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Shooting of Michael Brown; Teacher Remembers Michael Brown; High Profile Pathologist to Conduct Autopsy; Obama Back at White House Soon for Meetings; Country Stars Help Kids Around the World; Battles in Ukraine Intensify

Aired August 17, 2014 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We begin again this hour in Ferguson, Missouri.

In Ferguson, a rally for Michael Brown, the 18-year-old gunned down seven days ago, has just started. Brown's family is expected to be there. The church is filled with people from the entire area there.

It comes after another night of protests, this time overnight there was bloodshed. Police say a protester was shot early this morning and is now in critical condition. Protesters stayed out early this morning during the newly imposed curfew from midnight to 5:00 a.m. Police used smoke bombs and then teargas to try to break up the crowds. Police say the curfews will be in place again tonight.

All of this as people still have so many questions about the shooting death of Michael Brown. People have been leaving candles and flowers at the very spot where he was killed last week Saturday, August 9th.

That rally is now under way at a church in Ferguson.

Ed Lavandera is outside the church, where inside it actually looks like perhaps a celebration of life.

So, Ed, it looks like it's also going to be standing room only. You have a lot of people right behind you at the doors of that church.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Frederick, well, not only is it standing room inside the sanctuary where this unity rally is taking place, but all of the people that you see behind me, and there's still hundreds and hundreds of more people flocking to this church here this afternoon, none of the people you see behind me will actually be able get inside of the church. The church sanctuary fits about 1300 people and there's simply no more room left.

We're told that Michael Brown's parents will be here. Whether or not they will address the crowd isn't clear at this point, but the Reverend Al Sharpton is here, Jesse Jackson is here as well as Martin Luther King III, who is also here as well. We just saw them arrive a short while ago.

So a very emotional event for a lot of people. And as we've kind of walked through the crowds here staggering to see that the number of people still coming here, Fredricka, to show up this afternoon. You can look at images from inside of the sanctuary, where this is -- people are getting ready for the event here and the choir of the church singing and rallying the folks that were able to get inside.

But outside, the lobby of the church completely packed. Outside, you see all the crowd behind me as well, and none of these people will be able to get inside -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so, Ed, I understand this church seats something like 1300 people, as you mentioned. You know, it is more than standing room only inside. You've got people outside, you know, by the dozens who will not be able to get in. What more can you tell us about this church, the significance of this church. Was this perhaps -- you know, the family church? Is this the church nearest the location of that shooting?

LAVANDERA: Well, this is a church that is not too far away from the shooting site, probably I'd say five or six miles or so from, so obviously a great deal of interest for many of the residents around here who attend this church and who are flocking here.

And Fredricka, I can tell you it sits just off of a highway and the service road is -- or a parking lot. And they stretch for about a mile either way. So this is a huge crowd that has shown up here this afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Are folks there talking about the curfew tonight and what their hopes are about a second night with a curfew imposed?

LAVANDERA: You know, I've overheard a lot of people talking amongst themselves. And, you know, one of the things you hear repeatedly from folks here is the concern that -- you know, the violence that they have seen, and they hope that this stands in stark contrast to what you see in the overnight hours, you know, so they understand, a lot of this is about the optics, the way it looks to the rest of the country, the rest of the world.

That is something that you can hear people talking about repeatedly through here, and they hope that it's events like these that overshadow the events of what we saw last night and we have seen several times over the last few nights.

WHITFIELD: Ed Lavandera, thank you so much, in Ferguson, Missouri.

Of course we'll continue to monitor the rally taking place at that church, and of course Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was gunned down last week, Saturday, his family is there, and of course if and when they take to the podium, we'll of course take that live.

Thanks so much, Ed.

All right. Now to the investigation into Brown's death. One autopsy has already been performed on the teen's body. And now the U.S. Justice Department says a federal medical examiner will conduct another one. CNN's Rene Marsh is at the White House.

So, Rene, how did this come about?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, the Justice Department citing extraordinary circumstances in this particular case. And that's the reason that they gave for agreeing to oversee this second autopsy. We know that a federal medical examiner will conduct it as soon as possible, we're told, but let's be very clear, this is a very rare move that the Department of Justice is making here. But still they are moving ahead with it.

We know that the attorney representing Michael Brown's family requested this we also know that the results from the first autopsy, they have not been released yet. So we still don't know how many times Michael Brown was shot. We do know that the lawyer for Michael Brown's family says that this second autopsy will allow them to verify how many gunshot wounds were in his body.

Also the federal investigation, Fred, it is moving forward. We know that FBI agents were in the neighborhood where Brown was shot and killed. They knocked on doors. They were looking for more witnesses and we now know today that several new witnesses were interviewed by those FBI agents.

We're talking about witnesses that local law enforcement had not identified at this point, but again FBI did have the chance to speak with them yesterday. As far as the White House goes, we do know that they are very involved in this case. We know that President Obama was briefed on the very latest happening as it relates to Ferguson and the situation there. He has been getting briefings all throughout the week from both Attorney General Holder, as well as his senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.

So he's been staying in the loop. Specifically Valerie Jarrett, she has been in contact with the governor there in Missouri. Also speaking with the NAACP and civil rights leaders like Al Sharpton. So they are staying in the loop as far as what's going on, what the developments are on the -- as far as the situation on the ground, and of course we have that federal investigation that's ongoing -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Rene Marsh at the White House, thank you so much.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson is heading up the security operation in Ferguson and today he attended a prayer service and revealed to the congregation how the unrest has affected him personally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. RON JOHNSON, MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL: Last night I did a news interview about 3:00 this morning, and the news reporter said, we saw a different tone in you today. He said, you look a little bit weary. You look a little bit down. Or is it you're just tired? And I said, my heart is heavy. Yesterday was a tough day. You know, sometimes when you're trying to create change, you start

having conflict with your friends.

No, can I answer your question? Can I answer your question?

Yesterday was the day that I -- first day that I cried. I texted my daughter (INAUDIBLE) about Jesus and Peter. And I talked about Peter walking on the water when Jesus told him to get out there. And my daughter said, now when Peter got tired or scared, Jesus picked him back up.

Well, last night I got tired. I got scared, but Jesus brought me to this house today. And we're going to be all right. St. Louis is going to be better. Young black boys are going to be better. Young black girls are going to be better. Black mamas are going to be better. And last but not least, we black fathers are going to be better.

REV. JESSE JACKSON: How many of you in here have a relative in jail? Stand. In some sense we've been drawn together today by the misery and the pain of the execution of Michael Brown.

Ferguson today is a metaphor for abandoned urban America. It's like Selma was a metaphor for abandoned Americans denied the right to vote. One of our challenges in the face of this is, how do we turn pain to power?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't stop now. You can't stop at the funeral. We must go beyond the funeral. I am somebody. I am somebody. I am God's child. Respect me, protect me, never neglect me. I am God's child. I can make it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That was this morning at a service where Captain Ron Johnson was part of. Now a rally taking place at the Greater Grace Church in Ferguson.

Live pictures right now. Again, Captain Ron Johnson, I believe there with bishop of the church, again to make some comments to a full house congregation there, seating more than 1300.

JOHNSON: Good evening. I want to start off by talking to Mike Brown's family.

I want you to know my heart goes out to you, and I say that I'm sorry. I wear this uniform, and I should stand up here and say that I'm sorry.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: This is my neighborhood. You are my family, you are my friends, and I am you.

(APPLAUSE)

JOHNSON: And I will stand and protect you. I will protect your right to protest.

(CHEERS)

JOHNSON: And I'm telling you right now, I'm full right now. I came in here today and I saw people cheering and people clapping, and this is what the media needs to put on TV.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: The last 24 hours have been tough for me. I did an interview last night and the reporter said something's wrong, your tone has changed. He said, are you tired? Or is something bothering you? And I said, my heart is heavy because last night I met some members of Michael Brown's family. One gentleman is sitting here. There was a young lady and another young gentleman. And they brought tears to my eyes. They brought tears to my eyes and shame to my heart.

But I can tell you, and I've said it before, my daughter wrote me a thing in a text. And it talked about Peter and Jesus.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: She said, Daddy, I know you're going to get scared. And I said, yes, I am. Not scared for me, but scared for us. And she said, Daddy, when Peter failed, Jesus picked him back up.

(CHEERS)

JOHNSON: And I needed today. I needed today to get back in the water. And I'm going to tell you, I will be here as long as it takes. My words will be honest. If we talk about them behind closed doors, I'm going to tell you. If you don't want me to know, don't tell me behind closed doors.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: Because when this is over, I'm going to go in my son's room, my black son, who wears his pants sagging, wears his hat cocked to the side, got tattoos on his arms, but that's my baby.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: And we all ought to be thanking the Browns for Michael, because Michael is going to make it better for our sons, so they can be better black men. So they can be better for our daughters, so they can be better black women. Better for me, so I can be a better black father. And we know they're going to make our mamas even better than they are today.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

JOHNSON: Let's continue to show this nation who we are, continue to show this country who we are, but when these days are over, these days are over and Mike Brown's family is still weeping, and they're still on their knees praying, no matter what positive comes in our lives, we still need to get on our knees, and we need to pray, we need to thank Michael for his life. We need to thank him for the change that he is going to make and to make us better.

I love you. I stand tall with you, and I'll see you out there. Thank you.

BISHOP L.O. JONES, GREATER GRACE CHURCH: Many times, as we wear our badge of honor, for whatever occupations we may have, we still are fathers and mothers. And we still feel for our children, and that's why it's so important for you to pray for our children. Teach our children and lead our children.

I'm going to ask for our Praise Team to come back again.

(APPLAUSE)

JONES: They're going to come back again and sing -- and I think it's absolutely turned to somebody and say, "unity." That's what we're here for, everybody. Because we all have feelings, we all have desires, we all want to see our families safe, everybody treated fair, and everybody say respect all. That's what we want to do. And respect all, we can unify ourselves. Now the GDC Praise Team.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's nobody greater than our God. We can look high and low. We can look everywhere you want to look, but you can never find anybody that's greater than him.

WHITFIELD: You're listening to what the pastor called the Praise Team from the Greater Grace Church there in Ferguson. This has been a rally for 18-year-old Michael Brown, but also you were seeing it's been a prayer for all children. You heard from Captain Ron Johnson, who spoke to that. And you heard from the bishop as well.

We're going to continue to monitor the events there. This rally, this prayer, this church service for Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Right now under way in Ferguson, Missouri, this is a prayer service, a rally for justice for 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was killed last week, Saturday. This is under way. Apparently his parents are also expected to attend right here at this Greater Grace Church there in Ferguson. As they take the stand, we'll also listen in.

Meantime, at the place where the 18-year-old was killed, flowers, candles and posters mark the spot where his body laid for five hours that day, August 9th on Saturday. Brown was shot and killed by a police officer.

Still unclear exactly what led up to the shooting, but his death has had an impact on the community there and really the country as a whole.

I'm joined now on the phone by Charlie Kennedy, one of Michael Brown's teachers at POW, it's called the Positive Alternative Learning Center.

All right, so, Mr. Kennedy, give me an idea. Please paint a picture for us. Who was Michael Brown?

CHARLIE KENNEDY, MICHAEL BROWN'S TEACHER: You know, Michael was a big kid. You know, 6-foot-talk, (INAUDIBLE) pounds. Mike was just jovial, a fun-loving kid, would come to school daily and be in the computer lab, working on his project based learning programs and have everybody (INAUDIBLE) around him, having a great time. He enjoyed rapping, he enjoyed life.

You know, just a great kid.

WHITFIELD: So you described him as a real class clown. You know one of the first kids to arrive to school. Being very eager, but he really was a gentle giant. So when you heard that he had been gunned down just a week ago, seven days ago now, how did that hit you.

KENNEDY: You know, very disheartening. My 20 years experience of teaching in this school district, it's not the first kid that we've lost to something that just didn't seem right. And there's no way to explain it. You know. I would have gone to war for a kid like Mike Brown. You know, he came, worked hard on what he needed to do. He was behind about a year and a half on his credits, trying to graduate with his graduating class, you know, we got him across the finish line on his first. So really disheartening.

WHITFIELD: So it was an incredible, you know, feat. You said he was a year behind, but he had just graduated, and he was on his way to college. I've heard you've also described him. He wasn't necessarily a leader, but you know, a follower, but really appear to be a great friend.

KENNEDY: You know, yes, he had a lot of kids he had relationships with. And you know, when I say not necessarily a leader, but someone that would go along with the flow, and what everyone else was doing, Mike was good with it. You know, Mike was one of those kids that he had a lot of smaller kids as buddies. And you know, he looked as if he was their body guard because he's big enough to take on just about anybody, but, you know, again, a kid that never was disrespectful to me. You know, at times (INAUDIBLE) led down the wrong path and got strayed by this or the other going on because he was with the wrong group a long time.

WHITFIELD: So is it correct that you described him as he might be intimidating looking because as you mentioned, you know, his height but he may have looked like a man on the outside, but he really was a kid on the inside, and that you doubted that he would smart off with a police officer when you heard that?

KENNEDY: Absolutely. I mean I feel like from what I heard of the incident, you know, if you're walking along with your friend and buddy, and someone asked you to do something, it's one thing. When police officers asked you to do it, and they may say it in a disrespectful tone or negative reflex, you might react differently. I can't see him being disrespectful to someone that's asking him to do something that they would have asked of anybody. They might have just happened to be that, you know, you're saying it to somebody like, you're walking down those street, get out of the street.

WHITFIELD: So what's the conversation you as a teacher, as sort of a life coach at this Positive Alternative Learning Center, what's the conversation you have with other young men who are starting this school year with a lot of questions about what happened to Michael Brown?

KENNEDY: You know, I know that that's going to be a conversation that comes up this week with our first day of school tomorrow and, you know, I think we're dealt a certain hand in life and I feel like we really can't have all the answers for everything. I know that it's you out there looking for the best things to put yourself in a good situation or a good life with moving on to the second level, and going to college.

Those are things to focus on rather than being caught at the wrong place at the wrong time doing something that you shouldn't be. So I know that we'll have some conversations tomorrow with students, and the grieving process hasn't even begun for our students because we haven't had a first day of school. And that's really something that they don't handle very well, so I'm hoping that we can give them some things to think about and some great memories of the person that we've lost and hopes that we handled this better than so far how it's been handled.

WHITFIELD: So you expect those first couple days of school, a lot of time it's going to have to be invested in helping these students understand, allowing them to ask as many questions as they can, because this is not just confusing to them? Clearly it's been confusing to a lot of people, because there's still so many unanswered questions.

KENNEDY: Yes. You know, absolutely. I think this is a time in which you have to take a lot of things into account and you have to be a sounding board, and allow them to vent some frustration if necessary. But to be respectful about it. I think that's how things have happened up to this point. There's been some very good reflections that have been done by protesters that have been peaceful, and then there's been some later evening, issues that have gone on that don't represent anything having to do with Michael Brown.

And (INAUDIBLE) his uncle yesterday, you know, to do it in the name of Michael Brown and go through and loot some of these stores and businesses and running out business, running them out of town when they've been there forever in that community, it doesn't make sense at all. So yes, you want to make some sense for them and hopefully give them a chance to get their feelings out there and talk by a little bit what you can do to come to a reasonable, you know, explanation, but really I don't think there's an explanation for what happened with Michael Brown.

WHITFIELD: I know you've mentioned unfortunately there have been a lot of young men in your school that you've lost, and you and other teachers in the student body have had to deal with this too much, but is this different?

The loss of Michael Brown, did this hit you in the heart differently? Maybe in part because of your relationship with him, coaching him, seeing him come along? Is there something else about this dynamic that really hits too close to home?

KENNEDY: When I reflect back on seeing him the last few months. He was pushing to the finish line. It was April, May, early June. He was the first kid there every morning, and I was the one unlocking the building.

To see him walking with earphones and a big can of ice tea in his hand and saying, Coach, good to see you this morning, focusing him on where we could be not where we've been. I don't want to be the PA announcer at the home game 15 years from now and come up with Mike Brown.

And see he's hanging with buddies and sitting in a car with bald wheels on it, spinning the wheels like he was stuck in a rut. I want you to be somewhere in life by the time I see him next.

So we had some great conversations about where he wanted to be in the process of maybe looking at going into heating and cooling, becoming somebody that could be something and have a way of taking care of him and his family. You know, he was focused toward the end. It did hit hard. We worked extremely heart to get him to the finish line.

WHITFIELD: Charlie Kennedy, a teacher at the Positive Alternative Learning Center, a teacher of Michael Brown, thanks for your time. Thanks for helping us get to know the late Michael Brown.

KENNEDY: Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: All right, the family of this 18-year-old wants answer to their son's death from more than one expert. They have hired a high- profile pathologist to conduct a separate autopsy. So in all there might have been three autopsies on this young man's body. Much more, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The family of Michael Brown isn't relying on just the county's autopsy on their son's body. A federal autopsy has been ordered at their request, and they have also hired a high-profile pathologist to conduct a separate autopsy.

CNN's Alexandra Field as more on who this pathologist is and why the family hired him too.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's high profile. His name is Michael Baden. He is well known and Fred, I think it comes as no surprise that the family wants to see an investigation that is separate from the states. They believed that Michael Baden can do that and that he can do it credibly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FIELD (voice-over): Seeking justice for their son, Michael Brown's family adds a high-profile expert to their team, forensic pathologist, Michael Baden.

ANTHONY GRAY, MICHAELY BROWN'S FAMILY ATTORNEY: We think we have one of the best in the world.

FIELD: Baden has brought his expertise to the stand in a number of closely watched cases. He famously testified in O.J. Simpson's murder trial. He was chairman of the committee of pathologists that investigated the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., now who investigate the police shooting of an unarmed teen.

JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Why? Because it ensures trust. Trust is a very important thing. The family wants to know what happened and why should they just rely on upon what the authorities tell them.

FIELD: Earlier this week, the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was gunshot wounds, but said, quote, "We are not specifying how many gunshot wounds at this point. The investigation into his death is still ongoing and the full autopsy is not likely to be released for many weeks because multiple law enforcement agencies are now involved in the investigation."

Mistrust between authorities and locals have exploded to the surface in Ferguson, Missouri, where Brown's death has sparked a week of protest, looting, a shooting, and sometimes violent responses from police.

In their search for answers, the Brown family has insisted on an autopsy from a federal medical examiner and the Browns will now rely on a separate investigation conducted by their own expert.

FIELD: What else will Michael Baden be looking at in this case?

LAWRENCE KOBILINSKY, FORENSIC SCIENTIST, JOHN JAY COLLEGE: Well, Michael Baden is going to be asking a lot of questions not just about the autopsy, but about the gun. Is there only the police officer's DNA on the gun or if there was in fact a struggle? Is Michael Brown's DNA on that gun as well? That would certainly say a lot about whether the struggle for the gun took place.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: As it stands right now, Michael Brown's body will undergo three separate autopsies, the local autopsy, the federal one and the one that's being done by Michael Baden.

And of course, Fred, we can expect that there will be a certain number of consistencies in those reports, but it is the inconsistencies that people will really be looking for.

WHITFIELD: All right, Alexandra Field, thank you so much. All the while, a tribute is taking place, a rally at the Greater Grace Church in Ferguson. You're looking at a familiar face there. That's Ben Crump. He was the attorney representing Trayvon Martin's family. Let's listen in on what he has to say.

BENJAMIN CRUMP, BROWN FAMILY ATTORNEY: -- no matter how they try to distract us. We very focused on getting the autopsy done, getting the ballistics expert, making sure we look at the trajectory of the bullets, so we know this was an execution, and as others have said, when you put your hand up in the air, this means surrender. Don't shoot.

And the most hardened criminals in history, when they put their hands up, we didn't execute them. So I want you all to pay close attention, as this autopsy is revealed to you and you see who is telling the truth, the witnesses who all say that he put his hands in the air and said the police kept shooting.

Or how they try to do the smoke and mirrors and try to say let's don't talk about what happened when you shot him down like a dog in the street. Let's now try to assassinate his character after thinks assassinated him in person.

Don't lose focus what this is about, brothers and sisters. They tried it with Trayvon, now they're trying it with Michael. Yes, please give her a round of applause for family member, Ty Pruitt and Attorney Anthony Gray, a member of the legal team here in St. Louis, Missouri, as they come to the podium.

TY PRUITT, MICHAEL BROWN'S COUSIN: So before I say anything -- I just wanted to kick it off look like that, because Michael Brown was not just some young black boy. He was a human being. He was a younger cousin. He was a son. He was an uncle, a nephew. He was not a suspect. He was not an object. He was not an animal.

But that's how he was killed. This was the last actions that our family member made before he put his -- before he went to rest. This will be stuck in my family's memories for the rest of our lives. So when you protest -- love for all y'all.

WHITFIELD: All right, those are the words from the cousin, Ty Pruitt, the cousin of Michael Brown. Now the parents of Michael Brown, the 18-year-old gunned down by a police officer seven days ago at a very emotional rally, tribute for their son at the Greater Grace Church in Ferguson.

CRUMP: Now there's going to be a lot said in the next 48 hours, even more said after that about Leslie and Michael's child. Just know that this was their child, and they loved their child. They had every right for their child to have due process of the law. What is due process, you say it means?

Due process is when I put my hands in the air, you don't execute me, because you had a bad day. When I put my hands in the air, you don't decide to be judge, jury and executioner on that day. What is due process, you say Attorney Gray? That you don't leave my body on the concrete for four hours. That isn't due process. That isn't dignity for Leslie's son. So when we say what we are here for today, united for justice for Michael Brown Jr., what we're really ask for is simple justice.

We're not asking for anything extraordinary. They just want what anybody else would want in their children were shot down in broad daylight -- a fair and impartial investigation. They want to know that they will have their day in court.

That the killer of their child will be held accountable to the full extent of the law. They say we're having a rush to judgment, but wasn't it a rush to judgment when they left him down there on the ground for four hours trying to get their story together?

WHITFIELD: All right. We apologize. We lost that signal there -- all right. It looks like we have it back.

CRUMP: And so we assistant with this family so they won't be by themselves and they know they're not going to be by themselves. Remember the same feeling you have right now, because five, six months, when they finish this investigation and they're just going to smear his name.

They're going to say everything about him, but just know, he had a right as an American citizen to due process of the law. Without further ado, Leslie's father made a call around the same time they reached out to me to a civil rights pioneer, much in the same vein as Reverend Jesse Jackson.

And the same vein as Benjamin Hooks, the same vein as the Martin Luther King Jr., and he's going to talk about that legacy for his grandfather called my friend, Reverend Al Sharpton and like he always does --

WHITFIELD: You're listening to Benjamin Crump. He represented the family of Trayvon Martin. Now you see him standing alongside Leslie and Michael Brown, the parents of the 18-year-old who was gunned down by a police officer seven days ago. They were in Ferguson, Missouri.

We're going to keep a close watch on the tribute, the rally taking place at this Greater Grace Church there in Ferguson, and continue to monitor it as well. We'll have much more straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. In just a few hours President Barack Obama returns to the White House from his vacation in Martha's Vineyard, but he's only back in the White House for just two days before resuming his vacation.

I want to bring in CNN's Rene Marsh at the White House. So Rene, we understand that he's returning for meetings, and among those meetings tomorrow he'll be meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder, and they'll be talking about the Ferguson case? MARSH: Absolutely. We just got that information a short time ago. A lot of people curious about this quick trip back to Washington, D.C., because we know that the president is able and capable of working while he is away from the White House and on vacation.

So many wondered why was it necessary for him to return to Washington? So we do have this latest information. We know he will be having these meetings. Vice President Biden will be a part of these meetings.

We know that Attorney General Eric Holder will be briefing him on the latest as it relates to the situation in Ferguson. We also know the president's National Security Council will be briefing him on all things Iraq.

Many of his aides, though, downplaying the expectations that any major news will come out of these meetings. We should let you know, the president did not left Martha's Vineyard just as yet.

Just this afternoon he was on the golf course with friend and former Miami Heat center, Alonzo Mourning, of course, you know, the president has been receiving usual criticism for vacationing while the world is so called on fire.

Of course, you have the U.S. airstrikes happening in Iraq. Meantime, tensions rising in Ferguson, as well as tensions between Russia and Ukraine. However, the White House and the aides there continue to say that the president can do work and conduct business no matter where he is.

We saw that. He gave two press briefings while he was on Martha's Vineyard, but again, Fred, we are expecting the president to return to Washington later on, much later on this evening.

He will be here to two days. He returns to Martha's Vineyard on Tuesday, and will remain there until next Sunday -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, very interesting indeed, thanks so much, Rene Marsh. Appreciate that from the White House.

All right, meantime, country music stars, Shauna and Kiefer Thompson made up the Grammy-nominated duo, Thompson Square. Well, for this married couple, music is more than a passion, it is also part of their mission to create brighter futures for children around the world.

Chris Cuomo has their story in today's "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY" (voice-over): Behind the music, Thompson Square, is raising their voices to give kids around the world a chance to do the same.

KIEFER THOMPSON, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: It's been more rewarding for us than they understand. CUOMO: Shauna and Kiefer Thompson joined forces with Child Fund International, a charity that works with global communities to provide for children in need.

KIEFER THOMPSON: When you sponsor a child, it doesn't just go to that family. It's a collective. It goes to that community.

SHAUNA THOMPSON, COUNTRY MUSIC STAR: the fact that we don't have kids yet, maybe that is a part of it. We wanted to be a part of some children's lives.

CUOMO: The husband and wife team sponsored two kids. One is a little boy named Emerson in Honduras. On their first trip to meet him, the couple saw poverty up close.

KIEFER THOMPSON: There's no bathrooms, no plumbing, no water, no nothing.

CUOMO: The experience inspired them to re-create their music video "Glass" featuring children as the stars.

KIEFER THOMPSON: We're supposed to be all one. At the end of the day we're all the human race. We both strongly feel if you don't give back, you're doing a disservice to yourself, your community and to the industry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Fierce battles in Eastern Ukraine have gotten even worse. There's intense shelling and explosions in Donetsk and Luhansk, and the situation for civilians there is deteriorating. Our Will Ripley joins us live from Kiev. So Will, bring us up to date.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Ukrainian military, Fred, continues to take more territory from the pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk. They actually recaptured a police station and raised the Ukrainian flag, a symbolic move that shows they are slow taking back this land that has been under rebel control for months now.

In Luhansk for the first time in this conflict, Ukraine military has actually been able to ender one of the four districts in that city, but conditions on the ground continue to get worst for the hundreds of thousands of people who were caught in the middle of all of this.

Donetsk now has no water service. They haven't had water or power or communications in Lohansk for two weeks now. Their sewage flowing in the streets. Trash is building up and serious concerns that it will get even more critical for all those families who have been living in their basements with nearly continuous shelling all around them.

Meanwhile, the rebels keep getting reinforcements allegedly from Russia. Overnight another armed convoy crossed the border. It had rocket launchers. That the Ukrainian government believes were headed to the rebels. And also overnight, a Ukrainian fighter jet was shot down by those pro-Russian separatists so the violence continues -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, bad situation that is worsening. Will Ripley, thank you so much.

All right, that's going to do for me. Thanks so much for being with me this afternoon. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The next hour of the NEWSROOM begins right now with Poppy Harlow in New York.