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NEW DAY SUNDAY

Obama: Corruption Costs Kenya Hundreds Of Jobs; Governor Christie Scolds Activist On Gun Record; Clinton On Email Fight: The Facts Are Pretty Clear; Funeral For 21-Year-Old Victim Tomorrow; Friends, Family Say Goodbye To Sandra Bland; Turkey Ramps Up Fight Against ISIS, Kurdish Militants; 911 Calls Capture Fatal Road Rage Shooting. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired July 26, 2015 - 06:00   ET

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


VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: President Obama finishes his first trip to Kenya as president, taking on gay rights, terror, corruption, even those who think he was born in Kenya.

Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: The facts are wrong and I'm still waiting for one fact, one fact from you, about me being anti- gun. Give me one, one fact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Governor Chris Christie there, fighting back on his gun record. Even challenging, as you hear there, one man who suggests he is anti-gun.

BLACKWELL: And a road rage fight turns deadly before guns are pulled. They both call 911 and you have to hear these frantic calls to dispatchers and the deadly outcome.

PAUL: That is a bizarre one. We're going to weigh in on that one with our attorneys here.

We want to wish you a good morning on this Sunday. We're so grateful for your company, as always. I'm Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: Always good to be with you. I'm Victor Blackwell.

(VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: We are starting with President Obama's visit to Kenya. Moments ago, he spoke at a Nairobi arena. Thousands, a packed space there, gathered to hear him speak and before he heads to Ethiopia in a couple of hours.

PAUL: Want to give you a little more of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Here in Kenya, we also know the specter of terrorism has touched far too many lives. And we remember the Americans and Kenyans who died side-by- side, in the attack on our embassy in the '90s.

We remember the innocent Kenyans that were taken from us at Westgate Mall. We weep for the nearly 150 people slaughtered, including so many students who had a bright future before them. We honor the memory of so many innocent Kenyans whose lives have been lost in this struggle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Want to go to CNN's White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski who is in there in Nairobi. Thank you so much. Michelle, Obama talked about Kenya's progress. He was also really addressing corruption in that country as well. What does this mean U.S-Kenya ties?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He covered all bases here. You heard a tiny bit of his speech that lasted nearly 45 minutes. But he was fired up, wanting to get it all in there and cover everything. His theme was Kenya at a crossroads, a time of great peril but also enormous progress.

Speaking to the youth of this country saying that their opportunity is here, they no longer have a foreign oppressor or need to seek their opportunity elsewhere. Their future is right here, right now, very inspiring.

But he also wanted to get at the big challenges and he didn't mince words. Corruption, as you mentioned, was a big one. Talking about how that weighs Kenya down and holds them back, the need for inclusiveness.

At one point, the president was nearly shouting, talking about how the past traditions, the oppression of women, just because it's part of your past, the history, doesn't mean it's right.

There's no place in civilized society for some of these traditions, like forced marriage of children. No place for it in the 21st Century that these things have to change.

In fact, at one point, he compared some of these traditions and how they need to evolve to the way the U.S. now is changing its use of one symbol, the confederate flag.

So he tried to cover, including everybody, even touching on homosexuality. When he talked about equality based on no matter what god you worship or who you love.

And terrorism was a big point here to make and it has been throughout the trip telling Kenya that the U.S. will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with it in the fight against terrorism, as long as it takes -- Christi.

PAUL: Michelle, these messages going to carry over with him to Ethiopia where he's headed next?

KOSINSKI: Yes, much the same, fighting corruption and inclusive democracy that's a true democracy because in many ways democracy is emerging there, especially in Ethiopia, where the president is said to get 100 percent of the vote in the last election.

The White House acknowledges there's work to be done there. Fighting terror is a big issue. That's why they want to build cooperation with these countries but also building economic ties.

He doesn't want to just build cooperation as charities to countries in Africa. He sees this as real opportunity, not only for the people here but for people in the United States.

[06:05:05] PAUL: And, Michelle, we do have a quick sound bite I want to get to, that may have taken a few people by surprise, had they listened to it. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I am proud to be the first American president to come to Kenya. And of course, I'm the first Kenyan-American to be president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Now he did say Kenyan-American there because I have to tell you we were in the newsroom, and we said the first Kenyan-American or the first Kenyan president? What did you make of that?

KOSINSKI: Yes. A little confusing there, right? Well, there was just this sense during the speech, and even in the introduction. His sister, half-sister introduced him. And said he's one of us. He gets us.

And you hear initially when the segment started, President Obama started his speech with a "hey" and a few words in Swahili. He wants to make that point that Kenya is a part of his heritage.

But, yes, he did say Kenyan-American. And I don't think he was trying to, you know, make a point against his critics there. I think he wanted to emphasize the tie between America and Kenya.

And that's really the theme of this trip, right, trying to establish the closeness there and the means for growth between these two countries.

PAUL: Very good. All right, Michelle Kosinski, always good to have you. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Back here in the U.S., New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is on the campaign trail this morning as he heads to New Hampshire. This is coming after he certainly made some news, for getting into one of those famous Christie heated back-and-forth discussions, this time about gun rights. This was during a town hall in Iowa. Of course, he's running for the presidential nominations for the Republicans. He fired back at a questioner after he asked about Christie's gun record. Listen to some of this exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: State gun right groups from here in Iowa to Minnesota, even to Georgia, have sent out some e-mails saying that you're very anti-gun when it comes to second amendment. My question is, how are you going to New Jersey gun owners into thinking that you'll be anything other than a President Michael Bloomberg if you become successful?

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Because it's not true. So, let's start with that. Does New Jersey have a lot of difficult gun laws? Yes. They were all signed before I became governor. I vetoed that.

I understand if you have a point of view, have a point of view, but have some facts to back it up. What are your facts to back up that I'm anti-gun? No. So, now, you're interpreting intent. I had to get muscled into it by who, who has muscled me?

Gun owners across my state? Let me tell you something, I've agreed with gun owners on my state. What they're frustrated about is we have a Democratic legislature who is anti-gun. And they can't get those laws changed.

Listen, here's the news for anybody who is governor or president. You're not emperor or dictator. And I'm waiting for one fact, one fact from you about me being anti-gun. Give me one, one fact. Got one?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).

CHRISTIE: By the way, I vetoed the state I.D. system. You're wrong about that, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: All right, let's talk about it. We've got CNN politics senior reporter, Stephen Collinson and also with us political analyst, Jason Johnson.

OK. There's a lot going on here, right? Not just the moment but when this moment happens in the run-up to the nomination about a week and a half until the first GOP debate.

There are several candidates, including Governor Christie, who are battling for the final spot. Let's start with you, Stephen. Does this type of exchange help or hurt his chances to make it to that first debate?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: I thought it was fascinating, that exchange, Victor. First of all, it showed clearly that the gun issue is going to be something that Republican candidates are going to have to handle in this primary.

It was really the first time in this presidential cycle that we've seen that brash, candid, aggressive, even impatient side of Chris Christie, of which he built his political brand in New Jersey.

It will be interesting to see how that goes down especially with the voters in Iowa. It's a moment in the presidential campaign, an iconic moment, if you like. He's struggling to get into that first debate.

Maybe it's something that gives him a quick blip in the polls. But it helps him to bust his way into the conversation, which has been hijacked by Donald Trump, who was also in Iowa yesterday.

BLACKWELL: There is style and subject to deal with here, Jason. Choose which one you want to talked about, but we've talked about style here.

[06:10:00] Subject, does America, beyond that room, it seemed to work there, want to have a fervent gun rights activist, after Chattanooga, after Lafayette, after Charleston? Is this the right tone for this topic?

JASON JOHNSON, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, HIRAM COLLEGE: Of course, it's not, but it's a great tone for someone who wants to make hay in the primaries. There are cuts of him on YouTube yelling at people. That's not going to going well as the campaign continues.

Right now, these guys are in a scrum to get into debates and Chris Christie has been the first person to figure out, I can get beyond the Donald Trump noise by talking policy, by being myself, not doing stunts like Rand Paul, not chasing after Trump like Ted Cruz, but by being himself. So on that level it's both style and substance and it's successful.

BLACKWELL: OK, but does this get him above the points where he is now in the polls? I mean, is this going to affect some real change for his campaign?

JOHNSON: He's at nine right now if he jumps up to seven. At this point, all you need to be is in the top ten to get into the debate. If he can do a good job in the debate, he gets in the top five that improves money and interview time.

BLACKWELL: All right, so let's talk about the Democrats. Hillary Clinton responding to the claims about intelligence officials that she sent some classified e-mails from a private server. She told Iowa voters that the facts are pretty clear. Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: First let me say that I am confident that I never sent nor received any information that was classified at the time it was sent and received. What I think you're seeing here is a very typical kind of discussion to some extent to disagreement among various parts of the government, over what should or should not be publicly released. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: All right, Stephen, she said she didn't send any classified information that was classified at the time when it was sent or received. The inspector-general said, yes she did. This is a difficult muddy area for her. Does it matter to voters?

COLLINSON: It's very interesting. She said that it pales to the material that it wasn't marked classified at the time. So that may give her a way out, but that's an intricate insider detail.

I think where it hurts her in the wider sense is that Hillary Clinton is now trying to talk policy. She is talking about the economy. She'll talk about global warming this week. And all of the media is focusing on is the issue of her character.

Is she secretive? Did she try to, you know, hide things with her personal e-mail server when she was secretary of state? It makes it more difficult for her to broaden that conversation and get past this. This is something that's going to hound her campaign, I think, up until, you know, the primaries.

There are a couple of polls in swing states this week that suggested that she was losing to some prominent Republican candidates. That's not surprising at this point.

But the polls also said people are beginning to take notice of this character issue, to question her sincerity and her trustworthiness. That's something that gives Republicans ammunition going forward.

BLACKWELL: Jason, I remember weeks ago, you said this was baked into the cake. People have decided, but looks like some things maybe shifting and changing.

JOHNSON: It could change. You have to tell me why this is a problem. It's the same thing with Benghazi. Was Hillary Clinton completely honest, probably not? But unless you can tell me that she was personally responsible for something bad happening, people don't care.

She used different e-mails. Was she dishonest about that? Very likely, but unless you can prove that she gave secrets that harm U.S. soldiers or somehow made the country dangerous, people are not that concerned because she's not honest. And that's never been her selling point. She's a leader and her leadership numbers are still really high.

BLACKWELL: If that's the way you sell a candidate, she's not honest, that's not her selling point.

JOHNSON: Never been.

BLACKWELL: OK, All right, Jason Johnson, Stephen, thank you, both. We want to keep the conversation going at home. Hit Facebook, hit Twitter. Tell us what you think. Who will get the final two spots for the first GOP debate? And what do you think about this e-mail controversy? Will it be enough to create damage for Hillary Clinton -- Christie.

PAUL: All right, you know, just days after a gunman opened fire inside a Louisiana movie theater, now family and friends are gathering today to remember and honor one of those women who were killed. We have a live report from Louisiana.

Also, look at this. Thick smoke, that can be seen for miles, yes, that's the Las Vegas strip, a popular hotel. That's a source of the fire that forced tourists to scramble for safety.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:18:00]

PAUL: As of this morning, just getting these latest numbers. Three victims of the Lafayette theater shooting are still hospitalized and one is in serious condition. But this news, of course, coming as Mayci Breaux's family is preparing to lay the 21-year-old to rest.

There she is. One of the two victims killed in the attack. She was at the theater with her boyfriend, planned on beginning radiology school in just a few days.

CNN's Ryan Nobles is live in Lafayette with the very latest. Ryan, good morning to you. What have you heard this morning?

RYAN NOBLES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christi, good morning to you. As you mentioned, there are three victims still in the hospital. When you consider there were nine total at one point, that's an encouraging sign. Two of the victims are considered to be in good condition. One as you mentioned, in serious condition.

That is a relief for many here in Lafayette, that seemed prepared to begin the mourning process. When you drive around town, you see many of the local businesses have posted the #lafayettestrong, on the signs outside of their buildings.

And there are many vigils planned throughout the community over the next couple of days. You mentioned Mayci Breaux's funeral will take place on Monday. Her visitation happens today.

Jillian Johnson, the other victim, her boutique that she owned in Lafayette called Red Errol that's become a memorial where people have left flower and other mementos. She also will be laid to rest on Monday.

This mourning process won't be completely easy. The controversial Westboro Baptist Church which has become a part of this story because the shooter, John Russell Houser, wrote about them on the internet, they have tweeted that they plan to be here in Lafayette to protest the funerals.

But already, people in this community, reacting to that internet campaign taking place right now, where people have vowed to create a human shield to protect the families from being exposed to the protesters at all. This is going to take a long process, Christi, but this community seems prepared to begin the recovery process.

PAUL: All right, Ryan Nobles, we appreciate it. Thank you so much.

NOBLES: Thank you.

[06:20:00] BLACKWELL: It's supposed to be a place where people go to cool off in hot Las Vegas. Instead, look at this. Tourists forced to run. The fire breaks out here on a pool deck, sending flames and smoke up and down the strip.

Plus, it started on the streets of Florida, but a road rage attack turns deadly. One driver killed in front of his family. We have the call for help to 911.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:24:01]

PAUL: It's 23 minutes past the hour. Two people suffered smoke inhalation when a two-alarm fire broke out at the Cosmopolitan Hotel on the Las Vegas strip yesterday. Look at the pictures that were coming in, that thick, black smoke and flames engulfing the pool deck.

Fire officials say plastic palm trees on the deck were like solid gasoline for the flames. You're in Vegas, why do you need a plastic palm tree? The hotel was evacuated. The fire was put out and investigators are looking into what cause it.

BLACKWELL: In Illinois, hundreds attended the funeral of Sandra Bland at the DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church. Community members remember her as a courageous fighter for social justice. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REVEREND THERESA DEAR, DUPAGE AME CHURCH: We're going to be celebrating the life of Sandy Bland. We're going to be celebrating the fact that she found her voice in social justice. We're going to be celebrating that she walked and lived in her own truth.

[06:25:01] And we'll celebrate that she was a courageous woman, who refused to be subdued or silenced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Bland was arrested July 10th in Texas after a traffic stop and found dead in her cell three days later.

PAUL: In Massachusetts, a candlelight vigil was held for the 4-year- old girl whose body was found wrapped in a trash bag a month ago. Here's the thing, we're just saying a 4-year-old girl because investigators are still trying to identify that baby. She's called Baby Doe. Asking anyone for information, please come forward. A Worcester funeral director is offering to pay for her burial.

BLACKWELL: Spelman College has officially terminated a professorship endowed by actor, Bill Cosby and his wife. The college has not given a reason, but the move comes after CNN obtained a copy of a decade-old deposition by Cosby where he admitted he had drugs to give to women he wanted to have sex with. Cosby has been accused of sexual assault by more than two dozen women.

A new attack in Turkey as the key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS ramps up. We are live in Istanbul.

Also, hundreds of homes evacuated in California as a wildfire quickly spreads. Help comes from the planes above, but what about from the weather?

PAUL: First, this week's culinary journey introduces us to a French chef, Dominique Glenn (ph), who is skilled with prose just as she is with a knife. She is known for her innovation and creativity with a poetic side.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): San Francisco, an American melting pot and cultural crossroads. The diversity of food on offer reflects the city's heritage. You'll find this restaurant in the marina district. She's the first female chef in America to have earned two missions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Food is art. Food was a way of expressing myself. When people would come here, they don't just come to a restaurant. They come to my house.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Once diners relax, the kitchen is an orchestra.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really thought about this being like a sampling. I love music. I play piano and flute. And I love the way that a symphony, very harmonious. I wanted to do that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Watch the full show at CNN.com/journeys. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:32:00]

PAUL: Thirty-one minutes past the hour. And new this morning for you, a car bomb exploded in southern Turkey, killing two security officers and wounding four people. This attack happened in a southern province, near the border with Syria. It comes of course as Turkey is ramping up the fight against Kurdish militants and ISIS, targeting both with air strikes. CNN's international correspondent, Arwa Damon, joining us now from Istanbul. Do we know who is behind first of all this car bombing, Arwa?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christi. Well, as of yet, no official claim of responsibility but all indications are that it was the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, that was responsible for this attack, this ambush that took place in Diar Bakur (ph). The unit that was attacked was responding to a burning vehicle. And the attack comes about 24 hours after the PKK declared the cease-fire that had been in place and more or less adhered to since 2013 effectively dead. This of course causing a lot of concern amongst the population that's already been struggling with Turkey's battle against the PKK, resulting in low-level violence for about the last three decades.

And of course, you don't have just this particular conflict that's taking place. You also have the conflict that Turkey has undertaken, now, it seems more directly, with ISIS, launching those air strikes from Turkish air space into Syria.

Also, over the last few days, as Turkish authorities have been launching a massive roundup of suspected terrorists. Part of this very widespread anti-terrorism campaign that saw about 600 individuals believed to be or accused of being affiliated with both ISIS and the PKK, rounded up since Friday. Many people very concerned about what is going to happen next. This may not necessarily be a game-changer, but at this stage, it most certainly seems as if it will be a game- shifter, Christi.

PAUL: Arwa Damon, we appreciate the update, thank you.

BLACKWELL: And the Turkish prime minister says the military operations against ISIS and Kurdish militants will continue as long as his country is threatened. Retired lieutenant colonel and Pentagon consultant, Robert Maginnis, joins us now.

I wonder, you know, as is his prerogative, to do so to protect the people of Turkey, he will continue these operations. But this will I assume become cyclical now that the cease-fire is over.

LT. COL. ROBERT MAGINNIS (RET.), PENTAGON CONSULTANT: Absolutely, Victor. What we have is a combination. A two-for that some would say. ISIS of course is recruiting inside Turkey. A lot of youth is resonating towards that particular direction. And the Turkish administration is just not sure what to do about that. Plus, they have about a quarter of their people are Kurdish ethnic groups. And they're in the south and southeast where this particular car bombing took place today.

[06:35:00]

And of course, Turkey responded, in part, because the Kurds are having great success against ISIS. And of course they're distracting from the Assad regime, which is really the Turkish ambition here. You have all of these factors that are playing into this. And of course we, the United States, and the U.S. coalition, are very interested in decimating ISIS, as the president said. So you have these factors at play. Turkey is all of a sudden, and not surprisingly, trying to accomplish a number of things along its border. It wants this safe zone along northern Iraq and northern Syria. And the only way they are going to be able to accomplish that is clearly by military intervention, because no one else is going to do it.

BLACKWELL: Why now? Why is this happening now? ISIS' growth is not new. The PKK is not new. The crisis among the refugees is not new. And the international community has been calling for Turkey to join this fight in a more substantial way for some time. Why is it happening now?

MAGINNIS: Clearly the Kurds have been very successful in places like Karbani and even in northern Iraq, against ISIS. And they don't want -- the Turks don't want the Kurds to feel empowered. And therefore, coalesce around the Kurdish communities in Syria, Turkey and Iran and so forth. There's always been a historical movement to form an independent, sovereign country called Kurdistan. And if you allow the Kurds to be empowered, that could certainly help their movement in that direction. And the Turks don't want that.

Now, clearly ISIS had this attack on the 20th of July, that killed at least 32. And you know, they've been having other successes, as I indicated moments ago, with recruiting people. You know, mostly Sunnis, in Turkey. And they're flowing south. So, Istanbul, Ankara, they're coming to the realization that they can't sit back and watch this happen. They have to do something proactive. And so, the call between Erdogan and President Obama the other day, kind of cemented a deal. The details are coming out. But it's a very important deal. And I think it is a game-changer if we all follow through with it.

BLACKWELL: Colonel Rob Maginnis, thank you so much.

MAGINNIS: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Christi.

PAUL: In nearly 14 years after the worst terror attacks on U.S. soil, we're getting a glimpse, now, new glimpses of the Bush administration watching the 9/11 crisis unfold. I know you remember where you were in those moments. Look at these national archives that have been released. In fact, 350 photos released in all that have not been seen publicly. They include images of the president you see there. The vice president. The national security team. They're meeting here inside the emergency operations center that is under the White House.

Bone-dry desert now fueling a massive wildfire in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Hundreds of homes are threatened here, and it's not easy terrain for firefighters to access. We're going to tell you how the weather may be contributing here, as well.

Also, this is just bizarre. Two different 911 calls. Two different drivers. Each claiming that the other is driving out of control. In the end, a man is dead. You're going to hear this case of road rage play out itself. Stay put.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Mortgage rates are down this week falling from yearly highs. Here's your look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:42:40] BLACKWELL: In Northern California, a wildfire is threatening hundreds of homes. It's in Nevada County, about 45 miles northeast of Sacramento. Now, officials there say that this fire is moving rapidly. 1,500 acres have burned in just one day. The blaze is in this rugged area that fire engines really can't get to. So fire crews are being air-lifted into the area or they are making their way on foot.

PAUL: A fire official said the flames are jumping from tree to tree, turning them, basically, into standing torches. What an image there. Ivan Cabrera is with us now, so we are wondering what the weather is doing here.

IVAN CABRERA, METEOROLOGIST: Once again, fighting fires in California is so difficult because of the terrain. And absolutely, at the top of the trees, you get those embers getting blown away by the afternoon winds, which are going to start picking up again. Let's fly you into, while we're talking about this, this is west of Lake Tahoe, essentially, and we're talking about the acreage now going up rather rapidly, and that's not a good sign here, and I think we're going to be in trouble over the next few days as far as the temperatures. There's the Lowell fire that we're working. You can appreciate the terrain. Some of these are creeks here that are running around, but it's very difficult to get to the actual fire. So they are, unfortunately, limited in some cases to just fighting it over air, with airplanes out there.

Nevada County, we're up to 4,000 acres here. And we're going to continue to see the relative humidity crash with the afternoon. The temperatures actually in the mid-80s. That's hot. But not as hot as it's going to be over the next few days. The relative humidity by the afternoon will be going down between 20 and 25 percent. That's very dry, and the winds at times gusting upwards of 15 miles per hour. We're not talking 40, 50 mile an hour winds, but nevertheless, it will be very dry over the next couple of days. And then heading into the early part of next week, the temperatures are actually going to go from the 80s to the 90s and even triple-digits. So hopefully we will get some containment before that happens.

BLACKWELL: Thanks, Ivan.

PAUL: So how often do you have a road rage incident where both drivers have called 911, telling their versions of the stories as the story's happening, as it's unfolding. It ends at a home. One man is dead. You're going to hear both of those 911 calls in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:48:20]

BLACKWELL: A Florida man is in jail this morning, charged in a road rage altercation that turned deadly. It was all captured in a horrifying 911 call. The two men yell. One starts shooting. The family of the other screams as they watch. Let's begin with this report from Sarah Rosario from CNN affiliate in Tampa, WFTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH ROSARIO, WFTS CORRESPONDENT: Citrus County deputies say Robert Doyle shot and killed Gaby's (ph) husband, Candaloro Gonzalez (ph). His family called him Candy. His wife was too upset to speak with us, but she e-mailed these pictures of him in better times. Special moments the family shared. Deputies say it all started with a road rage incident. Robert Doyle was in the car with his wife. And Candy in a landscaping truck with his wife, daughter and grandson. Both families called 911.

CATHY GONZALEZ, VICTIM'S WIFE: We just saw a full-size truck with a trailer, you know what I'm saying, you don't just drive like idiots.

ROBERT DOYLE, ACCUSED SHOOTER: I have a truck. Some maniac (inaudible) following me, trying to run me off the road.

ROSARIO: As the cars continue down the road, Doyle tells the 911 operator, he'll be at his house in 20 seconds. He also lets 911 know he has a gun.

DOYLE: My gun is cocked and locked.

ROSARIO: The dispatcher on the other line tells Kathy and Candy to go home. But they insist on stopping by the house to get Doyle's address. That's when Candy gets out of his truck. And Doyle's wife grabs the phone, telling the operator her husband shot Candy.

SHOOTER'S WIFE: I don't know how many time he's hit. But he's fired multiple times. The guy just kept charging at him.

ROSARIO: Unable to help her husband, Doyle held Kathy and the kids hostage until police arrived.

GONZALEZ: Please hurry!

DISPATCHER: They're coming as fast as they can. Just do whatever he asks you to do, OK?

ROSARIO: Doyle is in jail, charged with second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

[06:50:00]

Candy's family is preparing for his funeral, set for next Friday, at 11:00 a.m.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: WFTS reached out to the families of the suspect and the victim. Both families said their lawyers advised them not to speak to the media.

PAUL: I want to talk about this with Danny Cevallos from Philadelphia here, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney. And as well as here in Atlanta, our law enforcement analyst, Cedric Alexander. Gentlemen, thank you for being here. Danny, I want to start with you first. When we talk about these charges, second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault for holding that family hostage, as it's dubbed. Do those charges you think reflect properly what happened?

DANNY CEVALLOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, a creative prosecutor could have charged him with even more. I mean, there's potential kidnapping, anytime you move someone from A to B, even a few feet, they could have charged a higher degree of murder. Whether or not those will ultimately be dismissed, or this defendant would be acquitted is another thing. But I think that, frankly, the charges fall right into the zone of what could be charged in this particular case. And they certainly could have gone for more. It seems like they're being, given the facts, relatively reasonable in their charging at this point, the prosecution.

PAUL: It has to be odd, I would think. I've not heard of a case where both people in this contested road rage incident are talking to 911 at the same time. Is there anything specific you think a 911 operator could have done to diffuse the situation? Or it seemed like both of these guys just were on a mission.

CEDRIC ALEXANDER, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: 911 operators have a really difficult and challenging jobs. They take all kinds of calls all day long. A case such as this, where you have two separate groups of people, two individuals who are clearly going after each other in some type of way, calling in at the same time, the 911 operators are doing the very best he or she can, as they receive the information. It's not really a whole lot they can do as it appears in the initial phase of this investigation. What they are trying to do is take as much information in, relaying that to the officers that are out on the street, having them en route. You heard one part of that conversation, just do as you're being asked to do. We have got cars coming, just try to stay safe the very best that you can.

PAUL: Danny, here's the thing. You've got the one, who ended up being the victim, following the guy to his house. You have got the guy, the suspect here, Doyle, saying he's going to be home in 20 seconds, that he had a gun. He said my gun is already out. It's cocked and locked. Those are his exact words on the 911 call. Surely, that's going to come into play in a trial here. It's one thing to be on the defensive side, right? Or to be alert. But that seems to take it to a whole other level, does it not?

CEVALLOS: A couple of ways of looking at this. I mean, in fact, if he was at home, Florida has the stand-your-ground law. But if you're already at your home, it's almost unnecessary, because all stand your ground is expanding the bubble of the castle doctrine, which says that a man's home or a person's home is their castle. And because of that, they can brandish a weapon, and there is a presumption that anybody who is on their property is there to do them harm.

So once -- the larger point is, once somebody is at their home, regardless of what state you're in, there's a much higher presumption of fear of reasonable bodily harm, and a defendant is going to have more of a privilege to use deadly force. And at the same time, there is the argument that nobody should ever play law enforcement and go following someone they suspect committed a crime. The idea of the citizen's arrest is really ultimately a dangerous one, and one that is rarely used anymore. The idea that the victim here was following -- of course I'm not saying it was his fault. But at the same time, that's going to come in as evidence. And I think a jury is going to look for answers to the question, why was the victim following this person to his home? And of course, they're going to read into each of their voices and decide, you're right, Christi. If someone is saying cocked and locked, and that sounds too glib or too casual or too cowboyish, a jury will read that. And they may punish him even for this language.

PAUL: Just a side note here. We only have a second, but Cedric, if you're being followed, I wouldn't go home. I would not want him to know where I was. I would go to a police station.

ALEXANDER: You go somewhere where there's people. You try to head to the local police station the best you can.

[06:55:00]

The most important thing here to remember is this. Don't get yourself caught up in this road rage. We hear it goes on across the country. Someone's trailing you. Someone's fussing at you out there on the roadway, take off. Take a side street. Go somewhere else. Try to avoid that situation. One second of making a very different decision means everything in the world.

PAUL: Cedric Alexander, Danny Cevallos, we appreciate it both, thank you. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: We just celebrated the Fourth of July. But people are already talking about the fall.

BLACKWELL: Season is coming.

PAUL: Yes, it is, it's pretty, too, for the most part, right? Because they're in training already.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS: Training camps are here. They're opening up.

PAUL: Coy? What? What did I do?

WIRE: You did nothing.

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: You're looking at me like I did something.

BLACKWELL: Adrian Peterson returns to the team yesterday.

WIRE: People are wondering. This will be our talker today. We love getting you involved using #newdayCNN. So get that ready. So here is the thing. Peterson missed 15 games last year following a domestic violence incident involving his young son. He also had a messy contract dispute with the Vikings, so everyone was wondering how he would be welcomed back to training camp, which started yesterday.

Well, he was welcomed by droves of folks chanting MVP as they waited for him to arrive. Peterson spent over eight months away from the game, after being indicted on child injury charges last year. He eventually pleaded no contest in a plea deal. And his charges were reduced to misdemeanor reckless assault.

So here is the thing. People were wondering, how easily will people forget? Will the fans welcome him back with open arms, after all his son has been through because of him? And we look at some of the other stars. Clearly the Vikings fans welcomed him back after seeing that video. Alex Rodriguez just hit three home runs last night. The crowd's going crazy. Right, we know he was using substances of -- to enhance his game, right, performance enhancers. And Kobe Bryant had some issues in the past.