Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Foley Kin Frustrated by James' Death; NFL's Rams Help Out Ferguson Teams; Michael Brown Case being Heard by Grand Jury

Aired August 22, 2014 - 10:30   ET

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


BERNARD PARKS SR., FORMER LAPD CHIEF OF POLICE: I think one of the dilemmas you have is that the more information and speculation that occurs, the more you are allowing individuals to fill in the blanks who now will not be giving independent testimony when they go either before the grand jury or the court. They are more apt to be repeating what they think they've heard or interpreted.

And so the key is to not lose focus on what occurred at that car, what occurred at the shooting, and all of this peripheral information will come in and you will find it's not nearly as meaningful as the autopsy, the physical investigation, the forensics, and the real physical evidence that that will drive a proper conclusion.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think it's a mistake that the prosecutor sent this case to a grand jury? Should he have made the decision himself on whether to charge this officer?

You know, I think it's one of those things you have to weigh. There are some very great benefits of a grand jury and the fact that you can have information that does not become public and it protects the case.

Also, in dealing with a preliminary hearing issue, you are limited by time if you should arrest the person and you move forward and your case is not complete, and you don't hold an answer. Then you have a whole other dynamic of the community believing that it was not a well thought out or well investigated case, so I think it depends on the circumstances, the seriousness, and in many instances, something this serious and has this kind of overtones --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Well, in this particular case -- in this particular case, would it have been better if the prosecutor has just made the decision and moved on?

PARKS: I think from the way I see it, from Los Angeles, to me grand jury seems to be a viable option because it didn't appear in the first several days or week that you had enough to arrest and then provide an adequate foundation in a preliminary hearing that you are ready to proceed to trial. This gives the -- as we saw this morning -- more eyewitnesses are coming forward. The case is coming together. The issue is thoroughness is more important than swiftness if you get it wrong.

COSTELLO: All right. Chief Parks, thanks so much for being back with me.

PARKS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: I appreciate it. I'll be right back.

PARKS: Thank you, Carol.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel laid out the threat from ISIS saying in no uncertain terms the terror group poses a threat to America, quote, "unlike anything we've ever seen". That leaves the United States at a quandary trying to obliterate the threat while at the same time trying to free American hostages still held captive.

In the meantime, the siblings of James Foley sat down with Yahoo's Katie Couric to discuss their frustration over their brother's death.

MICHAEL FOLEY, JAMES FOLEY'S BROTHER: You can accomplish both things. The United States could have done more on behalf of the Western and American hostages over there and still, you know, dealt with the broader worldwide issues and other nations have done that and that's been a source of frustration for me and I really, really, really hope that in some way Jim's death pushes us to take another look at our approach, our policy to terrorists and hostage negotiations and rethink that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: James' brother Michael is most likely talking about the U.S. policy not to pay ransom for hostages in contrast to countries like Spain and Germany, countries that have paid for the return of their citizens.

We're also learning new details about the contents of the e-mail sent to James Foley's family including the final threatening message sent out just 10 days ago. It reads in part, quote, "You do not spare our weak, elderly, women, or children, so we will not spare yours. You and your citizens will pay the price of your bombings the first of which being the blood of an American citizen, James Foley. He will be executed as a direct result of your transgressions toward us."

The e-mail also mentioned ISIS' desire to get back this woman, Dr. Aafiya Siddiqi, known as lady al Qaeda. She's an MIT educated neurosurgeon who's currently serving an 86-year sentence at a Texas prison for attempted murder and firearms charges (inaudible) from an attack on soldiers and FBI agents in Afghanistan.

So between the demands for prisoner swaps and murdering kidnap victims, along with every other terror threat that ISIS poses to the West and the Middle East, how should the United States deal with those threats? How should the United States deal with ISIS?

Let's talk about that. I want to bring in Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Good morning. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning -- Carol.

You know, when Hagel and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Martin Dempsey briefed reporters over here late yesterday. Their comments got a lot of attention.

As you pointed out, Hagel went further than we've ever seen him go before about the ISIS threat. He was very direct, he was very blunt -- somewhat alarmist about it, some say. I want you to have a listen to a little bit more of what he had to say about what is going on right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAGEL: When we look at what they did to Mr. Foley, what they threatened to do to all Americans and Europeans, what they are doing now, I don't know any other way to describe it other than barbaric. They have no standard of decency, of responsible human behavior and I think the record is pretty clear on that. Yes, they are an imminent threat to any interest we have whether it's in Iraq or anywhere else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: So what to do about ISIS now? That I think is really fair to say what the Pentagon and the Obama administration is struggling with. There's all kinds of options, all kinds of ideas. Stepping up air strikes in Iraq, yes, even considering should somebody think about air strike inside Syria. The Pentagon says it's not taking any option off the table, but that no decisions have been made.

They clearly though want to get some partnership once again with countries in the region, get them involved in all of this and history shows us that kind of partnership has been very problematic. So you know, to use a cliche, we're going to have to see where all these goes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Are you talking about Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar -- right?

STARR: Well, I think that's what the Pentagon would like to see, would like to -- you know, starting with Iraq. Get the Iraqi military back into shape so it can participate in protecting its own country, protecting against ISIS inside Iraq. That is problematic at the moment. The air strikes in Iraq, the U.S. believes, have begun to have an impact on ISIS positions inside Iraq. But that's very limited, that's very narrowly focused. That does not really address ISIS' strength in its efforts to move across northern Iraq, take territory, terrorize people.

The United Nations estimates, you know, something like a million Iraqis already displaced from their homes and on the run from ISIS brutality. This is going to take a lot more than air strikes. But the Pentagon making very clear yesterday, ISIS has to be defeated. That ideology has to be defeated and certainly the last 13 years in the War on Terrorism have taught, everybody, I would say -- think it's fair to say defeating an ideology harder and harder all the time -- Carol. COSTELLO: Barbara Starr, reporting live from the Pentagon -- thanks

so much.

I want to talk about this a little more. I want to bring in CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona and former special assistant to George W. Bush Ron Christie. Welcome to both of you.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning Carol.

RON CHRISTIE, FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO GEORGE W. BUSH: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Ron, I'm going to ask you the question that Michael Foley, James Foley's brother wants to ask the administration. Why not reconsider paying ransom to these people to free Americans?

CHRISTIE: Well, I think it's such a bad precedent. I think if you start paying ransom to hostage takers, the terrorist, I think it puts more Americans not only here at home but around the world at risk of being abducted. I think there's a way to negotiate behind the scenes with some of these terrorists to get our folks back as we see what President Obama did with getting Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl home, but I just don't think it's a good precedent and good idea for us to be paying ransom to these terrorists.

COSTELLO: So you're saying Ron that the United States should negotiate with terrorists?

CHRISTIE: No, should not negotiate with terrorists, no. On the other hand, of course, the Bowe Bergdahl, the army individual who was taken by terrorists and we did negotiate his return, we did not want to leave a soldier, whether he deserted his unit or whether he, in fact, was abducted on the battle field, we don't leave our people behind. So in areas where we can have a meaningful dialogue out of the public view, yes I think we should.

COSTELLO: Ok. So Maria do you agree because there are ten Americans currently being held hostage overseas by various terrorist countries?

CARDONA: Yes. You know, I first have to say our hearts go out to Jim Foley's family because as a mother, I can't even imagine what that would be like and I would probably be at the White House's door begging them to pay the ransom if it was my son or daughter. But we can't let these terrorists dictate what U.S. policy is. I completely agree with Ron. I think it would be open season for these terrorists to go out and kidnap more Americans. Not that it's not that right now, and I think that -- that's what is the difficulty.

I think what we can do, Carol, is sit down and try to talk to our allies, those who have paid the ransom, and tried to get them not to, because I think as a coalition, if the civil societies coalition is together and strong in term of how you deal with these terrorists, then you don't, you know, have these different ways that other countries are getting the bad versus the U.S., it makes a lot harder for these terrorists to put us in these difficult positions. Moving forward, I think that the President has been tactical. He has been direct. And I think that needs to continue in terms of focusing on support to Iraq and the Kurdish forces.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Ok. Let's talk about the President's focus, because I'm struggling to understand Ron how the United States went from calling ISIS a JV team, to them becoming this unprecedented threat unlike anything we've ever seen. How does that happen, Ron?

CHRISTIE: I think it's a little flat footed. For me for having spent four years in the White House, and looked at what President Bush did, reading his intelligence reports every morning for example. There are a lot of reports out there that the president does not always look at his intelligence reports. If that's true, it seems to me that he might have taken his eye off the ball that the threat that ISIS poses not only to the United States, but as of course Maria pointed out to our coalition partners the world.

But moving forward, I think what we need to do now. We need to look forward. What is the United States going to do? I think the President should have come home. He should get off the golf course and I think he should have called Congress back. I think that he should have a joint address to the Congress. I think he needs to have an authorization of the use of military force and I think frankly he needs to come forth to the American people and say here's why these guys are dangerous, and here's our path forward as Americans -- not Republicans and Democrats but as Americans we should to counter do it to counter the threat.

COSTELLO: Maria, Ron has something there. I mean if the Defense Department says this is unlike any threat we've ever seen and there are fears that sleeper cells could form in the United States, then why doesn't the President come back and call Congress into session?

CARDONA: Well, I think what the President will do is continue to articulate what he started to talk about this week. In his comments after the Jim Foley incident, I think he was incredibly passionate and incredibly direct and bold in terms of what this means for American society and what we are ready to do about it. I think he needs to be clearer about what that is.

He should underscore frankly and to Barbara Starr's point, the session yesterday, the press conference yesterday that Secretary Hagel had with General Dempsey, I think it's pretty clear -- as clear as we've gotten in terms of what the U.S. strategy is which is to continue to focus on supporting the Iraqi forces, supporting the Kurdish forces who have been staunch allies of ours for a very long time. And they have demonstrated success in taking back the Mosul Dam, for example, and in supporting humanitarian efforts as ISIS and all these other terrorists continue to threaten other sectors, and to frankly focus on making sure that we are articulate to the American people about our priority in term of protecting American civilians and American facilities. As long as he continues to articulate that, I think that the American people will be comfortable where we are because he has a very fine line in terms of a war weary nation but also focusing on this big threat.

COSTELLO: Right. I got to leave it there. Maria Cardona, Ron Christie -- thanks to both of you. I'll be right back.

CARDONA: Thank you Carol.

CHRISTIE: Thanks Carol.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Sports helping to heal a community. Ferguson residents will rally around three area high school teams that begin their football seasons this weekend. With Ferguson schools ordered closed this past week, those teams have not been able to practice on their home field so the NFL has stepped in.

Andy Scholes joins me to tell us more. Good morning -- Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: Good morning, Carol. You know, the St. Louis Rams, they stepped up big time in this situation. Just last weekend, they gave Ferguson high school players free tickets to their preseason game against the Packers. And on Wednesday the rams did something that can only described as awesome.

With the schools closed in Ferguson, the football fields are not available. One of the teams had to train in a local park near a swamp. They had crickets constantly swarming all the players. That's when the Rams stepped in and opened up the team's indoor facility. You know, football has been a form of escape for the Ferguson teams, a way to keep the players out of trouble while their community is in turmoil.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've called them, you know, just the parent in me, the coach in me, the big brother, hey, what are you doing? Coach, I'm at home. Ok. Well, I was just checking on you. Well, can you stop calling me every two minutes?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not saying we're trouble makers, when we don't have nothing to do, there's stuff out there, you can possibly get in trouble. So football is kind of like keeping us out of trouble.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: The teams also got a chance to watch the Rams practice. At one point, head coach Jeff Pinscher he has the high schooler's stand on the edge of the field to simulate some crowd knows. And you know, it wasn't just the Ferguson players getting something out of this experience, Carol. Several rams players said seeing them there and knowing what they have been going through gave them some extra motivation in practice as well. COSTELLO: That's such a nice story. That's awesome. Thank you,

Andy, for brightening our morning. I appreciate it.

SCHOLES: Any time.

COSTELLO: Thanks -- I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Checking our top stories at 54 minutes past.

The two American flags stolen from atop the Brooklyn Bridge are expected to be returned to the New York City Police Department today. Two German artists claim they stole the flag and swapped them out for bleached flags last month. They insist the incident was nothing more than an art project.

The remains of 20 victims from Malaysia Airlines flight 17 are finally back home. Malaysian officials received the flag-draped coffins at a ceremony at Kuala Lumpur's airport earlier this morning. Today, has been declared a national day of mourning. There were 43 Malaysian passengers aboard the civilian airliner when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

In Kentucky, an ice bucket challenge goes terribly wrong. Four firefighters were injured when the firetrucks ladder got too close to a main power line. It happened moments after dumping water on a university marching band. One of the firefighters is in critical condition with serious burns.

Monday night's upcoming Emmy awards ceremony may be more star-studded than in years past. That's because a lot of the top contenders are huge stars often seen only on the Silver screen.

Saturday Night Live's Seth Myers is hosting the big show for the first time -- actually he was not with SNL anymore, is he? Anyway, "The Late, Late Show's", Seth Myers will be hosting the Emmys. The "Game of Thrones", leads the way with 19 nominations and of course all eyes will be on Netflix and "Orange is the New Black", the big (inaudible) this year.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

"@THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA" after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)