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Obama Meets Cuba's Castro; Dash Cam Video Released; Hernandez Jury Deliberation Continues; Pope Francis to Declare Holy Year. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired April 10, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00] ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now is on the world stage happening here in Panama City, Panama, at the Summit of the Americas. We're expecting an historic handshake between the United States and Cuba.

Now, here is what we know. No bilateral meeting between President Obama and President Castro has been set yet, but both heads of state are expected to mingle during the Summit of the Americas. What we do know is that Secretary Kerry and his counterpart, Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez, met last night, late last night for a high level bilateral meeting. So let me tell you something, this has not happened between the United States and Cuba since 1958. So a lot of historic events happening here.

The State Department also expecting to recommend to the president of the United States that Cuba be removed from the state sponsored terrorism list. That's a really big deal for the Cubans because as you and I know, negotiations are ongoing for the establishment of embassies in D.C. and in Havana. So all eyes on Panama City today, Carol, as we anticipate that handshake between President Castro and President Obama.

Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Rosa Flores reporting live from Panama City this morning. Thank you so much.

A routine traffic stop turns deadly. Up next, we'll show you new dash cam video from that fatal police shooting in South Carolina. Why it could reveal new clues about the final moments before gunshots were fired.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: For the first time we're seeing new dash cam video of that fatal South Carolina police shooting. What you're about to see shows the final moments leading up to when Walter Scott was shot and killed by Police Officer Michael Slager, who, as you know, is now charged with murder. Now, the video does not show the actual shooting, but it does reveal new clues about the initial traffic stop. So take a look at this. Here it comes.

[09:35:13] You see Slager following Scott, who's driving a Mercedes. Scott gets pulled over because of a broken taillight. All right. Then you see Slager approaching the car and the two men exchange words. You know, there's no stress level noticed in their voice. Once Scott hands over his driver's license, Slager returns to his car.

At one point Scott tries to get out of the car there. You hear the officer telling him to stay inside that car. Scott obeys. He gets back into the vehicle. And then Scott gets out of the car again and he makes a run for it.

What you're about to hear is the audio picked up on Slager's microphone as the chase begins. It happens so quickly, we're going to play some of the video a couple of times for you. So listen as Slager takes off after Scott.

(VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Not so helpful, right? Then you hear Slager yelling. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OFFICER MICHAEL SLAGER: Taser, Taser, Taser.

Taser, Taser, Taser.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right, remember, we're playing parts of this video more than once. So as the scuffle continues, more yelling from the police officer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SLAGER: Hand behind your back! Get on the ground! Get on the ground!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right. Then I guess about a minute later, Scott is shot dead.

Let's examine all of this with audio forensic expert Frank Piazza.

Thank you so much for being here.

FRANK PIAZZA, FOUNDER, LEGAL AUDIO: Sure.

COSTELLO: First of all, do you notice something in this dash cam video that we haven't noticed?

PIAZZA: All I know is that the audio clearly is being compromised because of the activity. The microphone's bouncing around. So it's hard to really know exactly without enhancing it and really getting down to, you know, what really might be said in there. You know, just to create more accuracy in the playback.

COSTELLO: So how do they do that? PIAZZA: Well, you know, there are techniques that we use when we

enhance audio. The quick version is, you know, you're trying to reduce the noises that are -- might be masking the actual conversations and boosting the conversations and there are many ways to go about that.

COSTELLO: And once you go through and you start parsing this out, you know, just according to the audio, the officer had loud music playing in his car, right? There's no stress there at all as he approaches the car, seemingly.

PIAZZA: Well, you know, to measure the stress of the voice, that would be a different sort of expert, you know, who might do that. But having the music playing in the background, I've done so many of these dash cam type of recordings. And I've always wondered how come the music is on in the actual audio channel of the recording of the -- one the microphone of the police officer. So things are a little different here and there. I mean you just deal with it.

COSTELLO: So you've probably dealt with a lot of these kinds of cases. Is there anything unusual in what the officer said during the chase that you noticed?

PIAZZA: Nothing seems unusual. It seems standard. Again, I don't know the proper procedure or what is the right or wrong way to do it, but it seems like he's just conducting his normal day work.

COSTELLO: So, if you were working for the defense team, what part of that tape would be most important?

PIAZZA: They would probably really want all of the audio as clear as possible. If there's a possibility when the officer might have been near the window of the car, was there anything spoken between the two people inside the car and maybe there's something there that we could -- we could bring out. Maybe some sort of conversation might have, you know, led what happened. And then the chase. You know, when the microphone is bouncing around, and at some point it comes -- becomes very quiet at the end also. I'm curious to know what happened there? Was the microphone tossed off? Did it fall off in the scuffle? Things of that nature.

COSTELLO: Yes, because you don't really hear the gunshots, right?

PIAZZA: Yes, I was curious about that myself. I was wondering why that wasn't there. Again, we don't know. You know, we really have to recognize that the authenticity of this audio, we want to make sure that it is, in fact, you know, everything that was recorded.

COSTELLO: So this is really a stupid question, but what microphone is picking up all of this as the officer and Mr. Scott run away?

PIAZZA: It's probably his lapel microphone. It could be the radio microphone that he uses, but usually those are triggered by pressing them on or off. This could be just a lapel microphone that was active while he was going through the traffic pullover.

[09:40:06] COSTELLO: And just, you know, through your experience, does this kind of dash cam video really help in court?

PIAZZA: Oh, gosh.

COSTELLO: Probably does.

PIAZZA: It could and it could not, you know, depending on what the goals of the attorneys are, yes.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much for joining me this morning.

PIAZZA: Thank you.

COSTELLO: I really appreciate it.

We couldn't help but notice the music playing during that dash cam video. Listen.

(VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: All right. So in case you're wondering, it's a song by Everlast and it's called "What It's Like." The lyrics are a terrible coincidence. They talk about a shooting. This is one of the verses from the song. Quote, "he pulled out his chrome .45 and wound up dead. Now his wife and kids are caught in the midst of all this pain." The song goes on, "God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news because then you really might know what it's like to have to lose."

I'll be back..

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Today, jurors could decide if former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez is guilty of murder. Hernandez is accused in the 2013 kill of his friend Odin Lloyd. Right now, jurors are back in session and they are deliberating.

In the meantime, a photographer who works for a Boston television station has been barred from the courthouse over allegation he followed jurors as they left court on Wednesday.

[09:45:02] That is a big no-no. Let's bring in CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti. She's in Fall River, Massachusetts. Tell us more, Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. Good morning to you. As you said, the jurors are now into their 16th hour of deliberations. This is Day Four trying to decide whether to convict Aaron Hernandez of murder, the murder of Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiancee's sister.

And speaking of his fiancee, today is the first day she has returned to court since closing arguments on Tuesday. He has had no family members here since then. And when he entered the courtroom this morning, when cameras were not rolling and the jury was not there, he briefly appeared to mouth, "Love you," to Shayanna Jenkins, his fiancee. She had a very serious look on her face and so did he. Now, on the opposite side of the courtroom is the victim's mother Ursula Ward. And Odin Lloyd's girlfriend is also in court this day as they all wait for a verdict.

Now, some people might wonder why haven't we had a verdict by now? Well, it's not hard to really question if you think about how long this trial has been underway, since last January. There are more than 430 exhibits to consider so there's a lot of work to be done. And, Carol, kind of winding things up here. You mentioned that photographer. He is now banned from covering this trial anymore after the judge said he should not have been following jurors to their parking spot, although he said he did not speak with them and did not photograph them. But, as you said, you just can't do that, Carol.

COSTELLO: No, you don't approach jurors. They have a right to privacy during this time. You approach them after all is said and done and they wrap up the case. It's like Journalism 101. Susan Candiotti, thanks so much. I appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a huge announcement for the Catholic Church coming tomorrow. Pope Francis to proclaim a holy year, a rare celebration that happens only every 25 years. I'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:50:51] COSTELLO: This just into CNN. President Obama spoke with the Cuban president Raul Castro on Wednesday before President Obama left Washington on his way to Jamaica. Now, there's been talk about a possible informal meeting between the two today at a summit in Panama, but it looks they broke the ice a little earlier as the State Department considers removing Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsored terrorism.

Rosa Flores is in Panama City. So the two men are where you are. Do you think they'll meet in person?

FLORES: They definitely will meet in person, Carol, and that's because at the Summit of the Americas all 35 heads of state mingle in these events. So they're definitely going to rub shoulders. We're expecting President Obama and President Castro to have that symbolic handshake at some point in time.

But you're absolutely right, CNN learning from the White House that President Obama and President Castro actually had a conversation before President Obama left Washington on Wednesday. Let's keep in mind he traveled to Jamaica before coming here to Panama, but all eyes here at the Summit of the Americas awaiting not a phone call but an actual visual, Carol, when we're going to see both heads of state in the same room.

Now, we do know that President -- excuse me, that Secretary Kerry met with his counterpart, and that of course is Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, late yesterday for a bilateral meeting. And let me tell you something, a meeting of that level hadn't happened between both countries since 1958. So a lot of history here today, Carol, and we're going to be expecting that picture, that handshake, and we're going to bring it to you as soon as we see it.

COSTELLO: All right. Rosa Flores, we appreciate it. Thanks so much.

Tomorrow, Pope Francis will formally declare an extraordinary holy year. That hasn't happened since 1983. The holy year, which will start in December, is called the Jubilee of Mercy. As part of that mission of mercy, seven holy doors located in seven different cathedrals around the world will be opened to pilgrims of all faiths.

I talked with one of the first cardinals appointed by Pope Francis, Cardinal Gerald Lacroix, who is Archbishop of Quebec.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): A celebration of faith in a year of jubilee. A Jubilee of Mercy as declared by Pope Francis.

(on camera): The Jubilee of Mercy. What does that mean to non- Catholics and Catholics alike?

CARDINAL GERALD LACROIX, ARCHBISHOP OF QUEBECM: Just saying the word mercy is a great gift. It's love that goes beyond what you see almost every day. It's love that includes forgiveness. It's love that goes all the way. And I think the world needs that today. Pope Francis giving us this holy year, this year of mercy, is like telling us Catholics, but the whole world, humanity, we need to go a step further and learn to love better. That's how God loves us.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Cardinal Gerald Lacroix, newly appointed by Pope Francis, is about to literally open the door to love, to redemption, in his church -- the Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame in Quebec City.

Behold the holy door, one of seven in the world. It's the gateway to salvation opened every 25 years or by the Pope's decree.

(on camera): I got to touch it. It was pretty amazing. Then I thought to myself, but this is just a door.

LACROIX: A door is a door. A window is a window. But it's also quite a symbol. A door is something that says come on in. We're open.

COSTELLO: People of all faiths are welcome to come through this door?

LACROIX: Absolutely. You don't need a passport. You don't need a certificate of baptism or belonging to a church. I saw last year people come from every walks of faith, even people who don't believe, just to experience this. This is a sacred place. A church is a place that celebrates God's presence and it's meaningful to a lot of people.

COSTELLO (voice-over): The door itself weighs more than 1,000 pounds, symbolic of a heavy burden. Once the door is opened, it's an invitation to a new beginning. Pass through it and your sins are absolved -- like Maria Garza's.

[09:55:05] She passed through the door last year when it was opened to celebrate the church's 350-year anniversary.

(on camera): Tell me about your life before you decided to walk through the door.

MARIA GARZA, WALKED THROUGH HOLY DOOR: I had experienced the loss of my husband. I was living a very sad moment in my life. Basically I had no life. When I came to Quebec and I learned about the holy door, I decided to cross it.

I had the hope. I am a believer. I kneeled down. I prayed a little. I pushed the door, very heavy door, and it reminded me of all of the heaviness I was leaving behind. I closed the door and I cried. It was a beautiful moment. Just recalling, I get very emotional. It was a moment of rebirth. I felt that I was being born again. And I just said, God, take me. I'm yours. Just tell me what I should do in my life to serve you better.

I began to sing again, and I -- my life is full of joy and hope.

COSTELLO (voice-over): As Jesus said, I'm the door of the sheep. Come through me. Cardinal Lacroix will make that physically possible when he opens the door on December 8th. God, he says, will take care of the rest.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (on camera): And you are welcome to travel to Quebec City to the Basilica of Notre Dame and go through that door yourself. People of all faiths are welcome. And as the Cardinal said, even atheists can pass through and they will be welcome.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

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