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How would you react if your daughters were kidnapped? What if they were taken to another country by your ex-husband, who's been accused of sexually abusing them? Cheryl Lamare had to face this terrifying dilemma. And she's had to face it for nine years. She's been trying to get her daughter Jamie back any way she can. In 1989, he ex-husband Stan Voulgarelis, a Greek citizen, kidnapped their two daughters and took them to Greece.
Within a few months, Cheryl was able to retrieve the older one, Ellie. But she couldn't find Jamie, and has been unable to bring her back. Follow her as she tries to get her daughter back with the help of a team of private detectives.
48 Hours reports on a woman who refuses to give up. Follow her to Crete, where she and a team of ex-commandos and detectives try to retrieve her daughter. Will the ex-husband outfox them again? Or will she be reunited with a daughter she last saw nine years ago?
Methamphetamine is a powerful, cheap drug and it is a growing problem in some surprising parts of America.
Unlike crack cocaine, which primarily targeted the inner-city during its reign of terror in the 1980's, crank is making it's mark in Small Town, U.S.A.
The drug's users range from middle class and well-educated people to teens -- even mothers who have passed on their addictions to their babies.
One of the reasons crank is growing so quickly is that methamphetamine is easily produced in makeshift labs from inexpensive raw materials. In addition, users experience a "high" lasting up to 30 hours -- much longer than many other drugs.
"Methamphetamine may be the worst drug ever to hit America," says retired General Barry McAffrey, the nation's Drug Czar. "It's expanding in a very bizarre manner. It's all over the Midwest. It's in Idaho, Arizona, Hawaii, San Francisco, Southern California. It's now showing up in Georgia."
Crank's explosive growth is being fueled by mass production labs run by Mexican nationals. Authorities say they produce up to 95% of the crank on America's streets.
CBS News 48 Hours took a close look at methamphetamine on Thursday, and found a drug that threatens to tear apart the lives of countless Americans. Could your community be at risk?
After ravaging parts of the Caribbean and Florida, Hurricane Georges recharged and slammed into the Gulf of Mexico, flooding the Gulf Coast with rain measured in feet instead of inches.
Property damage from the storm -- which once packed 174 mile-an-hour gusts -- are expected to reach the $2 billion mark. With at least 300 confirmed dead in the Caribbean, the human costs are incalculable.
But even with such grisly statistics, Hurricane Georges was by no means the most powerful or costly storm to blow through this part of the world. And even in a field as unpredictable as the weather, it is a virtual certainty that the coming years will bring more hurricanes, more damage and more death.
What causes these monstrous storms to form? If a hurricane were headed your way, would you know what to do?
On Thursday, CBS News 48 Hours took an in-depth look at hurricanes and the path of misery left in their wake.
Imagine that your 11-year-old son has just accidentally set himself on fire, and has burns over much of his body. You would probably want him treated at a pediatric emergency room, which specializes in children's injuries.
Six years ago, there were no such facilities. Today there are more than 350, and the field is growing. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of the country's busiest, with about 80,000 visits a year.
48 Hours went behind the scenes at Cincinnati Children's Hospital for a firsthand look at two days and nights of fast-paced lifesaving.
What would you do? Your child is failing school, taking drugs or running away for months at a time? Some parents are responding by taking drastic action, and sending their teen-agers away for months, sometimes years, to special rehabilitation schools.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at several of these programs.
Last month, Americans' sense of security was shattered when a gunman opened fire at a Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles. This crime and similar acts have increased awareness of a growing trend: The number of hate groups is increasing, according to experts.
"Last year the number of hate groups went up 20 percent," says Mark Potok, a spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks such groups. "It was a dramatic rise."
CBS News 48 Hours explores this phenomenon, focusing on the recent shooting in Los Angeles and a Pennsylvania family forced to flee from racists intent on terrorizing them.
Survivors' Stories: Victims and their parents speak out for the first time in the aftermath of the shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles. 48 Hours Correspondent Susan Spencer reports.
Hate Hits Home: Bonnie Jouhari, a fair housing advocate in Reading, Penn., is threatened by a hate group for her efforts to integrate housing and fight racial harassment. This campaign of intimidation forces Jouhari and her daughter Dani to relocate. Jouhari's enemies find out where she moved and continue their campaign. Find out Jouhari's response to these threats in an exclusive CBS.com interview.
It was 1983. Ohioans Elizabeth and Patrick Welsh seemed to have it all. They were happily married, with two wonderful sons, Chris and Ted. Then Patrick disappeared, leaving behind a suicide note saying that his wife and sons would be better off without him. Chris, Ted and their mother were crushed, but soldiered on, slowly building a new life.
Then, in October 1997, Elizabeth received a letter from the Social Security Administration, demanding that she pay back $56,000 in death benefits. Patrick Welsh was not dead, the letter said: someone was using his social security card. Assuming that someone besides Patrick had been using his social security number, perhaps inadvertently, Elizabeth began investigating. With the help of the Internet, good sleuthing, and some luck, Elizabeth discovered that her dead husband was not dead. He was living in Galveston, Texas under the name Tim Kingsbury.
CBS News 48 Hours explores the devastating impact of this "Kingsbury's" betrayal and the ripples it sent through the community of Galveston.
There is no doubt that sexually abusing children is a terrible crime. But what about the damage to those who are falsely accused of such crimes? In the 1980s, in an effort to protect children, investigators used methods that are now controversial, leading to some convictions that are now being questioned.
CBS News 48 Hours reports on the Amiraults, a family accused of sexually abusing numerous children while running a daycare center in Massachusetts. But did they actually do any of the things they are accused of?
Ten-year-old Samantha Frazer has a very big decision to make. Should she live with the woman who is fighting to adopt her and whom she's grown to love, or her birth mother, who abandoned her years ago and ran off across the country? The choice is hers.
CBS News 48 Hours examines what happens when parental rights clash with a child's desire for a happy home.
For thousands of years, humans have dreamed of finding the secrets to long life, even immortality. Until now, the dream has been elusive. But scientists and doctors are beginning to understand the fundamental mechanisms that cause the human body to grow, and to deteriorate. Will we one day clone ourselves? Or will we simply inject ourselves with hormones that keep us permanently spry?
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at some modern attempts to sidestep death. Some will amaze you, others may cause you to scratch your head in wonder.
How would you react if you were given the power of life and death over the man who brutally killed your father in cold blood, and then tried to kill you? Eleven years ago, Suezann Bosler watched a stranger stab her father to death, and then try to kill her. After the murderer was caught and convicted, Suezann went on a remarkable crusade to save him from the death penalty.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at this incredible case of forgiveness triumphing over hate.
Like most high schools, Grosse Pointe North High is a place full of hormones and insecurity. Sexuality and social pressure can make for a volatile combination. Sometimes that combination leads older guys to take advantage of younger girls eager for acceptance. But is there a difference between mistreating vulnerable young girls.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at this question, taking viewer to Grosse Pointe, a small, well-to-do suburb near Detroit, where four high school seniors are accused of rape by a group of freshman girls.
It's mind-boggling: About half the couples who get married in this country will also split up. Divorce is an enormous problem in America, for the people getting divorced, for their friends and families, and especially for their children.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at Divorce, American-Style. You'll meet divorced couples who are trying to stay close for the sake of their children; couples who can hardly stand to be in the same room with each other; mediators who try to keep a painful separation from costing more than it should, both emotionally and legally; divorce experts who tell you how to deal with an angry or annoying ex-spouse; and, most heartbreaking of all, the children of divorced couples, who through no fault of their own, must find a way to grow up in a ruptured family.
You'll meet a variety of people, all of them struggling with divorce in one way or another.
Ask the average person about royalty and they'll probably think you're talking about Princess Diana or Queen Elizabeth. But royals are everywhere: in the industrial slums of England, in Brooklyn, even selling perfume on QVC. There are even a few royals who still live in palaces, surrounded by servants and opulence.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at this wide world of royalty, which can be very strange indeed.
A seven-year-old who reads Robert Frost and breezes through college calculus. A 15-year-old who may be a female Tiger Woods. A 16-year-old who already has a Number 1 country song. They're all prodigies, and you'll meet them this Thursday, when CBS News 48 Hours shows you what it's like to be a young genius.
Life can sometimes be very difficult for these child prodigies. Their unique talents can put enormous pressure on them. Other children taunt them as freaks, adults sometimes see them as threats, or as curiosities. Sometimes being normal is an elusive dream.
Four years ago, in cities and towns across America, millions of teen-agers entered the ninth grade. At the same time, CBS News began an in-depth examination of this group, the Class of 2000. The goal: To present a portrait of our country's problems and promise as seen through the eyes of these students.
CBS News' 48 Hours completes this four-year project with a look at several remarkable young men and women.
What causes someone to become a serial killer? And can such a person be rehabilitated? This week, CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at the gripping story of a cold-blooded serial killer about to go free after only 20 years in prison - and the victims who want desperately to keep him in jail.
Donald Miller was the quintessential boy-next-door. Growing up in a quiet middle class neighborhood in East Lansing, Michigan, Don seemed completely normal. Although he grew up in the mid-70s, when many of his classmates were growing their hair long and dabbling in drugs, Don was a clean-cut straight arrow. He served as a youth minister at his church. He went to the local college, Michigan State University, where he played trombone in the school marching band. He dated a girl who went to his church, Martha Sue Young.
But Don Miller wasn't the normal boy-next-door. He became a serial killer.
Find out about a 16-year-old recovering alcoholic; a mother who fights to stop the crowds of underage American drinkers who converge on Tijuana, Mexico; an undergrad who celebrated his 21st birthday with 24 shots of hard liquor and ended up dead; and a man who's made it his mission to educate teens about alcohol advertising.
Their stories bring an up-close view of how alcohol bears a destructive influence on young lives. 48 Hours reports.
For almost every patient, a cancer diagnosis used to be a death sentence. But with advances in modern medicine, many of these patients now have a good chance to survive. CBS News 48 Hours follows the fortunes of several cancer sufferers, introduces viewers to a few of the cutting edge researchers as they race to find a cure, reports on the latest treatments, and talks to the experts about what you can do to avoid this terrifying disease.
Study after study shows that juries put a great deal of faith in the testimony of expert witnesses. A good expert witness can swing a verdict one way or another. But how reliable are they? CBS News 48 Hours' "Expert Witness" takes a look at several incredible cases in which experts made the difference - sometimes helping the innocent prove their innocence, other times helping send the innocent to jail.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at the incredible story of a mother who is determined to confront, face to face, the condemned murderer who brutally killed her daughter 12 years earlier. Will he agree to meet her? If the meeting happens, will she be able to forgive him?
Among the memorable people you'll meet on this Thursday's show:
For more about programs devoted to reconciliation between victims and offenders, see our catalog of web sites.
Jonathan Wayne Nobles: a 37-year-old convict who is on Texas' death row for two murders he committed 13 years ago. In 1986, Nobles, an ex-con with a history of drug abuse and mental illness, broke into a house in Austin, Texas, and stabbed to death two young women, Kelly Farquhar and Mitzi Kurland. Caught soon after, Nobles was convicted and sentenced to death.
Paula Kurland, Mitzi's mother, who is still grieving over her daughter's untimely death. Paula believes that a face-to-face meeting with her daughter's killer might help her put the past behind her. She wants to go to death row and have a conversation with Nobles, telling him exactly how he's ruined her life. Says Kurland: "We've been sentenced to prison for 12 years and it's time for us to be free . . .It's going to help me close a chapter and hopefully get on with my life."
CBS News 48 Hours introduces you to Sterling Barber, a young man accused of murder. Barber, who was 17 when the incident occurred, admits that he killed the man, Douglas Wyatt, but claims he stabbed him in self-defense after Wyatt tried to rape him. Unconvinced, a jury convicted him of murder and the judge sentenced him to life in jail, plus 40 years. Barber appealed his case. What will happen? And who is in the right?
48 Hours Correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports from Georgia.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at two long-unsolved murder cases that have stymied police and haunted relatives of the victims. Now a combination of hard work by investigators and amazing new technology is helping solve these cases. Will justice triumph, years after the original crimes?
Among the singular people you'll meet on this week's show:
Rick Nagle: a detective with the Cold Case Unit of the Massachusetts State Police. Nagle's job is to solve crimes that other cops have been unable to crack. The son of a police chief, Nagle is tenacious, some might even say obsessed. He spends hours going over every aspect of the crime, even visiting crime scenes that are decades old to get a sense of how the murderer was thinking. Talking about the victims whose cases he tries to close after so many years, Nagle says: "I look at those pictures [of the victims] a lot and I reflect on them. It reminds me that they're gone and there's no one to speak for them, and that's why I get emotional."
Marion Mullin , who has been grieving since her 17-year-old daughter Jennifer was killed in 1993. Jennifer's killer was never found. Now, Rick Nagle thinks he may have found the culprit.
Billy Jewitt , a 25-year-old man who was the last known person seen with Jennifer the night she was killed. Jewitt has long been a suspect, but police have never been able to find enough evidence to charge him. But Nagle's hard work, and new DNA technology that ties Jewitt to Jennifer, give the police enough to bring him to trial for murder. Nagle finds a witness who testifies that Billy Jewitt said he had killed Jennifer.
Ruth Masters , a young schoolteacher who was brutally murdered 22 years ago in Plymouth, Mass. At the time, the Plymouth police chief was Dick Nagle - Rick's father. Even before he became a police officer, Rick was fascinated with the case, which has never been solved. He has been trying to piece it together for his entire career. Now, he finally may have a lead. He is a
Clint Hallam, a charismatic 49-year-old, lost his right hand in an accident 15 years ago. Since then, he dreamed of being able to play the piano with two hands once again.
Last September in Lyons, France, Hallam became the first human to undergo a hand transplant. CBS News' 48 Hours examines what happens when cutting-edge medical technology gets mixed up with stubborn human nature.
Imagine being so worried about germs that you feel compelled to wash your hands dozens of times a day, or so concerned about giving the correct change that you count the coins over and over before you give them to the cashier. That is the sort of thing that happens to those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an illness that afflicts almost five million Americans.
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at this strange malady. You'll meet men and women who must battle their obsession every minute of every day. "Imagine yourself having some kind of feeling that comes over you," says one sufferer. "Just imagine the feeling's overwhelming, makes you panicked; you're just terrified."
Among the unforgettable people you'll meet on this week's show:
Howie Mandel: the comedian and talk show host who has been fighting a fear of germs all his life. As host of a daily talk show, he is forced to greet strangers all the time. This creates problems, especially when the guests have just been sick, as happened recently when actress Carmen Electra appeared on the show. (Howie decided to forego the usual host-guest kiss.) Howie deals with his obsession without psychological help. He has a special guest house in his backyard, to which he repairs when his wife or children are sick. But Howie says he is content: "I couldn't be happier. I'm probably the most happy neurotic person in the world."
Jeremy Lyons, a 16-year-old tenth grader from Milwaukee who is so terrified of germs that he takes three-hour showers. In December, he enrolled at Rogers Memorial Hospital, which has a specialized program to treat OCD. His treatments include drugs as well as behavior therapy to "immunize" him to the situations he fears most. Slowly, Jeremy gets better.
Mary Ellen Fridl, a 59-year-old widow and grandmother who has at least 125 obsessions. Among her many demons: contamination obsessions, washing compulsions, religious obsessions, and fear that she hasn't given the correct cha
CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at pain. For millions of Americans, pain is an everyday fact of life, a force that must be dealt with every minute of every day. Whether the pain comes from a poorly understood neurological disease, a migraine, or a blown-out knee, it can be overwhelming. We'll introduce you to people who must deal with tremendous levels of constant physical pain. Then we'll show you some of the new scientific approaches that could help these people live normal lives again.
Among the extraordinary people featured on the show:
Picabo Street: the charismatic gold medal-winning skier, who badly injured both legs in a race last year. We follow her through her arduous rehabilitation, as she tries to recover her lost strength and mobility.
Rebecca Olivares, a 32-year -old businesswoman who has been stricken with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), an enigmatic disease that sends pain shooting into her legs and leaves her barely able to walk. Both Rebecca and Picabo are being treated by the same doctor, and they strike up a friendship. Over their months of rehab, they become closer and closer. They take a vacation together to a spa in Arizona, and Rebecca decides that she will attempt to scale a 45-foot high rock-climbing wall. Before she'd come down with RSD, she'd been an avid rock climber, and she wants to conquer this obstacle. Amazingly, she does it, and in the process gives herself - and Picabo - a sense of the power of the human will.
Robert Garcia, a 33-year-old man who also suffers from RSD. His case is much more severe, racking his entire body with awful pain, as well as tremors and seizures. Having tried all the available therapies, Robert is at the end of his rope. But an innovative doctor, California neurosurgeon Jacob Chodakiewitz, offers to try a new procedure, that will implant an electrode deep into Robert's brain, and a small generator into his chest. Known as deep brain stimulation, this approach can sometimes short circuit the
Almost everyone dreams of that big break, of making millions. Be your own boss! Own a yacht! Invent a groundbreaking device that will help the world and make you a lot of money.
This week, CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at several people who have hit the big time, one way or another.
Cybersex Sells:: Meet two online entrepreneurs who are making loads of money from the unbridled lust of Web surfers.
A Designing Woman: Buxom beauty Shoshanna Lonstein first gained fame as Jerry Seinfeld's teenage girlfriend. Now she is making her mark, and a lot of money, as a clothing designer.
Grandma's Goo: Sculptor and inventor Patricia Billings, 72, may have come up with a revolutionary building material that is impervious to fire.
Tales From The Cryptographer: 17-year-old Sarah Flannery, who lives in a small Irish village, has a talent for math. She's so talented, in fact, that she's come up with a new cryptographic code that may change the way business is done on the Internet.
For more than two years, a modest house on the outskirts of Boulder, Colorado has been one of the most infamous addresses in America. It is the house where six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was brutally killed on the day after Christmas 1996.
But after almost 28 months, the murder remains a mystery as authorities filter through heaps of physical evidence. CBS News Correspondent Bernard Goldberg takes an inside look at the investigation for 48 Hours.
CBS News' 48 Hours investigates the often under-regulated world of human medical testing. According to many critics, research subjects can end up in worse condition than before they began.
Drug Money: Correspondent Susan Spencer reports on Richard Borison and Bruce Diamond, two men who set up a fake drug testing operation and deceived patients, drug companies and the state of Georgia.
Here To Help? Correspondent Erin Moriarty reports on the case of Shalmah Prince, a manic depressive woman who checked herself into a hospital for treatment. Instead of being treated for that condition, she ended up participating in a study of an experimental psychosis drug.
The investigation of the Columbine High School shooting massacre continues; influences of music, weapons and self-respect programs.
Stephanie Crowe had a bright future. By all accounts, she was good student, had a lot of friends, and got along well with her parents and two siblings. at the age of twelve, she was already winning awards for her volunteer work. But in January of 1998, all that came to an end when she was brutally murdered, stabbed nine times while she slept in her bedroom.
Stephanie's parents were beside themselves with grief. But it got worse. Days later, their 15-year-old son Michael and two of his friends were arrested for the crime. Police explained Michael and one of his friends had confessed and implicated the third.
But then Michael and his friend recanted, saying they had been pressured into confessing by an overzealous police department.
Did the three boys kill Stephanie Crowe? Or did the police overstep their bounds while rushing to make an arrest?
48 Hours takes an in-depth look at this tale of murder, family solidarity, and the limits of police interrogation techniques.
On Nov. 7, 1997, Sheila Bellush, a mother of six, was brutally murdered in her Sarasota, Fla., home. Police found a multitude of clues at the scene, including fingerprints. Within weeks, three men had been arrested. But the crime was not a robbery, and the three men had never met Bellush before.
Why would they want to kill her? Was it a murder for hire? Her ex-husband, wealthy San Antonio businessman Allen Blackthorne, frequently golfed with one of the men arrested in the crime. Witnesses say he was very angry at his ex-wife. Weeks before the murder, he hired a private investigator to locate Bellush. While the three men languished in jail, Blackthorne, who says he is innocent, continued to play golf.
CBS News 48 Hours examines a case of murder, guilt and the intricacies of the criminal justice system.
A Brutal Murder: Why would anyone want to murder Sheila Bellush? She was a wonderful woman and a devoted mother, her family says. Peter Van Sant reports from Sarasota, Fla.
Teen-agers undergoing plastic surgery, a bodybuilding routine that dominates one man's waking hours, a fear of gaining weight that leads to a girl's heart attack and blindness and an obsession with nose size that keeps another man from leading a normal life: In one form or another, all of these people are pursuing physical perfection.
48 Hours takes a look at some people who will do almost anything to achieve their vision of perfection. But have they gone too far? Has our society.
Alicia Mitchell seems like a typical teen-ager. But she has struggled so much with eating disorders that she has been hospitalized more than 50 times.
Is 16 too young to have cosmetic surgery? Not for some girls. Meet some teen-agers so unhappy with their looks that they are going under the knife.
As a kid, Rob Ashton was chubby and shy. Now he's a bodybuilder who lets nothing get in the way of bigger pecs and better muscle definition. Is he sacrificing too much, even his health?
Two men are so convinced that they are ugly they have shut out the world. They suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD. Can intensive treatment and a new drug regimen help them break out of a warped self-image? Find out.
In the aftermath of the Littleton tragedy, many Americans began to ask how such young people could plan and commit such a horrible act. As part of its ongoing examination of the Class of 2000, CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at teens and violence.
You'll meet all sorts of teenagers: heroes, violent felons, and some more or less normal kids who are just trying to find their way in a confusing and scary world.
Imagine that you have an incurable disease and you are searching for a solution. Is there any path you wouldn't take, any remedy you wouldn't try, when you're desperate for a cure? CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at some unusual and alternative healing methods. Do these strategies work? Or are they fool's gold, sold to those who are most in need of real help?
Miraculous Oil? When the religious pictures at her home in Worcester, Mass., started dripping oil, Linda Santos decided that it was a sign from God. Now her house is mobbed by pilgrims, many desperate for a cure. But is this a "miracle" or a hoax?
Cancer Cure, Or Snake Oil? Some cancer patients think that 714-X is a wonder drug. They say it got rid of their disease when traditional methods couldn't. But the drug has never been tested, and is illegal in the United States. Does it work?
Feel The Energy: Gene Egidio says that his touch can heal. He's created a big business out of it. But does it work? And how often?
Healing Sounds: Can a soothing sound help cure cancer or relieve chronic pain? Some people, including some respected doctors, say yes. How does this novel treatment work?
A year after Cheryl Lamare's latest rescue attempt, 48 Hours Correspondent Susan Spencer finds out what happened to some of those involved.
Still in Crete with his daughter Jamie, Stan Voulgarelis insists that he has never sexually abused her. During a visit, he urged Spencer to talk with Jamie alone to ask if she had been sexually abused. She insisted that she liked living with her father, and that he had never touched her inappropriately.
Jamie has a message for her mother: "She shouldn't try to come back and get me because I'll go only when I want to go."
But shortly after our program aired a year ago, a young woman named Lisa contacted 48 Hours. She said she was a stepdaughter from Stan's previous marriage, and she had a shocking claim.
It's a nonstop adrenaline rush. A trip to strange places that you've never even imagined. It's 48 Hours Adventures! The premiere, "Wild Things," introduces you to scuba divers who swim with sharks, runners who sprint from bulls, and a woman who takes care of baby elephants.
Running With The Bulls: Correspondent Erin Moriarty takes viewers to Pamplona, where runners sprint just a few feet ahead of charging bulls. New York City bar owner Joe Distler understands the adrenaline rush well. He has been participating in the event for more than 30 years. Watch as Distler does it again.
Adventurous Links: Want to find out how you can run with the bulls? Or how to help save orphaned elephants? The Web can tell you, and we've gathered the best sites here.
Lightning Strikes: Correspondent Russ Mitchell explores the amazing power of lightning. You'll meet Gretel Erlich, who was hit by lightning on her cattle ranch in 1991. She almost died, and talks about how the experience changed her.
Taking Care Of Baby: Correspondent Susan Spencer profiles a woman who finds new families for baby elephants orphaned by poachers and farmers in Africa.
Dipping Into The Volcano: In Hawaii, Spencer meets volcano researcher Carl Thornber, who gets very close to what he studies. He once lived 200 yards from Kilauea, the best-studied volcano in the world. When it erupts, other residents flee, but Thornber gets in closer, to where the lava temperatures rise above 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Swimming With The Sharks: Correspondent Harold Dow reports on a group of divers who go swimming with sharks off the Bahamas. Known as a "shark rodeo," this spectacle is both beautiful and terrifying.
What is it like to be an exact copy of another human being? 48 Hours examines this fascinating question, exploring the lives of twins as well as quadruplets.
48 Hours' "Multiple Choice" introduces you to some twins who for more than 40 years didn't even know each other. You'll also meet a woman who was determined to bear her quadruplets, even if it endangered her own life. And you'll learn the truth about Correspondent Erin Moriarty and her twin sister Sheela. Identical or fraternal twins? Find out.
When Cathy Cimoch found out she was pregnant with quadruplets, she decided she'd try to have all four. But the difficulties prove tremendous. Will her babies survive?
Many identical twins - even those raised separately - are remarkably alike, down to their hairstyles. But others are drastically different. What determines these outcomes? Is it genes, or environment?
For more than 40 years, Erin Moriarty and her sister thought they were identical twins. But are they? Or was the doctor who delivered them mistaken?
Should wrongdoers who are mentally ill be treated in the same way as are calculating, cold-blooded murderers? And what happens when a killer, judged insane, then claims to be cured and asks for freedom?
CBS News 48 Hours has examined these cases:
On July 17, 1988, Michael Hayes, then a 24-year-old moped repairman in Forsyth County, North Carolina, gunned down nine people at a crossroads, killing four. He was soon caught, and confessed, telling authorities that God had told him to kill demons. Found not guilty by reason of insanity, he was sent to the state mental hospital. Now he says he is no longer mentally ill and should be allowed to work unsupervised off hospital grounds. His longtime lawyer agrees. But the relatives of his former victims don't want him freed and the psychiatrist hired by the state thinks Hayes is still dangerous. What will happen?
In 1975 Philadelphia lawyer Jay Centifanti shot his wife five times. He claimed insanity and never went to prison. Now a crusader for the mentally ill, he says he leads a normal life. Did the system work, or did he get off easily?
What would possess a mother to kill her newborn child? Authorities say that some mothers fall victim to an altered state known as postpartum psychosis, in which mothers are not aware of what they are doing to their children. One of these mothers is Dawn March, who drowned her 22-week-old daughter Shawna. March was sent to a mental hospital. What happened to her?
It is 29,028 feet of foreboding rock and ice: Mt. Everest. It has challenged and sometimes beaten even the bravest climbers. Among those who were willing to try: a 51-year-old professor who has only one foot. Last year, that climber, Tom Whittaker, tried to leave his footprint on Everest as the first disabled climber to make the ascent.
48 Hours Adventures takes you along as Whittaker takes his shot in "Against All Odds."
Unusual relationships between man and beast; woman's quest to save the orangutan in Indonesia; lions as pets; glider pilot leads birds' migration; scientists study penguins in Antarctica.
CBS News 48 Hours examines the case of two Oklahoma boys who shot and killed their brutally abusive father. Everyone in Rush Springs knew what was going on at the Dutton place. But no one stopped it. So the two boys took matters into their own hands. Is what they did murder or self-defense? 48 Hours delves into this moral quandary, and examines how a small town could allow the situation to get this far.
Most of us have lives constrained by the possible. But a brave few reach for what others deem impossible.
Some strive to recover from devastating injuries, to balance more people on a thin strand of wire, or to row across more miles than ever before. They put themselves in great danger, sometimes even risking too much.
48 Hours Adventures examines their drive in "Mission Impossible."
Kenyans Run Over The Competition: Kenyan long-distance runners have been almost unbeatable. Bryant Gumbel travels to the heights of Kenya to discover what gives these racers their edge.
A Fearless Love Of Flying: Patty Wagstaff is one of the best aerobatic flyers in the world. Where many people would be terrified, she finds her happiest moments.
Around World In A Rowboat: For years, Mick Bird has dreamed of rowing around the world. Now he's actually doing it. It takes unimaginable willpower, plus 10,000 strokes a day.
A Hard Act To Follow: Walther Guerrero lived to perform on the tightrope. Then, two years ago, he had a devastating accident. Harold Dow finds out how he has dealt with life on the ground. He finds a courageous man, unwilling to regret his decisions.
A Two-Way Street To Recovery: Picabo Street is trying to recover from a serious skiing injury, her second. Then she meets Rebecca Olivares, struggling with an even scarier, more frustrating injury. See how each helps the other overcome her fears.
Do ghosts exist? Can we communicate with the dead? Do humans live more than one lifetime? 48 Hours puts the paranormal world to the test. Is any of this stuff really real?
Ghosts For Guests? Leland French is sure that his historic house, McRaven, is haunted. Find out what two parapsychologists, who investigate claims of hauntings, think about these ghosts.
Tapping Into Past Lives: Dr. Brian Weiss is a Yale-trained psychiatrist who believes that hypnotism can help people remember their past lives. Correspondent Bernie Goldberg reports.
Spiritual Switchboard: George Anderson used to be a telephone operator. Now he claims to communicate with the dead. What happens when 48 Hours puts him to the test?
Psychic For Cops: Annette Martin says she has helped police solve many mysterious crimes. Among those who believe in her ability is retired Detective Rich Keaton. But what seems psychic to Martin seems like good questioning and good luck to a veteran debunker.
Remote Viewing Up Close: Those who believe they have extrasensory perception powers claim to see events and places far out of immediate range. They are also called remote viewers. Onis put to the test by Correspondent Harold Dow.
CBS News 48 Hours examines the case of Allen Griffen, an 11-year-old Iowa boy who died from a treatable disease. Whose fault is his death? His parents? His doctors? Should his parents - put on trial for allowing his death to occur - be held responsible?
As 48 Hours explores how a controllable medical problem could get so far out of control, you'll learn more about the following individuals:
Allen Griffen, a fourth-grader in Johnston, Iowa. On May 22, 1989, he died of peritonitis, a treatable intestinal disease. He weighed about 45 pounds when he died.
Terry and Jean Griffen, Allen's parents. The Griffins say they had no idea that their son was in danger of dying. They say they think about their son's death every day. But Iowa authorities, who said the signs of danger were obvious, charged the pair with willfully depriving their son of medical care. The couple faced 10 years in prison.
Carla Fultz and Bill Price, the Griffens' lawyers. They argued that Allen's doctors didn't adequately communicate the danger to the boy or his parents.
Dr. Thomas Bennett, who served as the Iowa state medical examiner. He said on the stand that Allen was a victim of "medical neglect."
Allen Kaufman and Jeffrey Stahl, two of Allen's doctors. The Griffens' lawyers argued that these two are really at fault in Allen's death.
Ultimately, the Griffens were found not guilty of neglect. They considered adopting another child, but never did. Following their acquittal, the Griffens sued Allen's doctors for malpractice. The case was settled out of court.
We expect that teachers, whose job is to nurture and guide children, will always have the best interests of their charges at heart. But sometimes teachers go astray: Sexual contact between teachers and students has increasingly become an issue.
These relationships are disturbing, not least because they are sometimes complex. Tonight, in "Teacher's Pet," 48 Hours reports on several such cases, examining the difficult questions these cases raise about responsibility and coercion.
Many people think of con artists as charismatic rakes, criminals who don't really hurt anyone. The reality is usually very different. Whether financially, emotionally or physically, con artists can cause their victims enormous pain. CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at two unusual and charming con artists, both of whom ended up hurting their victims - in one case, mortally.
Raymond Stone claimed that he was just a con man, that he would never resort to violence. But police and prosecutors said he was a murderer.
Retha Sue Whitfield was a former professional gospel musician. She painted herself as a deeply religious woman. That didn't stop her from defrauding a widow out of hundreds of thousands of dollars
We have forever been fascinated with wild animals. 48 Hours examines this powerful allure, reporting on several animals whose skills and abilities will surprise you.
Hollywood Grins And Bears It: Tank the Bear may look mean, but it's just an act - a good act. Performing in Hollywood films, he earns $5,000 a day. Correspondent Harold Dow profiles an unusual star.
Swimming With Trouble: Dolphins have a reputation as gentle, friendly creatures. But new research indicates that they may also be stone-cold killers. Troy Roberts reports.
AIBO, The Digital Wonder Dog: Peter Van Sant takes a cutting-edge robot dog on a walk in New York's Central Park. How does AIBO stack up against his flesh-and-blood relatives?
Secret Language Of Elephants: Susan Spencer interviews a biologist who is trying to decode elephant communication that's barely audible to human ears.
Dealing With Dog Anxiety: What do modern pet owners do with a disturbed Dalmation or a jumpy German shepherd? These days, they're calling in the pet psychologist. Richard Schlesinger reports.
Learning Is For The Birds: When it comes to intelligence, birds get a bad rap. As Bill Lagattuta discovers, they'r actually very bright. "Birdbrain" takes on a whole new meaning.
It's every parent's nightmare: a missing child. With every passing hour, the tendency to think the worst grows. CBS News' 48 Hours reports on how parents and authorities responded in three cases.
Traci Rene Conrad: On Feb. 25, 1996, Traci, an 11-year-old girl who lived in California's Central Valley, disappeared. Authorities and local people spent the next 25 days searching frantically for the little girl, often slogging their way through pouring rain.
Finally, Rene's body was found in a kiln, just a few blocks from the Conrads' house. The kiln belonged to the Galik family, and police soon arrested a former truck driver named Kevin Galik, then 37. When she disappeared, Rene had been on her way to visit Galik's children.
She was found wrapped in a sheet matching those inside the Galik home, and a man's T-shirt was wrapped around her head. The shirt was Kevin Galik's size. Galik claimed innocence, but at his trial, prosecutors produced several witnesses who undercut his alibi. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Rene's parents, Chris and Terri, have since become vocal advocates for better, quicker police response to child-related crimes.
Baby Kerri: In July 1992, Kerri Mammini, who was then 2 days old, was snatched from the Alta Bates Medical Center in San Francisco.
Three months later, after a frenzied nationwide search, Kerri was found in the possession of Karen Lea Hughes, a 40-year-old woman.
Hughes, who said she had kidnapped the baby to ease her distress about a miscarriage, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Kerri now lives with her mother, Jessica Mammini, in the San Francisco area.
Robert Kloack: In 1987, Robert Kloack's mother lost a custody battle for her son. In response, she went underground, taking her 3-year-old son to Florida. She taught him at home and seldom let him go outside.
When he was found after five years and returned to his father Tom in Idaho Falls, Idaho
What is the thrill of risking danger? Is it the momentary adrenaline rush or the sense of having cheated death? Whatever it is, the pursuit of extreme excitement appears to have caught on in a major way. From jumping out of airplanes to climbing mountains, Americans are putting themselves in harm's way - all in the pursuit of fun.
In "On The Edge Of Your Seat," 48 Hours Adventures looks at people who take great risks - sometimes with awful consequences.
The Sky's Her Limit: When a plane full of skydivers crashed, Carol O'Connell was the only survivor. Follow along as she decides to confront her greatest fear, returning to the skies to jump once more.
Life As A Loose Cannon: 48 Hours Anchor Dan Rather reports on Sean Thomas, a real-life human cannonball, and the master who taught him his art.
Surviving An Avalanche: Christian George got more thrills than he expected when he was trapped in an avalanche while snowmobiling. Find out how he tunneled his way through miles of snow, back to safety.
A Life Full Of Crazy Stunts: For Cindy Folkerson, leaping off cliffs and dodging fireballs are just part of a normal day. And she takes her work home with her, too: A top Hollywood stuntwoman, Folkerson is married to stunt coordinator Jeff Ramsey. Susan Spencer reports.
What is courage? Many people see it as a dramatic attribute, the ability to suddenly rise above fear.
But courage can also be something quieter and more lasting. Thursday CBS News' 48 Hours profiles three people whose courage consists in their dogged, decades-long fight to overcome obstacles.
The three face different difficulties, but what they share in common is their commitment to triumph no matter what the odds.
As a kid growing up in a tough California town in the 1920s and 1930s, Louis Zamperini was a troublemaker. He hopped freight trains, skipped school and fled from the police more than once.
But then he discovered that he was a world-class runner. In 1936, he ran in the Berlin Olympics. Then his life took an incredible turn.
In "Race To Freedom," 48 Hours Adventures tells the story of Zamperini and of his dogged will to survive all kinds of mental and physical obstacles. Bob Simon reports, from all over the world.
As Hurricane Floyd makes its way up the East Coast, 48 Hours reports on the havoc that this and other such storms can cause: "Nature's Fury."
Rescue On The High Seas: Correspondent Susan Spencer tells the story of a hazardous Coast Guard rescue operation that took place five years ago during Hurricane Gordon.
Blowing In The Wind: To get a sense of the power a hurricane can pack, CBS News Correspondent Jose Diaz-Balart went into a wind tunnel for 48 Hours this week. What do 115 mph winds really feel like?
Chasing Floyd: While everyone else in Floyd's path headed for safe ground, meteorologist Josh Wurman went into the danger zone -- all in the name of science. CBS News Corresondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.
