A Massive Sentence For Bernard Madoff.
Convicted swindler Bernard Madoff, who destroyed the financial lives of thousands of people and charities, will spent the rest of his own natural life in Federal prison.
Federal Judge Denny Chin gave Madoff the prison term the prosecution recommended --- 150 years. Did the judge do the right thing? One man who doesn't think so is our CBS News Legal Analyst, Andrew Cohen.
Andrew Cohen is not in the habit of criticizing Federal court sentences, but he makes no bones about disagreeing with this one.
"I don't think 150 years would stand, if we see an appeal. Now, are we going to see an appeal? I don't know. Who's going to pay for the appeal? Is Bernard Madoff going to pay for it? No, he has to give all of his money to the government," said Andrew Cohen.
It's not the toughest sentence ever given by a Federal judge for a financial crime.
73-year-old Norman Schmidt was sentenced in Denver last year to 330 years for a lesser investment scam. Sholam Weiss was 55 when sentenced in an insurance fraud to 845 years in prison. But Cohen says he is appalled by the Madoff sentence.
"I'm stunned by it, I don't think there's a legal basis for it. I think if it were to be appealed, I think it would likely be reduced on appeal. When you look at what Bernard Ebbers got --- he got 25 years --- you look at Jeffrey Skilling at Enron got, 24 years --- it's hard to justify this no matter how massive the fraud was, said Andrew Cohen.
As for Judge Chin, says Cohen...
"I think this is a gutless ruling. It's a cheap, easy shot by the judge. He knows Bernard Madoff has already conceded the case. He has this angry mob in the courtroom, and I think he took the easy way out, said Andrew Cohen.
That is a minority opinion, but it is what Andrew Cohen thinks.
How The Heast May Be Able To Repair Itself.
Heart attacks often leave those who survive with scarred or weakened hearts. But perhaps using stem cells, it may be possible one day for the heart to grow new tissue to repair itself.
"We seek to actually reverse the injury that's been caused by the heart attack, by regrowing new heart muscle to at least partially replace the scar that's formed," Dr. Eduardo Marban of Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.
Stem cells are master cells that can be transformed into different kids of tissue.
In the case of the stem cells being used in clinical trials at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, they come from the patients themselves --- bits of healthy heart tissue are sent to the lab, where they're coaxed into manufacturing as many as 25 million stem cells --- as Bill Whitaker reported last night on The CBS Evening News...
"In a trailblazing procedure, new cells grow spontaneously from the specimens --- eventually forming into clusters called "cardio-spheres" that can even start beating in the dish. These spew out cells like crazy --- stem cells, plus other nourishing heart cells. In four to six weeks, there are millions," said Bill Whitaker.
"These cells that we're putting in come from the heart itself, and are predestined to generate heart muscle and blood vessels," said Dr. Eduardo Marban.
Twenty-four heart attack patients at the Institute --- including 39-year-old construction worker Ken Milles --- have volunteered for the clinical trial.
Recently, doctors went back up an artery to deposit Ken's own lab grown stem and support cells, hoping that the damaged area of his heart will repair itself and pump more blood. That's what the doctors are hoping --- and of course Ken, too.
"If this works, it's gonna help so many people. It's gonna change everything," said Ken Milles.
In six months, the doctors say they should know. Such trials will be completed in three or four years.
Grappling With Our Guilty Feelings.
Feeling guilty about something? Well, guilt does have its uses, as Woody Allen pointed out in his 1984 movie "Broadway Danny Rose."
"It's very important to be guilty. I'm guilty all the time, and I never did anything."
Scientists have been taking a closer look at guilt, trying to figure out what makes it tick.
My colleague Seth Doane did an investigative piece about guilt for my "Sunday Morning" TV program on CBS, and spoke with psychotherapist Dr. Gary Solomon of Henderson, Nevada.
"(Solomon:) Any time that one arrives into therapy, if you really look at ourselves as human beings, we're feeling guilty about something. (Doane:) So we're motivated by guilt? (Solomon:) We will make phone calls because of it. We will do things because of it. We will make decisions because of it, Dr. Gary Solomon, with CBS News Correspondent Seth Doane.
Dr. Solomon says guilt is an important part of the Judeo-Christian culture.
"Well, what's the first thing that happened to Adam and Eve, if one wants to accept that story? Guilt. You shouldn't have eaten that apple and you're a bad person, and I want you to feel guilty --- you're gonna pay the rest of your life for it. Isn't that what we're built on?" said Dr. Gary Solomon.
Doane also spoke with neuroscientist Dr. Jordan Grafman of the National Institutes of Health, who says guilt can be a healthy response.
"Well, think about it: when you feel guilty, it's a way to help correct your behavior," said Dr. Jordan Grafman.
Grafman studies the brain using functional magnetic response imaging.
(Doane:) And then what do you see? (Grafman:) So, this is the front of the brain, this is the back of the brain, this is that area in the very anterior part of the frontal lobes that we see activated with guilt," said Dr. Jordan Grafman, with Seth Doane.
Perhaps being hardwired for guilt has helped our species survive.
"It may stop you from doing something that you're currently doing, because it turns out that's not helpful, and you're gonna feel guilty again," said Dr. Jordan Grafman.
Popping Pills To Boost Brainpower.
Some of the drugs like Ritalin being prescribed for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are also being taken illegally now by people without such disorders.
"It's commonplace knowledge that there are kids on campus who are using these for attention enhancement. They're normal, healthy kids --- they don't have ADHD. But they find they can study longer and focus better, if they've taken one of these pills," said Martha Farah.
Brain scientist Martha Farah of the University of Pennsylvania.
Martha Farah is co-author of a commentary in the journal "Nature," on the current illegal use of prescription stimulants to enhance performance.
"Cognitive enhancement is coming. In some ways, it's already here now. And so, let's deal with that fact and recognize that it has some good things to offer humanity, as well as some dangers," said Martha Farah.
One of the dangers, she says, is unfairness.
"It's going to be the rich people, the well-connected people who get them first. That's something that you'd want some policies to correct," said Martha Farah.
Another is coercion in the workplace.
"...'Listen, everybody else in this department is enhancing their concentration with Drug X. I want you to do that, too. And if you choose not to, I can hire somebody else who'll take these drugs.' That is a troubling scenario," said Martha Farah.
A lot of us use cognitive enhancers now, says Farah.
"When you take a coffee break, you're using caffeine to renew your focus, increase your concentration. Cigarettes play the same role. Nicotine is also a cognitive enhancer," said Martha Farah.
It's also addictive and carcinogenic. Martha Farah admits there are dangers to some of these other drugs, but she says...
"If it works and it's safe, there's no reason to prohibit it," said Martha Farah.
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