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Chilling New Trend; Knockout Game As "Hate Crime"; Turkey Day Travel?; Not Home For The Holidays; Accused Predator Blames Town; Trial Pits Brother Against Brother; Brady Versus Manning; Brady Versus Manning; Volcano Erupts

Aired November 25, 2013 - 07:30   ET

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


PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But you know, one thing is clear here that these suspects and these cases face very severe consequences. In fact in the case with the St. Louis man, he was killed as was mentioned in my piece the suspect in that case was sentenced to life prison. So these kids need to know that this is anything, but a game.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And they should be facing very serious consequences when something like this happens. Let's talk more about this. Let's bring in former New York City Detective Harry Houck here to help us understand that. What is your take on this? Is this a growing trend? Is this an urban myth or maybe better stated as growing trend or group of isolated incidents?

HARRY HOUCK, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Well, you know, because we all know about it, what's going on, the whole country knows about the knockout game pretty much. All right, so this is definitely a trend. You know, this is no urban myths. Urban myths really don't exist. These attacks exist in everyone's minds, especially those victims.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Is there a concern that by us focusing on it, it will give it more life and more legs. I mean, I think the goal is from law enforcement to the public to shut this kind of thing down immediately.

HOUCK: No, I mean, I think that we have to let the public know what's going on to protect ourselves. That's our job. That's what the police department's job to protect the public. No matter how politically incorrect it might be. All right, it's our job to make sure that people are aware of what is going on out there in the street and how to protect themselves.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Now I get why the cops don't want to attach it to this title because they don't want to glorify the activity. What are you talking about with PC is an important part to make. What are we not hearing here that the police need to focus in stopping these incidents?

HOUCK: Well, I'll tell you. Stopping the incidents are going to be very hard to do. There is no way we can find out an incident is going to occur tomorrow or the day after because these are random attacks on the street with groups of black youths. All right, now, I am asking people who I run into every day what are you doing to protect yourself on the street and basically saying that if they see a group of black youths, they cross the street.

PEREIRA: See now, OK, so that's going to be a problem right there. You know that's going to be a problem because you know niece, nephews, and kids, black kids around don't need to be feel -- made to feel they're a threat simply because they are hanging out with friends. There is a concern. You can see how it will grow.

HOUCK: Not every black kid is doing this. It's very few, but if you are the victim, if you are a potential victim and you are afraid walking down the street, you see a group of black youths, all right, everybody I am talking to says they are crossing the street. They are getting away from them. That's what's happening. The concern is, i bet it's a concern here because the good black kids will be saying when are you crossing the street when I walk by?

PEREIRA: Most of the majority of people are doing this.

CUOMO: Black kids are getting clocked, too, which is, you know, another thing that is going to be --

HOUCK: Sure, that is happening also.

CUOMO: You know, it reminds me, we have this before. It's not new, OK. There was an incident that happened like this in New York City where they actually targeted a kid that was mentally challenged. He was standing there. This guy stood up. He was this renowned prowess for fighting. He knocked the kid out in one punch.

And the videotape hit, but here's what happened. It sparked such outrage, which goes to Harry's point about notifying the public. They found the guy and they punished him. They wanted him arrested.

BOLDUAN: What's different here is that they continue to happen and the people who were behind it -- I mean, there are definitely some folks have been charged but --

HOUCK: Right.

BOLDUAN: Where is the threshold? What do police need to do to kind stem this tide?

HOUC: Well, hopefully, that this trend will just wear out like everything else does and they'll stop doing it. There is extra police patrols on the street, keeping an eye on what's going on, on the street. What we have to do also is we have to charge the other youths. They've got to be charged acting in concert. This isn't just one kid.

What happens is you got a group of four or five kids. They will all talk about who they will attack. They have this guy, that guy. One says I will take the picture. They know they will attack that person. Nobody is going to stop the attack. They were all aware of it.

Like this one kid arrested the other day with several guys here in New York and they released the rest of them, they shouldn't do that. They should all be charged acting in concert. This should be as far as I'm concerned a hate crime because it does follow the law.

PEREIRA: I think that we have also to urge calm too. I don't want people to walk around suddenly in fear. We have to be aware of ourselves. We also don't want to look at scams at every group of kids that walk by.

CUOMO: That is true especially in the guy the ones that got hit for attacking the Jewish guy. He's not a black guy. So it's going to spread in terms of which kids do it. Nobody is immune to stupid. I think why you don't want to be nervous, you want to increase to see something, say something on this.

The way you will anticipate is as it's forming and happening, everybody's got one of these now, right? They want to take video of what they're doing. If you are at a safe distance, you see it. Videotape it. You don't want to get involved because you are dealing with a busy group. People will stop it.

HOUCK: This is creating terror on the streets, i know, people are, as soon as they see black youths. Like I say, everybody who I've been talked to. I know you don't like that. You can understand why they think that way.

PEREIRA: You also can understand.

HOUCK: It concerns me also. It really does. It concerns me also because, you know, you are pointing the finger at kids who would never think of this. You the person walking down the street, you say i don't want to be the next guy who got clocked in the face. You got people who are dead or seriously injured.

BOLDUAN: This isn't like an organized crime. Any kid can jump in and do this. I don't think there is any bound as far as that goes. But also, we have talked about how these random attacks on strangers, that have been happening for years. Is it now that it has a label the knockout game?

CUOMO: It's becoming popular because -- the internet makes these things more interesting because they can communicate these things -- take the videos down, source the videos right away. That part is not being done yet. Police are starting to do that. It will help.

Coming up on "NEW DAY," wait until you hear about this who done it mystery with identical twins, one is charged with sex attacks, his brother did it. DNA will clear this up, maybe not? We'll tell you why.

BOLDUAN: Bringing ice, snow, bone chilling temperatures to millions. The winter storms are bringing the travel delays just in time for the holiday, holiday, unfortunately. We will let you know where it is hitting coming up.

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PEREIRA: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Look at this. This is still three days to the holidays. There are 4,700 flights in the air currently. Wait, let's move to Wednesday. Bam, 2.42 million travellers will hit the skies, surprisingly the busiest day to fly. It's Sunday when an estimated 6.25 million will be flying home.

Then you are saying, I'm not going to fly, I will drive. Good news, bad news situation. You won't by a loan 38.9 million people will be driving. That's actually down 1.5 percent this year compared to last. It will be very busy on the roads or in the skies, especially the roads, it's a real concern.

Let's talk to Indra because we know there is serious weather coming our way. Tell us how that is going to impact us all.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We are already talking about the cancelled flights in through Texas and concern will only continue to be out there. Let's take a look and even Arkansas all the way down through Texas here. We are still about icy conditions. We are talking about freezing rain and sleet.

Now conditions will improve the farthest you are as we go throughout the afternoon Two inches to 4 inches around hat concern will continue to be out there. Let's take a look from Arkansas through Texas here, we are still talking about icy conditions, freezing rain and sleet, conditions will prove the farther west you are as we go throughout the afternoon.

They will deteriorate the farther east you are. Let's talk about what you have seen. Look at these snow reports from New Mexico into Oklahoma, look at the freezing rain we have seen.

This is especially dangerous for flying and power lines. You got a half an inch of freezing rain, it weighs about 500 pounds. Take a look at what we are expecting, heavy rain. We are talking about this low moving over the gulf, getting a lot of moisture there. It's intersecting with a second system. It's a question of how are these two going to interact.

This continues to change every day the forecast is evolving. For now, here's what we are locking at two to four inches in the gulf, three to five tomorrow into the clones, snow on the being side of that, now, let's take you through tomorrow him we talked about the rain, most likely a rain event in the major hubs. Into the mid-Atlantic, we start getting icing concerns, talk about the rain and sleet and snow in through tomorrow night, Tuesday evening.

This looks to be the heaviest period for rain and snow. Even if we are talking about rain, I may be OK. Not necessarily, winds, it came in that overnight period. In through Wednesday, people are still getting out of there. Heavy rains into the northeast, however, we start to taper off and see more snow.

The only good news, things get better the later you are in Wednesday da because by Thursday, conditions are improving. You are left with that snow into the northeast. Again, this is an evolving forecast. Two things moving together, how much moisture they have, and the timing of how they come together completely change everything, this is the best we have for now. PEREIRA: And now more than ever I think people have to really be in front of their reservations where

BOLDUAN: There is a point of almost nothing you can do. Things will only get worse. Thank you, Indra.

All right, a U.S. soldier suspected of sexual assault in three states. He says it's his twin who is really to blame. Colorado investigators say DNA everyday links 32-year-old Aaron Lucas has several sexual assaults, but defense attorney say the DNA is not his. It is his brother's. Here's CNN Miguel Marquez with more

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As to the charge of entice of a child.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Aaron Lucas, a decorated Army officer charged with trying to lure 11 adolescent girls into his vehicle, sexually assaulting three of them, all this while on active duty in Fort Carson at Colorado Springs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have any questions, sir?

MARQUEZ: DNA-linking him to sex crimes in two other states, Aaron says his identical twin brother were blamed for all the crimes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, two of us have the same set of DNA with one exception and that is identical twins.

MARQUEZ: It is not the first time the virtually identical DNA of identical twins has presented a quandary for jurors. In Houston, Aldo Buenaflor was charged with rape. During his trial in 2005, the defence blamed his identical brother, Hugo, but Aldo had confessed to the crime. The jury took 30 minutes to find him guilty.

Then there was the case of a brutal home invasion in New Brunswick last year. DNA evidence implicated both Brandon and Brantley (inaudible) of the crime, their appearance and DNA indistinguishable. How was the jury to decide? In the end, eyewitnesses placed both brothers at the scene, both guilty.

In the case of Aaron Lucas, his twin brother Brian says he has never been to Colorado Springs and law enforcement agencies in Alabama, Texas and Colorado say Aaron Lucas remains the focus of their investigations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Each twin essentially has to come up with an alibi. It comes up to whose alibi is a little better.

MARQUEZ: Aaron Lucas' defense says his case goes beyond DNA. One alleged victim described her assailant as driving a black Acura sedan, a car similar to that owned by his twin Brian. The defense also says a different man altogether has been identified as an assailant in some of the cases.

It is still unclear whether Brian Lucas will have to defend himself in court against allegations made against Aaron. The trial pitting when the against twin is expected to start in January. Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: All right, Miguel, thanks so much for that. How do you make heads or tails of that case?

CUOMO: Police work. It's unusual, right? Because to have two people who get caught up in the same situation. Here's one, this is the rule that will blow your mind a little bit. Evidence of absence and absence of evidence have not the same thing when it comes to NDA. It doesn't mean they won't make the case. So they will have to go to old school police work. The problem is the whole job of the defense is to spread out. It meets the burden of the prosecutor, which is beyond reasonable doubt.

BOLDUAN: Also ahead, I have amazing brother versus brother. I can't imagine.

We'll follow the case. We'll let you know what happens. Coming up on "new day," football does not get better than this, unless are you a jets fan, a matchup. Rachel Nichols host of "UNGUARDED" was in Foxboro for all of what took place last night this great overtime game, amazing video, erupting volcano in Indonesia, thousands playing to safety. We'll be right back with the latest.

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BOLDUAN: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Take a look at these images from Indonesia where a powerful volcano is erupting. Not just erupting, the thick plume of ash reaching as high as 10,000 feet into taxpayer. Officials raised the alert status to its highest level. So this some real safety concern 20,000 people fled their homes trying to get out of its way.

The bulk of them are living in government housing and government camps far away from the fiery crater, but nonetheless something that you only look to see from a very far, far distance away.

CUOMO: Yes, hopefully there's no negative consequence there.

We will switch to another situation that was on fire, dream match-up last night, a dream ending in New England. Two best quarterbacks on the planet, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, squaring off in frigid Fox borough and ended in a comeback for the ages. Ray Rachel Nichols got to watch it. Here's how it went down in Foxborough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO (voice-over): Sunday night's game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos was an instant classic. The two best teams in the AFC felt off in what felt like the most exciting ping pong match of all time. The Patriots looking hopeful, down 24-0 after several fumbles and a brutal sack on Tom Brady. A crazy turn in the second half, the pats scoring 31 points in just 22 minutes. Building up to the drama on the field, an epic rivalry between the teams' two quarterbacks. The Broncos Peyton Manning and the Patriots Tom Brady arguably the best quarterbacks in the NFL perhaps in football history.

The two titans had battled 13 times before with Brady Winning nine of those matchups. Sunday night was billed as the showdown of the 21st Century and the broncos were walking on the field with a better record, just one loss this season. Manning showed last night why he lives up to the hype throwing a stunning touch pass to for the game into a dramatic overtime.

The Pats snatched the win on 31 yard field goal. Final score, 34-31. Manning looked stunned. His fifth loss to Brady now cemented in history. For Brady one more spectacular victory, for one of the greatest quarterbacks in the game.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Rachel Nichols joins us from Foxborough, lucky you, not only you have that nice hat on, but you got to see this great game, what was it like.

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. The irony of that last play continues because the person who took responsibility for messing up that special teams' play was Wes Welker who was Tom Brady's greatest weapon in terms of his wide receiver core in the past five, six years switched over to the opponent, to the enemy camp to the Broncos as Peyton Manning's wide receiver.

His slot receiver extraordinary, he was the difference maker in this came. He turned out to be just the wrong way. It's easy though to take the hit when you wind up winning the game. So tell us this, give us your insight, Rachel. What did you see in this battle between the two quarterbacks? Did you get to see things that defined them and give them all the hype they get?

NICHOLS: Yes. I mean, what was so interesting about this was really the weather. You see me in this snappy hat because the wind chill temperatures are in single digits right now and last night it was the same deal but with 40 mile-per-hour gusts.

Here's the key. Remember the super bowl this year, as you know, is in New York. It's a cold weather. So it is a huge question how teams fare in this kind of weather and Peyton Manning in the end, when it counted, could not lead a touchdown drive into the wind.

Bill Belichick's team won the coin toss, the Patriot as won the coin toss going into overtime and he picked to hand the ball to person manning to start sudden death overtime because he wanted his team to go with the wind and he didn't think he was taking the gamble that Peyton Manning who is considered technically the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL couldn't lead his team on a touchdown drive. Now, Chris, you know that's heresy. 2009, bill Belichick did a similar thing. Peyton manning showed what was up, drove it down the field and won the game. Bill Belichick has been criticized for that since that moment. What we learned last night if the weather is a factor perhaps Peyton Manning is no longer the quarterback he used to be and that's huge both when you watch a guy who Saleh Gend in this game and somebody who is trying to win a Super Bowl in cold weather. Peyton manning is now 3-8 lifetime when the temperature is below 32 degrees. That's a huge statistic now.

CUOMO: It looms large. You're making a strong case, a strong case. When I was watching it last night something else, 24 zip how do they come back? Brady did a much better job. The team dynamic whether it's Belichick's decision to give the ball to manning or Defense ability to step up, it seemed to me that made a huge difference to me last night. What did you see on that?

NICHOLS: Sports momentum things can turn on a dime. The Broncos had a key injury. It gave the Patriots a little bit of room, little bit of breathing room for Tom Brady, easier target on the concern. He was able to get momentum in the second half. All of the things that went wrong for the patriots they tumbled the ball several times in the first half, started going wrong for the brown Detroit Lions first half.

A 24-point lead is something Peyton Manning should win the game with. On the flip side, Tom Brady can overcome those deficits, 21, 23 points, a fun game all the way around.

CUOMO: One of the reasons you do the job is to see a game like that last night and to wear that hat. Rachel Nichols, thank you so much. Appreciate the insight.

BOLDUAN: I would wear a hat a lot less attractive than that.

CUOMO: That was something last night. I haven't seen a game like that in a long time.

BOLDUAN: She makes a great point about the weather. Peyton is awesome.

CUOMO: They are both awesome.

BOLDUAN: Coming up next on NEW DAY, a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. A deal is made. Christiane Amanpour is joining us live to break down the details.

So many of us will be on the road or air or both this Thanksgiving, we'll show you some very nasty weather spreading across the nation. What it could mean for you and your travel plans straight ahead.

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