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Edward Snowden On The Move; What To Expect From Zimmerman Trial Opening Statements; Paula Deen Still Has Some Die-Hard And Forgiving Fans; Washington Stumped And Upset Over Hong Kong's Refusal To Extradite Snowden; Investigators Search Aaron Hernandez's Home -- Again

Aired June 23, 2013 - 14:59   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. A look at our top stories this hour, breaking news this hour, the NSA leaker Edward Snowden is on the move. He's in Russia and Wikileaks which is helping him says Snowden is on heading to South America. We'll have live reports from around the world next.

In less than 24 hours, opening statements begin in the high profile George Zimmerman trial. We'll take you live to Sanford, Florida, for a look ahead what to expect from the courtroom.

Although the Food Network says they are parting with Paula Deen for using a racial comment, some of her fans say it's best to forgive and forget. We'll tell you what else they're saying.

Let's begin with the breaking news, the man behind the NSA leaks, Edward Snowden, heading for Ecuador according to WikiLeaks. The organization helped Snowden get from Hong Kong to Russia today. He landed in Moscow this morning.

Ecuador's foreign ministry tweeted today that Snowden requested asylum there and Russian news agencies have reported that he could also stop in Cuba. The U.S. said today it is asking those countries not to let Snowden in. And a source is telling us the U.S. has revoked his passport.

President Obama has been briefed on the situation. Right now it appears Snowden may still be in Moscow but unclear when that flight might be able to take off.

Here in the U.S. officials are scrambling to stop Snowden in any way they can. As we told you earlier, a source says his passport has been revoked. Yesterday, we were told that the U.S. asked Hong Kong to detain Snowden.

Now, he's in Russia and perhaps on his way to Ecuador at some point, but unclear how he made that transition from Hong Kong to Russia.

Jill Dougherty joining us now from Washington, as State Department correspondent, what are State Department officials saying or anyone else for that matter about how in the world he was able to leave Hong Kong, even though the paperwork apparently had been received, paperwork that the U.S. sent to Hong Kong.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: You know, Fred, this is moving really, really fast. Just two seconds ago I'm checking a statement now from the State Department spokesperson, Jan Zaki (ph), and she is talking about that issue of the passport being revoked by the United States.

And what she's saying is that according to U.S. regions, persons with a felony arrest warrant -- and that would include Mr. Snowden -- are subject to having their passports revoked. Such a revocation, she said, does not affect citizenship status.

And then, the important part, persons wanted on felony charges -- and they specifically mentioned Mr. Snowden -- such as Mr. Snowden should not be allowed to proceed on any further international travel other than is necessary to return him to the United States.

And then they say because of privacy they can't get into his specific case.

So what she is saying right there is that the United States now -- because Snowden is in Moscow -- really wants Moscow, Russia, to return him to the United States, that if he doesn't have a passport, that is what the Russians should do.

They're not saying they're telling that to the government but obviously that's the message, they want him returned to the United States. So it is, again, as I said, really a very quick moving story, but that's the latest development, Fred.

WHITFIELD: I wonder if I could ask you to elaborate on that on their behalf, when they say that's what should happen, does that mean that there is an agreement in place, whether it be between the U.S. and Russia or any other country, for that matter, that that is the protocol, that when there is this felony charge, that they would be returned or is she -- this person just talking about should meaning morally they should do this?

DOUGHERTY: They're not really talking about morally because in this case, it's really legality. And what they're saying is that's the U.S. law. Now do other countries respect that? And don't forget, this is -- in a lot of these extradition cases -- and the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Russia -- there are a lot of ways that you can get around it, other clauses apply, et cetera.

And so there could be a way for Russia to simply ignore this, maybe let him go on his way. But now they're making it very clear that that's what they want.

So I think it raises the ante with Russia. China is almost beside the case at this point, he's gone, he's out of there, but Russia right now is really being challenged, I would say, by the United States to do what the United States wants. Now will Russia do that or not?

WHITFIELD: Sure. All right. Jill Dougherty, all right, thanks so much. Keep us posted on the information you're getting from your sources there in Washington. Appreciate that.

So again, Edward Snowden now in Russia, unclear when or if he will be able to get on another plane and head to Ecuador or whatever other country will accept his request for asylum.

We know that Ecuador acknowledges that he did make a formal request of asylum to that country. Our Phil Black is in Moscow.

And, Phil, give us an idea of whether there is any direct dialogue taking place right now between the U.S. and Russia about Edward Snowden.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We don't have a sense of that right now, Fredricka. At the moment, the Russian government has not made any official statement about just what it is thinking, what it has been asked, what it may do, now that Edward Snowden has effectively arrived on its front door.

Tonight, Snowden is spending the night in the transit area of Sheremetyevo, one of Moscow's biggest airports and it looks like he's spending the night, there hopefully from his point of view with the intention of getting on board a connecting flight to South America or one that will eventually get him to Ecuador at some point in the next few days.

The speculation, and it's not confirmed, the speculation is that he's going to try this via direct flight to Havana from Moscow tomorrow and then from there, take further connections, one or more, that would eventually get him to Ecuador.

We haven't seen Edward Snowden today. He's been locked up or hiding away within the terminal. He did not come out, did not attempt to actually officially cross the Russian border.

So he's within that transit area, still airside and we know that he has been meeting with officials from Ecuador's embassy here in Russia, including (inaudible) himself, who has spent quite a few hours in his company in the airport this afternoon, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Ah. All right. Fascinating. Phil Black, thanks so much for looking at the map right there.

And that's the possible trajectory for Edward Snowden that he would leave possibly Moscow, go to Ecuador by way of Havana, but none of that is confirmed. We just know that he did make a request for asylum to Ecuador, unclear. But Phil spelled it out that Ecuadorian embassy folks there in Russia are in -- having contact with Edward Snowden.

Meantime, he did make his way from Hong Kong to Moscow. There were people on the plane who happened to know that Edward Snowden was on board. This is what some of the passengers had to say upon exit from the plane.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I do not even know who is Edward Snowden. I saw that was a black car near our aircraft, the car with the regular registration number.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): In the cabin, all was quiet. Departure was not delayed. There was nothing unusual.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I saw two cars pulled up to the jet. Everything was fine. The border guards boarded the plane. No one was detained. Everything was fine. Then three buses with passengers left the airport. Everything was fine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so it was almost like it was just a normal flight for many people there now on board, a flight from Hong Kong to Russia with Edward Snowden on it.

In Washington, officials are stumped and angry in fact over Hong Kong's refusal to extradite Edward Snowden or at least -- at the very least -- keep the fugitive from fleeing all together. White House correspondent Dan Lothian joining me now.

So, Dan, we know that, according to a senior administration official who's revealed to you that the president is being kept abreast of all the information, but what do we know about what kind of contact conversations are taking place between the White House and the Kremlin?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you are right, a senior administration official telling me that throughout the day, as appropriate, the president has been getting updates on the situation with Snowden's movements. We are told that the president has been briefed by his national security team.

Beyond that, though, officials being very tight-lipped about the details of the discussions that are ongoing behind the scenes, we do know that there are conversations ongoing between U.S. officials and officials in Hong Kong, also with law enforcement officials in some of these countries where Snowden could end up going, including Ecuador.

I'll tell you, you know, there obviously is concern here at the White House and across the Obama administration because they had hoped that this would have ended in a much different way, that Snowden would have been extradited from Hong Kong because they say they have a good law enforcement issues relationship with Hong Kong.

They do have this treaty and they believe that their case, the charges very strong, expected very much that Hong Kong would have extradited him. So that created some problems for the administration, these ongoing conversations with the hope of getting Snowden back to the United States, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dan Lothian at the White House, thanks so much. Keep us posted.

So in the meantime, Hong Kong adamant that it was the U.S. which dropped the ball enabling Snowden to flee to Moscow. CNN's Nic Robertson is in Hong Kong with reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Hong Kong government has made it very clear why Edward Snowden was able to leave. They say that they weren't given the right legal documentation from the United States to meet their requirements to issue a provisional arrest warrant for Edward Snowden as the United States asked for.

And for that reason, they say, without an arrest warrant, Edward Snowden wasn't on a watch list. He was a free man, free to leave the country, which is what he's done. One legal expert we've talked to here who's been watching Edward Snowden's case very, very closely has said he's shocked at what the Hong Kong has done.

He said all that the government here needed was to know that Edward Snowden was in Hong Kong and that he was wanted by the United States for prosecution in the United States. Those were the minimum legal requirements that needed to be met.

And he said, as far as he could see, those were met. So not only has Hong Kong allowed Edward Snowden to leave by not arresting him, they have also said that they're now writing a letter to the U.S. government to find out about Edward Snowden's allegations of cyber- hacking of China's computers in Hong Kong.

So really, in some ways, this sort of diplomatic standoff being ratcheted up. Hong Kong not only letting Edward Snowden, it would seem, leave the country a free man, but also questioning the United States over his allegations of NSA cyber-hacking here -- Nic Robertson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Many U.S. lawmakers have publicly condemned Edward Snowden's actions. Just yesterday, House leader Nancy Pelosi was booed by a liberal audience after referring to him as a criminal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY PELOSI, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: As far as Snowden, he did -- and maybe I would be in disagreement with you -- he did violate the law, in terms of releasing those documents. We don't know -- I understand. I understand. I understand, but he did violate the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Pelosi was speaking at a Netroots Nation conference in California. She had said earlier that more transparency in government intelligence programs would be welcome.

All right. Outside Boston, police searched the property of an NFL player twice. The latest on the case involving the New England Patriot and the death of a friend of his whose body was found near his home. Plus Paula Deen's unraveling empire? One cable network dumped her cooking shows. Another one is rethinking its ties to her products.

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WHITFIELD: Now to the latest on the case involving New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez. Investigators searched his home near Boston for a second time. They were investigating the death of his friend whose body was found less than a mile from Hernandez's house. Susan Candiotti is following the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had plans for a quiet Saturday afternoon, it didn't turn out that way. For the second time in a week, investigators, this time, almost twice as many as before, descended on his home in several cars and spent four hours conducting a search.

A local locksmith was involved, going in and out. So were at least two police dogs. Investigators wearing gloves carried equipment in cases. No outdoor sightings of the famous homeowner but his lawyer from a firm with offices from Boston to Hong Kong arrived two hours into the search.

For a flash, the football player appeared at his front door, looking outside. Police are not calling Hernandez a suspect in the murder of Odin Lloyd, shot to death Monday; however, investigators are making the star football player a focus.

Lloyd's body was found less than a mile from the Patriot tight end's home and on Saturday, police continued to guard the scene. Lloyd's family describes Hernandez as a friend and says the two partied at nightclubs together. The girlfriends of both men are sisters.

Surveillance video reportedly shows the men together on the street where Lloyd lives hours before Lloyd's body was found. Authorities on Thursday also searched this Providence, Rhode Island, strip club in connection with the murder investigation.

Police tell CNN detectives seized surveillance videos taken inside Club Desire that covered more than two days. It's unclear whether they're trying to document whether the victim and Hernandez may have been there or for another reason.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: And today, no police activity at the house and so far, no Hernandez sightings, but he remains under a microscope, as investigators continue to analyze everything they took away in all of those evidence bags, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, appreciate that, thank you.

Now to new developments in the controversy surrounding TV chef Paula Deen, who admitted to using the N word. The Food Network has canceled her contract but fans say she has apologized and it's time to move on. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it right? No. I mean, she could have used another term, but, hey, it was a mistake that she made.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She made a mistake and she probably shouldn't have said that. But she has apologized. And I think maybe we ought to take that for what it's worth. It sounds like that it was sincere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a learning lesson for her and it's a learning lesson for the people that do forgive. So I will forgive her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Deen and her brother are being sued for alleged sexual and racial harassment by a former manager at their restaurant. Our Nick Valencia joining me now.

So what more are fans saying?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this has become a larger contextual issue here about race in America, Fred, and how it's still a very real issue. But Paula Deen, for all of her mistakes and what she calls mistakes and what she's apologized for, they've come out to aggressively support her, even saying that the media has blown this out of proportion. They've mocked the press coverage.

They've gone after The Food Network for not renewing her contract after 11 years. Of course, she became a popular food chef with her program on The Food Network.

They say they called it a kneejerk reaction from The Food Network for not renewing her contract. Though there are others who are saying there's no apology that can be made to forgive what she's done and it doesn't matter if she grew up in a different era or a different time. There's just no excuses. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Here's what's troubling about that to me, putting aside Paula Deen, because I got to be honest, I don't really care what Paula Deen thinks about matters of race. But what I do care about is the fact that folks are defending what she says and believes based on her age, and that she's Southern.

Here's the problem with that. My mother is two weeks older to the day than Paula Deen. She was born two weeks before Paula Deen and yet she raised me to know that not only are those kinds of words unacceptable but that in fact the history of the antebellum South is not something to glorify, it's not something to wax nostalgic about, it's something to be horrified by.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VALENCIA: So while there are those that are standing up for her, Fred, there are others that just aren't buying any excuse that comes out.

WHITFIELD: And what about any other sponsors she has?

VALENCIA: See, this is the most interesting thing about it, the fallout from the sponsors, the companies that employ her or put her products out there.

I talked to QVC, that popular food network -- or, I'm sorry, a home shopping network. They say that they're reconsidering reexamining their business relationship and also this statement that I just received from Walmart, it's really more of a non-comment, they say Walmart will be commenting -- will not be commenting on our business relationship with Paula Deen at this time.

Though a spokesman for Walmart says that we should expect to hear something from the company as early as Monday, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nick Valencia, thanks so much.

VALENCIA: You bet.

WHITFIELD: The heavens have delivered a rare treat to moon gazers, it's called a supermoon and it happens when the moon is full and at the same time it's at its closest point to Earth in its orbit. That makes it the biggest, brightest moon of the year according to NASA.

The trial of George Zimmerman gets under way first thing tomorrow. Jurors will have to decide if Trayvon Martin's death was self-defense or second degree murder. We'll give a live preview from Sanford, Florida, next.

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WHITFIELD: Opening statements begin tomorrow in the George Zimmerman murder trial. He is charged with second degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman says the shooting was self- defense. Tomorrow, both sides will lay out their case to the jury.

Our Martin Savidge is in Sanford, Florida, where the trial will take place.

What can we expect to hear in the opening statements tomorrow?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a couple of things, Fred. First and foremost before we get to the opening statements, we are going to be looking to see if there are any last minute motions and that would be the time you might hear it. And I say because it is possible -- I wouldn't say it's likely, but it's possible that the prosecution in this case could try to appeal that Frye hearing.

That was the haring that basically said that these audio experts that the prosecution wanted to put on the stand will not be allowed to testify, and that's pertaining to this now infamous 9-1-1 call.

So it is possible that the prosecution could say, you know what, Judge, we want to go back and we want to rethink this, we want to appeal that because you see the prosecution doesn't get to appeal after a verdict is rendered, unlike the defense would.

So we might see something like that. If it happens, boy, that would throw a real monkey wrench into the whole timing of everything. But then, as you say, opening statements, we already know what is going to be said.

The prosecution maintaining that it was George Zimmerman who profiled 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, confronted him and then killed him, the reason he's charged with second degree murder.

The defense doesn't have to make an opening statement. They could waive that right. Unlikely, but they could. It's expected that if both sides present opening statements, they'll each take about 20 minutes. Fred?

WHITFIELD: And, Martin, knowing that all of the jury members, the six are all women, you have to wonder whether the attorneys will modify the language or their planned presentation of these opening statements. Five of the six women are mothers. And you have wonder if they're crafting their opening statements because of the makeup of the jury.

SAVIDGE: You know, I guess there would be jury experts that would probably look into that and can give you all sorts of insights. I think on the surface, they would say, look, it doesn't matter that they're female or all male, it is the fact that they are impartial jurors, that they want to see and that's what both sides believe they have in this particular jury.

There could be some concern -- and these are by outsiders who might look at not so much at the gender of this but the racial makeup. We already know this is a racially charged case and there could be those that, depending on the outcome, would say, well, wait a minute here, you only really had one person of color. And that could be bothersome to some.

But that is not the question here. The real question is there are many opinions about this case, but only six matter and that is the jurors in this particular case.

So how those opening statements are going to be crafted, we'll find out tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: We will indeed. Thanks so much, Martin Savidge covering that story as it unfolds tomorrow from Sanford, Florida. We appreciate it.

Coming up next, more on Edward Snowden leaving Hong Kong.

Yes, he is out of there. Hopped a flight, now in Moscow, what happens next? I'll talk with former CIA director James Woolsey about Snowden's ability to elude the U.S. and the impact on -- potential impact on U.S. intelligence.

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WHITFIELD: The man accused of leaking information about U.S. surveillance programs has really been on the move, right now he is in Moscow after leaving Hong Kong, he's been jumping from continent to continent just in the last few weeks.

Tom Foreman joining us now, so Tom, Snowden's movements makes it appear as though it's been kind of easy and effortless for him.

Has it been?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It may appear that way but I'm going to say it's probably not because this long, long run that he is making from the very long run of the U.S. government is fraught with peril and he's fighting against it on two fronts.

First, there's a perception front. Look at this. WikiLeaks put out this statement, saying he's an American whistleblower who has exposed a global surveillance regime, who's just looking for a safe haven in a democratic nation.

All of that is not happening just because WikiLeaks wants to say it, it's because they're trying to help create the sense that he is a new culture hero, someone out there doing something good and other nations ought to want to take him in.

Of course, that's very, very different than the message we're getting from the U.S. government. But now, let's talk about the physical side of this and what is hard or not hard about it. Right now, we're focusing on the airport here in Moscow. It's a big, sort of sprawling airport. And the question is, is this just a stopover.

Does he move on from here to, say, Cuba or to Ecuador or to some other place? Is this a place where they simply open the back door -- I've been to this airport; it's a big place -- and just let him slip away through Moscow to something like the Ecuadorian embassy, where he could hang out and be safe for a while? All along the way, every step here, he is potentially exposed. And let me explain why.

If you look at the world, most of the countries in the Western Hemisphere, excluding Cuba, are part of the extradition treaties with the United States. That means they have agreed to send people back that we say have broken laws. That is true also of Europe, India, down in this area, Australia, several nations, some nations in Africa.

Most of Africa is not part of extradition treaties with us as are much of this part of the world, notably, Russia and China.

So here are the caveats that you have to bear in mind, even the countries that have extradition treaties with us, which include Ecuador, by the way, can go against those treaties if, one, they disagree with the charges. If you have somebody out there who's been charged with something that is a crime here, but is not necessarily a crime there, they can say we're not extraditing for that reason.

Second, there is the penalty to consider. Treason in this country is punishable by the death penalty. If in fact that's where this leads in the long run nations could say we are not returning him because we don't have the death penalty and we don't support the death penalty.

And thirdly, this is the one that seems most in play right now, is simply the politics of the matter. There are a lot of nations out there that seem to be enjoying very much the fact that the U.S. is twisting in the wind on this, trying to find this guy. They may like that a great deal.

But here's the catch, Fredricka, and I think this is important to bear in mind, when you say is this easy for him to get around?

The simple truth is even nations that we don't have a deal with, like Russia or China or even Cuba, although it's hard to imagine it happening there, even nations where we don't have a deal, could return him to the United States if they determined it was in their interest to do so.

They could milk all the political value out of this circumstance that they could, make the U.S. look very, very bad and then in the end can say, now, let's make ourselves look good to the world community by saying, but, after all, we think he might be a criminal; we'll send him back.

That's why every step that he travels in this long, long journey really is fraught with a tremendous amount of peril. And I think this story and this saga is going to go on and on and on for quite some time, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Goodness. Well, OK. Thanks so much. Tom Foreman, appreciate that. Let's find out just how long potentially it could take.

Edward Snowden once worked for the CIA. Well, now he is a target in a global cat-and-mouse game. Right now Snowden is in Moscow, as you have seen in the map there, and the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, but you saw they have it with so many other nations on the map that Tom just showed us.

Instead, this is a real diplomatic cliff hanger between the U.S. and Russia. I want to bring in the former director of the CIA and central intelligence, James Woolsey. He's joining us on the phone from Annapolis, Maryland.

All right, so, Mr. Woolsey, how much of a diplomatic mess is this, in your view?

JAMES WOOLSEY, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CIA: Well, once he was in Hong Kong, it was really a question of what China wanted, whether or not he stayed, because although we have an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, Hong Kong is one of two systems in a single state, as they put it, the state being China, and China can keep him -- could have kept him from coming back to the United States by claiming this was a political matter and so forth.

So I think it's what's clear here, is that both China and Russia have no hesitancy in affronting the United States. They're not concerned particularly about what President Obama thinks of them. They are doing what they want to do. And they don't think that we have any leverage over them and that's the way they're acting and I think that's the way they will continue to act.

WHITFIELD: So if the U.S. has no leverage with Russia right now, because that's where Edward Snowden is, and if he is indeed hoping to get to Ecuador, what kind of leverage might the U.S. have with Ecuador?

WOOLSEY: Well, I don't know that it has much because Ecuador is drifting very far left under sort of the tutelage of Venezuela. It's part of the movement in a kind of Cuban direction, in at least northern South America.

And I think once Snowden got to Hong Kong, the big, powerful states here, China and Russia, are going to use this to embarrass the United States, to make the United States look weak, and to sort of play with us as a cat plays with a mouse. And I think this will continue for a while.

WHITFIELD: So I imagine the U.S. is going to work on that, you know, trying to figure out what went wrong.

But in the meantime, it seems like the priority is how do they go about capturing, detaining Edward Snowden, making sure that he faces these charges of espionage and theft of U.S. documents.

What kind of conversations are taking place right now in order to move in that direction?

WOOLSEY: Well, it would be good but, again, with China being able to tell Hong Kong what to do, for all practical purposes here, and with Russia not worrying at all about offending or affronting the United States, then between them, in one way or another, directly or indirectly, they can see to it, I think, that Snowden ends up in Ecuador or Venezuela or Cuba or someplace where they will not either have -- or if they do have, will not honor -- an extradition agreement with the United States.

WHITFIELD: James Woolsey, thanks so much, former director of the CIA and central intelligence. Thanks for your time and expertise. Appreciate it.

Let's remember this legal and diplomatic quagmire all started after Edward Snowden fled the U.S. with a trove of intelligence and told his story to "The Guardian" newspaper.

Reporter Glenn Greenwald has been in touch with Snowden ever since and earlier he spoke to CNN's Alison Kosik about Snowden's agenda and his state of mind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLENN GREENWALD, "THE GUARDIAN": What's remarkable to me and has been remarkable to me the whole time is that although he's very rational and understands exactly the consequences that he has prompted for himself, he has never evinced any sort of regret or remorse or even fear.

He's not scared at all. He feels he absolutely did the right thing in shining the light on the government and informing his fellow citizens and he's more than prepared to accept whatever consequences come from that.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: All right. So in that conversation that you had with him, what did he tell you is his next step?

GREENWALD: Well, he's my source. He's continuing to work with me on the stories that we've been writing. And so I'm not going to divulge the conversations that I've had with him about his plans or his intentions. But he's been clear from the start that his goal is to remain part of this debate, to be able to defend himself, to participate in the ongoing debate about surveillance policies.

And he knows that if he ends up in the clutches of the U.S. government, they're going to put him in a cage and silence him and prevent him from being heard like they've done to Bobby Manning and to other whistleblowers. So he definitely intends to remain free for as long as he can, as any person in his position would.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Greenwald says any claims that Snowden's leaks are putting U.S. national security at risk are ridiculous, in his view. He says he is simply exposing the fact that the U.S. is lying to the American people.

It's a Florida case that has received national attention from the very start, George Zimmerman's day in court has arrived. He is accused of murdering Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman calls it self-defense. We'll preview this high-profile case when we come back.

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WHITFIELD: To what extent can the U.S. go after Edward Snowden, now that he is out of Hong Kong?

MICHAEL O'HANLON, SR. FELLOW AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: I'd be surprised if we can be successful with Russia. Now I'm not the top expert on this particular issue but I know that we spend a lot of time trying to recruit Russian double agents. The Russians spend time trying to recruit our double agents.

The Cold War is alive and well at that level of espionage and counter espionage. Which means that, in a sense, Snowden is sort of fair game. He's a fair victory for Russia in this kind of a back-and- forth. If we had the equivalent coming here from Russia, we might, for all I know, be willing to give that person asylum.

And so I don't think we can really expect that Russia is going to help in this unless Russia sees some opportunity for some other potential benefit that I can't put my finger on right now or if Russia becomes disenchanted with Snowden for some reason.

But let's not forget, Russia wants to uphold its reputation as a place to which American defectors can go and reveal secrets because much of the Russian intelligence apparatus still is trying to gather secret information on the United States all the time.

WHITFIELD: So it sounds like you believe he would stay in Russia as opposed to making that a stop on his way to somewhere else.

O'HANLON: I'm saying it's plausible to me he that he could stay in Russia. I don't have any way to anticipate what his next move might be. But it seems to me plausible that he might indeed stay in Russia because, again, both sides still play a little bit of this old- fashioned Cold War game.

And I'm not sure if Snowden knows anything more than he's already told us, but the Russians might be interested in finding out.

WHITFIELD: Michael O'Hanlon, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

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WHITFIELD: This breaking story we're following out of South Africa now, where officials there are saying that the former president, Nelson Mandela, is in critical condition today.

President Jacob Zuma and other officials have visited Mandela in the hospital, President Zuma saying that the doctors -- I'm quoting now -- "Doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba" -- as he is often called -- "is well looked after and is comfortable," that quote coming from President Zuma on Nelson Mandela's now critical condition situation there.

He has been in the hospital with a lung infection since June 8th now, while just a few days ago, his grandson said that he was in improving condition. Now this information coming from President Jacob Zuma saying that former president Nelson Mandela is now in critical condition there in South Africa. We'll keep you posted on that.

Meantime, another big story that we're following, a trial that is beginning tomorrow in Florida, the George Zimmerman murder trial. He is charged with shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

CNN legal correspondent jean Casarez explains what we can expects to see in the courtroom tomorrow.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, opening statements will be so important tomorrow morning right here in Sanford, Florida, because both sides will tell the jury this is what the evidence will show you.

On the side of the prosecution we expect for them to lay out the elements of second degree murder that Trayvon Martin is dead, it was caused by a criminal act of George Zimmerman and he did that act with ill will, hatred, spite or evil intent.

The whole theory of the prosecution's case is that George Zimmerman confronted Trayvon Martin. They can use the words "profiling," "wannabe cop," "vigilante" and "confrontation."

On the side of the defense, it is all about self-defense, that Trayvon Martin punched George Zimmerman, that Zimmerman lay on the ground, that his head started to be pounded into the cement by Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman believing he was about to die knew of only one thing he could do to save his own life and that would be to take his gun and shoot Trayvon Martin.

WHITFIELD: That was jean Casarez reporting.

Now overseas, as many as 1,000 people may be dead in flooding in India. Floodwaters and landslides hit the countryside in the Himalayan region near the border with China. About 70,000 people have been evacuated from the area since the floods began. Extraordinary.

All right. The Food Network may have dropped Paula Deen, but many of her fans, well, they are still standing by the celebrity chef. Deen admitted to using a racial slur years ago, she says, but fans are saying since she has apologized, Food Network should not have fired her.

In Canada this hour, raging floodwaters are threatening a new city. Most residents of one town, almost 10,000 people, have already been evacuated. We'll have an update on the rising waters next.

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WHITFIELD: In Canada, three flooding victims found in a river south of Calgary. The massive flooding has forced thousands to evacuate. It has devastated the city of Calgary and surrounding areas and now the water is targeting even more communities.

Paul Vercammen is in Calgary.

Tell us more. What's happening? Who's being threatened?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, let's just show you right now that the waters behind me still raging, still extremely dangerous, Calgarians being told not to go onto any bridges. The city here an energy city without power. Much of the downtown evacuated. For the mayor, it has been quite an ordeal as they dealt with this flood for the ages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR NAHEED NENSHI, CALGARY, ALBERTA: Well, you know, we are a pretty resilient place and we are going to have a lot of things happening relatively quickly. People will be able to -- some people will be able to return to work on Monday.

The downtown will look a little more normal by the middle of the week and 13 days from today, I will be wearing cowboy boots and a cowboy hat and riding a horse to lead off the Stampede Parade, the greatest outdoor show on Earth. And we're going to do it.

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VERCAMMEN: And as we come back here live, we look at the Bow River. At one point, it turns into the South Saskatchewan River and it is now threatening Medicine Hat, Alberta. This is a city of about 60,000 people. We understand 10,000 residents have already been evacuated.

The crest in Medicine Hat expected sometime between 6:00 am tomorrow morning and noon. We'll just have to wait and see how they deal with it. We understand volunteers and so many people are now sandbagging and preparing for the worst in Medicine Hat, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Terrible situation. All the best to the folks there. Thanks so much, Paul Vercammen, appreciate it.

Coming up next, we have already heard lots of hitmen testimony about brutal gangland shootings. And the Whitey Bulger trial is just getting started. Bulger has been tied to 19 deaths. Highlights of the biggest mob trial to hit Boston in years, straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: Former alleged mob boss Whitey Bulger may have been upstaged at his own trial this week. Actor Robert Duvall showed up in court Friday -- remember him? Well, he played a mob lawyer in the movie "The Godfather." No word on why the actor attended that trial. Bulger is charged in connection with 19 murders. Deborah Feyerick has a look at the biggest moments from court this week.

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DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, Whitey Bulger came face-to-face with his past as a hitman and two bookies who have been part of this criminal enterprise testified against them. Now the bookies description extortion in thousands of dollars they had to pay Bulger in so-called "rent money" in order for them to stay in the gambling business.

The hitman John Martorano connected Bulger to at least 13 murders, testifying that the two men were involved in 11 of those murders together. Now, prosecutors showed pictures of a number of the victims, including their cars that were riddled with machine gun fire.

Bulger had not seen his criminal associates in more than two decades and the body language in that courtroom spoke volumes.

One of the bookies barely made eye contact with Bulger, sneaking a peek every now and again.

Another bookie, though, did get a laugh when he recounted a story in which Bulger was shaking down an agent, and he allegedly said, "We've got a business besides bookmaking and that's killing people like you."

Bulger laughed, a rare emotion for Bulger. During the testimony of the hitman John Martorano, Bulger barely acknowledged his existence, much less that he was sitting six feet away and the only time Bulger turned his head is when the hitman called him an informant, describing a Judas, a rat, the worst of the worst.

Now families and friends of some of Bulger's 19 victims testified about the people who were killed, one woman saying that she was in a car the night it was riddled with machine gun fire. Two friends were in that car with her. One was killed, the other paralyzed from the neck down.

The government may call as many as 80 witnesses, including more of Bulger's criminal associates. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Deb.

More on our breaking story at the top of the hour, Edward Snowden's odyssey from Hong Kong to now Moscow and possibly Ecuador. And an update on Snowden's whereabouts and what the U.S. is doing in response to his movements, next.

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