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George Zimmerman Back in Jail; Passengers Plane Crashes In Nigeria; Protests Sweep Egypt For Second Day; Assad: Massacre Carried Out By "Monsters"; One Dead In Toronto Mall Shooting; "Desperate Housewives" Actress Dies; Britain Celebrates Diamond Jubilee; Tim McGraw Gives Free Homes To Vets
Aired June 03, 2012 - 14:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
We're following two big stories right now. George Zimmerman has just turned himself in. The man accused of killing unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin is back in jail.
And breaking news out of Nigeria, a plane with more than 150 on board crashes in Lagos and that's where we begin in Nigeria. A rescue operation is happening right now at that plane crash site in Nigeria.
Dana Air passenger plane carrying 153 people crashed into a neighborhood in Lagos setting several homes on fire. CNN Vlad Duthiers is live at the scene and joins us right now by phone. So Vlad, what can you tell us about the crash and the casualties.
VLAD DUTHIERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Fred, it's pandemonium here. There are just hundreds upon hundreds of people here. A rescue operation is under way, as far as we can tell.
So far, we're fairly close to where the crash happened. I can see orange flames sort of looking at the building. About 100 yards away from where we're standing, and there's tons of people.
But also security personnel, the police are out here, members of the military. We're told that a rescue operation is under way, but so far we don't a typical rescue scene, you see a lot of lights.
You see the area cordoned off. We don't see right now. There are reports of 147 dead on the Dana Airline that was on its way from the state capital to Lagos.
Right now, you can tell there are some kinds of operations under way, but there are just also tons of people here -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: So, Vlad, it was close to coming in for a landing there in Lagos?
DUTHIERS: Yes, according to the National Emergency Agency, the flight was on route from the state capital to Lagos. We're not sure if it was actually in its final approach, but it did crash into a residential neighborhood, which is where we are right now. We are in this residential neighborhood, which is just packed with houses. So we were originally told that it crashed into two homes. Right now, it's really, really hard to tell just because there are sort of flames everywhere.
And the buildings, as far as I can see right now, it's getting dark here and there are absolutely no lights on. It looks to be utter devastation from where we're sitting -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Vlad Duthiers, thanks so much from Lagos. Keep us posted throughout the afternoon.
All right, now let's go to Sanford, Florida. That's where George Zimmerman has come out of hiding and he is now back in jail. His bond was revoked by the judge of the Trayvon Martin murder case.
Martin Savidge is there. Martin, tell us about how this all unfolded today?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it went smoothly, and it went safely. That's, of course, the primary concern both for the defense and also for the sheriff's office here.
George Zimmerman was booked into the Seminole County Jail at around 1:43 so a little less than an hour ago. But a little different as to how he turned himself in. It actually occurred on the side of a highway here in Central Florida.
We know that George Zimmerman returned to this area late last night. But as far as actually getting back into custody of authorities, well, listen to the sheriff as he described how that happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF DONALD ESLINGER, SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA: George Zimmerman met two members of the sheriff's office in the area of Lake Merriad, I-4, was placed into custody, transported to the correctional facility. He is being booked and processed as per Judge Lester's order. He'll be held on a no bond status.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: And as before, George Zimmerman is going to be held in his own cell. He'll be isolated from the other part of the jail population here. Meanwhile, his attorney, that's Mark O'Mara described to me what George Zimmerman's mood was like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK O'MARA, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: He's solemn obviously. He is worried continually about his safety. Having to come out of hiding is a concern of his, but I think he also realizes the judge's concerns now that we've all had on the defense team a chance to look at all of the evidence.
He understands the court's concerns. He understands the state's concerns and we're going to address those and say what I think needs to be said to address them with Judge Lester.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Mark O'Mara hopes that his client will not behind bars for very long. He plans to file a motion tomorrow to request another bond hearing.
But of course, the decision of how long George Zimmerman stays in jail will rest entirely with the judge. And the judge is not too happy with George Zimmerman right now because of what many say is hiding of money.
WHITFIELD: And so, Martin, it's the judge's discretion as to whether there would be another bond hearing, even though Mark O'Mara is requesting another bond hearing.
SAVIDGE: Right, that's correct. And one thing you probably can bet is that the hearing isn't going to happen real soon. The judge would probably want George Zimmerman to think a little bit.
But then on top of that, you're right. The judge could make the decision that he won't necessarily have to grant bond. If that were the case then George Zimmerman could remain indefinitely or at least until his trial, and that is not expected until next year.
WHITFIELD: All right, Martin Savidge, thanks so much in Sanford, Florida.
Onto Egypt now where prosecutors announce new charges against the sons of depose President Hosni Mubarak. This comes as demonstrators gather for a second day in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
They're angry about verdicts handed down Saturday that will send Mubarak to jail for life, but cleared others of wrong doings. Journalist Ian Lee is in Cairo.
So Ian, you know, these new charges against Mubarak's sons, what are they, and how does this change the course of things?
IAN LEE, JOURNALIST: Well, Fredricka, protesters in the square right now, they're voicing their anger about not that former President Hosni Mubarak got life in prison or that his interior minister got life in prison.
It's that his sons were let off scot-free. Now what they have right now is that there are other charges against them, which is money laundering. These are around 2 billion Egyptian pounds, which is roughly $300 million.
A lot of Egyptians blame his two sons for the problems of the former regime. These are two men that aren't well liked in Egypt. So the people in Tahrir Square and actually around Egypt are protesting that those two were initially let off.
There's also the former interior minister's nephew was let off as well. People are angry about that because these were men who were with the interior ministry during the revolution when people were dying around Egypt, over 800 Egyptians died in that revolution.
And so people are saying these men have to be held accountable. And so the fact they were let off is a stick in their eye especially the fact that one of the men is trying to get his job back at the interior ministry.
People are not happy about that and that's why we're seeing tens of thousands of people around Egypt protesting right now.
WHITFIELD: And so, Ian, where are the sons now that they're facing new charges? Are they in jail or are they out and about?
LEE: Well, they're in jail right now until they are -- they deal with these new charges, they're going to be in jail. But the other members, the other deputies, are being released.
One of them is actually still in jail on other charges. But they're being released right now. This also comes as the judge -- Mubarak's judge is going to appeal this ruling. He says there are a lot of holes in this case.
And that he believes that Mubarak could be eventually acquitted. Now if that's the case, we would likely see protests around Egypt and in Tahrir Square explode to much larger numbers.
WHITFIELD: All right, Ian Lee, thanks so much from Cairo.
Right now to Syria and this claim from President Bashar Al-Assad today. He denied his government had anything to do with the massacre that left dozens of children dead last week. He blamed terrorists and outside interest for the violence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD, SYRIA (through translator): We were not facing a political situation. We are dealing with strife targeting our homeland as a hole that wants to destroy the nation through terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: This YouTube video purports to show protests right after Al-Assad's speech calling for the Syrian president's execution.
And right now police in Toronto are looking for the person who gunned down and killed a man in a crowded shopping mall. It happened in the food court at the Eton Center yesterday evening.
According to the "Toronto Star," police say a 25-year-old man was the targeted victim and seven others were injured in that gunfire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he pulled out gun, he started firing up in the air and he started yelling. It was kind of hard to hear what he was saying because a bunch of people were screaming. Everyone panicked.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We started running backwards. There were about 200 people running towards us away from the food court. So we started running and then cops came in. They said get down, get down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Police are asking everyone who was there to come forward to help them with that investigation.
And sad news, Catherine Houston, the Emmy-award winning actress who starred in hit television sitcoms and a handful of movies has died. She was 72. Houston may be best known for her role in "Desperate Housewives." Her family says she died after an 11-year battle with lung cancer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And our survey says.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And who could forget Richard Dawson, the original host of "Family Feud." He has died at the age of 79. His son shared the news on his Facebook page.
He says his father passed away due to complications from cancer. Dawson was best known for his acting role in the 1960s sitcom, "Hogan's Heroes."
But who could forget all the good luck kisses that he was known for, giving to his female contestants on "The Family Feud."
All right, celebrating a historic event in Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee, a massive turnout to watch a royal parade on water.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Pomp and pageantry. A huge boat sailed up London's famous waterway today to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee, 60 years on the throne. Watching it all, CNN's Max Foster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the pageant is over. You can see the boats returning to their homes. It was a great success, a huge success, which hasn't been tried on this river for 350 years.
And the queen clearly enjoyed it. She was smiling throughout in the presence of Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on that grand royal barge. She did get a bit colder at one point, but just put on a shawl and carried on.
This was all, of course, in her honor. But it's now over yet because on Monday there will be a garden party at Buckingham Palace, and beacons lit across the commonwealth, and on Tuesday, it's the day of pomp and pageantry, a big thanksgiving service at the cathedral.
Followed by carriage procession to Buckingham Palace and a fly pass as the royal family stand on that famous balcony. Lots more to come. Max Foster, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Max. At times, though, as you can tell from that video, it was raining pretty hard on the folks gathered in London. The bad weather may not have bothered them, but it did force officials to cancel a military flyover.
Country music superstar Tim McGraw kicking off a summer concert tour this weekend and giving thanks to vets with mortgage-free homes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: This weekend, Tim McGraw is kicking off his "Brothers of the Sun" tour, the hugely successful country music star is also giving back.
He's partnering with veterans group and Chase Bank to give away 25 homes to wounded veterans while on this tour. I talked with him about why he's doing it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Why is it so important to you to help kick off your tour in 25 cities, 25 cities where mortgage-free homes would go to vets?
TIM MCGRAW, COUNTRY SINGER/ACTOR: You know, it's just -- when this was all kicked around, and we were trying to decide if it was all going to come together, I couldn't think of anything better.
My sister is a veteran of the first Gulf war. My uncle was a Vietnam veteran. My grandfather was a World War II veteran, some of my best friends. To see how families sort of come together and survive those sort of times, and then you see soldiers come home that are wounded, and they can't sort of get their lives together.
And things are not going right to sort of have that freedom for a soldier to have that, to come back from being wounded and giving everything that he's had for us to be able to live in our home, to be able to get in our car and to drive around and to go to our jobs and to have that sort of sense of freedom and that sort of sense of security for their family. I can't think of anything better for a wounded soldier to have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In the 4:00 p.m. Eastern hour of CNN NEWSROOM, you'll hear more from Tim McGraw and you'll meet the first wounded Marine to get a mortgage free home from this effort.
Also in one hour, political talk, President Obama takes on Mitt Romney's record as governor. Will that tactic work? Also, what are U.S. nuns doing to get spark strong criticism from the Vatican? The report accuses them of radical feminism. Stay with CNN. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "YOUR MONEY" starts right after this.
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