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American Morning

Tip From Taxi Driver Led Police to Fugitives; Teenager Who Turned Middle School into Murder Scene Getting Out of Prison

Aired August 11, 2005 - 07:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And Tropical Depression Irene now upgraded to a tropical storm. She'll likely become the season's next hurricane, and she's possibly headed for the U.S. We're keeping a close eye on her this morning, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning. Welcome, everybody. Miles has the day off.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining us.

Police say a tip from a taxi driver led them to the so-called "Bonnie and Clyde" fugitives.

O'BRIEN: And in fact it is all wrapped up. George and Jennifer Hyatte headed for federal court today. They're going to be extradited from Ohio to Tennessee to face first-degree murder charges. After a day on the run, the Hyattes were cornered last night in Columbus, Ohio.

We begin with team coverage this morning. Alina Cho live for us in Columbus, Bob Franken in Kingston, Tennessee.

Alina, let's begin with you. What new details do you have on the capture?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Soledad, good morning to you.

It was actually a cab driver who tipped off authorities, told them that George and Jennifer Hyatte were here at this motel in Columbus. How did he know, you ask? Well, he was the one who drove the couple here from another motel in suburban Cincinnati last night, about 100 miles away. Authorities quickly surrounded this motel, and the couple gave themselves up without incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BOLEN, U.S. MARSHAL SERVICE: They responded to the scene, set up the perimeter, and we then made a phone call into the room, and we asked -- we told George and Jennifer -- we actually spoke with Jennifer, that we knew they were in there, we knew that there was a possibility they could be armed, we didn't want to harm them, and so we asked them to come out.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHO: Here's what else authorities have in their possession this morning. After combing through the couple's motel room, investigators found half-eaten food, a Hawaiian Punch can and a messy bed. They also found weapons, but they are not saying yet this morning whether one of them was the murder weapon that Jennifer Hyatte allegedly used to kill a corrections officer during Tuesday's daring escape.

Now during that escape, Jennifer Hyatte actually suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, but those injuries are not said to be life threatening. Her husband George Hyatte is expected to attend a court hearing in Ohio today. Both will then be extradited, Soledad, to Tennessee, where they are both expected to face first-degree murder charges.

O'BRIEN: Alina, for all the violence of the escape, the capture really was quite peaceful, and it was that phone call that was sort of the critical moment, wasn't it?

CHO: It certainly was, Soledad. And I know you spoke to a U.S. marshal, John Bolen, who actually says that he felt, and this is interesting, he felt that the couple actually felt a sense of relief at being captured. He said that he didn't feel like they had slept much, and that they knew that their time had come -- Soledad

O'BRIEN: Alina Cho for us this morning. Alina, thanks.

Bob Franken is live outside the command post in Kingston, Tennessee, where the shootout happened.

Bob, good morning to you.

Police really getting dozens of tips every hour. What exactly, though, led them from Tennessee eventually to Columbus, Ohio?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, they were coordinating here with the command post, and perhaps the most telling thing here at the scene of the crime after all is that that command post is gone, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was using a variety of techniques, most of which they won't tell us about, to trace the trail, at least, as it went 390 miles from here in a very logical, logical route actually. They took a series of interstates that took them up to Cincinnati, and then made their way to Columbus, Ohio. This would have been the logical place to look for these people.

Now the question comes up, could they have pulled this entire thing off alone, and the people who had -- the TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, say their investigation is not over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK GWYN, TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: There were other people that knew about the escape. To what extent right now, we just don't know. I have agents en route to Ohio to interview both Jennifer and George. Once we conduct those interviews I think we'll have a better idea of who all took part this escape. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: There's a lot of soul searching here about procedures. The big question being, should dangerous people who are brought to trial have such an easy common way to get back and forth. That is to say, just be walked outside in a parking lot. The problem here is this is a 31-year-old building and they haven't really caught up with modern times. But now there's going to be an increased push, Soledad, to bring this up to speed. It's going to, of course, take an awful lot of money to do that -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: No question about that. I also would imagine the investigation's going to focus on the guards who were holding on to the captive because, frankly, they weren't appropriately equipped, were they.

FRANKEN: Well, one of them was not wearing a vest, although we're told repeatedly these guards followed procedures, that there was nothing wrong with that. The focus is right now going to be on friends and associates, to see whether there were accomplices.

O'BRIEN: Bob Franken for us this morning. Bob, thanks for the update.

And in just a few minutes, we're going to from the U.S. marshal who led the capture in Ohio, and then in the hour we'll get an update from the official who led the investigation from the Tennessee end -- Carol.

COSTELLO: It is a day many people in Jonesboro, Arkansas have been dreading. The town, you'll recall, was the scene of a deadly school shooting seven years ago. Now a teenager who turned his middle school into a murder scene is getting out of prison.

More now from CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seven years after a schoolyard ambush killed four students and a teacher in Jonesboro, Arkansas, one of the two killers, Mitchell Johnson, will go free today on his 21st birthday. The shooting happened on March 24th, 1998. Johnson then 13, and 11-year-old Andrew Golden, opened fire on teachers and classmates outside the west side middle school in Jonesboro.

MITCH WRIGHT, WIFE KILLED IN SHOOTING: You look at the number of deaths and the number of people shot, and it's just not right.

LAVANDERA: The shooting came amid a series of deadly attacks in which teenagers targeted their classmates. It was a year before Columbine, the worst school shooting in U.S. history. Just months after Pearl, Mississippi, and Paducah, Kentucky. In the Jonesboro shooting, Mitchell Johnson was tried and convicted as a minor. But because of a since closed loophole in Arkansas's justice system, the state couldn't hold Johnson beyond his 18th birthday. But federal prosecutors were able to use gun charges to keep him locked up until now.

Today, as Johnson turns 21, he will be released from a federal detention center in Memphis, Tennessee. His record will be expunged. The slate clean. That's something some victims' families say they'll never accept.

BRADNI VARNER, SISTER OF SHOOTING VICTIM: Now to know that her killer, the person who put her where she is today, is going to walk free and live a life that she should have lived, you know, tell me how to get over that.

LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, Jonesboro, Arkansas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Now because Mitchell's record is expunged, under Arkansas law, he's allowed to buy guns just like anybody else. The other shooter is still behind bars, and is set to be released on his 21st birthday, and that will arrive in 2008. Later this hour, Craighead Country Sheriff Jack McCann will have community reaction to Johnson's release.

O'BRIEN: One has to imagine the community is angry.

COSTELLO: Very angry.

And the sheriff is about to protect this kid's mother, because apparently she's being threatened.

O'BRIEN: Really? Well, you know, complicated story.

Carol, thanks.

Iran, let's turn there now. It's restarted its nuclear program. In a few hours, international atomic regulators are going to meet to decide what to do about that.

Walt Rodgers is live for us in Vienna this morning.

Walter, good morning to you.

What are the details at this point of this resolution that's just a draft now?

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. CNN has been given a copy of the draft resolution written by the French, the British and Germans, and it's pretty tough. It calls on Iran to re-establish a full suspension of its atomic fuel-processing activities. Specifically it calls for a suspension of any uranium enrichment, and worrisome in this is a line which says that the IAEA inspectors in Iran cannot conclude, but that Iran may be conducting even more undeclared nuclear research. Melissa Flemming is with the IAEA.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MELISSA FLEMMING, IAEA SPOKESWOMAN: A resolution was now tabled that expresses serious concerns about Iran's decision to reactivate the uranium-conversion facility in Espehan (ph). What it also does is ask -- call on Iran to reverse its decision, go back to a full suspension of all uranium-enrichment activities, including this uranium-conversion facility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: There is, of course no guarantee the full 35-nation International Atomic Energy Agency panel will approve this. It was written by the French, the British and the Germans. The Iranians are certain not to like it, because if you read between the lines implicit in this draft document is the very real conclusion that the Iranians cannot be trusted -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: But realistically, what does any sort of draft resolution do to persuade the Iranians?

RODGERS: Well, of course, you're correct, it's a good question, because it is all words. But it is a ratcheting up of the pressure, while at the same time reserving the diplomatic options, giving the Iranians one more chance. Of course what's going to happen after any resolution comes out of here -- and we're not sure this will be the one, but it's the preeminent resolution before the panel at this point. What's going to happen after that is the European big three, the French, British, the Germans, backed by the Americans, and including support from the Australians, the Canadians and New Zealanders, they're going to start talking about possible sanctions against Iran. That's a pretty heavy club in the closet, but that would come later -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Walt Rodgers in Vienna for us this morning. Walt, thanks -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Just about an hour ago a British terror suspect wanted here in the United States appeared in court for an extradition hearing. Haroon Rashid Aswat is suspected of conspiring to set up a terrorist camp in Oregon.

Robyn Curnow is live outside the magistrate's court in London.

Robyn, what's the latest?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there.

Well, you're right, it just was over an hour ago he appeared in this court behind me very briefly. Haroon Rashid Aswat facing the magistrate for the second time this week. He was remanded in custody until September 8th. Of course, he still is under -- being held under the U.S. extradition warrant. The U.S. authorities have not yet filed a formal extradition request. That might take another few weeks. All in all, if he is to be returned back to the United States, it's a process that could take him many more months, but we do know that this man is also wanted -- the U.S. authorities want to talk to him about links he has with Abu Hamza, the radical Islamic cleric, here also being held in Belmarsh Prison. Both men were returned -- basically Aswat was returned to Belmarsh Prison after his hearing.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Robyn, I know they're busy in London. Court hearings for 10 others. What charges are they facing?

CURNOW: Well, interestingly, all of these people are the so- called helpful network that surrounded the attempted bombers on July 21st. They're being held on lesser counts, things like withholding information and helping the suspects evade arrest.

Interestingly, two women who also were sitting in front of the magistrate, and they are accused of helping Hamdi Issac. Now he's the one that is being held in Rome at the moment, and they were accused of helping with things like washing his clothes after the 21st of July, also going to the chemist and buying him some bandages and antiseptic spray, because he injured himself while fleeing the scene. So it's that's sort of detail that's starting to come out in just how these people helped.

COSTELLO: One more question, Robyn, British authorities detained 10 foreign nationals. What type of threats do they pose?

CURNOW: Well, that is an interesting question. Basically authorities here saying they posed the threat to national security. They're not going into any more detail than that. They're also not giving their names or their nationalities. These men will be held until they're deported.

Now what we do know is that one of the men being held is a Jordanian who is believed -- Abu Katai (ph). He is to be the spiritual ambassador to Al Qaeda. That is what he's described as. He's believed to be one of those men.

What is interesting, these arrests come one day after Britain signed a memorandum of understanding with Jordan, which will ensure that anybody sent back to Jordan will not face the death penalty.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Robyn Curnow, live in London, thanks.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING: A chilling new videotape believed to be from Al Qaeda. Is the terrorist group getting stronger in Afghanistan?

O'BRIEN: We'll have more on that crucial tip that led to the capture of the Tennessee fugitive and his wife. We'll talk to the U.S. marshal in charge of last night's big arrest. That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Jennifer Hyatte, a fugitive suspected of murder, picked up the phone last night, and on the other end was the U.S. Marshal Service, telling her that she and her husband were surrounded in their motel room.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: John Bolen is the commander for the U.S. Marshal Service, in charge of the capture.

Nice to see you, sir. Thanks for your time this morning.

The escape quite violent, but at the end the day the surrender quite peaceful. Are you surprised by that?

BOLEN: Frankly, I am. I am quite surprised, pleasantly surprised.

O'BRIEN: I guess everyone was as well. Walk me through what happened. There was a cab driver who tipped off authorities, because he had actually driven the couple from Kentucky to a motel in Ohio. When you got that tip, what did you do next?

BOLEN: Yes ma'am. We received a tip from directly from the U.S. Marshal Service in Cincinnati, letting us know that they had a general idea of where the cab driver had dropped the two individuals off. We kind of canvassed the area. I sent a deputy marshal into this particular hotel -- motel, and she went inside, identified herself, verified that the information the cab driver had given us was accurate. At that time, we put the Columbus Police Department's SWAT team, a great group of professionals, the tactical entry into their hands, and the U.S. marshals and CPD surrounded the motel room, and we then strategically placed a phone call into the motel room, and Jennifer answered the phone, and we gave them the opportunity to end this thing peacefully.

O'BRIEN: And so let me stop you there one second. So Jennifer picks up the phone, and what kind of conversation ensues? What did she say? What did the deputy say?

BOLEN: The conversation was very, very brief. The conversation was simply -- the deputy asked her -- called her by name. She answered. Jennifer. She said -- the deputy telling Jennifer you're surrounded, you're attempts to escape have come to an end, there's no where to go and we want this to go peacefully. This is an opportunity for you to come out and do the right thing.

O'BRIEN: And Jennifer said what?

BOLEN: There was no response. We asked her not to hang the phone up. But to just lay it down and walk to the door and open the door, and that's precisely what she did.

O'BRIEN: Within just a moment or two?

BOLEN: Almost instantaneously, yes.

O'BRIEN: She was injured, wasn't she, Jennifer Hyatte. How about her husband, was he?

BOLEN: No, ma'am. He suffered no injuries as a result of the alleged incident a couple days ago and, of course, tonight it was without incident.

O'BRIEN: What kind of injuries did Jennifer have? What kind of shape was she in?

BOLEN: She had a serious gunshot wound to her upper leg. She was treated by emergency medical services at an undisclosed location when we first left this site. We then decided that it would be best that we take her to the hospital, and we then took her to a local hospital, where she received treatment and was released.

O'BRIEN: Did they say anything? Did they seem relieved, upset? What did they do?

BOLEN: We did have an opportunity to take some statements. I can't comment. Obviously this is an ongoing investigation, and it wouldn't be fair for me to make comments before the investigation is played out.

However, with the years of experience I have doing this, I see this quite a bit. There was a sense of actual relief, in my opinion. I don't think they had slept much, and I think they realized that the time had come, that basically they were going to be captured and they were going to have to face justice.

O'BRIEN: Fortunately a very nondramatic ending to a really quite violent spree.

John Bolen, from the U.S. Marshal Service, thanks for talking with us this morning.

BOLEN: Thank you so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, a potential energy crisis for the nation's airlines. Could they run out of fuel? Andy tells us what it means for you in "Minding Your Business." That next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: I'm getting stock tips from Andy this morning. It's good.

It seems like the price of oil sets a record with each passing day. Andy Serwer is here "Minding Your Business."

What's it up to, $65?

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Sixty-five dollars and change, an all-time record. I can share the stock tip with everyone out there, which is buy oil stocks. I mean, if you're paying so much at the pumps, guess who's making a lot of money. That's right, the oil companies. $65.23 a new record this morning and no end in sight.

A report yesterday showing the supply of gasoline is tight. Let's take a look at this chart. This is yesterday and today.

COSTELLO: Wow.

SERWER: A year ago. You can just see the difference in the price of petroleum and the price of gasoline that you're paying at the pump. And it's kind of hard to imagine, Carol, the price of gasoline not going up a little bit more, even as we hit Labor Day, which traditionally spells lower gas prices as we end the heavy driving season in the summer.

Meanwhile, let's talk about the airlines a little bit here. And as if they're not facing enough problems, a report today in the AP says that airports in the southwestern part of the United States faced critical shortages in jet fuel, only days, and in some cases only hours, worth of supply of jet fuel. That obviously would have wreaked havoc, and this problem has not been solved, Carol. Their supply of bottle necks in pipeline. Pipelines supply jet fuel to most airports. They actually had to fly jet fuel in, and in some cases truck it in, and someone said like dropping a handful of sand on a beach. You can't supply airports by trucks. It's not enough fuel. They're huge problems to work out.

COSTELLO: So is it a technical problem in the pipes, or is it a problem with getting enough whatever you make jet fuel out of?

SERWER: It's actually they're supply problems and they're snags. The constraints right now are so tight that any time they have to shut a pipeline down to maintain it, say, for a few hours, that causes huge problems in the system.

COSTELLO: And we all know what that means for us.

SERWER: Delays at the airport.

COSTELLO: Delays and higher prices -- Soledad.

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well, still to come this morning, one of the shooters in the deadly Jonesboro school ambush walks free seven years after the attacks. How will the town react to his release. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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