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CNN NEWSROOM

Family Holds Service for Baltimore Man; Death Toll Surges in Nepal, Now Tops 3,900; Thousands Sleeping Outdoors in Kathmandu; International Relief Efforts Rushing Supplies; Loretta Lynch to be Sworn In as Attorney General; Aurora Theater Shooting Trial to Begin. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired April 27, 2015 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[10:00:02] MARA KEISLING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY: But it is getting better. Just not for everybody. Certainly not fast enough. These are people.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Mara Keisling, thanks so much for being with me this morning. I appreciate it.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Breaking news out of Nepal, hope amid death following that massive earthquake. Cheers as survivors are pulled from the rubble overnight. This as the death toll continues to rise now topping 3900. The humanitarian crisis also growing. Hospitals overwhelmed. Many people living outside for fear of aftershocks could bring down more buildings. International teams arriving now. We'll have more on all of this just ahead.

But first, to another story we're watching this morning. The funeral for Freddie Gray. The Baltimore man who died a week after he was arrested and suffered a spinal cord injury while in police custody.

These are live pictures from the New Shiloh Baptist Church where a memorial service for Gray is set to begin in just about an hour. That service coming after -- coming after protests turned violent over the weekend. Some 35 people arrested. Six of them juveniles. Now the family of Freddie Gray is asking for peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA GRAY, SISTER OF FREDDIE GRAY: My family wants to say please, please stop the violence. Freddie Gray would not want this. Freddie's father and mother does want no violence. Violence does not get justice. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN's Athena Jones is in Baltimore this morning.

Tell us more, Athena. ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, you have

seen those pictures from the public visitation going on inside the church right now. Freddie Gray's family has just arrived here a few seconds ago. You heard there from his sister. They've gone further now. Of course they don't want to see violence but they've also asked that there not be any protests at all today as they focus on honoring Gray's memory.

Of course over the weekend not only were there 35 arrests, six police officers suffered minor injuries. And people here don't want to see that happen again.

I spoke with Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings who represents about half of the city of Baltimore. He talked to me about why it's so important that supporters of Gray's family listen -- think about their needs on this day. Listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: One of the things I learned about death is it's hard to mourn completely when you have a loss that is questionable because you always try to figure out what happened. And then you also are trying to mourn the loss. And so one of the things that I do want this family to have is a space to do the mourning. But I also want them to be assured that we are going to do what is necessary to bring about change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: And so there you heard from Representative Cummings who will be speaking here about an hour from now as the service gets under way. We also know that several White House officials will be in attendance. And we expect a lot of emotion today. A lot of people are angry. People are concerned. They want answers and they want to see change so that this doesn't happen again. But for right now, for today the focus is on honoring Gray's memory and laying him to rest -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Athena Jones reporting live from Baltimore this morning.

One of those also scheduled to speak at the funeral for Freddie Gray, the Reverend Jamal Bryant who will deliver the eulogy. Minutes ago I spoke with him about the emotions roiling Baltimore City and the protests, and the way forward for the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You're not asking that people not protest. But you also say the bible is clear, sin not. What message do you want to send to the city of Baltimore?

REV. JAMAL BRYANT, WILL GIVE EULOGY AT FREDDIE GRAY FUNERAL: The scripture says be angry but sin not. That you have a right to have righteous indignation, to be upset, and have a right to vent that. We've called for no protests on today. Tomorrow we're going to be doing a town hall meeting, at our church, Empowerment Temple, AME Church, for people to come to voice and to express their grievance.

But then to talk about strategy. What is the next step? How do we begin the healing process? Not just for the family but for the entire city. We still have an issue with a broken and a corrupt police department that has to be addressed head-on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bryant added that he believes justice will be served in this case and that the city of Baltimore, quote, "will be better because of it."

Back to Nepal now and that earthquake ravaged country. The death toll surging higher. The final hours of hope tick away. This little girl among the few to be rescued today. Crews say they're finding few signs of life amid the rubble of ancient landmarks and buildings.

Nepal already one of the poorest nations in the world is in ruins. Much of the population is huddled in tents and tormented by powerful aftershocks. The death toll has surged past 3900 now. Certain to climb even higher. At least three Americans are among the dead.

[10:05:15] As you can see the world is scrambling to help. United States among more than two dozen countries racing to get supplies and personnel to that devastated place.

CNN's Arwa Damon is in Kathmandu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're just speaking with some of these kids and their families. They've all come to get treatment at this mobile clinic here. And a lot of them are camped out in this park. The vast majority of the families here consider themselves to be the lucky ones. They managed to survive. All of them describing the horrific moments that the earthquake struck, describing how the ground trembled.

And this right now is the only place where they really feel safe because of all of the aftershocks that have taken place. People quite simply are too afraid to risk going back home. Even if they do have a home that has not been damaged because of the reality of the fact that there could be many more aftershocks. No one is really sure what is taking place.

Here in the park, those that we've been speaking to are saying that there are bathrooms that they can use, that they are receiving a certain level of assistance when it comes to food and water. But, of course, if this continues for a long time there are going to be concerns about basic services and keeping the whole camp sanitary.

You see encampments like this throughout the entire city. On a much smaller scale, but people waiting for whatever reassurance it is that they're going to need to be able to eventually go back home.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Kathmandu. (END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: All right. As I told you, the United States also sending aid to Nepal. A C-17 transport plane departing Sunday from Dover Air Force Base with dozens of search and rescue workers and 4500 tons of cargo. The Department of Defense also saying that special force teams are already there -- actually they were already there for training. They're now giving logistical and medical support to rescue workers in Nepal.

Joining me now with more on the U.S. effort, Fairfax County Deputy Fire Chief Chuck Ryan.

Welcome.

CHUCK RYAN, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF, FAIRFAX COUNTY DEPUTY: Thanks, Carol. Good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning. It's nice to talk with you. So tell us about the efforts under way by your department.

RYAN: OK. So we are one of two urban search and rescue teams in the United States authorized by the U.S. Agency for International Development to deploy overseas to a request for relief for international disaster. So in answering that request, that came to us very early on Saturday morning. We spooled up our team and we've deployed a team of 57 members, urban search and rescue specialist, from Fairfax County, Virginia, moving toward Kathmandu and Nepal.

COSTELLO: And what specifically will they be doing?

RYAN: When the team arrives in country, they will meet up with U.N. representatives already on the ground there who are coordinating with the local officials. And from that point we'll be assigned a work location and they will begin the process of seeking out collapsed structures where there's a good likelihood that there may be entombed live victims still that our folks can get to work and extricate them from the rubble.

COSTELLO: Is it possible there may be still survivors?

RYAN: Sure. It's quite possible if you look back to the -- through the last major earthquake that our team responded to which was in Haiti several years ago. It was six or seven days after the initial event that victims were still being extracted from collapsed structures. So it is quite possible that people can live for several days beyond the event.

COSTELLO: I know this is painstaking and emotional work. Tell us the difficulties in trying to find those people who may still be alive under mountains of rubble.

RYAN: It's very, very challenging in the urban environment and in a foreign country. So much of it depends on the type of structure that's involved. So if it's a modern structure with a lot of reinforced concrete and people are deeply entombed. It's a very time consuming process to get to them because we have to get in there and get to them safely so we can extract them safely and it takes time with less hardened structures, if you will, structures of wood or masonry, it's a little bit of an easier process but it's all very situational and it just depends on the particular building encountered but it is -- you're correct, it's emotionally and physically taxing work.

COSTELLO: I can't even imagine. Did your team bring dogs with them as well?

[10:10:05] RYAN: Yes, Carol. So we deployed internationally with six live search canines and their handlers so they are with our team. They are in fact members of our team and we've trained and practiced with them all the time. And really the canines are spectacular. They're typically the first ones onto the rubble pile because they can pick up the scent of a live human being so quickly and it helps our search specialists focus in on a specific area within a collapsed structure.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much for talking with me, Deputy Chief Ryan. I really appreciate it.

RYAN: Thanks, Carol. Appreciate the opportunity. Have a good day.

COSTELLO: You too.

The moment of the quake's devastating impact caught on camera across the region. In rural village, at the epicenter, the crowded streets of nearby Kathmandu and the frozen mountain peaks high above. Security cameras showing the quake's onslaught with shocking clarity, the trembling earth, the falling debris and the panic of those caught in that terrifying moment.

Moment of impact also caught on camera by climbers on Mount Everest as the shaking triggered a massive avalanche sending billowing cloud of smoke and debris thundering down the mountain tearing through the base camp.

In Nepal's crowded capital, Kathmandu, a leisurely weekend outing became a desperate attempt to run for cover. Residents and tourists flocking some of the city's historical sites finding themselves trapped in the aging structures. Many feared buried alive as those buildings tumbled to the ground. International aid from dozens of countries pouring into Nepal as we speak but the need is great.

And if you would like to help, head to CNN.com/impact to find out how.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:15:45] COSTELLO: After months of delays, history will be made in Washington next hour when Loretta Lynch is sworn in as attorney general at the Justice Department. She'll be the first ever African- American woman to take the nation's top law enforcement post.

CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown has more for you.

Good morning.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol. It is certainly a historic day at the Department of Justice and for the country, as you point out, Loretta Lynch will be the first African-American woman to take the post as attorney general and not only that, she will be the second female ever to be confirmed for this position and the second African-American following Eric Holder who just left his post this past Friday.

So the swearing in begins at 11:00 this morning Eastern Time and we can expect some Democratic senators to be there. Vice President Joe Biden will administer the oath. You can expect some remarks coming from him. And then after the oath is administered, Carol, we should hear from Loretta Lynch and it will be interesting to hear what she has to say about what kind of legacy she wants to create in these two years that she will have as attorney general under the Obama administration -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I would say she has her hands full on the first day of the job.

BROWN: Absolutely. There's so much going on right now. Not only do we have this national dialogue, of course, between, you know, police and minority communities, and several civil rights investigations coming from the Department of Justice but also we have the ISIS issue and, you know, the U.S. as we know is trying to stop the flow of foreign fighters from coming back into the United States. That's something that's going to be front and center for her to have to deal with.

And also cyber attacks, Carol. We know that's a huge issue. And that's something that's going to be a priority and she's going to have to focus on. American corporations are constantly under attack by hackers trying to steal their trade secrets so there's a lot of issues she's going to have to take on. So it will be interesting to hear what she has to say this morning.

COSTELLO: And you'll be there to tell us. Thank you so much, Pamela Brown. I appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Colorado's movie theater shooting trial begins today. What survivors have to say before opening statements begin, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:21:17] COSTELLO: The trial for Colorado shooter James Holmes begins today. Holmes faces 165 counts including murder and attempted murder charges. He's admitted to the shooting but he's pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

On July 20th, 2012, he opened fire inside this Colorado movie theater during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." 12 people died. 70 others were injured. It has taken nearly three years to seat a jury and get that trial under way. 24 have been selected, 19 women and five men. Two of the jurors have ties to the Columbine High School massacre that as you know happened back in 1999.

Now before the opening statements began, survivors spoke out.

Here's Ana Cabrera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PIERCE O'FARRILL, THEATER SHOOTING SURVIVOR: The shots got closer and closer.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reliving a nightmare.

MARCUS WEAVER, THEATER SHOOTING SURVIVOR: It sounded like the Fourth of July but in an enclosed place with fireworks going off and you can hear bullets whizzing by.

CABRERA: Haunted by memories of a deadly night at the movies more than 2 1/2 years ago.

O'FARRILL: I mean, I was laying like this and he took aim with his pistol. The bullet right went past my head and just into my arm. And it just split my humerus in half.

CABRERA: Pierce O'Farrill nearly lost his arm. Marcus Weaver lost his friend, Rebecca Wingo.

WEAVER: If you saw her smile, it was just contagious.

CABRERA: And now the man who is accused of pulling the trigger, killing 12 and injuring 70, will stand trial.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that a suspect?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We've got rifles, gas mask.

CABRERA: James Holmes, now 27, opened fire inside this Aurora theater on July 20th, 2012. He admits he was the shooter, but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The definition of legal insanity will be a difficult hurdle for the defense. They have to prove he didn't know right from wrong.

CABRERA: The defense claims Holmes was in the middle of a psychotic episode. The prosecution will try to prove premeditation and planning.

The evidence includes Holmes' booby trapped apartment rigged with explosive devices, chemicals and wires.

TOM TEVES, VICTIM'S FATHER: The facts will show clearly without question that the defendant knew it was wrong.

CABRERA: Tom and Caren Teves' son Alex was one of the victims. They struggled without closure and no justice.

CAREN TEVES, VICTIM'S MOTHER: This trial is just always looming. And we know that it's going to basically reenact the killing of our child.

CABRERA: If convicted, Holmes faces either the death penalty or life in prison. His parents have pleaded for his life. His mother recently publishing a prayer book praying for forgiveness and mercy.

"The unthinkable happened," she writes, "but execution will not undo it. More death does not restore life." It's taken a long time for O'Farrill and Weaver to reclaim their lives.

(On camera): You forgive James Holmes?

WEAVER: I do forgive James Holmes. I just don't want to carry those bags of rocks on my back anymore.

CABRERA: Since the shooting these two survivors have become friends. And they're ready to put what happened in the theater behind them.

O'FARRILL: I can look at the mountains and just be in awe of God's beauty and life is beautiful and I won't let my joy be taken away by something so evil.

CABRERA: Ana Cabrera, CNN, Aurora, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And the trial is scheduled to begin 2:15, that's this afternoon, of course. And we'll be covering it for you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, condition critical. Hospitals in Nepal overflow with earthquake victims and essential medical supplies run dangerously low.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Nepal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:28:43] COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. We're monitoring two big stories this morning.

These are live pictures out of the New Shiloh Baptist Church where service is now taking place for Freddie Gray. Of course he's the man who died from a spinal cord injury days after he was arrested by Baltimore police. The case making national headlines, and adding to the conversation around police interactions with the communities they serve. But as an attorney for the Gray family tells CNN, today the focus is on a family in mourning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY KOCH, FREDDIE GRAY FAMILY ATTORNEY: Sometimes we forget in all of the other issues that surround a situation like this, we forget that at the center of all of this was a human being. A human being who was loved by his family and who lived and loved fully and we forget that. And they want today to be a day when everyone remembers that this is the day to honor Freddie Gray. (END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Also just minutes ago we got a clear picture of how the world is scrambling to help earthquake ravaged Nepal. At least 15 countries plus the European Union are pledging to help. And the aid comes in many forms. Canada is donating more than $4 million to relief organizations. Norway is committing a similar amount just under $4 million.

And as the whole world, as I said, scrambles to help Nepal hospitals are overflowing with thousands of people injured in the weekend earthquake and its aftershocks and now medical supplies and other resources are dwindling to dangerous levels.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Kathmandu. He's lending his --

(END)