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Military Flyovers in Egypt; June Jobs Report: 195,000 Jobs Added, Unemployment Remains at 7.6 Percent; Powerful Testimony from Trayvon Martin's Mother

Aired July 05, 2013 - 12:30   ET

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


ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Are they firing from the sky or is that just strictly what you said, a show of force from the military?

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's definitely a show of force. We haven't seen any of the helicopters engage people. We've seen some surveillance helicopters, but a lot of it is really almost like an air show. We've seen Apache helicopters. We've seen airplanes of all sorts, from jets to propellers, really the military trying to show that they're in charge.

And one of the kind of interesting things we've seen, too, is some of the jets with smoke coming out the back. You've seen the Egyptian flag, and also a large heart they drew in the sky, the military trying to win support from the people (inaudible) when they deposed the former president just earlier this week.

BANFIELD: All right, and, Ian, I just want to let our viewers know as our signal is breaking up a little bit with you, but there was a journalist earlier from the BBC, a Middle Eastern correspondent named Jeremy Bowen, who suffered a head injury.

Apparently several gunshot pellets had reached him during some of these clashes, that he's apparently now saying that he's fine and heading out. He said that via his Twitter account, so it's good to know that Mr. Bowen is OK. But, you know, hearing that journalists are also suffering the gunshots, I want to make sure that you're also being very safe and careful.

And, also, just repeat for me if you would, Ian, behind you are the pro-Morsy supporters and are they in danger? Because we'd heard that there were some 300 arrest warrants for those who are members of the Muslim Brotherhood. And I can't imagine that pro-Morsy supporters would be anything, but sympathetic for the Muslim Brotherhood.

LEE: Well, these, actually, the people behind me are the anti-Morsy protesters. These are the people that support the army, and that's why we're getting these flyovers right now you're seeing.

But you're right. There is arrest warrants out for 300 people, including some of the top leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the risk here is antagonizing those supporters, and this could lead to a very dangerous situation.

BANFIELD: So that's what is so interesting. We've been toggling between the picture of you, Ian, where you are, and then some of the live pictures and they are very similar. Sometimes for the average American out here it's hard to tell who's who. It's hard to tell who are the pro-Morsy supporters and who are the pro-military supporters. It's strange to say "pro-military supporters," but that's exactly what it is. And we can see those incredible images of the helicopters flying those flags over the crowds as well.

Ian Lee, stay safe for us and keep us apprised of all of the developments. It really is happening very quickly.

This is Friday day of prayers. It is always a day where in the Middle East a lot of action happens where there's any consternation about government or about crime. Friday prayers is when the crowds come out, so there's a lot of movement where Ian Lee is right now.

I want to also get you back to America right now because we had -- it's Friday's jobs numbers, and when you get the first Friday of the month, you get your jobs numbers for the month prior, for June. And the thought was they wouldn't be as high as they are. There's your report right there. A hundred-ninety-five-thousand jobs were created last month, but the expectations were somewhere around 150,000, so a little bit of jubilation there.

But, uh-oh, unemployment stays where it is at 7.6 percent, which by all accounts, who cares where your political leanings are, it's too high, period, 7.6 percent unchanged. That could be revised as always happens. Actually, there are often revisions another month out for the two months behind, but for right now that's the jobs report.

And you can also see in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen and now the Big Board. That's not been too badly received by the markets either. The Dow is up 97 points so far, mid-way through the day. We are right now at about 12:35 -- 12:33, actually, Eastern time. So we'll continue to watch the Big Board, see how that plays out throughout the day.

And then we're also watching this courtroom. By the way, I don't know if you can hear, but there's pretty loud thunder that's been ongoing behind me. I'm not sure if you can hear it or not. But the thunderstorms sort of rolled in midday. It started off as a sunny and hot morning here in Florida. And in Sanford, Florida, live, it's become a thunderous day. It's a bit reminiscent of what's been going on this morning in the courtroom, too, because it started off quiet then it started to get very action-packed.

We're going take you back into that courtroom, live in Sanford, Florida, for some of the testimony that you may have missed, specifically the witness who said so much in saying so little, the mother of Trayvon Martin, all of it coming it at you next, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Welcome back to Sanford, Florida. I'm Ashleigh Banfield, reporting live at the trial of George Zimmerman.

There was a powerful moment that played out in the courtroom today. And if you missed it, it's worth seeing again. It's worth hearing again, the moment Sybrina Fulton was called to the stand, the mother of Trayvon Martin.

She took the stand, but not before coming into a courtroom that was absolutely silent. You could hear a pin drop as she came through the doors, swore in and took the stand. And, by the way, when she woke up this morning, she did something else. She tweeted out her thoughts before she took the stand, and I'm just going to read for you directly from her tweet.

"Day 19, I pray that God gives me strength to properly represent my angel, Trayvon. He may not be perfect, but he's mine. I plead the blood of Jesus for healing."

So if that gives you chills, the moment she walked into the courtroom was pretty chilling as well.

No surprise, the prosecution wanted a powerful witness to kind of just to wrap up their case in chief and here's how it played out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE DE LA RIONDA, PROSECUTOR: Ma'am, can you state your name for the record, please?

SYBRINA FULTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER: Sybrina Fulton.

DE LA RIONDA: And could you spell your first name and last name?

FULTON. My first name is S-Y-B-R-I-N-A. My last name is Fulton, F-U- L-T-O-N.

DE LA RIONDA: Are you married, ma'am?

FULTON: I'm divorced.

DE LA RIONDA: Do you have any children?

FULTON: Yes, I do.

DE LA RIONDA: Can you tell us who they are and their names.

FULTON: My youngest son is Trayvon Benjamin Martin. He's in heaven and my oldest is Jahvaris Fulton.

DE LA RIONDA: Do you live in Miami?

FULTON: Yes.

DE LA RIONDA: Have you lived here your entire life?

FULTON: Yes.

DE LA RIONDA: Who do you live in Miami with?

FULTON: My son and my brother Ronald Fulton. DE LA RIONDA: Was Trayvon Benjamin Martin your son?

FULTON: Yes, he was.

DE LA RIONDA: Was his date of birth February 5th of 1995?

FULTON: Yes, it is.

DE LA RIONDA: Are you working at this time?

FULTON: I am employed. I'm on leave right now.

DE LA RIONDA: Where are you currently employed or who you're employed with?

FULTON: I actually work for Miami-Dade county public housing and community development.

DE LA RIONDA: How long have you been working there?

FULTON: I've been with the county for 24 years. I've been with the housing agency for about ten years.

DE LA RIONDA: Prior to going to the housing agency what did do you?

FULTON: I did code enforcement for 11 years.

DE LA RIONDA: Can you briefly tell us about your education background.

FULTON: I have a bachelor's degree with a minor in communications from Grambling State University and I graduated from Florida Memorial University in Miami.

DE LA RIONDA: What was your major? I'm sorry.

FULTON: My major was English with a minor in communications.

DE LA RIONDA: OK.

Was Trayvon Martin right- or left-handed?

FULTON: Trayvon was right-handed.

DE LA RIONDA: Trayvon Martin has two tattoos on his body. Do you know where they were on his body?

FULTON: He had praying hands on his right upper shoulder with his grandmother's and great-grandmother's name. That's the first tattoo. They were praying hands and they had pearls going through them.

DE LA RIONDA: Do you know where the other tattoo was?

FULTON: The other tattoo was on his left wrist. He had my name there.

DE LA RIONDA: OK. Prior to your son's death, had you heard him crying or yelling prior to his death?

Had you ever heard him while he was growing up and while you were raising him, had you ever heard him crying or yelling?

FULTON: Yes.

DE LA RIONDA: OK. I want to play a recording for you, ma'am.

911 OPERATOR: 911. Do you need police, fire or medical?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe both. I'm not sure. There's just someone screaming outside.

911 OPERATOR: What's the address that they're near?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 1211 Twin Trees Lake.

911 OPERATOR: Twin Trees Lane? Is it in the Twin Lakes Townhomes in Sanford?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: OK. And is it a male or female?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounds like a male.

911 OPERATOR: And you don't know why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know why. I think they're yelling help, but I don't know.

Send someone quick, please.

911 OPERATOR: Does he look hurt to you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't see him. I don't want to go outside. I don't know what's going on, so ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're sending.

911 OPERATOR: Do you think he's yelling help?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: All right, what is your ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just -- there's gunshots.

911 OPERATOR: You just heard gunshots?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

DE LA RIONDA: Ma'am, that screaming or yelling, do you recognize that? FULTON: Yes.

DE LA RIONDA: And who do you recognize that to be, ma'am?

FULTON: Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

DE LA RIONDA: Your honor subject to the issue we discussed where she's going to be recalled, I have no further questions at this time.

JUDGE DEBRA NELSON, SEMINOLE COUNTY CIRCUIT JUDGE: (Inaudible) did you want to hold off on your cross until we finish the direct?

MARK O'MARA, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: I can probably go now, and if there's need afterwards, I'll continue then.

NELSON: OK, then you may (inaudible).

O'MARA: Good morning, ma'am.

FULTON: Good morning.

O'MARA: First, we truly apologize for your loss.

DE LA RIONDA: Objection. Improper. Not a question.

NELSON: You need to ask a question.

O'MARA: I'm sorry.

Excuse me?

NELSON: You need to ask a question.

O'MARA: Will you tell us the first time that you listened to that tape? When you listened to it, where were you?

FULTON: I was here in Sanford. I believe it was the mayor's office.

O'MARA: And that was pursuant to a request made by your lawyers to have that tape released, correct?

FULTON: That's correct.

O'MARA: And my understanding is that it happened actually in the mayor's office, correct?

FULTON: Yes.

O'MARA: And there were no law enforcement officers present?

FULTON: They were there, but they wasn't actually in the room.

O'MARA: They were actually not allowed in the room, correct?

FULTON: I don't know about that.

O'MARA: OK.

Were you present there when Chief Lee was talking to the mayor and to City Manager Bonaparte about the concern with having the tape released?

DE LA RIONDA: Objection as to hearsay.

O'MARA: I asked whether or not she was there, your honor.

DE LA RIONDA: My objection is to hearsay, what somebody else said in her present.

NELSON: It will be sustained as to hearsay. Rephrase your question.

O'MARA: Were you there during the time that Chief Lee, Chief of Police Lee, was having a conversation with the mayor and City Manager Bonaparte?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: When the tape was played for you, who played it for you?

FULTON: I'm not absolutely sure. I'm just trying to remember back. I think it was the mayor.

O'MARA: OK. It was not any law enforcement officer, correct?

FULTON: It was not.

O'MARA: And who was in the room when that tape was played?

FULTON: Trayvon's dad, Tracy Martin, Jahvaris Fulton, Stephanie Sands, Darian Sands (ph), Benjamin Crump, attorney Natalie Jackson.

I believe Mayor Triplett was there and that there may have been one other person. Not absolutely sure but I think Bonaparte was there.

O'MARA: When you say Bonaparte, that's Sanford City Manager Bonaparte?

FULTON: Yes.

O'MARA: Was the tape -- the first time that you heard that tape, was it played at one time for everybody that was in the room?

FULTON: Yes.

O'MARA: Did anyone of those witnesses listen to the tape individually or was it all at one time?

FULTON: I don't know if they listened individually, but that was my first time hearing it.

O'MARA: Well, had anybody indicated to you in that group that they had listened to the tape before?

FULTON: No. O'MARA: Did Tracy Martin tell you he'd listened to the tape before?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Had you had any conversations with him about listening to the tape before that event?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Imagine that it was probably one of the worst things that you went through to listen to that tape, correct?

FULTON: Absolutely.

O'MARA: And that if it was your son, in fact, screaming, as you've testified, that would suggest that it was Mr. Zimmerman's fault that led to his death, correct?

FULTON: Correct.

O'MARA: And if it was not your son screaming, if it was in fact George Zimmerman, then you would have to accept the probability that it was Trayvon Martin who caused his own death, correct?

FULTON: I don't understand the question.

O'MARA: OK. If you were to listen to that tape and not hear your son's voice, that would mean that it would have been George Zimmerman's correct?

FULTON: And not hear my son screaming?

O'MARA: Correct.

FULTON: Is that what you're asking?

O'MARA: Yes, ma'am.

FULTON: I heard my son screaming.

O'MARA: I understand. The alternative, the only alternative, would you agree, that if it was not your son screaming, that it would be George Zimmerman, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Objection, this is speculation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sustained.

O'MARA: You certainly had to hope that was your son screaming even before you heard it, correct?

FULTON: I didn't hope for anything. I just simply listened to the tape.

O'MARA: And in your mind, as his mother, there was no doubt what so ever that it was him screaming, correct? FULTON: Absolutely.

O'MARA: Did you have any thought in mind how you would react if it -- if you believed or didn't hear your son's voice?

FULTON: I really didn't know what the tape was all about.

O'MARA: And everybody else in the room, when they listened to the tape, who was the first one to react?

FULTON: I was.

O'MARA: And everybody else then reacted similarly to you, correct?

FULTON: Well, they also heard the tape themselves.

O'MARA: Correct. And every one of them then told you that they agree with your opinion that it was Trayvon Martin's voice, correct?

FULTON: They didn't tell me anything.

O'MARA: When -- you mentioned a moment ago that you didn't know what the tape was about. Nobody spoke to you to tell you that you would soon be listening to screams from the event that led to your son's death?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Mayor Triplet never said anything like that to you?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Nor did any of your other family members?

FULTON: They hadn't heard the tape at that time.

O'MARA: But the question is whether or not anyone told you to prepare yourself for the event, the trauma of having to listen to somebody scream moments before your son was shot?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Nobody mentioned that to you?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: Tracy Martin never told you about that?

FULTON: No.

O'MARA: You just get (ph) to listen to it one time, correct?

FULTON: That's it.

O'MARA: One moment, your honor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

O'MARA: Thank you, your honor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

O'MARA: And, obviously, based upon the potential (ph) to recall (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

Any redirect?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, your honor.

You were asked about hope. Did you hope your son wouldn't be dead, Trayvon Martin? You were asked by defense counsel about hope. Did -- were you still hoping that he would still be alive?

FULTON: I hope he was still alive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And -- I don't know how else to ask this, but I'm asking, did you enjoy listening to that recording?

FULTON: Absolutely not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. No further questions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can Ms. Fulton --

O'MARA: (INAUDIBLE), your honor, (INAUDIBLE), ma'am, and at the risk of another objection, I don't mean to put you through this anymore than necessary than we need to, but you've certainly would hope that your son Trayvon Martin did nothing that could have led to his own death, correct?

FULTON: What was your question again?

O'MARA: You certainly hope, as a mom, your certainly hope that your son, Trayvon Martin, would not have done anything that would have led to his own death, correct?

FULTON: What I hope for is that this would have never happened and he would still be here. That's what -- that's my hope.

O'MARA: Absolutely. Absolutely. And now dealing with the reality that he's no longer here, it is certainly your hope, as a mom, hold out hope as long as you can, that Trayvon Martin was in no way responsible for his own death, correct?

FULTON: I don't believe he was.

O'MARA: I know. And that's the hope that you continue, correct?

FULTON: I don't understand what you're trying to ask me.

O'MARA: OK. And, again, I don't mean to put you through more than we need to. No further questions, your honor. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Thank you. Ms. Fulton, you may step down (INAUDIBLE) subject to being recalled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Sanford, Florida. You are not missing a moment of the George Zimmerman murder trial. That break that they've been on is about to be over, so we're going to get you back into that courtroom for live testimony but not before we get the definitive look at how the jury, the most important people in this case, how they digested the mother and her testimony. The mother of Trayvon Martin and her testimony in this courtroom this morning.

Our Jean Casarez has been in that courtroom gavel to gavel. She's kind enough to come out during this break to talk to me.

I have been waiting to hear your assessment of what it was like for that panel when they watched that woman walk into the courtroom and, so stoically, give her account of who she thought that was on that tape. Tell me, from the beginning, how did it go?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: I can't tell you the emotion that was in that courtroom when Sybrina Fulton took the stand. And I watched the jury. And it was like they didn't want to invade her privacy right away because there was a side bar for probably 15 minutes I think and they looked down. The jurors didn't look at her.

But as she started testifying, they started to look at her, meekly, but they looked at her. And when she finished and she went back to her seat, they looked at just sort of fast glances at her. But when Jarvis took the stand and they looked at the living, breathing reminder of Trayvon in that courtroom, I saw them just looking at him. And when he went back to his seat, because he did originally sit back in the courtroom, I saw jurors for the first time look out into that gallery just to stare at Jarvis.

And, Ashleigh, I've got to tell you, I saw all of the autopsy photos. And by Florida law, we can't show them, but I've got to tell you, Trayvon Martin looked skinny, he looked like he was a kid, absolutely a kid on that autopsy table. And that's what the jury saw on the very large projection screen.

BANFIELD: It's so difficult and obviously that's something that, through privacy, wouldn't go out over the airways. But -- and you know, Jean, it wasn't lost on the audience as well that Sybrina Fulton left the courtroom. His father, Tracy Martin, stayed in the courtroom for those photographs, which is incredible. But it's emotional stuff. And there's more to come as well.

Jean Casarez, excellent work. Thank you for your reporting.

I also want to thank my guests Paul Callan and Faith Jenkins, Jeff Gould (ph), as well as Mark Nejame and Midwin Charles (ph) for joining me with your analysis today. Live from Sanford, Florida, this case continues. It could be the case in chief wrapping up today. Stay with CNN as we continue to bring you all the gavel to gavel coverage. I'm Ashleigh Banfield reporting live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Suzanne Malveaux.

A testimony set to resume at any moment now in the George Zimmerman murder trial. We'll, of course, take you back to the Florida courtroom live when they return from their lunch break.

Meantime, the last thing jurors heard before the recess was a very testy exchange between Zimmerman's attorney and the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on the body of Trayvon Martin.