battle. >> later this hour. you saw the movie, well wait until you see this. artifacts from the real titanic, we'll bring it to you live in studio. you're watching weekend early start with news doesn't take the weekend off. we give you context and analysis, that is the killing of trayvon martin as the national fury grows, vigils and marchs are spreading. demonstrators have become the trademark signal wearing hoodies and holding skittles. george zimmerman said he did it in self defense. last night his attorney broke the silence. here what is he told anderson cooper. >> what is your client -- has your client told you about the night he shot trayvon martin? >> that, i believe he should have made a statement to police at that time. i think he did, i don't know for a fact because i haven't seen the police reports on this case. i have not discussed the evening of what occurred that time. i think that will come out through the investigation process, done by law enforcement. >> you haven't discussed any of the details of that night with him? >> no. >> we're getting up to speed in the shooting of trayvon martin. here is a time line of events. >> the story starts in sanford, florida near orlando. on february 26th, 17-year-old trayvon martin was shot and killed by a self-appointed neighborhood watchman. witnesses told police they heard a scuffle, a cry for help and a gunshot. when police arrive on the scene they found this man, george zimmerman holding the gun that killed martin. he had a bloody nose and wound on the back of his head. zimmerman tells police it's self defense. the only thing in trayvon martin's hand was a bag of skittles. on march 9th, 12 days after the killing. his father publicly called on sanford police to arrest george zimmerman saying justice hadn't been served. on march 13th, police wrapped up the investigation. they say no arrest has been made because they have no evidence to contradict zimmerman's story. two days later a witness speaks. >> we believe in our hearts 100% it was not self defense. >> march 16th, the next day, police release 911 tapes from the night of trayvon martin's death. here is one exchange. >> something is wrong with him. yep, he's coming to check me out. he's got something in his hands. i don't know what his deal it. >> are you following him? >> yeah. >> okay, we don't need to you do that. okay? >> no justice, no peace. >> on march 18th, several hundred people gathered in titusville, florida calling on the state attorney to filed charges in the case. the attorney announced a grand jury will review the case. and the justice department stepped in the next day, saying they would investigate whether there were civil rights violations. then, on thursday, sanford police chief bill lee stepped down temporarily saying he had become a distraction to the investigation. he had become the lightning rod for critics of his department's handling of the case. take a look that the map, this is where we have seen ral list for trayvon martin and his family. coming up we'll take you live to sanford, florida. we'll have an update on the events planned for trayvon martin today. polls open in louisiana next hour for the primary. 20 delegates are at stake. a survey shows rick santorum with the double digit lead over mitt romney and newt gingrich. santorum is on the defensive taking heat from his rivals for suggesting that reelecting president barack obama might be preferable to electing mitt romney. but he's backtracked saying he will vote republican even if it's not him. take a look at this out of toulouse, france, brand new video showing the inside of the apartment where gunman mohammed merah died. he was wanted in the killing of three french paratroopers, a rabbi and three children. >> pope benedict xvi will meet with president calderone in mexico. he condemned the drug gang violence that is ravaging part of mexico. one cartel is promising to lay low during the visit. after mexico, he heads to cuba. you may not mind waiting to go through airport security ever again after hearing this. a montana man being held without bail after he tried to board a plane in sacramento fully armed. tsa agents found three guns in his carry on bag. a pat down revealed he had a loaded gun in his holster. authorities also found 192 rounds of ammo and three knives, eight more guns were in that guy's car. >> we heard the engine pop and sputter, saw him going in a nose dive and tail spin, and then he hit the ground. >> two people are dead after two small planes collided in mid-air over colorado, an instructor and student pilot killed when the plane crashed. the other plane clipped a power line. authorities say the pilot did a heroic job avoided crowded areas, hospitalized but is expected to survive. turn to gas prices up again today, a fraction of a cent but the 15th day in a row now. the national average is 3.89 a gallon up from 3.88 yesterday. as of this morning, there are nine states where gas is over $4 a gallon. let's say good morning to reynolds wolf. we'll get the weather in just a moment from you but i want to take a quick look at the march madness games. i'm afraid to look this morning. >> are you kidding me i'm proud of you. you're doing great. >> i'm still hanging in there? >> let's remind america this is the first time you've ever done the bracket folks. she is number three on the network, doing very, very well. which is more impressive, all the way to your final four, that is most important, she picked kentucky and louisville, syracuse and north carolina. all teams are still in. we might see changes, going to be a long weekend, but as far as i'm concerned you've done an amazing job, if you were to lose every one here on out, i'm blown away. >> syracuse is still hanging in there. >> they had a great game against wisconsin a real nail biter, so far you're nailing them like they were. >> what do you have in the weather department, i'm sure people care about that. >> a double-edged sword. a chance of severe weather in parts of the southeast, that is bad news. the good news we had so much pollen in the atmosphere in parts of the southeast, could use rain to knock it out of the atmosphere, that is what we expect for parts of the day, more of that coming up plus the travel weather nation-wide you have to know what to expect. that is moments away. thank you. here is a run down of other stories we're working on today. planning to go visit london? take extra cash for that trip to the local pub. as national outrage goes over the killing of trayvon martin, a live report from sanford, florida coming up. nearly 100 years after the sank, the titanic continues to fascinate. artifacts from the tragic night heads to the auction block, we'll have a preview. a borat-theme blunder, all that 90 seconds away. i am loving this greek yogurt. i like yoplait. it is yoplait. but you said it was greek. mmhmm. so is it greek or is it yoplait? exactly. okay... [ female announcer ] yoplait. it is so greek. southern and central illinois are trying to recover after storms tore through the region yesterday. a woman killed, two people injured when a tornado touched down in jefferson county. the mobile home was tossed across the road. several other homes were also damaged. the question is, is more stormy weather on tap for today? it's ten minutes past the hour, reynolds will join us again, how is it looking? >> can't be picture-perfect for everyone. rain will clear in the southeast, parts of the carolinas that had tons of pollen. we're seeing two waves, the front and trough driving back from the west to the east. a little bit of rotation back over near st. louis, that is the center of the area of low pressure, everything driving off toward the east. what it will mean for the tar heel region in the carolinas, possibly strong storms later in the day. as soon as the atmosphere heats up and you have moisture coming in, things get unestablistaesun. one system in the west is leaving, another is coming in, when you get toward mount shasta, snow develop, how much snow you'll see the answer before your eyes, from three to six inches, 3,000 feet above. that is the freezing level. same for the sierra nevada. looks nice for you in the center of the u.s., sunny mild for much of the central and southern plains, picture perfect with high temperatures that are going to be a little bit cooler. we dealt with record highs in chicago the last couple days, today only going in the 60s. 73 minneapolis, 76 kansas city, 60 in seattle, 76 los angeles. 623 66 in washington d.c. delays in washington under an hour. san francisco, the fog and l.a., you will have the marine layer, might be pesky by afternoon the fog should dissipate. randi over to you at the news desk. come over, have a seat. >> oh, boy. >> this is serious. >> we want to you sit down i have good news and bad news. >> bring it both. >> start with the bad. the government is cracking down on alcohol. are you okay? >> i'm fine. >> i'm still here. >> good news it's not our government. >> what is not to love. >> in the uk. we're safe. >> we're celebrating other's misfortune is what you're telling me. >> i wasn't sure how you would react. british prime minister david cameron will impose a minimum alcohol price in an effort to boost health and cut crime. not a bad idea. would add two pounds or $3 to 12 pack of beer, little pricier. government official says violent crimes and hospital stays cost british taxpayers $33 billion in 2010. that is a lot. >> they take beer seriously. they sure do. just ahead, homeowners facing foreclosure may not have to move, one lender is now willing to let them stay in their homes as renters. plus, we are live in sanford, florida you will hear more from george zimmerman's attorney who is saying the case is getting out of control. this is cnn weekend early start where news doesn't take the weekend off. you hundreds of dollars on car insurance... da bears. haha... you people sure do talk funny. geico®. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. at meineke i have options... like oil changes starting at $19.95. my money. my choice. my meineke. . back to the main story this morning, support and out rage continue over trayvon martin's shooting. athletes, politicians and activists are leading the charge in demanding justice for trayvon martin. president obama has commented on it as well. >> if i had a son he would look like trayvon. and i think they are right to expect that all of us as americans, are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and we will get to the bottom of exactly what happened. >> more rallies and protests are planned across the country today. let's take you live to sanford, florida, holly furfur has the latest developments. there have been events tied to the case, anything planned for today? >> reporter: good morning, randi, today, this morning, al sharpton is planning a rally in new york. also a rally for justice in washington d.c., planned for this afternoon. in charlotte, south carolina, are nofolk, virginia people are actively asking for the arrest of george zimmerman, the shooter of trayvon martin. conversation is shifting to george zimmerman, people are asking who is he? is he a racist, where is he right now? we've not heard anything from him since this incident, and we had an opportunity to talk to his attorney, craig saunder, last night who told us that george zimmerman is still in the sanford, florida area here. he's not left the state, he's not left the country, contrary to some reports. he doesn't know exactly where he is but he has spoken to him on the phone and they have discussed some elements of this case. now, when we asked him some specifics of what was going on, he said he just doesn't know at this point because it's under investigation, he doesn't have details. he said that neither he nor george have listened to those 911 tapes that everybody has heard yet and he does say there is a bit of concern because of all the attention that the situation is getting from the rallies around the country, from politicians and celebrities taking to facebook and twitter, talking about wanting an arrest for george zimmerman. here is what his attorney told us. >> this case is spinning out of control and i don't think that whatever did or didn't happen that day, whether -- we know one thing for sure, there is a young man in the prime of his life who is dead. we also know that george zimmerman was there and it was a gunshot from his gun. the question is was it -- what happened in those moments? >> reporter: and when we asked if george zimmerman was a racist, he said absolutely not. >> holly fifrfir, thank you. americans showing support, philadelphia police estimate between 5000 and 8,000 turned out for the hoodie march. the event began at 7:17 last night was to bring awareness about injustice throughout the nation. some of the biggest names in professional basketball, amare stoudemier wore a hoodie. the heat took this photo in their team sweatshirts. the team said in part, "we support our players and join them in hoping our logo can be part of the national dialogue and help in our nation's heeling." louisiana voters are looking to leave their mark for the white house. a preview of the primary is coming up. holy traffic stop. batman has been pulled over by the maryland police. more, next. we have a winner. we're definitely gonna need another one. small businesses that want to grow use 4g lte technology from verizon. i wonder how she does it. that's why she's the boss. because the small business with the best technology rules. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 1-800-974-6006. this reduced sodium soup says it may help lower cholesterol, how does it work? 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[announcer:] conocophillips. welcome back. 22 minutes past the hour. time to check out top stories from around the nation. first to maryland. we begin in montgomery county. that is where police pulled over none other than the caved crusader himself. or a good lookalike with his own batmobile. photos of the stop have been posted on facebook. police are not talking about the incident. our main message we don't want this in our community it does not only affect the small community, it affects the larger community. >> in stone park, illinois, a group of nuns is trying to stop a strip club from opening a few feet away from their retirement home. 300 neighbors joined the nuns to voice concern. they are hoping to convince local leaders and the club's owner to move the club someplace else but according to affiliate wgn, that is unlikely. the strip club is set to open in april. in western palm beach county, florida scary moments for the pilot and co-pilot of this sheriff's department helicopter. they suffered minor injuries when it was forced to make a hard landing. no word on the cause. cnn's year around campaign to honor every day people changing the world begins with you. we want you to tell us about someone you think deserves to be recognized as a cnn hero. give them a chance to expand their life-changing work. here is anderson cooper. we gather the best humanity has to offer. >> if you join us we will be unstoppable. >> cnn heros looking for every day people changing the world. how do we find these extraordinary people? with your help. you can nominate someone right now at cnnheros.com. maybe your hero is defending the planet by protecting the environment. we're helping people overcome obstacles. >> there will be no man left behind as long as we are this nation. >> finding a unique approach to solving a problem. whatever their cause, nominating a hero go to cnnheros.com, click nominate. we ask for basic information and tell us what makes your hero extraordinary. >> who liked the pasta? >> how are they changes lives for the better? >> you've done a great job. >> write from your heart. it's your words that will make your hero's story stand out. a couple tips, don't nominate yourself it's against the rules. not necessary to nominate over and over, we read each nomination. be selective. those honored as cnn heros are dedicating their lives to serving others. after you told us about your hero, click submit. it's that simple and that worth while. nominate someone deserving today. >> thank you so much for this incredible honor this has been the greatest night of my life. a tragedy in afghanistan, american staff sergeant robert bales accused of killing 16 people. why is he facing 17 murder charges? sarah joins us from kabul, afghanistan, next. 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[ female announcer ] yoplait. it is so greek. just about half past the hour welcome back i'm randi kaye. thank you for start injuring day with us. the army staff sergeant accused of going on a house-to-house killing rampage in afghanistan could face the death sentence if convicted. sergeant robert bales remains in custody at fort heavleavenworth. sara sidner has the story. >> reporter: robert bales is being charged with 17 counts of murder. that is a discrepancy. the afghan government has a list of 16 people killed and six people injured. sergeant bales also faces charges of assault and attempted murder on the six people who are injured, every single one of the injured is expected to survive. so we still haven't figured out why there is a discrepancy between the number of people he is charged with murdering and the number that the afghan government has as dead. let's talk about some of the reaction that happened here in afghanistan. the taliban has reacted saying that they do not in any way trust american courts, they call them theater, they do not believe in the american justice system. they think justice should be done here and they have again vowed to take revenge against any american troops here in the country. so there you have reaction from them. but as far as overall reaction, we have not seen any, not one, protest since these charges came down and really in a week, we haven't seen anyone going out in the streets, making any speeches. we do know the government is upset with how the investigation went down, because their investigators were not allowed to speak with the suspect and sent back to the united states. randi? >> sara sidner, thank you. getting a check now of the stories, an attorney for george zimmerman is pushing back against claims that race played a role in the shooting that claimed the life of 17-year-old trayvon martin. here what is craig saunder told erin burnett. >> seems like the case has spiralled into an issue of race. upon talking with my client, i don't believe that is the case at all. i've talked with him and people who know him, he is not known for being a racist, whatever tr