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EARLY START
More Protest Against Death In Custody; Houthis Attack Yemeni Military Brigade; Arab Coalition Launches New Airstrikes; Loretta Lynch Vote; Stock Futures Point Lower. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired April 22, 2015 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: What does this mean for the possibility of calm there and what does this mean for the U.S. involvement as it stares down Iranian vessels off the coast? We have live team coverage breaking down the new developments, ahead.
Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman. It's 30 minutes past the hour. Christine Romans is off today. Happening today, a new protest is planned in Baltimore at the police station where officers brought 25-year-old Freddie Gray after arresting him ten days ago.
Somehow Gray suffered a severe spinal cord injury and exactly one week later on Sunday, he died. Baltimore police have now released the names of the six officers involved in arresting and transporting Gray. All six officers suspended now with pay.
New witnesses are coming forward, describing the arrest as Baltimore's mayor has vowed to find out what happened leading up to the fatal injury.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAROLD PERRY, WITNESSED FREDDIE GRAY ARREST: I heard the young man screaming, get off my neck. Get off my neck. You're hurting my neck and then two cars pulled up shortly after that. One car door slammed and then another. And they must have went to him, and he started hollering and screaming a little louder, and the police said shut the "f" up.
MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: There can't be any assignment of blame until we know exactly what happened but we're going to get to the bottom of it. We know that while he was in our custody, when he first engaged the police department, he was alive. He was breathing, he was responsive. When medical attention came to Mr. Gray, he was unresponsive and not breathing. We're going to figure out what happened.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said by May 1st the results of that investigation will go to prosecutors, who will then decide whether to file criminal charges.
The Justice Department is opening up its own federal civil rights probe before the local investigation is even complete. Our national correspondent, Miguel Marquez, covering the protests for us and has the very latest -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, an incredibly emotional evening here in Baltimore with up to 2,000 people turning out to see for the first time the parents of Freddie Gray, who showed up here at the Western District Police Station. This is the place where Mr. Gray was eventually brought after being arrested several blocks away from here.
His parents, his mother in particular, overwhelmed by grief, they marched from here, back over to the place where he was arrested. And at that point, everybody raised their hands in protest. In a moment of silence, as the family literally, all you could hear is hear them wail.
People in this neighborhood still focused on this tonight. I'm going to show you a little of that what protest earlier looked like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you to lift those hands as high as you can. I want this to be a sign to the Baltimore City Police Department that this is not an act of surrender. But we are coming as a sign of strength, as one unity, one commitment, that we will not rest until we get justice for Freddie Gray.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: At one point, protesters started walking through the streets of this area of West Baltimore. They were aggressive, even towards us, but they weren't angry at the press. They were angry at police, they were angry at the mayor. They were angry at the government her.
People saying that it is us against them in this neighborhood and what they want now are the six officers implicated in this, arrested and charged with first degree murder.
They say that they will be back tomorrow night. They will be back on Thursday. They're going to go down to city hall, they say, and stay there until they get justice -- John.
BERMAN: Miguel Marquez for us in Baltimore.
New this morning, the Saudi-led coalition plans to end airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthi rebels. That plan seems to be falling apart. Since the Arab coalition ended "Operation Decisive Storm," Houthi fighters have launched a new attack on the
Yemeni military position.
And Saudi Arabia responded this morning with new airstrikes on the Houthis that despite their pledge to stop the bombing. So what is going on? What is the latest? Let's bring in our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John. It all happened this morning in the town of Taiz, a southern Yemeni town. The Houthis there tried to take control of the last military -- Yemeni military base there that they haven't overrun until now.
That abrogated a deal that the Saudis believe that they have struck with the Houthis, being that the Houthis would put down their weapons and leave the cities like Taiz that they've taken control of. The Saudis responded to that attack on the military base by the Houthis with airstrikes.
This really calls into questions the stability of that cessation of that air campaign that the Saudis announced late yesterday. Part of that deal, they believe, includes the former president of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, leaving the country.
[05:35:08] The Saudis believed he is in the process of doing that. They also say that the former defense minister of the current government, in fact, of Yemen who have been arrested by the Houthis, they believe he is being released. That is part of the deal.
So some elements of the deal being honored, and in all of this, al Qaeda, as we know, taking advantage of the instability in Yemen. Officials in Yemen today saying that U.S. air strikes killed six al Qaeda operatives in the southern port city of Mucala, somewhere they've been beginning to take much stronger control of -- John.
BERMAN: Saudi airstrikes against the Houthi, a Houthi raid and then U.S. drone strikes against al Qaeda all happening in Yemen over just the last several hours. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.
While that's going on as a tense standoff offshore, U.S. and allied ships were patrolling the Gulf of Aden. Those U.S. ships prepared to intercept perhaps Iranian ships if they enter Yemen's territorial waters.
The U.S. believes an Iranian convoy could be carrying weapons for the Houthi rebels. President Obama says the U.S. Navy is there to secure the free flow of international shipping traffic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: What we've said to them is that if there are weapons delivered to factions within Yemen, they could threaten navigation, that's a problem. We're not sending them obscure messages. We're sending them very direct messages about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: At this point, Iran is calling for humanitarian aid. They say they are backing a political process. The standoff in Yemen really complicates the efforts to work out a nuclear deal between Iran and the United States and other powers talks, the key talks on these nuclear deals resume today in Vienna.
So let's bring in CNN senior international correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen. Fred is live there in Tehran this morning. Fred, what are you seeing on the ground there among the Iranians?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's very interesting, John, because on one hand, you feel that the Iranian government is trying to compartmentalize its relations with the United States.
On the one hand, taking a very strong stance, for instance, on the Yemen issue a confrontational one as well, of course, a strong stance also on the issue of fighting ISIS.
On the other hand, though, seemingly wanting to move forward with those nuclear negotiations and there is some optimism here that those nuclear negotiations could actually reach a final agreement.
However, of course, -- the agreement is something that is going to influence the entire relations between the United States and Iran. You can feel that. You can feel people are coming to you and they are saying that this could be a starting point of perhaps better relations.
I was able to speak to the commander of the Iranian ground forces. This is somebody who normally never speaks to television so that in itself is already progress from what we've been seeing here on the ground before.
He said that he hopes there could be better relations in the future. However, they're not there yet. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL AHMED REZA POURDASTAN, COMMANDER OF IRANIAN GROUND FORCES (through translator): At the moment, we consider the United States to be a threat to us because its policies and actions are threatening to us. We would like the U.S. to change its rhetoric and tone of voice so that our nation could have more trust in U.S. military leadership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: And that general also saying that, of course, the military here is watching the negotiations and the nuclear deal could really improve relations on all levels between the U.S. and Iran. But of course, again, all those other moving parts that we are seeing with Yemen and all those other issues as well -- John.
BERMAN: Moving parts just begins to describe what's going on all over the world right now. Frederik Pleitgen is inside Iran for us this morning. Thanks so much, Fred.
The full Senate could begin debate as early as today on legislation that would give Congress the power to look at any nuclear deal with Iran. The Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved a compromise version of that bill.
President Obama had been promising a veto before the compromise. The deal gives Congress 30 days to look at the agreement. The president now plans to sign it as long as there are no significant changes in the House or Senate.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michele Leonhart, is retiring. She's been under a lot of fire after revelations that DEA agents engaged in sex parties with prostitutes paid for by Columbian drug cartels. Leonhart told Congress last week that she did not have the authority to fire these agents.
Following that testimony, the House Oversight Committee issued a bipartisan statement of no confidence, the White House declined to defend Leonhart, who has led the DEA since 2007. Eric Holder is still in office because his proposed replacement, Loretta Lynch, is still waiting for confirmation.
Her nomination has been held up for months by an unrelated Senate controversy over a human trafficking bill. That controversy now appears finally to have been resolved.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he expects the path to compromise human trafficking bill today, which would clear the way for a vote to confirm Loretta Lynch as soon as tomorrow. Confirmation is expected.
She is expected to get through though narrowly. Loretta Lynch will become the first African-American woman to lead the Justice Department.
Let's get an EARLY START on "Your Money" right now. Alison Kosik is here with that. Good morning.
[05:40:11] ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you. We are seeing more red arrows as we see stock futures lower right now following yesterday's lead. The Dow fell 85 points mostly because of disappointing earnings. Dow components Dupont, Verizon and Travelers, all fell after reporting first quarter numbers.
Shares of Chipotle, we are also watching, they are moving lower at the moment, down about 6 percent before the bell. The chain is reporting slower, but still impressive growth.
Now, there's even more going on today for investors to process. We are going to be hearing from companies including Boeing, McDonald's and Coca-Cola. We'll hear from them before the bell.
Plus Facebook and AT&T are opening up their books this afternoon. I especially want to look at Facebook concerning Instagram and WhatsApp, they own those two social media sites. I want to see how they are doing as well.
BERMAN: That's a good point. All right, Alison, thanks so much.
The sentencing phase for Boston marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, look at that picture, that is what the jury saw and the dramatic opening of the sentencing phase. What effect will that picture have and what's in store for today. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:45:08]
BERMAN: What will the jury see today? Impassioned arguments in the sentencing phase in the Boston marathon bombing trial. A jury must decide if convicted killer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will get the death penalty.
The prosecution opened in dramatic fashion portraying Tsarnaev as a cold-blooded killer and America's worst nightmare. They showed the jury a picture that people are still talking about today. Let's get the latest from CNN national correspondent, Alexandra Field.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, unrepentant, uncaring and untouched by the sorrow he's created. That's how prosecutors described Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the opening statements in the penalty phase of this trial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD (voice-over): They ended opening statements showing a picture of Tsarnaev giving the middle finger to a security camera in his holding cell at the federal court house several months after the bombing.
Prosecutors told the jury he was determined and destined to be America's worst nightmare. The jury has already found him guilty of the deaths of Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Officer Sean Collier, and 8-year-old, Martin Richard.
The government says each of the victims had time to feel pain, time to feel scared and frightened, but no time to say goodbye. As they make their case for a death sentence, prosecutors have already called three bombing survivors to testify in this phase of the trial along with Krystle Campbell's brother and her father.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD: He told yours his daughter gave him a hug every day and that is what he misses most today -- John.
BERMAN: Really emotional there. Alexandra Field, thanks so much.
All right, a special time of day for us, trying to find out what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Alisyn Camerota joins me now. Hi, Alisyn.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, John, we have a busy day on NEW DAY because we will be talking about those protests overnight in Baltimore over the unexplained death of Freddie Gray. How was his spine injured while in police custody? We'll look at the investigation into Baltimore police.
We'll talk with Maryland lawmakers on how to prevent things like this from happening. Why can't they get answers? We will also talk with a representative of the family. And of course, we will also be looking at the crisis in Yemen,
Saudi Arabia ending airstrikes against Houthi rebels, but what are Iran's ships doing nearby and what does this mean for the conflict there and for the nuclear negotiations that are beginning again with Iran. We'll talk about all of that when we see you at the top of the hour -- John.
BERMAN: Alisyn, thanks so much. New this morning, 400 migrants rescued at sea including women, children. So many people fleeing war- torn regions, Libya, Syria, such a mess, what is being done to help? We'll tell you, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:51:23]
BERMAN: New details about Saturday's deadly migrant ship disaster off of Libya. More than 800 people are believed to have been killed in that wreck and now there are astronomical estimates of just how bad the migrant crisis could get this year as more and more people try to flee devastated parts of North Africa and the Middle East.
Breaking just this morning, 400 migrants, women and children, have been rescued off the coast of Sicily. CNN's Karl Penhaul is there. He joined us on the phone. Karl, what can you tell us about this ship?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): John, for the last hour, we've been watching people, 446 migrants get off an Italian naval vessel. They were rescued after eight days afloat in the Mediterranean.
According to early survivor accounts they said that they actually set sail from Egypt on board the ship, Egyptians, there are Syrians fleeing the civil conflict there and there are Africans from West Africa, from the fall of Africa as well, all fleeing poverty, failed states and conflict areas as well.
And this is really just looking at the migrants departing the ship you really get a sense of how bad things must be, these people cheating death just to get a chance at a new life.
We have seen women getting off aboard, carrying their babies in their arms. We have seen young children, toddlers so small that they can hardly walk, and yet, they're taking their first steps towards a new life, some of them waving. They are clearly glad to be here.
Again, according to early survivor accounts, some of these people say that they've been moved to six different ships over the last eight days since setting sail from Egypt.
They moved from one ship to another by different groups of smugglers. The Italian police also on standby here at dockside, because they are going to be looking through the migrants to see if the people smugglers are on board the boat -- John. BERMAN: The fact is this is nearly a daily occurrence. Something needs to be done. Karl Penhaul for us in Sicily, thanks so much, Karl. It's 53 minutes after the hour. Cheap gas, it's great for drivers, so great in fact that people are trading in their hybrids. This is a troubling develop on this earth day? We'll tell you, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:57:07]
BERMAN: Time now for an Early Start on "Your Money." Alison Kosik is here with that.
KOSIK: Looks like we're in for a lower start when stocks open this morning. Yesterday, we saw the Dow fall 85 points mostly because of disappointing earnings. Dow components, DuPont, Verizon and Travelers, they all fell after reporting this first quarter numbers.
There is also a lot more to consider this morning as the earnings season continues to roll on with both McDonalds and Coca-Cola reporting their results before the bell.
Everybody, happy Earth Day, it's all about loving the environment, but listen to this, Americans are saying something very different with their money. Gas may be cheap, down more than a dollar from this time last year but for some reason, people are ditching their hybrids and they are choosing SUVs instead.
So far this year, only 45 percent of people trading in a hybrid, but another one, but there is a little bit of a silver lining here, SUVs are becoming much more fuel efficient. Smaller models, they are the most popular.
So, John, we're not seeing the return to prerecession gas- guzzlers, but we're seeing that return to SUVs.
BERMAN: You know, I mean, SUVs are practical. They take the whole family. You're obsessed with the hybrids being slow. You can go faster in a hybrid.
KOSIK: Every time I'm behind a Prius, it doesn't move.
BERMAN: Let's talk about this later, you've got issues. That is all for us. Mounting questions this morning over the death of a man mysteriously injured during his arrest. Serious questions in Baltimore, "NEW DAY" picks it up right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Justice Department has now launched a civil rights investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard the young man creaming, get off my neck, get off my neck.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to figure out what happened. WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": The U.S. is now conducting manned reconnaissance missions in the waters off Yemen.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: We're not sending obscure messages. We sent very direct messages about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The $100 million for that primary campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Could this be the most expensive election in history?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a lot of Chipotle, my friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been with cruise before and I never had this experience.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over 2,000 passengers stranded on a Carnival cruise ship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought I was going to die last night.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It's Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:00 in the east. The headline this morning is that Baltimore is in crisis, hundreds taking to the streets protesting the death of Freddie Gray.
You will remember he died a week after being taken into police custody, but it's what happened when he was in custody that is driving this outrage. Answers are short. Complaints are long. We still don't know what happened inside that prisoner van leading to several spinal injuries that took his life.
CAMEROTA: Baltimore police finally releasing the names of six officers involved now suspended with pay as the number of investigations jumps to four with the Justice Department opening a civil rights probe into Gray's death.
We begin our coverage this morning with Suzanne Malveaux. She is live for us in Baltimore. Tell us the scene there -- Suzanne.
