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Railroad Safety and Murder on the Metrolink

Metrolink is still clearing more than a quarter mile of railroad track after yesterday-s -perfect storm- of an accident. The death toll now stands at 11, with almost 200 injured. Juan Alvarez, who abandoned his car in front of one train, has been charged with murder and he could get the death penalty. Although it will be a long time before the official investigations of yesterday-s disaster are fully complete, safety experts already disagree about whether the human cost was higher than it needed to be. We hear more about operational safety and whether the human cost had to be so high from consumer safety, railroad and engineering experts. Making News: Charges Filed against Juan Alvarez in Glendale Crash Juan Alvarez has been charged with 10 counts of murder, and the indictment will be raised to 11 now that yesterday-s train derailment has claimed another life. Alvarez is the man who abandoned his car on the tracks after changing his mind about suicide. LA District Attorney Steve Cooley explains the allegations against Alvarez. Reporter's Notebook: PPIC Measures Public Opinion of California Politics In Sacramento yesterday, Governor Schwarzenegger accused the Democrats of wasting time and squandering the special session he called on re-structuring government. Democrats snapped back that the Governor-s budget would undermine schools and threaten poor Californians. Marc Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California says a new poll shows the Governor-s bipartisan support may be wearing thin.