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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

More Protest Against Death in Custody; Crisis in Yemen: Saudi Arabia Stops Airstrikes; Ice Cream Risk Goes Back 5 Years; More than 400 Migrants Rescued. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired April 22, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

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[04:30:12] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Growing frustration and a new investigation into the unexplained death of Freddie Gray. His spine severed during an arrest. So how did it happen? What went wrong? What will be done about it? New witnesses and new developments ahead.

The bombs -- well, some of them have stopped. The tensions rise in Yemen. Saudi Arabia promising new tactics to bring back the country's former government, that as United States warns to stop supporting rebels to take over Yemen. We have live team coverage breaking down all the new developments ahead.

Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. Thirty minutes past the hour. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans is off today.

And happening today, a new protest is planned in Baltimore at the police station where officers brought 25-year-old Freddie Gray after arresting him ten days ago. Somehow, Gray suffered a severed spinal cord, a severe injury. And exactly one week later, on Sunday.

Yesterday, Baltimore released the names of six officers involved in arresting and transporting Gray. All six now are suspended without pay. New witnesses are coming forward, describing the arrest as Baltimore's mayor is vowing to find out what happened leading up to the fatal injury.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAROLD PERRY, WITNESSED FREDDIE GRAY ARREST: I heard the young man screaming, "Get off my neck, get off my neck, you're hurting my neck." And then two cars pulled up shortly after that. One car door slammed and then another. And they must have went to him where he started hollering and screaming a little louder and the police say, "Shut the F up."

MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: There can't be any assignment of blame until we know exactly what happened. But we're going to get to the bottom of it. We know that while he was in our custody when he first engaged the police department, he was alive. He was breathing. He was responsive. When medical attention came to Mr. Gray, he was unresponsive and not breathing. We're going to figure out what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The mayor says that by May 1st, results of the investigation will go to prosecutors who will then decide whether to file criminal charges. The Justice Department is already looking at a federal civil rights probe before the local investigation is even complete.

Our Miguel Marquez is at the protests and gives us the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, an incredibly emotional evening near Baltimore with up to 2,000 people turning out to see for the first time the parents of Freddie Gray who showed up here at the western district police station. This is the place Mr. Gray was eventually brought after being arrested several blocks away from here.

His parents, miss mother in particular, overwhelmed by grief. They marched from here, back over to the point where he was arrested. At that point, everybody raised their hands in protest, in a moment of silence, as the family -- literally, all you could hear was hear them wail. Some of the people in this neighborhood still focused on this.

I'm going to show what you that protest earlier looked like.

PROTESTERS: Hands up, don't shoot!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you to lift those hands up as high as you can. I want this to be a sign to the Baltimore City Police Department that this is not an act of surrender. But we're coming as a sign of strength, as one human being, one commitment, that we will not rest until we get justice for Freddie Gray.

MARQUEZ: And at one point then, protesters then, did start walking through the streets of this area of west Baltimore. They tried to grab the mike. They were very aggressive even towards us.

But they weren't angry at the press. They were angry at the police, they were angry at the mayor. People saying, it is us against them in this neighborhood, and what they want now is the six officers who are implicated in this, arrested and charged with first degree murder. They say they will be back tomorrow night. They will be back on Thursday. They're going to go down to city hall, they say, and stay there unless they get justice -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Our Miguel Marquez in Baltimore.

New this morning, there was supposed to be relative calm in Yemen, following announcement by Saudi Arabia that it was going to halt its air campaign against the Houthi rebels there. But that calm has been broken apparently already. Apparently, the Houthi rebels staged some kind of attack on an installation, a military installation, and the Saudis have apparently responded with more bombs, a new round of bombing despite the calls to halt them.

[04:35:02] Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has the very latest on these new developments.

Good morning, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

This happened in the town of Taiz, in the south of Yemen, the ceasefire that the Saudis had Houthis apparently in that city, a city that they've taken control over, about a month ago, tried to get control over the only army base, that they haven't been able to sort of overrun until now. They were in the process of doing that. Saudi air strikes and then the air strikes seemed to have haunted the Houthis in that.

But it does show at the moment that this agreed cease-fire, if you will, is in a very sad state of affairs. The Saudis thought yesterday they had agreement from the Houthis to do what they've been asking for, for some time, which was for the Houthis to put down their weapons. Pull out of cities like the town of Taiz, like the port cities, the important port city in the south like Aden and Sana'a, the capital, towns that they've taken by force, put down their weapons and pull out.

We are learning from Saudi sources as well that the expectation that the former ousted president who had been backing the Houthis with Yemeni army unit, part of the deal was that he would leave the country. The Saudis believe that is being honored, that he is leaving the country, even the defense minister who had been arrested by the Houthis they believe is being released so that was also part of the deal. So, it seems like some part of the cease-fire are intact, but some of the Houthis on the ground abrogating that deal. And at the moment, a very fragile and tenuous situation, not clear if the cessation in airstrikes on the ground is going to hold, John.

BERMAN: Well, you know it already has broken at least once. We'll see if it continues throughout the day.

Nic Robertson for us in London, thank you so much.

While that's going in the ground, in the air in Yemen, there's a tense standoff continuing offshore. U.S. and allied ships are preparing the Gulf of Aden, preparing to intercept Iranian ships if they enter Yemen's territorial waters. The U.S. believes an Iranian convoy could be carrying weapons for the Houthi rebels.

President Obama says the Navy is there to secure the free flow of international shipping traffic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What we've said to them is, is that if their weapons delivered to factions within Yemen, they could threaten navigation, that's a problem. And we're not sending them obscure messages. We send them very direct messages about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Now, Iran is calling for humanitarian aid. They want what they call a political process inside Yemen. The standoff there, the continuing fighting complicates the efforts to work out a nuclear deal between Iran, the United States and its allies. Those talks resume today in Vienna.

I want to get the Iranian perspective here on what's happening in Yemen with the nuclear talks with so much going on in the region.

Our senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen is live inside Tehran for us this morning.

Fred, what are you hearing?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John. Well, the atmosphere here is one where many Iranians believe that improved relations with the United States could be a possibility, especially looking at the nuclear negotiations. But as you said, there are these issues that are complicating things.

And the one thing that still defines the relation between the U.S. and Iran is distrust. The Iranians, of course, don't trust the United States. The U.S., of course, has said any sort of nuclear agreement would not be one based on trust. It would be one that's based on verification.

And, of course, the situation in Yemen is something that could complicate that further. And that standoff at sea, as well, the Iranians have blasted that. They said they have never had any inclination to even move their ships towards Yemeni territorial waters. They said they're on a piracy mission.

We've also heard from top level Iranian officials, telling us that they believe that further trust between the United States and themselves is something that could happen in the future. But they say that simply at this point, the situation is not right for that.

I managed to speak to the commander of Iran's ground forces who's a man who normally never speaks to Western media. Let's listen in to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): At the moment, we consider the United States to be a threat to us because its policies and actions are threatening to us. We would like the U.S. to change its rhetoric and tone of voice, so that our nation could have more trust in U.S. military leadership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Interestingly enough, he also told me that he believes if a nuclear deal is reached, that if a nuclear deal holds, that that actually could also very much improve relations between U.S. and Iran in other spheres as well. But, of course, that agreement is still quite a long way away, and there was a top level Iranian official went on television a couple moments ago and he said for them, with the negotiations that are beginning again today, their main issues is going to be sanctions relief, John.

[04:40:01] BERMAN: Frederik Pleitgen with a really interesting and rare interview with an Iranian leader -- thanks so much, Fred.

The full Senate could begin debate as early as today on legislation that would give Congress the power to weight in on any nuclear deal with Iran. The Foreign Relations Committee last week unanimously approved a compromise version of the bill. President Obama had promised a veto before that compromise. That compromise gives Congress 30 days to look at the agreement. The president now plans to sign the compromise deal if there are no significant changes in either the House or Senate.

Attorney General Eric Holder announcing that the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michelle Leonhart, is retiring. She's been under a whole lot of fire after revelations that DEA agents engaged in sex parties with prostitutes paid for by Columbian drug cartels. Leonhart told Congress she did not have the authority to fire these agents. Following her testimony, the House Oversight Committee issued a bipartisan statement of no confidence. The White House declined to defend Leonhart who has led the DEA since 2007.

BERMAN: New details about a huge ice cream recall this morning. Let's get the details.

CNN Money correspondent Alison Kosik here.

Good morning.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And as more information comes out, it turns out this may have been worse than we first thought because Blue Bell product has been a real risk for years. The outbreak of listeria linked to the ice cream has actually been going on since 2010, that's at least according to the CDC.

The company has been gradually recalling certain items for weeks, but this week, Blue Bell recalled every item in the United States because of potential health risks. Three people have died and others have gotten sick in the past year, likely linked to that bacteria from Blue Bell products.

So, big question, of course, how did Listeria get into the ice cream in the first place? Not through the pasteurized milk, but listeria can actually travel on foods like nuts that go into ice cream and then live for years on surfaces in a factory like drains or pipes.

And if you're wonder writing we didn't hear about this now with the CDC finding it is traced all the way back to 2010 is because there weren't enough cases to spark an investigation. BERMAN: It's interesting. When you saw that there was this total recall, a recall of all Blue Bell products, you knew there was something big going on.

KOSIK: Absolutely.

BERMAN: Alison Kosik, thanks so much.

It was a dramatic first day in court in the sentencing phase for the Boston marathon bomber, the convicted Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, as jury shown a dramatic picture. What impact this may have on the jury whether or not to give Tsarnaev the death penalty. That's next.

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[04:46:06] BERMAN: What will the jury see today?

Impassioned arguments in the sentencing phase of the Boston marathon bombing trial. A jury must decide if convicted killer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will get the death penalty. The prosecution opened in dramatic fashion, portraying Tsarnaev as a cold-blooded killer and America's worst nightmare. The jury also heard from survivors of the marathon attack.

Let's get more now from CNN national correspondent Alexandra Field.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, unrepentant, uncaring, and untouched by the sorrow he's created. That's how prosecutors described Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the opening states of the penalty phase of this trial.

They ended opening statements showing a picture of Tsarnaev giving the middle finger to a security camera in his holding at the federal courthouse several months after the bombing. Prosecutors told the jury he was determined and destined to be America's worst nightmare.

The jury has already found him guilty of the death of Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Officer Sean Collier and 8-year-old Martin Richard. The government says each of the victims have time to feel pain, time to feel scared and frightened but no time to say good-bye.

As they make their case for a death sentence, prosecutors have already called three bombing survivors to testify in this phase of the trial, along with Krystle Campbell's brother and her father. He told jurors his daughter gave him a hug every day and that's what he misses most today -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Thanks, Alexandra.

Disturbing details emerging this morning about a suspected terrorist. The FBI is now saying Abdirahman Sheikh Mohamud ventured to the battlefields of Syria. The goal: to follow in his big brother's footsteps and join al Nusra, which is an al Qaeda affiliate. Officials say Mohamud returned to Ohio with the intent to use the training that he got in Syria to attack a military facility or prison and execute Americans. Mohamud pled not guilty on Friday to charges of providing support to terrorists.

New details on a human trafficking tragedy: 400 migrants coming to shore in Sicily, as European leaders try to figure out how to prevent a similar catastrophe from happening again. We're live as these migrants just came ashore moments ago. That's next.

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[04:52:00] BERMAN: We're learning new details about Saturday's deadly migrant ship disaster off the coast of Libya. More than 800 believed to have been killed in this wreck. And now, there are astronomical estimates of just how bad the migrant crisis could get this year as more and more people try to flee devastated parts of North Africa. It's a point breaking just this morning, a ship bearing 400 migrants have just docked in Sicily.

CNN's Karl Penhaul is live this morning with more.

Karl, what can you tell us?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, this is that ship and this scene is unfolding right now. We've already seen women and children being brought down the gang plank. We're told that there are migrants of ten different nationalities onboard there. We understand, perhaps the majorities are Syrian families, obviously families that had been fleeing the civil conflict going on there.

There are over 100 women, we're told. There are more than 60 children as well. Some of them appeared to be (INAUDIBLE), and we understand that some of the women are pregnant.

It's unclear which boats their plucked from right now. Some of the representatives of the charities here at dock side suggest that perhaps this boat had set sail from Egypt, rather than Libya. Of course, this is a migrant problem that has spread across the coast of north Africa, and all of them being run by human trafficking rings.

And that is what makes it so dramatic for these migrants. They have been beaten. They have been robbed on their way to get to port. And when they get to port, many times they're locked beneath the hold of these rust-bucket ships and set adrift in the Mediterranean.

The human trafficking rings really don't care if they live or die en route to their destination. The Promised Land which for them right now is Europe and their chance for better life, John.

BERMAN: You have to remember what they're trying to flee from. But sometimes, the jury is even more dangerous.

Karl Penhaul for us in Sicily, where again a shipload of 400 migrants just landed behind him. Thanks, Karl. Three people are dead this morning after powerful winds, torrential

rain and heavy flooding hammered Eastern Australia. Look at this video. Just entire homes just getting washed away in the raging waters in the town of Dungog. The owners of this home barely escaped. Look at that.

Now, the destruction is widespread around Sydney and throughout New South Wales, where more than 200,000 are without power this morning. The beach condition obviously perilous, the boats just getting pounded at shore. A carnival cruise ship was stranded at sea during one night of the storm. It is now safety docked in Sydney, and all 2,500 passengers are said to be doing fine.

So, cheap gas, it's great for drivers association great in fact, that people are getting rid of their hybrids which could be a problematic development for Earth Day. We'll explain, next.

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[04:58:23] BERMAN: It is time now for an early start on your money.

Alison Kosik is here making fun of my hybrid. But before that, stocks.

KOSIK: We're going to get to that hybrid in just a little bit. We're talking stocks.

Stock futures right now, a little bit lower. Yesterday, the Dow fell 85 points, mostly because of disappointing earnings. Dow points, Dupont, Verizon and travelers, they all fell after reporting their first quarter number us. And a lot more to consider with both McDonald's and Coca-Cola both reporting before the bell.

Get this, prosecutors are pinning the 2010 flash crash on one guy, a stock trader in the U.K. The 37-year-old was arrested for causing the chaos on May 6th when the Dow fell 600 points in a matter of minutes, jaw-dropping. Now, this 37-year-old trader is accused of flooding the market with many big sale orders for future contracts and that it created the appearances of heavy supply drove prices down, and prosecutors say he made $9 million that day when the market fell and also as it rebounded.

Happy Earth Day. It's all about love and the environment, but Americans are saying something very different with their money. Fuel is cheap. It's down more than a dollar from this time last year. But here's the thing, that's forcing people to trade in their hybrids and a lesser cars often for SUVs, John is aghast. So far this year, only 45 percent trading in a hybrid. But another one, but here's the silver lining, SUVs are becoming much more fuel efficient, smaller models are the most popular. We're not really returning to the prerecession gas-guzzlers.

You don't have a gas-guzzler, do you?

BERMAN: Well, I just think hybrids are cool. You can literally see how much you're saving right in front of you the whole time. KOSIK: As long as you don't get behind one, you're not (ph) driving.

BERMAN: That's a false accusation right there. That's just wrong.

EARLY START continues right now.