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EARLY START
Suspected Cop Killer Captured; Nurse Defies Maine Governor; Ferguson Police Chief Won't Step Down; Clintons Hits Campaign Trail; Asian Stocks Rising This Morning
Aired October 31, 2014 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: one of America's most wanted captured. Accused cop killer Eric Frein finally caught, hiding from investigators in the woods for nearly 50 days. How they managed to take him in and what he is now facing this morning. We are live.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Defying quarantine and on a collision course with her governor. Nurse Kaci Hickox refusing to stay at home after returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa. State officials there are fuming and they are threatening to take action.
ROMANS: Ferguson's police chief on the record this morning refuting reports that his department is about to be disbanded following the Michael Brown shooting controversy. That is not all he had to say about the Obama administration's criticism of his force. He was very, very frank about what he thinks about Attorney General Eric Holder.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. It's 30 minutes past the hour. Great to see you this morning. We do have breaking news overnight. Suspected cop killer, Eric Frein, now faces the death penalty.
This is after a dramatic seven-week game of cat-and-mouse deep in the woods of northeast Pennsylvania. He was captured armed late Thursday at an abandoned air field. Frein is expected to be arraigned this morning.
Authorities say the charges against him include first degree murder and two counts of possessing weapons of mass destruction. Those will be pipe bombs found in a hiding place.
Again, Frein expected to be arraigned in just a few hours at the courthouse in Milford, Pennsylvania, which is where CNN's national correspondent, Miguel Marquez, is standing by. Miguel, you have been covering all this night. What's the latest?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, interestingly, one of those pipe bombs that they discovered had a wire on it. So it could be triggered by trip wire. It was also painted green they said.
So as they were searching the woods, very heavily wooded areas here outside of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, they were afraid that they might come across those improvised explosive devices in the woods, places they were searching.
In the end, Frein gave up without a fight at all. He was crossing an abandoned air field south of the national state forest here when this tactical team from the Marshals Service came upon him and immediately, because nobody else was supposed to be out there, immediately thought this must be Frein.
They surrounded him and told him to get to his knees. He did. He gave up without a fight. They then found weapons in a hiding place. Sniper rifle they found on him is consistent with the casings that they found in other areas belonging to Frein. One official described what it was like when he was arrested.
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FRANK NOONAN, COMMISSIONER: This evening, at the Birchwood Poconos Air Park in Monroe County, we have broken down into many teams. A lot SWAT teams and assigned areas in the woods at various locations to sweep and search. We have been doing it for over 40 days. It's a hot, tiring and dangerous job.
Today, the United States Marshal Service had one of their teams out at the abandoned airport. When they approached it, they saw an individual that they thought was Eric Frein.
They ordered him to surrender and get down on his knees and raise his hands, which is what he did. Once they approached him, he admitted his identity and he was taken into custody.
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MARQUEZ: It sounded like Mr. Frein was very tired out there. What exactly that particular team was doing in that particular place is not clear. There is some indication that they had an intelligence source, whether that was somebody telling them they had seen Frein there, human intelligence or whether it was drone or night vision technology allowed them to see him. It is not very clear.
But there is some indication that they had that. Officials are being somewhat tight-lipped about that. They also say that Frein spoke to them as he was taken into custody, but they are not saying what that is quite yet. We expect that we may here that at today's arraignment, which will take place at the courthouse at 9:00 a.m. John, back to you.
BERMAN: Miguel, emotions have to be running high among the law enforcement community there. After all, this man is accused of taking one of their own.
MARQUEZ: The emotions at that press conference last night were palpable. You see these big, burly cops basically hugging each other, every time you talk to them and say congratulations. The sense of relief comes over their faces. There is an enormous amount of relief and the law enforcement community and around this area. It is a beautiful area, very, very touristy. It's Halloween today, so you know, people can rest easy basically. This for some people felt like a war zone over the last seven weeks -- John.
BERMAN: After seven weeks finally over. Miguel Marquez, thanks so much.
ROMANS: All right, in Maine, there are new developments this morning in the tense standoff between Nurse Kaci Hickox and the state of Maine. Governor Paul LePage telling ABC News that he will drop his demand, the Doctors Without Borders volunteer nurse, remain in quarantine for 21 days if she will agree to an Ebola blood test.
LePage telling other reporters that negotiations with Hickox have failed. CNN's Alexandra Field is in Fort Kent, Maine with more for us this morning.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, we know that Kaci Hickox is in quarantine and that she is not happy about it. That doesn't mean she is staying inside her house. She went for an hour- long bike ride with her boyfriend by her side.
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TED WILBUR, KACI HICKOX'S BOYFRIEND: We did not go into town. We did not go into the grocery store. We are not trying to get anyone sick. We don't believe we can get anyone sick and we are not trying to put anyone at risk. So, we're not trying to push any limits here. We're members of this community, too, and we want to make everyone feel comfortable.
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FIELD: Maine's Governor Paul LePage doesn't seem to take issue specifically with that bike ride itself, but he has been very clear that he doesn't want Hickox out in public, at work or out at the restaurants. He doesn't want her within three feet of anyone.
The state has been negotiating the terms of this quarantine with Hickox, but after hours of discussion, the negotiations broke down. The governor now say he is prepared to take legal if necessary in order to enforce the terms of a quarantine and to protect public health and safety.
As for Kaci Hickox, she insists she that continues to be symptom free. She says she is fighting this fight because she doesn't want other health care workers returning from West Africa to be unfairly treated -- Christine, John.
BERMAN: Thanks so much. There is word this morning that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has privately urged the White House to take a quote, "sharper view" of the Assad regime in Syria.
A senior U.S. official tells CNN that the Defense Secretary wrote a blunt internal memo to National Security Adviser, Susan Rice, earlier this month. In it, he expressed concern about the administration's approach in Syria.
At the Pentagon news briefing on Thursday, Hagel declined to comment on the memo, but he admitted that Assad, quote, "Derides some benefit from coalition airstrikes on ISIS militants." He says this is just one of complexities of operating in that region.
In Syria, ten Iraqi-Kurdish fighters have entered Kobani. They are the first in about 150 Peshmerga troops expected to join the battle to try to save that city from ISIS.
I want to turn now to our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh live in Southern Turkey. Nick, what's the latest?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, we understand those nine to ten Peshmerga are currently looking for the best places for the Peshmerga when they come in larger numbers to put their heavy weapons and also the best route for them to take.
A lot of heavy fighting in the past 24 hours, we saw some of it as the sun went down yesterday, large airstrikes over the hills there. It looks like the fighting near the official crossing. Speculation now that the Peshmerga may be looking for another way in other than the key border crossing.
John, hearing you talked then about Chuck Hagel's comments, it is remarkable after so long, the U.S. intervening purely against ISIS here where many in fact say the reason ISIS is allowed a space to create itself was the brutality of the Assad regime against the Sunni population in Syria.
So many are allied with the Syrian rebels, ISIS became the people who actually had the military might and fire power to move into areas and hold and control them.
So yes, I think if Chuck Hagel is making that case within the U.S. administration that they need to potentially address the Assad regime as well. This is Turkey who has long said it may be causing people thinking about broadening the U.S. agenda here in Syria -- John.
BERMAN: It shows the complexity of this conflict and the different desires of each group involved. Nick Paton Walsh in Southern Turkey for us, thanks so much, Nick.
ROMANS: All right, Ferguson's police chief refusing to step down and he is responding now to reports that his department will be disbanded following the shooting of unarmed teenager, Michael Brown. That report for you next.
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ROMANS: Reports of his impending resignation have been greatly exaggerated. That is from the embattled police chief of Ferguson, Missouri, Thomas Jackson. He is responding to CNN's reporting that he is in negotiations to step aside. Jackson told our Jason Carroll in an exclusive interview, he is staying. He is staying. That's despite continued unrest months after the Michael Brown shooting.
Jackson also lashed out at the Attorney General Eric Holder saying, he is uninformed about the situation in Ferguson.
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JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is there anger towards the attorney general?
THOMAS JACKSON, FERGUSON POLICE CHIEF: No, I'm just confused. A little frustration he came in town and did not meet with anybody from the city, nobody from the police department or the city or neighborhood associations. He drew conclusions.
He says he has an investigation going on right now so he doesn't want to comment on the investigation. However, he has drawn conclusion that wholesale change needs to be made. Do we get rid of the neighborhood associations?
Do we stop our SRO program? Do we take police out of the schools? Do we quit teaching DARE? Do we quit sending police officers on parks program trips? We have a lot of good stuff going on. I think he needs to be a little more specific.
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ROMANS: Meantime, prosecutors say there is no evidence supporting claims of leaks by the grand jury deciding whether to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for that shooting.
BERMAN: Put the countdown clock on, just four days away now until the mid-term elections. President Obama making one final push on the trail. He spoke to a packed crowd in Portland, Maine at a campaign rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Mike Michaud, who is in a close race with the Republicans governor of Maine, Paul LePage.
ROMANS: OK, the president is not going to be making a stop in Kentucky, but the former president, Bill Clinton, will. He was on hand in Louisville campaigning for Secretary of State Alison Lundergran Grimes.
The Senate Democratic candidate is rallying support as she faces off with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Hillary Clinton will campaign with Grimes in Lexington and Northern Kentucky on Saturday.
BERMAN: In Louisiana, Republicans are calling for an apology from Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu after comments she made about race. Landrieu told them NBC News that President Obama's low approval ratings in the south are partly tied to race saying the, quote, "has not always been the friendliest place for African-Americans."
ROMANS: And New Jersey Governor Chris Christie picking up some frequent flyer miles as he campaign for Republicans. He is crossing the country. He is stumping for candidates in Arkansas, Kansas and Wisconsin today following stops Thursday in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Iowa.
That was the second trip in Iowa this week for Christie. He is keeping the door open to possible 2016 presidential run.
BERMAN: He is the chair of the Republicans Governor's Association. This is why you become the chair because you want to be president so that you can travel the country campaigning for other governors and ultimately win their support.
ROMANS: Shaking hands. Drawing on support. This is the time where they are counting down every minute. Every minute is packed and every minute matters for these candidates.
Minimum wage, by the way, up for a vote next week, you're going to see voters in Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota, all voting on an increase in the minimum wage. Those states all typically lean Republican and minimum wage has been a Democratic priority.
Polls show there is a good chance these hikes will pass among Democrats and Republicans in those states. Illinois has a non-binding vote in the ballot. Many cities have been voting as well. Look at this, 26 states and the District of Columbia have approved a minimum wage hike higher than the federal standard of $7.25 an hour.
Public opinion has shifted and business leaders are telling us it is only a matter of time. Some of them saying a hike will be good for customers, especially those retailers, who have the paycheck-to- paycheck customers.
They would have more money in their pocket, but I think the tone of the debate has changed. A year ago, it was it's good or bad for job creation. Today, states are doing it any way.
A good day for stocks, by the way, so far, Asian stocks much higher right now. The Bank of Japan announcing more stimulus. European stocks, U.S. stock futures are climbing as well. So it could be a very nice end to the month for you stock investors.
BERMAN: The Romans bounce.
Let's get an early look at the forecast now with Indra Petersons is here with that.
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I think the word is out by now. Hopefully everyone knows it will be cold and especially a lot colder by the time we through the weekend. All thanks to this. Do not blame me. Blame the dome of high pressure that will not hang around the Great Lakes anymore.
They are going all the way down even into the south itself. So temperatures going around the freezing mark even in places like Georgia tonight. Let's talk about the showers. Not really the big story. But nonetheless, you will see some light showers today into the Ohio Valley spreading in through the northeast by tomorrow. Rain totals not impressive. Again, it is all about the cold air itself. That's what we will talk about larger accumulations. You look at places like Tennessee that could see over a foot of snow.
BERMAN: No way.
PETERSONS: No, thank you. Knoxville and Asheville seeing light snow. But again, here's the key, it's not going to be during trick-or-treat time. Cold air around the Great Lakes, but notice, trick-or-treating time, it is just rain. It is not until the overnight hours that the snow picks up when it gets cooler.
But eventually it goes all the way into the northeast and brings showers into that region as well. So yes, the temperatures will go down in 12 hours.
ROMANS: All right, we'll take that. Thanks, Indra. I just want to know. Is it OK to take candy from your children, not all of it?
BERMAN: I think they do. Again, I don't think they think there is any other way.
ROMANS: OK, tell us on Facebook. Tell us if we are cruel or smart.
Let's get a look at what is coming up on "New Day." Chris Cuomo. Do you have candy redistribution in your household?
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": We are still preliminary here. I'm a candy stealer. I just look like this. They do nothing to me every morning. You can see this is serious architecture work that goes on here. Just want to let you inside.
ROMANS: Chris is like that.
CUOMO: I go asleep in a suit. I change my suit at night and come in. I want to wish you happy Halloween, John, scary mask. I like you are dealing with that -- what are you supposed to be? Some type of make people dizzy with the tie and shirt?
BERMAN: A picnic table.
CUOMO: You are a fanciful feast. Easy. Did you see that?
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": You really did come off the bus.
CUOMO: Last time I saw a chest like that, I saw an "s" on it. That's fine. Leave it. Nobody will notice.
CAMEROTA: Strange.
CUOMO: We have good news. They finally got that guy that was hiding in Pennsylvania. Eric Frein on the run nearly seven weeks now behind bars. There are things we will do to advance this story. Not just how they caught him and the circumstances, but what they did with him afterwards. There was a lot of symbolism. He is accused of killing a cop who meant a lot to that community. And on the eve of Halloween, remember, the community was so frozen with fear that this crazy man with a gun out there. Now he is gone.
Also, there's news to be made and a lack of understanding still with the woman, Kaci Hickox, the nurse who is defying the quarantine up in Maine. This situation is wacky. The governor is saying certain things. They don't know what to do. He says he will do whatever he can. Nothing happens.
She is taking the bike ride, which really wasn't about exercise. Where are we on this quarantine? We have to get some type of rule set. It is not just happening. We will take it up to the White House.
We have Josh Earnest here today, as you may know, of course, you two do, he is the White House press secretary. Two segments we're doing with him on "NEW DAY" because there is so much to unpack internationally and domestically with the midterms coming. We will ask him about it all. Trick-or-treat.
BERMAN: Excellent. Look forward to that. Chris, thanks so much. Alisyn Camerota, good luck to you.
CAMEROTA: I'm ready now.
BERMAN: We'll be right back.
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ROMANS: All right. Happy Halloween. This is a treat. Not a trick. It looks like a good day for stocks. Asian stocks much higher this morning. Japan's benchmark index is up 5 percent. Why? The Bank of Japan surprised announcement to expand its stimulus.
European stocks are climbing so are U.S. stock futures. The Dow, S&P and Nasdaq up more than 1 percent this morning before the bell. Yesterday, the Dow added 221 points that's about 1.3 percent. Why, strong corporate earnings and solid economic growth.
We saw GDP economic growth in the U.S. at 3.5 percent. That was a good number. Stock to watch today, Starbucks, shares down 4 percent before the open. The company said profit will not be as strong as expected next quarter.
It will have to give raises for employees. Also rising coffee costs. The company has big ideas, announcing plans for coffee delivery. CEO Howard Schultz called the service e-commerce on steroids.
BERMAN: Still pumpkin spice.
ROMANS: I call it caffeinated e-commerce.
BERMAN: A lot of news developing overnight. Accused cop killer Eric Frein finally arrested nearly 50 days into a manhunt. He was hiding in the woods, taunting investigators. Now though he was caught and law enforcement in some cases, you could say, returning the favor.
Some of the details about what happened after his capture are fascinating. You want to hear them. "NEW DAY" covering all that coming up next.
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