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Harrison Ford Recovering from Plane Crash; Gut-Wrenching Testimony in Boston Bombing Trial; Courageous Boston Bombing Survivor Speaks Out; Ringling Brothers Cancels Elephant Acts; South African Baby Kidnapped at Birth Found 17 Years Later; Corruption Charges Against Senator Robert Menendez.
Aired March 06, 2015 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: I know you have had your own --
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: I'm sorry. Go ahead. I didn't mean to interrupt you.
LARRY LEE, PILOT & AVIATION ENTHUSIAST: What we do know is that Harrison did a wonderful job of putting it down safely and away from any populated areas. And that itself is quite a task in these aircraft that do not have much of a glide ratio.
CABRERA: And you know that all too well. You yourself was flying a plane like this and you also experienced engine trouble and had a crash landing, I understand it. Tell us about that.
LEE: I did. Unfortunately, the same aircraft, a PT-22, this past summer I was flying in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. I had been flying for an hour when I approached a small grass airport I was going to visit. Flu by the airport at low altitude to confirm the field was clear. And I'm pulling. To go around to land, my engine stopped just 60 feet above a forest near the runway. Those conditions, there's not anything you can do except control your descent and keep the plane at a flying speed so it doesn't stall and spin into e the ground which is the worst thing that could happen. It's obvious from the way Harrison's hit the ground he had it in a controlled manner.
CABRERA: I mean, it's so interesting that you had this same kind of a plane, you crash landed, you had engine failure and here we are talking about Harrison Ford with engine fail, what appears to be engine failure at least. You have one of these planes behind you. Is it the structure of the plane itself that makes it so difficult to fly or prone to these types of issues?
LEE: The PT-22 is a 1930s designed aircraft. You have to remember that that was only 25, 30 years after the first airplanes flew. But the 22 is also a trainer for the military and was designed to act like a higher performance aircraft. Meaning when it gets slow and stalls, it was designed to teach the students about how to maneuver and control a much heavier fighter jet or fighter aircraft. Not a jet. And consequently to fly them currently, the pilots have to keep skilled and current in their ways of recovering their aircraft in unusual altitudes and near stall conditions. I'm sure that Harrison was out yesterday by himself practicing just those types of maneuvers. The engines are vintage from the '30s and '40s. Although we all take care of them, they're basically mandated to be overhauled on a regular basis. There are some wonderful shops that are still able to help us maintain these engines in a safe manner.
CABRERA: All right. Larry Lee, thank you so much for joining me. We do appreciate your expertise on this. Thank you.
Up next, gut-wrenching testimony in the Boston bombing trial. A father recounts in graphic detail the moment he had to leave his son dying on the sidewalk. Why the defense tried to silence that testimony. That's next.
Plus, you're about to hear from a survivor of the Boston bombing who came face-to-face with Tsarnaev in that courtroom and called him out in that emotional letter we read to you right here. Don't miss the sound from this courageous woman.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CABRERA: Welcome back. We continue to hear more gripping testimony from witnesses and victims at the Boston Marathon. One of those chilling emotional accounts came from Bill Richard. He lost his son in the bombing, 8-year-old Martin Richard. Martin was the only child killed that day, but his mom, Denise, and his 7-year-old sister, Jane, were both seriously injured. A third sibling wasn't hurt. The entire Richard family was there standing at the finish line behind the barricade when the bomb went off. Jane was devastatingly injured. She lost one of her legs. His wife was blinded in one eye.
But the real agony for this father is when he had to make the decision to pick which child to help, 8-year-old Martin, who lay dying, or 7- year-old Jane. He told jurors, quote, "I knew in my head that I needed to act quickly or we might not only lose Martin, we might lose Jane, too. She tried to get up and she fell. That was when I noticed her leg. She didn't have it. It was blown off." He goes on, "When I saw Martin's condition, I knew he wasn't going to make it. It was the last time I saw my son alive."
So Bill Richard made the heart-breaking decision to leave his little boy to die near the marathon finish line and he grabbed his ailing daughter and raced her to the hospital where she survived. Richard said he remembered the lingering smell of gunpowder, sulfur, and burnt hair. It smelled vile, he said.
There is no testimony today as we continue to stay on top of this story. But joining me now is "Boston Globe" reporter, Milton Valencia, who has been in the courtroom.
Milton, your reaction when Richard took the stand?
MILTON VALENCIA, REPORTER, BOSTON GLOBE: It was just pain staking, heart wrenching for all of us. You couldn't hear a noise in the courtroom except for the crying, the sniffles among jurors, spectators. Their emotions were on display as people were hearing this heart wrenching just gripping testimony by Bill Richard. We had had heard this story of Martin dying before. The 8-year-old,
the youngest killed in the attacks but to hear his father giving this account of how he had to make this decision to recognize that his son was dying in front of him and he needed to do what he could do to help his young daughter Jane, this is a beautiful young girl he pointed out. She no longer has her legs now because of this exPLOsion, but he made that decision that day he had to leave Martin with his wife so he could attend to his young daughter. She tried to get up and couldn't. He tried to pick her up and he couldn't.
And there was another quote that day where he said, "I just wished, I prayed at that moment that someone would come and help us." And someone did. Someone helped him. And they got Jane to the hospital. Jane, him, and Henry, they jumped in an ambulance. But he had to leave his wife there Denise with their dying son. She later told him that Martin died and he said he knew already.
CABRERA: Oh, gosh. You know, there are no cameras allowed in the courtroom, of course, but just reading these words of the testimony, it really does take you there and it's just so, so sad.
Milton, thank you so much for sharing with us.
VALENCIA: Thank you.
CABRERA: After sharing her own gut-wrenching testimony this week, a survivor wrote an open letter to the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. We told you about Rebekah Gregory. She posted her letter on Facebook calling the bombing suspect a, quote, "coward," and saying she wasn't afraid anymore. Her left leg was so badly mutilated in this blast she made the difficult decision to have it amputated.
We spoke to her about the anticipation of seeing Tsarnaev face to face, her fear, her anxiety, and then her courage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REBEKAH GREGORY, BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING SURVIVOR (voice-over): I had dreaded this moment for so long and I think the anticipation was so much more to handle than I realized. Then when I got up there and sat down and stared at him, I wasn't scared anymore. And for the first time I almost felt like I was helping in bringing justice to something so horrific. I can't be angry and I can't hold onto that. Because if I do, then, you know, it's just going to put me in this limbo and I don't want to be in a limbo. I've been in limbo for so long. I chopped off my leg because it was holding me back. And I'm going to forget about him because that's what he's doing to you. Just holding you back from living my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: So nice to see her smiling in those pictures.
We also asked Rebekah about whether she thinks his life should be spared. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY: I don't really have an opinion. I don't feel like it's my judgment to make. And unfortunately the events of that day, it doesn't change anything if he rots in prison for the rest of his life or does get the death penalty. And as far as me moving forward with my life, it's not going to help me in worrying about it. I just -- I can't hold any anger or resentment in my heart because it's going to keep me from moving on and doing the things I want to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Still ahead here, much more breaking news. First reported here on CNN, the Feds preparing to bring corruption charges against Senator Bob Menendez. What led up to this moment? Stay with CNN for special live coverage.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CABRERA: This one's a talker. Some circus elephants are about to lose their jobs forever. Ringling Brothers Circus just announced it's phasing out all of its elephant acts within the next three years. This will mark the end of an era. There's nothing quite like seeing those elephants perform a synchronized dance routine. But Ringling Brothers' treatment of elephants has come under scrutiny in recent years. In fact, four years ago, the circus was fined $270,000 for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
I spoke with wildlife expert, Ron Miguel, the communications director at the Miami Metro Zoo, for his reaction to Ringling Brothers' big decision.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RON MIGUEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, MIAMI METRO ZOO: I applaud the decision. I think they're doing something smart. I think they're realizing the social conscience now is respecting elephants. It's no more having elephants dance and do tricks. Elephants are majestic, intelligent animals and need to be displayed in a way that respect what is they are.
CABRERA: Describe to us how these circus performances are tough on the elephants or challenging for them.
MIGUEL: Absolutely. Elephants need a lot of area to walk, long places to walk. Having them do tricks of not natural behaviors, traveling from city to city, constant traveling all the time, it's stressful. Going to climates that often are not warm climates. Elephants are very sensitive to cold. These are all things that magnify themselves in these animals.
I've traveled over to Africa and India many times. I've seen these animals in the wild. They're truly one of the most majestic in the world. In a perfect world, everybody would be able to go out and see an elephant in Africa and Asia. We don't live in a perfect world. I do what I do today because, as a little boy growing up in a small apartment in New York, I went to the zoo and saw an elephant and learned about the elephant. I didn't see an elephant doing tricks. I learned through education, through programs about the elephant. It fostered a love for me in these animals. Zoos provide a window to teach kids -- good zoos. I'm not talking about roadside attractions and things that call themselves zoos. A credit facility that have open exhibits like this where you don't see animals behind bars in cages on concrete floors. You seem them out in open exhibits. These types of facilities have a way of presenting a window to educate and inspire kids to protect these animals for generations to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABRERA: Our thanks to Ron Miguel for his expertise.
Up next, a baby girl kidnapped at the hospital. Now, 17 years later, the truth is out. Hear how her real parents accidentally found her.
Plus, more on the breaking story. The Justice Department preparing to file charges against Senator Bob Menendez.
But first, having a child born with a fatal genetic disease is heart breaking. Finding out that disease was preventable, unthinkable. A Georgia couple is now sharing their story to save other families from the suffering they have faced.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDY GOLD, FATHER OF EDEN: Which paper do you want?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Golds may look like a typical family, but look closer.
RANDY GOLD: We're going to look at this paper.
GUPTA: 6-year-old Eden can't walk, talk, or do most anything a girl her age could be doing. She has a progressive neurological disorder called ML-4. It's a rare genetic disorder of people of central and European Jewish descent.
Eden's development stopped at 18 months. Doctors say she'll be blind by age 12 and will probably not live beyond early adulthood.
CAROLINE GOLD, MOTHER OF EDEN: Every dream we had for our daughter was just end bed with one phone call.
GUPTA: The family thought they were screened for genetic diseases before they got married. Their first child was born healthy.
CAROLINE GOLD: My doctor tested me for eight diseases and Randy's doctor tested him for two diseases. Neither one of us tested us for ML-4.
GUPTA: The couple didn't want other families to suffer the same fate. They started an online education and screening program for genetic diseases common among central and European Jews. At-home screening kits are mailed out and a genetic counselor delivers the results over the phone. RANDY GOLD: JScreen's mission is to make sure that parents know they
should be screened for genetic diseases before they get pregnant. We can provide them information on how to have healthy children of their own.
GUPTA: Just like the Golds who added another daughter to their family.
RANDY GOLD: Eden is here for a purpose. She saves lives every day.
Oh, my goodness.
(LAUGHTER)
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CABRERA: A baby kidnapped at birth, never seen again until 17 years later when the child's biological parents accidentally discover her.
CNN's Brent Swails reports on this incredible story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SWAILS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was in this neighborhood that Zephany Nurse grew up, raised by an accused kidnapper.
NURSE, NEIGHBOR: And the type of life the child had was a great life.
SWAILS: Nurse lives down the road. She said the defendant was a good mother protecting the girl from a rough neighborhood.
NURSE: She was a loving person. (INAUDIBLE)
SWAILS: Now she stands accused of snatching Zephany when she was just days old from the hospital where she was born. The girl's true identity, discovered 17 years later when she was enrolled in the same school as her biological sister. The resemblance so striking that police were called in for DNA tests.
On Friday, Zephany's biological parents were at the Cape Town magistrate's court to hear the judge grant the defendant bail. The conditions? No contact with any potential witnesses, including her own husband and the girl she's raised as her own for the past 17 users.
REAZ KHAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The accusers would like to get this matter finalized as quickly as possible so all parties included.
SWAILS: The woman's lawyer wouldn't comment on a potential plea. He said only their looking for a speedy conclusion.
ALBERT FRITZ, MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Firstly, they know their child is not dead, she's not missing anymore. But I think that it's not an easy way of saying there's closure. There's an open ended issues that they must -- that they are dealing with.
SWAILS: Zephany remains in the care of Minister Fritz's department.
FRITZ: She's an incredible young girl. She's a very feisty, assertive young person.
SWAILS: A young woman that her biological parents are desperate to get to know.
MORNE NURSE, BIOLOGICAL FATHER: I'm over the moon. I'm really happy. Extremely happy. My daughter's back and that's it.
SWAILS: After a childhood spent if the care of an alleged kidnapper, just months before her 18th birthday, it'll be up to Zephany Nurse and not the courts to decide where she spends her future.
Brent Swails, CNN, Cape Town.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
CABRERA: Top of the hour. I'm Ana Cabrera.
We are continuing to follow the breaking news out of Washington at this hour. First reported right here on CNN, we have learned the Justice Department is preparing to bring criminal charges against a leading Democrat on capitol Hill, New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez. These charges would be for criminal corruption.
I want to bring our justice correspondent, Evan Perez; and chief congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, for more information.
Evan, what are you learning now about these allegations?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, these are corruption charges that the Justice Department is going to bring.
