cowley. English football not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet. The engine for this transformation, in the wake of Hillsborough, was the Taylor Report, an inquiry into the causes of the disaster which called for the steel fences inside grounds to be dismantled and for the phasing out of the traditional terraces of standing fans with all-seater stadiums. Initially clubs received government funding to help them meet the costs but the sport was about to receive an injection of cash that would radically change its financial prospects. Despite its poor reputation, there remained a huge appetite for televised football -- ironically, itself a by-product of the fact that many supporters were no longer going to matches. Realizing this, the country's top clubs broke away from the game's traditional power structure, setting up the Premier League and selling TV rights for £191 million ($286 million) to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's newly established satellite television venture, BSkyB. The money was a shot in the arm

What has happened to English football following the Hillsborough tragedy?

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was inevitable that a tragedy on the scale of Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest, would have a transformative effect on English football. A Liverpool supporter Wednesday, outside Anfield. Ninety-six fans died from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. But there was little reason to believe 20 years ago that, rather than being pushed even further towards the margins of society, the sport was on the brink of a revolution that would give birth to a global sporting phenomenon. Even before Hillsborough, it had seemed as if there was something irredeemably rotten at the heart of English football. Hooliganism, a scourge synonymous with the English game, had receded from its peak in the 1970s but English clubs were outlawed from European competition after rampaging Liverpool fans caused a wall to collapse at Brussels' Heysel Stadium before the 1985 European Cup final, causing the deaths of 39 people, mostly supporters of the Italian side Juventus. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, showing little understanding or patience for the traditions of the sport, had virtually ghettoized fans, promoting a scheme to have each supporter issued with an identity card. On the field, sides such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest were renowned for their attractive play but elsewhere a corrosive cult of long ball football pervaded the game. That trend seemed to find vindication when arch-exponents Wimbledon, who in the course of a decade had bullied and scrapped their way through four divisions to reach the top flight, defeated Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, prompting match commentator John Motson to declare that "the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club." With its clubs banned from Europe, many top British players opted to leave England altogether -- Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to Barcelona, Glenn Hoddle to Monaco, Chris Waddle to Marseille -- adding further to the sense of terminal malaise. Hillsborough had not been caused by hooliganism but the tragedy was a product of the environment that hooliganism had created; stadiums resembling decrepit fortresses, the fans caged inside steel bars and heavy-handed policing which treated all supporters equally -- as potential troublemakers. Coupled with Heysel and a fire at Bradford in 1985 in which 56 fans died, it also served to reinforce the belief that going to a football match was something which could put your life in danger. In "The Last Game: Love, Death and Football," a book examining the lasting impact of the events of 1989 on the sport, author Jason Cowley describes Hillsborough as English football's "psychological moment, the point of no return." "The culture of the game had to change definitely if football was ever to be perceived as anything more than the preserve of the white, working class male, a theatre of hate and of violence, often racist and misogynistic excesses, if it was to survive at all," says Cowley. English football not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet. The engine for this transformation, in the wake of Hillsborough, was the Taylor Report, an inquiry into the causes of the disaster which called for the steel fences inside grounds to be dismantled and for the phasing out of the traditional terraces of standing fans with all-seater stadiums. Initially clubs received government funding to help them meet the costs but the sport was about to receive an injection of cash that would radically change its financial prospects. Despite its poor reputation, there remained a huge appetite for televised football -- ironically, itself a by-product of the fact that many supporters were no longer going to matches. Realizing this, the country's top clubs broke away from the game's traditional power structure, setting up the Premier League and selling TV rights for £191 million ($286 million) to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's newly established satellite television venture, BSkyB. The money was a shot in the arm

What did the disaster do for English football?

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(CNN) -- The commissioner of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police department said Thursday he "deeply regrets" the arrest of prominent black Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., but stands by the procedures followed by his department. Sgt. Jim Crowley said he has nothing to apologize for in regards to the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. "I believe that Sgt. [James] Crowley acted in a way that is consistent with his training at the department, and consistent with national standards of law enforcement protocol," Commissioner Robert Haas said, referring to the officer who made the July 16 arrest at the professor's home. "I do not believe his actions in any way were racially motivated," Haas said at a news conference. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct after an exchange with the officer, who was investigating a report of a possible break-in at the house. The police department will create a panel of "independent, notable professionals" to provide an analysis of the incident, he said. The controversial arrest of Gates was criticized Wednesday by President Obama, who said the Cambridge police department "acted stupidly." "My response is that this department is deeply pained and takes its professional pride very seriously," Haas said. Cambridge authorities dropped the charges against Gates on Tuesday. In a statement, the International Association of Chiefs of Police expressed disappointment in Obama's remarks. "Police chiefs understand that it is critically important to have all the facts on any police matter before drawing conclusions or making any public statement," said Russell B. Laine, association president and chief of the Algonquin, Illinois, police department, in the statement. "For these reasons, the IACP was disappointed in the president's characterization of the Cambridge Police Department." Haas' comments followed a statement earlier Thursday from Crowley, who said he would not apologize for his actions. "That apology will never come from me as Jim Crowley. It won't come from me as sergeant in the Cambridge Police Department," Crowley told Boston radio station WEEI. "Whatever anybody else chooses to do in the name of the city of Cambridge or the Cambridge Police Department, which are beyond my control, I don't worry about that. I know what I did was right. I have nothing to apologize for." The mayor of Cambridge said she will meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that led to Gates' arrest does not happen again. "This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge's mayor said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge." Obama defended Gates Wednesday night, while acknowledging that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend. "But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately." The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Crowley also said he is exercising caution and his previous actions clearly show he is not a racist. In fact, Crowley taught a racial profiling course at the Lowell Police Academy, said Deborah Friedl, deputy superintendent of the police department. Last year was his fifth year as a co-instructor of the course, Friedl said. "He seems to be a highly regarded £instructor at the academy. He consistently received high praise from students," she said. Gates told CNN Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive. "This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Gates said the Cambridge

what says Sgt. James?

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(CNN) -- The commissioner of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police department said Thursday he "deeply regrets" the arrest of prominent black Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., but stands by the procedures followed by his department. Sgt. Jim Crowley said he has nothing to apologize for in regards to the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. "I believe that Sgt. [James] Crowley acted in a way that is consistent with his training at the department, and consistent with national standards of law enforcement protocol," Commissioner Robert Haas said, referring to the officer who made the July 16 arrest at the professor's home. "I do not believe his actions in any way were racially motivated," Haas said at a news conference. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct after an exchange with the officer, who was investigating a report of a possible break-in at the house. The police department will create a panel of "independent, notable professionals" to provide an analysis of the incident, he said. The controversial arrest of Gates was criticized Wednesday by President Obama, who said the Cambridge police department "acted stupidly." "My response is that this department is deeply pained and takes its professional pride very seriously," Haas said. Cambridge authorities dropped the charges against Gates on Tuesday. In a statement, the International Association of Chiefs of Police expressed disappointment in Obama's remarks. "Police chiefs understand that it is critically important to have all the facts on any police matter before drawing conclusions or making any public statement," said Russell B. Laine, association president and chief of the Algonquin, Illinois, police department, in the statement. "For these reasons, the IACP was disappointed in the president's characterization of the Cambridge Police Department." Haas' comments followed a statement earlier Thursday from Crowley, who said he would not apologize for his actions. "That apology will never come from me as Jim Crowley. It won't come from me as sergeant in the Cambridge Police Department," Crowley told Boston radio station WEEI. "Whatever anybody else chooses to do in the name of the city of Cambridge or the Cambridge Police Department, which are beyond my control, I don't worry about that. I know what I did was right. I have nothing to apologize for." The mayor of Cambridge said she will meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that led to Gates' arrest does not happen again. "This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge's mayor said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge." Obama defended Gates Wednesday night, while acknowledging that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend. "But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately." The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Crowley also said he is exercising caution and his previous actions clearly show he is not a racist. In fact, Crowley taught a racial profiling course at the Lowell Police Academy, said Deborah Friedl, deputy superintendent of the police department. Last year was his fifth year as a co-instructor of the course, Friedl said. "He seems to be a highly regarded £instructor at the academy. He consistently received high praise from students," she said. Gates told CNN Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive. "This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Gates said the Cambridge

Charges were dropped against which professor?

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(CNN) -- The commissioner of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police department said Thursday he "deeply regrets" the arrest of prominent black Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., but stands by the procedures followed by his department. Sgt. Jim Crowley said he has nothing to apologize for in regards to the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. "I believe that Sgt. [James] Crowley acted in a way that is consistent with his training at the department, and consistent with national standards of law enforcement protocol," Commissioner Robert Haas said, referring to the officer who made the July 16 arrest at the professor's home. "I do not believe his actions in any way were racially motivated," Haas said at a news conference. Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct after an exchange with the officer, who was investigating a report of a possible break-in at the house. The police department will create a panel of "independent, notable professionals" to provide an analysis of the incident, he said. The controversial arrest of Gates was criticized Wednesday by President Obama, who said the Cambridge police department "acted stupidly." "My response is that this department is deeply pained and takes its professional pride very seriously," Haas said. Cambridge authorities dropped the charges against Gates on Tuesday. In a statement, the International Association of Chiefs of Police expressed disappointment in Obama's remarks. "Police chiefs understand that it is critically important to have all the facts on any police matter before drawing conclusions or making any public statement," said Russell B. Laine, association president and chief of the Algonquin, Illinois, police department, in the statement. "For these reasons, the IACP was disappointed in the president's characterization of the Cambridge Police Department." Haas' comments followed a statement earlier Thursday from Crowley, who said he would not apologize for his actions. "That apology will never come from me as Jim Crowley. It won't come from me as sergeant in the Cambridge Police Department," Crowley told Boston radio station WEEI. "Whatever anybody else chooses to do in the name of the city of Cambridge or the Cambridge Police Department, which are beyond my control, I don't worry about that. I know what I did was right. I have nothing to apologize for." The mayor of Cambridge said she will meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that led to Gates' arrest does not happen again. "This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge's mayor said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge." Obama defended Gates Wednesday night, while acknowledging that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend. "But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately." The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Crowley also said he is exercising caution and his previous actions clearly show he is not a racist. In fact, Crowley taught a racial profiling course at the Lowell Police Academy, said Deborah Friedl, deputy superintendent of the police department. Last year was his fifth year as a co-instructor of the course, Friedl said. "He seems to be a highly regarded £instructor at the academy. He consistently received high praise from students," she said. Gates told CNN Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive. "This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Gates said the Cambridge

What happened to the professor?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

How many teams were involved in the research?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

Whose death has raised worries over heart health of big players?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

who are more likely to have prehypertension than other men?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

What is the name of the NFL player that died?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

Compared to other men, what disease are NFL players more likely to have?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

When did the researchers look at the players for the study?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

How many teams did researches look at in 2007?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

NFL athletes are more likely to have what?

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They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"

The death of who raised worries?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

How many days will the family have to seek mediation?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

What did the teenager claim?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

What religion did she convert to?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

Which religion did the teenager convert to?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

Where did she live?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

Where is the teen's family home?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

Where did Bary come from?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

Where did Bary take refuge?

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(CNN) -- A judge has ordered mediation in the case of a teen girl who says her family threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity. Rifqa Bary, 17, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She claims her father threatened to kill her. The 17-year-old girl, Rifqa Bary, ran away from her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of the Rev. Blake Lorenz with the Global Revolution Church in Orlando, Florida. Bary's parents want her back home. At a court hearing Thursday in Orlando, the girl's parents denied all the allegations against them. Also at the hearing, Judge Daniel Dawson of the Orange County Juvenile Court ordered the girl and her parents to seek the mediation within 30 days. The judge had previously ruled that the girl will remain in Florida foster care until the allegations are resolved. The parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, could not attend the hearing in person but listened through a telephone conference as their lawyer spoke for them. They denied they ever threatened to kill their daughter because she converted to Christianity. Mohamed Bary told CNN he believes a lot of false information has been circulated about the case. "We wouldn't do her harm," the father said, adding that he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," he said. But Bary conceded he would have preferred that his daughter practice the Muslim faith first. The teen had heard of pastor Lorenz and his church through a prayer group on Facebook. The girl's parents reported her missing to Columbus police, who found her two weeks later in Florida through cell phone records. The teenager, in a sworn affidavit, claims her father, 47, was pressured by the mosque the family attends in Ohio to "deal with the situation." In the court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!" The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you!" Watch the teen talk about her fears » Also at Thursday's hearing, the judge sealed a report on the girl from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and issued a gag order for attorneys in the case. At one point during the hearing, the girl's court-appointed guardian, Krista Bartholomew, told the court: "This is not a holy war but a case about a broken family." Outside the courthouse after the hearing, a Muslim activist and several Christian activists exchanged words over the case. Watch the heated exchanges » Another hearing is scheduled for September 29 if the family is not able to resolve the conflict through mediation.

What was the judge's orders?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

What was Dolla?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

What age was Dolla when he was killed?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

What was Dolla's real name?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

Who mourn Dolla's loss?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

Where was the rapper killed?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

What was Dolla's age when he died?

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(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. "Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' " said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. "The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that." Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: "First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. "Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. "Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate." Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. "You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' " Rich said. "The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart." DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's "Spring Bling" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. "That energy was what drew me to him," said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. "A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be." Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. "Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac," Jones said. "[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading,

Where was the Atlanta-based rapper killed?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

who was abducted outside her home in Grozny?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

who condemned the murder?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

Who was abducted?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

Who is said the be involved in murder?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

What condemn in Russia and Chechnya?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

who says Chechen president was involved in murder?

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The head of a leading Russian human rights group accused the presidents of Russia and Chechnya of complicity in murdering their top activist in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, pictured in 2007, had been openly critical of Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov. "I am confident about who killed Natalya Estemirova. We all know this person. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen republic," Oleg Orlov, the chairman of the Russian human rights group Memorial said on the group's Web site Thursday. "Ramzan was intimidating and insulting Natalya, and considered her his personal enemy. We don't know whether it was him personally who ordered her [murder] or it were his aides who wanted to please their boss. As far as [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev is concerned, it seems that he doesn't mind having a murderer as head of one of the Russian regions." Estemirova, 50, was kidnapped outside her home in Chechnya Wednesday, Orlov said, citing eyewitnesses, and found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia later the same day. Her body was riddled with bullets, Russian prosecutors said -- several shots to the abdomen, and one to the head. The winner of three international human rights awards, she was a leading activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly critical of Kadyrov and his methods. Kadyrov vowed Thursday that he would personally oversee the investigation and assure her killers were punished. "She couldn't have had enemies among reasonable people," he said in a statement on the Chechen government Web site. "Those who took away her life have no right to be called humans, they don't deserve any mercy, and should be punished as the most cruel criminals. "I have no doubts whatsoever that those who ordered and conducted this crime will face trial," he said. "That is the very least that the government and society must do in commemoration of Estemirova." Medvedev said Thursday the murder was "a very sad event," adding it was "absolutely clear... her murder is linked to her professional activities. "Her type of professional activity is needed by any normal state. She did very useful things. She spoke the truth. She openly, sometimes harshly assessed some types of processes that occurred in our country, and this is the value of human rights workers, even if they are not comfortable," Medvedev said Thursday on a visit to Germany. His host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warned the killing could affect Russian-German relations. "This is an unacceptable event, and especially if we want to intensify the relations between our two countries, it cannot remain unsolved," she said in a joint appearance with Medvedev. Medvedev had earlier condemned the murder and said her killers should punished to the full extent of the law, his office said. Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped, as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house on Wednesday morning, Orlov said. An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car, Orlov told CNN. Estemirova had spent years investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya, the restive Russian republic where Russian forces have fought two conflicts against separatists since 1991. Russia officially ended its military mission in Chechnya in April of this year. The activist told CNN in 2007 she was investigating dozens of abductions and murders that had become the norm in Chechnya, where security forces were fighting a dirty war against separatist rebels. She joins a growing list of journalists and activists killed after criticizing the Russian authorities, many of whose murders remain officially unsolved. Top United States and European officials condemned the murder of Estemirova and demanded that the killers be brought to justice. "Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community and illustrates the tragic deterioration of security and the rule of law in the North Caucasus over the last several months," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "

Where Estemirova was kidnapped?

111d2938587545998d582df73303c998

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli government said Thursday it will stop a convoy of cargo and passenger ships filled with supplies and headed to Gaza to break a blockade imposed by Israel in 2007. Government officials said Wednesday they have given the Israeli Defense Forces instructions to reroute the flotilla to Ashdod port in Israel, where the supplies will be unloaded and transferred to Gaza. Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, called the flotilla "a cheap political stunt." "If they were really interested in the well being of the people of Gaza, they would have accepted the offers of Egypt or Israel to transfer humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, along with the other 15 thousand tons sent every week," he said. The convoy, which left various European ports, is organized by two major groups: the Free Gaza movement, a pro-Palestinian human rights organization, and the IHH movement, a Turkish humanitarian relief foundation affiliated with the Islamic Brotherhood. Organizers said the convoy is carrying 10,000 tons of construction material, medical equipment and school supplies, and about 750 activists of different nationalities. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Yossi Gal, its director-general, has summoned the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden and Ireland -- the countries from which the flotilla set sail -- and "clarified the state of Israel's official position, which declares the flotilla an absolute provocation: There is no shortage of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as food products, fuel and supplies are constantly transferred into the Gaza Strip by the international organizations." The flotilla is "invited to dock at Ashdod port, to unload their cargo and transfer it to Gaza, after a security check, either via the Israeli authorities or via the humanitarian organizations," the ministry said. Hanin Zoabi, a member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and a passenger on the flotilla, called it a "humanitarian campaign for the 1.5 million Palestinian people who Israel put in jail for about the last four years without allowing building material, without educational material, without food into the Gaza strip. "Israel destroyed 165 schools and more than 100 (factories) and destroyed tens of thousands of houses without enabling the Palestinians to rebuild their homes and their lives," Zoabi said. "This is a very strong political message towards Israel and towards the Arab world that stood silent regarding what is happening in Gaza." Israel imposed the naval blockade on Gaza after the Hamas forcefully took control of Gaza in 2007, ousting the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Regev argued that the activists maintain a double standard when it comes to Hamas' actions. "They call themselves human rights activists, but they remain silent when it comes to Hamas' deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and the brutalities of the Hamas regime in Gaza, which has crushed political opposition, suppressed independent media and has locked up hundreds of political opponents." Sarah Weiss Maudi, an Israeli Foreign Ministry legal expert, said, "The naval blockade has been imposed by Israel because Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with the Hamas regime that controls Gaza." Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area. Maritime blockades are a legitimate measure under international law, and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea, Israeli officials have said. "The objective of the boats is to break Israel's siege on Gaza, to break Israel's blockade on Gaza. The material that we have on board are all of the materials that Israel denied to the people of Gaza like cement, building supplies, educational supplies etc," said Greta Berlin, co-founder of Free Gaza movement. "We do not accept the siege on Gaza," said Zoabi. "... Israel does not want a siege. It wants a silent siege. Israel does not want occupation, it wants a silent occupation. It wants its policies to go without criticisms of the world. That's why it wants to stop the flotilla and also

What does the convoy aim to do?

c99a4b0a0c0e4869ab16a36853da916f

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli government said Thursday it will stop a convoy of cargo and passenger ships filled with supplies and headed to Gaza to break a blockade imposed by Israel in 2007. Government officials said Wednesday they have given the Israeli Defense Forces instructions to reroute the flotilla to Ashdod port in Israel, where the supplies will be unloaded and transferred to Gaza. Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, called the flotilla "a cheap political stunt." "If they were really interested in the well being of the people of Gaza, they would have accepted the offers of Egypt or Israel to transfer humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, along with the other 15 thousand tons sent every week," he said. The convoy, which left various European ports, is organized by two major groups: the Free Gaza movement, a pro-Palestinian human rights organization, and the IHH movement, a Turkish humanitarian relief foundation affiliated with the Islamic Brotherhood. Organizers said the convoy is carrying 10,000 tons of construction material, medical equipment and school supplies, and about 750 activists of different nationalities. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Yossi Gal, its director-general, has summoned the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden and Ireland -- the countries from which the flotilla set sail -- and "clarified the state of Israel's official position, which declares the flotilla an absolute provocation: There is no shortage of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as food products, fuel and supplies are constantly transferred into the Gaza Strip by the international organizations." The flotilla is "invited to dock at Ashdod port, to unload their cargo and transfer it to Gaza, after a security check, either via the Israeli authorities or via the humanitarian organizations," the ministry said. Hanin Zoabi, a member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and a passenger on the flotilla, called it a "humanitarian campaign for the 1.5 million Palestinian people who Israel put in jail for about the last four years without allowing building material, without educational material, without food into the Gaza strip. "Israel destroyed 165 schools and more than 100 (factories) and destroyed tens of thousands of houses without enabling the Palestinians to rebuild their homes and their lives," Zoabi said. "This is a very strong political message towards Israel and towards the Arab world that stood silent regarding what is happening in Gaza." Israel imposed the naval blockade on Gaza after the Hamas forcefully took control of Gaza in 2007, ousting the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Regev argued that the activists maintain a double standard when it comes to Hamas' actions. "They call themselves human rights activists, but they remain silent when it comes to Hamas' deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and the brutalities of the Hamas regime in Gaza, which has crushed political opposition, suppressed independent media and has locked up hundreds of political opponents." Sarah Weiss Maudi, an Israeli Foreign Ministry legal expert, said, "The naval blockade has been imposed by Israel because Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with the Hamas regime that controls Gaza." Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area. Maritime blockades are a legitimate measure under international law, and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea, Israeli officials have said. "The objective of the boats is to break Israel's siege on Gaza, to break Israel's blockade on Gaza. The material that we have on board are all of the materials that Israel denied to the people of Gaza like cement, building supplies, educational supplies etc," said Greta Berlin, co-founder of Free Gaza movement. "We do not accept the siege on Gaza," said Zoabi. "... Israel does not want a siege. It wants a silent siege. Israel does not want occupation, it wants a silent occupation. It wants its policies to go without criticisms of the world. That's why it wants to stop the flotilla and also

What does the government say they will stop?

1a2dc2f0873847d1b5bd47d16facf526

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli government said Thursday it will stop a convoy of cargo and passenger ships filled with supplies and headed to Gaza to break a blockade imposed by Israel in 2007. Government officials said Wednesday they have given the Israeli Defense Forces instructions to reroute the flotilla to Ashdod port in Israel, where the supplies will be unloaded and transferred to Gaza. Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, called the flotilla "a cheap political stunt." "If they were really interested in the well being of the people of Gaza, they would have accepted the offers of Egypt or Israel to transfer humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, along with the other 15 thousand tons sent every week," he said. The convoy, which left various European ports, is organized by two major groups: the Free Gaza movement, a pro-Palestinian human rights organization, and the IHH movement, a Turkish humanitarian relief foundation affiliated with the Islamic Brotherhood. Organizers said the convoy is carrying 10,000 tons of construction material, medical equipment and school supplies, and about 750 activists of different nationalities. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Yossi Gal, its director-general, has summoned the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden and Ireland -- the countries from which the flotilla set sail -- and "clarified the state of Israel's official position, which declares the flotilla an absolute provocation: There is no shortage of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as food products, fuel and supplies are constantly transferred into the Gaza Strip by the international organizations." The flotilla is "invited to dock at Ashdod port, to unload their cargo and transfer it to Gaza, after a security check, either via the Israeli authorities or via the humanitarian organizations," the ministry said. Hanin Zoabi, a member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and a passenger on the flotilla, called it a "humanitarian campaign for the 1.5 million Palestinian people who Israel put in jail for about the last four years without allowing building material, without educational material, without food into the Gaza strip. "Israel destroyed 165 schools and more than 100 (factories) and destroyed tens of thousands of houses without enabling the Palestinians to rebuild their homes and their lives," Zoabi said. "This is a very strong political message towards Israel and towards the Arab world that stood silent regarding what is happening in Gaza." Israel imposed the naval blockade on Gaza after the Hamas forcefully took control of Gaza in 2007, ousting the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Regev argued that the activists maintain a double standard when it comes to Hamas' actions. "They call themselves human rights activists, but they remain silent when it comes to Hamas' deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and the brutalities of the Hamas regime in Gaza, which has crushed political opposition, suppressed independent media and has locked up hundreds of political opponents." Sarah Weiss Maudi, an Israeli Foreign Ministry legal expert, said, "The naval blockade has been imposed by Israel because Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with the Hamas regime that controls Gaza." Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area. Maritime blockades are a legitimate measure under international law, and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea, Israeli officials have said. "The objective of the boats is to break Israel's siege on Gaza, to break Israel's blockade on Gaza. The material that we have on board are all of the materials that Israel denied to the people of Gaza like cement, building supplies, educational supplies etc," said Greta Berlin, co-founder of Free Gaza movement. "We do not accept the siege on Gaza," said Zoabi. "... Israel does not want a siege. It wants a silent siege. Israel does not want occupation, it wants a silent occupation. It wants its policies to go without criticisms of the world. That's why it wants to stop the flotilla and also

What is the the flotilla taking to Gaza?

53dd7e5008334a45b505963c2941c756

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

What was the suspect allegedly doing?

b96fce9d16c2454c96bdba93d27714dd

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

Where was the gas station?

b311d84bb5e542468723840e1c84a292

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

What did Rodriguez's father say?

bb1588b4e20447b2b7a6d3a92f342d45

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

What happened to Christopher Rodriguez?

c0ac3ef6afb94dbe8e1666b8bfbf5237

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

What did Christopher Rodriguez love?

683cfaf6ec1c47189172300b4aaa3f91

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

WIll the boy walk again?

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OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

What did the suspect allegedly rob?

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OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play. 10-year-old Christopher Rodriguez was hit by a stray bullet, paralyzing him for life, doctors say. Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired. A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart. He will likely be paralyzed for life from the waist down, doctors say. "This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my life. I love my son greatly," the boy's father, Richard Rodriguez, said Friday at a news conference. Watch Christopher's dad describe the ordeal » Christopher loved music. He had recently taken up African drumming, spent hours listening to classical music and played basketball. "I feel like half his life was taken from him; his inability, probably, to walk -- ever," Rodriguez said, his voice breaking. Christopher's mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, had been waiting outside in her SUV for her son's lesson to end. She not only heard the shots but came close to being hit herself. At least two bullets from Adams' gun struck her vehicle, police said. On the phone and distracted, she at first dismissed the noises as someone throwing rocks at her SUV. But when she realized it was gunfire, she dashed into her son's class. Christopher was on the floor, his classmates and instructor hovering over him. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" Christopher cried. As emergency workers rushed the boy to the hospital, police were chasing Adams, who was speeding away. Adams rammed his vehicle into a car carrying a woman and her two children and then slammed into a parked car, police said. The woman and children escaped without injury, according to authorities. Adams was charged Monday with attempted murder, robbery, evading a police officer, driving recklessly and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Oakland Police Department spokesman Roland Holmgren told CNN. He's being held without bail, according to Holmgren. CNN was not immediately able to determine whether he had a lawyer. Authorities found a ski mask, loaded gun and cash at the scene. Adams has prior convictions for driving under the influence and gun possession, records show. He pleaded no contest to felony evading arrest in 2006 for fleeing an Emeryville police officer and had run from or physically resisted a California Highway Patrol officer and police in Albany and Berkeley, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Adams once complained in court that young people raised in the city like himself never got opportunities, the paper also reported. Adams has been told about Christopher, said Holmgren. "It doesn't matter whether it's your first day on the street as an officer or a veteran, to see a child doing something as innocent as taking a piano lesson and have this happen to him, it affects your soul," said Holmgren. Meanwhile, doctors delivered tragic news about Christopher's future. "He's going to face years of rehabilitation," said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland. "We are all hoping there will be some degree of recovery. We feel like the injury is permanent, and the paralysis is permanent. "[It will be] a challenging life for this young boy." Christopher's friends and fellow music lovers plan to help him. Harmony Road Music School will hold a benefit concert for the Rodriguez family February 10 at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, a place of worship near the school. "The family is going to have to, essentially, make a home for a disabled child

How many yeras old was Christopher Rodriguez?

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