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Ferguson Decision; Ferguson Protests; Cosby Appearance Canceled; Reaction to Obama's Order

Aired November 21, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And here we go on this Friday. Great to be with you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Could be big, big news in Ferguson, Missouri, because this grand jury decision could be hours away. The makeup of the grand jury, you have seven men, five women. They've all been sitting on this panel. All of this happening behind closed doors, right? Could be meeting for the very last time today. And that means their choice on whether to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown could come at any time.

As the grand jury nears an end to its deliberations, Officer Wilson may be nearing an end to his time on the Ferguson police force because he is in the final stages of negotiations to resign. This is according to sources close to the talks. This is what they're telling CNN. But they add that these negotiations could totally fall apart simply based upon how the grand jury decides.

Federal authorities also recognize how much hinges on the grand jury's decision. Today the nation's top law enforcer urged protesters to keep the peace just a day -- you see these images -- just a day after three people were arrested there. Attorney General Eric Holder also announced new guidelines for police on how to handle these demonstrators.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The Justice Department encourages law enforcement officials in every jurisdiction to work with the communities that they serve to minimize needless confrontation. It is vital to engage in planning and preparation, from evaluating protocols and training, to choosing the appropriate equipment and uniforms. Now, this is the hard work that is necessary to preserve the peace and to maintain the public trust at all times, particularly in moments of heightened community tension.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: All right, let's take it straight to Ferguson, to my colleague Stephanie Elam.

And, Stephanie, as we talk about really the news nugget today, these talks about a potential resignation for this officer, my number one question is the timing. I mean this shooting happened in August, so why, a, is this happening now and, b, the talks, is this all predicated upon the grand jury's decision?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's what we're understanding, Brooke. It seems that Officer Wilson does not want to seem like he's presuming that he is guilty of anything by resigning before the grand jury does make their testimony. We're also understanding that his motivation for this is to take away this focus on his colleagues in the Ferguson Police Department and also to ensure their safety without him being a distraction.

But, again, it's all fluid. It's not necessarily going to happen is what we're understanding, Brooke. It all depends on what the grand jury decides.

BANFIELD: OK. And then also you have some latest word as far as the schools in the area. Tell me about that.

ELAM: That's right. The Jennings School District, which is here in the area, sent out this tweet not too long ago saying that their Thanksgiving holiday break will be Monday through Friday next week. What's noteworthy about that is that it seems to be in reaction to this upcoming grand jury decision. When you take a look at their calendar, like I did, I went to their school calendar that's posted online, the break for Thanksgiving was only supposed to be Wednesday through Friday. So they're closing down school for all of next week. Just another indication that perhaps we may be getting closer to getting this grand jury decision.

And also that people are just being cautious, right? They just want to make sure that the students, the children are safe no matter what happens. And so the Jennings School District, we've got a call into them to find out exactly what their motivation is, but just another sign here that people are still on edge and trying to make sure that people are safe.

BALDWIN: You know, we talk about the safety and caution. We just saw Attorney General Holder call for calm once this grand jury decision comes to be known. But there is also a big push to try to stop violence from others, including Michael Brown's own family.

ELAM: Yes, that's true. And these -- there are these new public service announcements that were recorded by lots of people from the community here. I mean you've got the St. Louis Rams. You've got members of the religious community here as well. The mayor of St. Louis. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the Olympian, also doing one. And then one also done by the father of Mike Brown, where he says that he doesn't want his son's death to be in vain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BROWN SR., FATHER OF TEENAGER KILLED: I thank you for lifting your voices to end racial profiling and police intimidation. But hurting others or destroying property is not the answer. No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son's death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And it's also interesting to note that of all the PSAs, Michael Brown, Sr., is the only one to mention his son. The rest just work to uplift and tell people to stay positive and to stay unified here in the St. Louis area.

BALDWIN: All right, Stephanie Elam, thank you very much, in Ferguson.

Let's say on this, you know, on the streets there in the city. Tensions are already boiling over. We showed you these pictures here of these protesters already. They are marching. They are blocking traffic. And as you're about to see, getting physical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're under arrest.

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) hit somebody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're under arrest for (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop resisting. You're under arrest.

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Rashid Abdul-Salaam, private investigator and a security specialist joining me once again.

Sir, good to have you back.

RASHID ABDUL-SALAAM, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR & SECURITY SPECIALIST: It's good to be here. Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I mean, my goodness, just hearing the woman screaming, the pushing, the arrests, it's all started. And this is even before the grand jury has come down with this indictment or non-indictment. And then you have, of course, this is what I wanted to ask you about, the presence of cameras. And I'm curious if behavior - and I mean protesters and police -- if behavior changes with the presence of all those cameras.

ABDUL-SALAAM: Unfortunately it does because we don't know what individuals' agendas are when they see the cameras rolling. But I - personally I'm connected to this situation in that I'm a former Missouri police officer or deputy sheriff in the Jackson County, Missouri, area. Plus, I'm a Missouri boy. So I'm connected to what's going on here on both sides in that I was sworn to uphold the law in Missouri and then I was a citizen and -- of Missouri and raised in that area from Kansas City, Missouri. All my family is in Missouri. I've raised sons in that - in Missouri. So this resonates with me. And one thing that I want the protesters to understand, is like, as a

parent, none of us want harm to come to our children. Obviously we see this in the parents of Michael Brown. But the other point of it is, we, as parents, are responsible to make sure that our children don't harm anyone else. And so as we go through the protests, let's make sure that everyone is doing this with a -- the agenda of -- for the greater cause, for the greater good, not for any personal, emotional experience yourself.

BALDWIN: But emotions are involved. I mean you yourself, you're not even there, but, you know, this resonates even for you and we're multiple states away.

ABDUL-SALAAM: Yes.

BALDWIN: I mean, looking ahead, post-grand jury decision, how are you feeling about all of this?

ABDUL-SALAAM: I'm feeling tons of anxiety about it because it's very reminiscent of what occurred directly after the decision from the grand jury -- or the verdict of the officers that were charged with the beating of Rodney King and it's also reminiscent to me of what happened in the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, and Missouri during the time that Dr. King was assassinated. We had riots in the streets. I remember as a child actually seeing tanks drive down my street.

BALDWIN: My goodness.

ABDUL-SALAAM: And National Guardsmen telling me to go back in my own house. So these things are emotional. However, we have to be able to suppress our emotions, let our logic in and our rationale kick in and look at, what is the purpose? The purpose should be for the greater good of the community and of America. Michael Brown is America. Officer Wilson is America. We can't detach the two. We have to -- what we need to do on both sides is try to make our efforts, connect these two societies together so that we can be, in fact, a United States. We're divided states right now.

BALDWIN: We are. And it could get even worse before hopefully it gets better. But you talk about these historic events. You know, I've read so much about Birmingham in the '60s and, you know, you could take it through even Kent State. I was reading about the outcome of all that and how, you know, you talk about the assassination of Dr. King. I'm wondering, from a police perspective, what had been learned from all of that in the aftermath and how police in Ferguson should be preparing right now.

ABDUL-SALAAM: It's very interesting you bring that up because one of the things that I noticed as a police officer - I was a police officer in Jackson County, Missouri, in the '80s, '80s through the '90s. One of the thing that we need to look at is to revisit some of the policies and procedures. Many of the policies and procedures that - they're antiquated and they need to be revisited.

BALDWIN: What do you mean specifically in terms of dealing with protesters or just in general as a police officer? ABDUL-SALAAM: Just in general as a police officer because, you know,

the training that is given to officers, how often is that revisited? How often is that brought up to speed, up to date? I mean, you know, I used to love "The Andy Griffin Show," but you can't be an Andy Griffin type police officer in these days and times. It's a totally different demographic that you're dealing with. It's a totally different mentality. We're dealing with the social media. We're dealing with all these different modern day components that has to be taken into consideration when you go out and try to do your job effectively as a police officer. You can't ignore these things. If you do, you're being remiss as the leadership of these particular departments. Not necessarily the rank and file.

BALDWIN: Sure.

ABDUL-SALAAM: The rank and file is only as good as the management, the leadership, the training, the in-service training.

BALDWIN: But, at the end of the day, I was just talking to someone yesterday about this, being a police officer is an incredibly honorable profession, but I hear you loud and clear on changes that need to be made. With all of your just personal connections with Missouri, Rashid, I'd love to have you back next week as we respond to whatever the decision is from the grand jury. So I hope you rejoin us. Rashid Abdul-Salaam, thank you so much for coming on.

ABDUL-SALAAM: Thank you. My pleasure. Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, we've got to talk about Bill Cosby. He is getting ready to perform tonight in Florida. But there is one radio station daring people to confront him. We'll tell you about that.

Also, another accuser has come forward talking to CNN. She says her encounter with Bill Cosby was terrorizing. You will hear from her.

Plus, the gunman who fired shots inside the library on the campus of Florida State University had spent packages to his friends and today they're starting to get them. Details about what they're finding inside, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A Bill Cosby performance at a Las Vegas casino, scrapped amid renewed allegations he raped or otherwise sexually assaulted multiple women. But Cosby is expected to do a standup comedy act tonight at this sold-out show in Melbourne, Florida. That as still more women come forward telling their stories. Linda Traitz is one of them. She talked to CNN about an encounter she had with the comedian. This was back in 1969. Traitz was just a teenager. She was waiting tables at a restaurant owned by Bill Cosby and she says one day he sat at one of her tables, told her she was pretty, offered her a ride home. She says she got in his car, a Rolls-Royce, and he told her they were going to the beach. Traitz says she was, in a word, star-struck. Didn't see any red flags until they arrived at the beach and that is where Traitz says Cosby opened a briefcase full of pills.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA JOY TRAITZ, BILL COSBY ACCUSER: All he said was, why don't you take a couple of these to -- it will help you relax. He kept, you know, I was like, what? You know, I was -- help me relax for what? I mean --

ALISYN CAMEROTA, ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEW DAY": Did you end up taking any of the pills?

TRAITZ: No.

CAMEROTA: OK, so then what happens?

TRAITZ: He starts grabbing at my chest and, you know, trying to - try to fondle me and then he started to push himself on top of me, like against the seat and against the door as he was groping me. I don't remember the conversation, but I do know that that's when I panicked. I opened the door behind me and ran out of his car and ran down the beach.

And I had on a long hippy peasant skirt. That's what we wore back then. And I was running and I was running towards the - I - you know, towards -- I guess towards the shoreline and my foot must have hit the bottom of my skirt because I fell and it tore up my skirt probably to the knee and I partially fell in the water. So I was wet. He was coming after me, trying to calm me down because I was making such a scene. I was crying. I was in a panic. I was crying and he said, I'll take you home, I'll take you home, you know, at that point. I was not raped, but I was groped and terrorized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So that is her story. This is what Bill Cosby's attorney has to say about that specifically. Quote, "Ms. Traitz's long criminal record for numerous offensives, including charges for criminal fraud, possession of oxycodone, cocaine possession, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia speaks for itself. As the old saying goes, consider the source."

Linda Traitz admits she has had problems with drugs. She says that started long after her encounter with Bill Cosby there on the beach. She does also say she was not raped and she never went after Cosby for the alleged groping incident.

But let me talk to Brian Stelter. He's joining me. He's our senior media correspondent and host of CNN's "Reliable Sources." And this all loops around, right, to current day. We know Bill Cosby was supposed to be performing in Las Vegas. That got scrapped. I'm curious, did Bill Cosby cancel that or did the casino say no?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: What the casino, Treasure Island, says is, it was by mutual agreement. That's what they say. I've been trying to call Cosby's personal publicist and haven't heard anything from their camp. But it would seem like some of these performance venues or some of these organizers are getting concerned about events. We also just learned of a cancellation as far ahead as in April for a couple of events, although most of the ones that are on his schedule are still scheduled, still supposed to go on. I was looking on Stub Hub, there's tickets that are going for $240 for a performance he's doing in upstate New York in the first week of December.

But, you know, Brooke, tonight he's in Florida and he's still scheduled to do a performance there. We just heard from the producer there who says that there have been some requests for refunds at the college where this is going to go on, but per the ticket policy, they're not going to be giving refunds. The college is also expecting some protesters tonight, so they're actually increasing security as a result for that reason.

BALDWIN: Let me ask you about that because I was reading, again, this is Melbourne, Florida. This is supposed to be this evening. And so apparently there's a radio station that's actually calling on people to protest or -- fill in the blanks. Tell me more about that.

STELTER: Well, they are doing a couple different things. One of the things they're doing is urging people who are going tonight to protest inside the hall, you know, to do some sort of standup protest, or to try to confront him, try to get him to address the allegations. And I think they're offering some sort of monetary prize. Now, of course, that's a typical radio stunt, but it goes to underscore the tension that exists here.

He was performing in the Bahamas last night. He didn't address the allegations. He didn't make any direct reference to them. But also didn't show up for any meet and greet. He also is not expected to show up for any of the usual meet and greets tonight. He's basically avoiding any situations where he could be directly asked about these allegations. Instead, he'll just be on stage doing his usual routine tonight.

BALDWIN: We'll see how this evening goes in Florida. Brian Stelter, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

STELTER: Thanks.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, we're going to talk live to one woman who is undocumented and despite being unafraid about speaking out about her own story, she says she's felt caged - caged living in America. Hear whether President Obama's new policy will allow her to emerge from the shadows. Plus, as Ferguson braces for a grand jury decision, you will hear from one person who is in the middle of the violent protests in August to keep the peace. What might change this go around?

Stay with me. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

House Speaker John Boehner is accusing President Barack Obama of governing like a guy who wears a crown on his head. A king, according to Speaker Boehner. That is his reaction to the executive order announced just last night by the president that could end up protecting several million undocumented immigrants from possible deportation. In that televised speech, the president noted Boehner's House Republicans already have had 17 months to approve the immigration fix passed by the U.S. Senate. Speaker Boehner says now that is never going to happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: For this action, the president has chosen to deliberately sabotage any chance of enacting bipartisan reforms that he claims to seek. And as I told the president yesterday, he's damaging the presidency itself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: In the president's speech last night, he says his administration will keep deporting criminals, keep deporting gang members for sure and will establish a process to grant legal status, not citizenship, legal status to certain undocumented immigrants who are otherwise law abiding.

So with me now from San Juan, Texas, is Tania Chavez. She's a undocumented worker, came here 14 years ago.

So, Tania, nice to have you on. Welcome.

TANIA CHAVEZ, UNDOCUMENTED WORKER: Thank you for having me on.

BALDWIN: Can we just begin with your story? I mean I read that you were a young teenager when you left Mexico, came to the states. Why did you leave? How did you get here?

CHAVEZ: I left because my parents wanted a better education for myself and for my brother. And so we only came to the United States in search for a better education. We actually asked for a student visa, but my parents didn't have the money to be able to afford one. And at the time we were already enrolling in a public system and they just thought, well, just learn the English and go back - the language - learn the language, go back to Mexico, you make a living over there. Little did they know that I would find myself here and I built my values here and I never wanted to go back because this has become my home now.

BALDWIN: It's become your home, but, you know, I read though, you were talking to a colleague of mine in a previous interview and you described feeling like you were caged because the issue is, yes, you have this great education and this new home and set of values, but you couldn't go back to Mexico to see your friends and family. So here we have, you know, this new policy. You told me in commercial break, you watched the president speak last night. So now that we have this, right, in place, what's your next move?

CHAVEZ: I don't know. My next move is to wait until the rest of the information is released, either the 90 days or after the 180 days. I did not have a U.S. citizen child. I dedicated myself to better my education and so for sure I won't be qualifying under that. But under the expansion of DACA, I don't know. We live in a cage and that cage, we have international bridges. When I came in here, I came in under a tourist visa and I don't know how that's going to play a role. Typically when things like this, when these announcements are made, they never take into consideration people who live in the border towns and how does that affect them? And so my -- even living here for 14 years, my future's still uncertain and I don't know that I will qualify for this. But I am happy that there will be relief for many, many families and I will continue to fight for the ones who are not getting relief this time around.

BALDWIN: You know, it's interesting, Tania, just hearing you say that you're nervous. I was wondering, for, you know, people who are in situations just as yourself, I mean you saw the president on national TV last night, you know, addressing people such as yourself, yet I'm wonder if there are - I don't know if you have other friends here in the states who are in similar situations and you're nervous because it's almost like - is it - it's almost like you don't believe it, that this is happening. That you will be safe, even if you want to go back to Mexico and come back to the states.

CHAVEZ: No, you see, I am very realistic. And I know that there will be many people in the states who will benefit from it. However, the border way of living is way different. When you live in a border country and you are coming to this country with a tourist visa and not knowing that you believe to be more documented than the rest of your peers and the way that affects your immigration status.

I was not educated about this when I came into this country. And so that is the truth for many of us who live in a border town, like Micalan (ph), Texas, and (INAUDIBLE), Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, are caged. And we're hoping that with the expansion of DACA, that we'll be able to get out of this cage. But we need to be very cautious because until the rest of the guidelines are set forward, we won't know what our future holds. And it's not that I'm unrealistic or it's not that I don't believe in what he said, it's just that, while it applies to the rest of the nation, it won't apply to all of us living in the Rio Grande Valley. It will apply to (INAUDIBLE).

BALDWIN: Got it. Got it.

Let's follow up with you and let's see what your future looks like with all of this. Tania Chavez, thank you so much, from San Juan (ph), Texas, for me this afternoon.

You know, Tania mentioned education. I want you to make sure you catch a CNN film special presentation that puts the spotlight on higher education for everyone. It's called "Ivory Tower: Is the Price Worth It," Sunday night, 9:00 Eastern, here on CNN.

We are standing by for an announcement out of Ferguson, Missouri. As police are preparing for more protests again tonight, law enforcement also getting new guidelines from Attorney General Eric Holder. We'll tell you exactly what he has said. And the man who shot three people inside that library at FSU, he is delivering a message after being shot to death by police in the form of packages to his friends that are now suddenly appearing. What's inside? That's coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)