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CNN Live Today

Interview With Don Clark

Aired October 23, 2002 - 10:09   ET

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


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


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It has been some three weeks since the authorities began their search for this D.C.-area sniper, and the probe is now believed to be the largest criminal investigation the region has ever seen, encompassing at least 1,000 officers and some experts from local, state and federal agencies.
To get more perspective on the probe, we are joined now by a former FBI lead investigator, Don Clark, in Houston, Texas.

Good to see you again. How are you?

DON CLARK, FMR. LEAD FBI INVESTIGATOR: Leon, Good to see you.

HARRIS: Well, sorry that we've to talk again under such difficult circumstances, but let's start off first of all with this report that we're all seeing across the media about these phone calls from the killer or the shooter that have been made into the investigators, that have been hung up on, and then, according to the letter that he left behind, he says that five people had to die because he got hung up on.

What do you make of that? Is that a sign to you that this investigation has got to come under maybe perhaps FBI direction now?

CLARK: Well, Leon, I think what the American public has to be -- and particularly the citizens up in the area of Maryland and D.C., they just need to be assured. We all need to be assured that the best team has been assembled to effectively bring this investigation to a conclusion at some point. And no one has a crystal ball to tell how long that that's going to go.

If we've got the right people in there doing the job, that's what everybody wants to know that the right people are in there.

Now, we know the reputation of the FBI, and obviously, you know I'm certainly partial to the FBI, but the FBI does have the reputation of being able to bring these long-term investigations to some kind of a conclusion. And if that's the best person or parties to be involved, then I think those decisions should be made.

But the more important thing is, is that the team that's assembled, the American people want to feel comfortable that they have the right team assembled to get that job done.

HARRIS: Now, let me draw up on some of your expertise, as a lead investigator, in this case. Why do you think the money is coming up now as an issue? Why is it, then, that we're hearing -- perhaps it's been there before we heard about it, but we only began to hear about the idea of money being introduced after the shooting over the past weekend, being in the letter that was found behind the Ponderosa. That was the 13th shooting. Why is it that we don't hear about money before, like on the fourth shooting, the fifth shooting, the sixth shooting? Why now?

CLARK: Leon, with all of the cases involved in hostages and kidnappings and ransoms and so forth, this one is an absolute first one for me for a serial-type killer to go for a point, and then decide to ask for money. There may have been some examples of it, but I'm not aware of it.

So, when I heard that money happened to have now developed up into -- evolved into this picture, I say to myself, if I were there, I would have to start really thinking hard, is money really the intent here, or is this something that's just another aspect that the person is trying to do to throw us off another trail?

And these people are very bright, and I'm sure that they are figuring all those things as well, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, let me then ask you this, because it sounds to the untrained eye and ear here that perhaps they're considering giving him the money, because we heard Chief Moose say that whatever this person was requesting couldn't be done electronically. He then suggested we arrange for this to be done with a P.O. Box of some kind or whatever. That would seem -- it sounds as if they're trying to get some kind of something delivered to this person.

Is that the thing to do here in this case? Do you think that's a smart thing?

CLARK: Well, I think in a negotiation process, the things that we have to remember is that the law enforcement community has to be an earnest broker, and they have to instill that confidence in the person that they are talking to that, yes, we are working with you.

And this, again, has to be very earnest and get the confidence of that person, because you can't get in that person's head at that point to really determine if, in fact, the money really is the object of what they're trying to do. And if it is, they can work through that. If it's not, then perhaps they can generate what really is driving this person to get to another direction.

HARRIS: All right. Well, we have to go, but I have to ask you this one real quickly. If you're a parent there, would you be sending your kids to school?

CLARK: Well, Leon, I've been thinking about that and mulling over it. Fro myself, I know I would get out and go and do things, and I'd like to say for my kids. I feel confident that if -- that's why it's so important to have that team together to instill the confidence in the public, that, look, we're doing everything we can. And I have to tell you, I think I would gamble with it and try to get my kid to school.

HARRIS: Interesting. Don Clark, thanks much -- appreciate it as always. Take care.

CLARK: My pleasure, Leon.

HARRIS: Talk with you later on.

CLARK: OK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired October 23, 2002 - 10:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It has been some three weeks since the authorities began their search for this D.C.-area sniper, and the probe is now believed to be the largest criminal investigation the region has ever seen, encompassing at least 1,000 officers and some experts from local, state and federal agencies.
To get more perspective on the probe, we are joined now by a former FBI lead investigator, Don Clark, in Houston, Texas.

Good to see you again. How are you?

DON CLARK, FMR. LEAD FBI INVESTIGATOR: Leon, Good to see you.

HARRIS: Well, sorry that we've to talk again under such difficult circumstances, but let's start off first of all with this report that we're all seeing across the media about these phone calls from the killer or the shooter that have been made into the investigators, that have been hung up on, and then, according to the letter that he left behind, he says that five people had to die because he got hung up on.

What do you make of that? Is that a sign to you that this investigation has got to come under maybe perhaps FBI direction now?

CLARK: Well, Leon, I think what the American public has to be -- and particularly the citizens up in the area of Maryland and D.C., they just need to be assured. We all need to be assured that the best team has been assembled to effectively bring this investigation to a conclusion at some point. And no one has a crystal ball to tell how long that that's going to go.

If we've got the right people in there doing the job, that's what everybody wants to know that the right people are in there.

Now, we know the reputation of the FBI, and obviously, you know I'm certainly partial to the FBI, but the FBI does have the reputation of being able to bring these long-term investigations to some kind of a conclusion. And if that's the best person or parties to be involved, then I think those decisions should be made.

But the more important thing is, is that the team that's assembled, the American people want to feel comfortable that they have the right team assembled to get that job done.

HARRIS: Now, let me draw up on some of your expertise, as a lead investigator, in this case. Why do you think the money is coming up now as an issue? Why is it, then, that we're hearing -- perhaps it's been there before we heard about it, but we only began to hear about the idea of money being introduced after the shooting over the past weekend, being in the letter that was found behind the Ponderosa. That was the 13th shooting. Why is it that we don't hear about money before, like on the fourth shooting, the fifth shooting, the sixth shooting? Why now?

CLARK: Leon, with all of the cases involved in hostages and kidnappings and ransoms and so forth, this one is an absolute first one for me for a serial-type killer to go for a point, and then decide to ask for money. There may have been some examples of it, but I'm not aware of it.

So, when I heard that money happened to have now developed up into -- evolved into this picture, I say to myself, if I were there, I would have to start really thinking hard, is money really the intent here, or is this something that's just another aspect that the person is trying to do to throw us off another trail?

And these people are very bright, and I'm sure that they are figuring all those things as well, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, let me then ask you this, because it sounds to the untrained eye and ear here that perhaps they're considering giving him the money, because we heard Chief Moose say that whatever this person was requesting couldn't be done electronically. He then suggested we arrange for this to be done with a P.O. Box of some kind or whatever. That would seem -- it sounds as if they're trying to get some kind of something delivered to this person.

Is that the thing to do here in this case? Do you think that's a smart thing?

CLARK: Well, I think in a negotiation process, the things that we have to remember is that the law enforcement community has to be an earnest broker, and they have to instill that confidence in the person that they are talking to that, yes, we are working with you.

And this, again, has to be very earnest and get the confidence of that person, because you can't get in that person's head at that point to really determine if, in fact, the money really is the object of what they're trying to do. And if it is, they can work through that. If it's not, then perhaps they can generate what really is driving this person to get to another direction.

HARRIS: All right. Well, we have to go, but I have to ask you this one real quickly. If you're a parent there, would you be sending your kids to school?

CLARK: Well, Leon, I've been thinking about that and mulling over it. Fro myself, I know I would get out and go and do things, and I'd like to say for my kids. I feel confident that if -- that's why it's so important to have that team together to instill the confidence in the public, that, look, we're doing everything we can. And I have to tell you, I think I would gamble with it and try to get my kid to school.

HARRIS: Interesting. Don Clark, thanks much -- appreciate it as always. Take care.

CLARK: My pleasure, Leon.

HARRIS: Talk with you later on.

CLARK: OK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.