Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Protesters Marching In Downtown Baltimore; A 7.8 Earthquake Devastates Nepal; Reality TV star Bruce Jenner Reveals Deep Secret To The World; Chile Braces For The Worst; Aired 8-830p ET

Aired April 25, 2015 - 15:00   ET

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

AMARA WALKER, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. You are in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Amara Walker at CNN Center, in for Poppy Harlow

A deadly earthquake devastates Nepal, the death toll has surpassed 1400, and the numbers has been growing all day. We'll have that story in just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will fight for Freddie Gray, all night, all day. We will fight...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will fight for Freddie Gray...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:00:08] WALKER: But first at this hour in Baltimore, more and more people are joining hundreds of protesters marching from the police station downtown. They're demanding the immediate arrest of any police officer who might be responsible for the death of Freddie Gray. He is the man who suffered a severe spinal cord injury following his arrest on April 12th. His family said his voice box was crushed and his neck snapped before he slipped into a coma. Gray died one week later.

With us now is Neil Franklin. He is a former Maryland straight trooper. He also headed up training at the Baltimore police department from 2000 to 2004.

Neil, great to have you on. I want to first get your thoughts on this news conference yesterday. We heard from the Baltimore police commissioner Anthony Batts and he said a couple of things. First that the police officers failed to give Gray that timely medical care that he had been asking for multiple times after he was arrested. And second, he said there was no excuse that police did not buckle him in his seat before he was put inside that transport van. What do you make of this admission and aren't police trained for these kinds of situations?

NEIL FRANKLIN, FORMER MARYLAND STATE POLICE OFFICER: Well, first, I do applaud the police commissioner coming forth with this information. But at least he is giving something and this is exactly what we need. The training is crucial here. And all police officers in Baltimore as

well as across this nation are trained in how to apprehend suspects, how to transport them. The importance of seat belting them in, the importance of making sure that they aren't injured during transport. But there's another piece here that we're really not really paying too much attention to and that is first line supervision.

I believe that first line supervision is critical here. And what I mean by that are sergeants. The ones who are in charge of the men and women who are doing the work in the streets, who should be responding from call to call, overseeing cases like this when an arrest is made, making sure that procedures are being followed, making sure that the law is being followed. And I think that we need to take a good look at who were the sergeants on duty at this time. Were they present on the scene and were they are making sure that the people responsible for apprehending Freddie Gray, to make sure they were responsible for training as well as procedure.

WALKER: Now, you raised a good point about supervision, but you know, the bottom line is we have a young man who is dead now and he suffered from a spinal cord injury when he was in police custody. It's not clear what happened while he was being arrested or during the transport in the van. What is the policy, what is the protocol when it comes to restraining detainees before a transport in a police vehicle?

FRANKLIN: Well, the policy is, number one, to make sure they are handcuffed behind their back and that they're seat belted once in the transport vehicle. So that's the basic policy. But there's also the policy which you mentioned before of due care. You know, when someone reports to a police officer that they're injured, that they need some type of medical attention, whether you believe them or not, it's your responsibility, it is your duty, you know, to pause at that moment and render aid either personally or to call for a paramedic.

In this case they should have called immediately for a paramedic, whether it was due to an asthma case. I know it asked for his inhaler. Whether it's that or whether he may have been injured due to the arrest itself. And that's what I believe occurred, that he was injured during the actual arrest and then the transport process in the van, that part of it probably aggravated his neck injury.

WALKER: All right. We want to thank you, Neil Franklin, for joining us on the program and for expressing your thoughts. We do want to mention that the fraternal order of police just released a statement a few moments ago saying that they are disappointed in the comments that the police commissioner Anthony Batts made yesterday making those admissions and the fraternal order of police also saying that they believe those comments were politically motivated.

Neil Franklin, thanks for your time.

FRANKLIN: Thanks for having me.

WALKER: All right. And breaking news now overseas. A hugely destructive natural disaster and a staggering death toll that is nowhere near final. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Nepal at midday Saturday, pushing over buildings and crumbling roads in and around the capital of Kathmandu. People not hurt in the initial shock began digging and pulling survivors out of the rubble while aftershocks rattled everything around them. The number of deaths being reported from the city goes up every few minutes, and the last figure we're told now is more than 1,450 people.

I want to show you a map now. It was centered here, the earthquake, just 50 miles northwest of can man Kathmandu but the shallow depth and the strength caused it to shake as far away as new Delhi, India, and of course trigger avalanches on the side of Mt. Everest.

On the phone with me now from Katmandu is journalist Melody Schreiber. He was in Nepal with the international reporting project from Johns Hopkins University.

I understand, Melody, that you were in a hotel lobby when this earthquake hit. Can you tell us what you saw, what you heard and where you are right now?

[15:05:28] MELODY SCHREIBER, JOURNALIST (via phone): Yes, I was in the hotel lobby. The floor just sort of buckled up. It felt like I was on a boat in the middle of an immense storm. People began screaming and running for the exit. I tried to leave out the front door. The door burst, it was glass. So then I took shelter and then ran out into the back garden where I am right now. We actually just experienced yet another aftershock about five minutes ago. It's starting to rain here. People are wrapped up in blankets, wrapped up in table cloths lying on the ground trying to get a little rest, but very difficult. We'll have about two hours of no aftershocks and then we'll have some every few minutes. It's definitely an ongoing situation.

WALKER: It is frightening, I've been through an earthquake before. I know how frightening it is when you just have no idea when the next aftershock might come because they do come in succession as you've been saying.

What about the people where you're with? Where is everyone sleeping tonight? I know in these kinds of cases people don't want to be inside of any kind of structure, they'd rather be outside.

SCHREIBER: Absolutely. And there are cracks in the facade of our hotel. It's still standing, but I was in there earlier during a series of aftershocks and many of us left because it did not feel very safe. So many of us are in the garden, we're outdoors. We're being rained on right now. Just sort of wrapped up in blankets and trying to sleep. There's some people still in the lobby where it's a little warmer, also lying on the ground, lying on couches. I believe a few people are staying in their rooms, but I was on the sixth floor. I wouldn't want to wake up to that and have to evacuate the building.

WALKER: Yes, that's totally understandable. And lastly, can you talk about the rescue efforts. Are you seeing any of that happen around you? And we've heard so many harrowing stories of volunteers or locals and tourists getting together and trying to pull people out of the rubble. What do you know about the rescue efforts?

SCHREIBER: Yes, I haven't seen any of them firsthand, but a colleague of mine was in the city center covering a festival when the quake hit and she was able to see many people digging through the rubble with their bare hands trying to rescue people. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Everyone here is just very impressed with the level of cooperation and the sense that everyone is in this together. And I am just overwhelmed with ho how -- with the spirit of generosity of people staying at the hotel to work late, late hours. People going out to find their loved ones. It's really -- it's a touching situation.

WALKER: Yes, I can only imagine.

Melody Schreiber, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. We really do hope that you stay safe.

But again, we're talking about a country, one of the poorest in the world. It is a developing nation, Nepal. And the officials there have been pleading for more help, for international aid and some of it is on its way now as we speak.

Now, if you want to help the victims of this tragedy, head over to CNN.com/impact. You'll find groups working to help the people of Nepal.

We're going to turn back to the U.S. now and a poignant and striking interview last night. Bruce Jenner, former Olympian, now a reality television star, making a bold statement "I am a woman." Ahead, we'll speak with another person in the public eye who took the same journey.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:12:40] WALKER: Coming up tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern, the biggest party night in Washington. Hollywood celebs hit the red carpet inside the beltway at the White House Correspondents dinner. All the glitz, glamour and jokes start at 7:00 with Poppy Harlow only on CNN.

Well, the speculation is over. Last night former U.S. Olympian turned reality TV star Bruce Jenner revealed to the world that he's transitioning to a woman. Here's part of his emotional interview with Diane Sawyer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIANE SAWYER, TELEVISION JOURNALIST: We see the -- you see what?

BRUCE JENNER, FORMER OLYMPIAN: A confused person at that time, running away from my life, running away from who I was.

SAWYER: With fear?

JENNER: Big-time fear, yes, yes. Scared to death. Didn't know what my future held at that time.

SAWYER: Help everybody struggling with what this is.

JENNER: That is me. That is her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Jenner says he will decide later whether to have sex reassignment surgery, but that -- this is the last interview he will do as Bruce. Jenner watched the interview with members of his family, including ex-wife Kris Jenner who had been largely supportive.

Well, Bruce Jenner has no doubt already experienced a roller coaster of emotions, all in front of a national audience. Someone who may be able to relate, Zoey Tur. For three decades he flew a helicopter cop, a helicopter rather in the skies over Los Angeles capturing some of the city's most dramatic news stories from the L.A. riots to being the first to spot O.J. Simpson fleeing in his infamous white bronco. The whole time, she was living life as chopper Bob, a handsome journalist of the skies. But now, 30 years later she's become the first openly transgender reporter on a nationally syndicated news show reporting as Zoey instead of Bob.

Zoey Tur is joining me now from Los Angeles. Zoe, great to see you.

ZOEY TUR, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, INSIDE EDITION: Thank you.

WALKER: You know, you're probably the most famous helicopter news pilot on television. I mean, how does being in the public eye impact a decision like this?

[15:09:56] TUR: It has tremendous, tremendous influence on your life. And when you come out, everything changes. Your life changes instantly. I came out to about 28 million people over the course of several days. And everything was different. And Jenner is going to experience that. Her/his life is completely different as of last night.

WALKER: Absolutely, I'm sure it's very different. I mean I want to listen more now to Bruce Jenner's interview about his turning point. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNER: I look at it this way. Bruce always telling a lie. He's lived a lie his whole life about who he is. And I can't do that any longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: When you look and listen to Bruce Jenner, it really seems as if this was a cathartic experience for him. I'm curious now, Zoey, what was your turning point?

TUR: Well, I couldn't go on either. I was contemplating suicide. It was suicide or transition and I chose life. It gets that bad. Gender dysphoria always wins out. You fight out it your entire life. And eventually you surrender, you give in and you go with, you know, transition. And hormones change you so much.

Almost within hours of your first round of hormone replacement therapy, the gender dsyphoria is gone and you become elated. I spent two years or hormone replacement therapy. I've had one (INAUDIBLE) facial surgery and I've had sexual reassignment surgery. So everything changes. It starts with hormones. Hormones is like a spiritual awakening. Coming out is your spiritual rebirth.

WALKER: I'm curious to know what you thought about Bruce Jenner's interview with Diane Sawyer. And I know you also wrote this op-ed in "the Washington Post" essentially saying that you are criticizing Jenner. You don't want him to be an icon or a representative for the transgender community.

TUR: Not exactly. I was criticizing the method in which Jenner was coming out. And I've gotten a lot of criticism for that, especially within the transgender community. But we knew Jenner was transitioning, we knew Jenner had transitioned. He did it publicly on television as a Kardashian cast member. The only thing Jenner wasn't doing was addressing it. And there's no stigma involved in being transgender, I don't think. I dealt with it and people have been very welcoming. Not everyone. Family, friends, some of those people go -- leave your life, but the reality is, this is nothing to be ashamed of. It should be celebrated that you can be your authentic self.

So it was the dribs and drabs. And even in the interview, I'm a woman. I am transgender woman, but don't call me a woman, don't call me she. I found that to be very odd. And I was confused.

Also issues of sexuality, where Jenner made a point that, you know, I'm not gay and I'm not -- you know, like that's a bad thing. But Jenner doesn't fully seem to be informed on transitioning to female if you're attracted to women, you're gay. But she said that she was straight meaning that she loves women.

So this is somebody that I don't think has been fully -- has not fully explored what it means to transition. And there was something else that really struck me that I think is very important that you really wouldn't understand unless you're transgender yourself and been through sexual reassignment surgery.

And that is she said she had two letters. She has her sexual reassignment letters from psychiatry sessions, her psychiatrists. And that means she's cleared for sexual reassignment surgery. And the requirements of that is that you live one year out openly to your friends, family and to the public in the stereo typical role of the gender you're adopting. And she just came out last night. How can you have a letter?

So I'm wondering if Jenner is getting really good care and has fully explored what it means to transition because there's this in and out of the closet thing.

WALKER: You raise some very interesting points. And I know that a lot of viewers out there were quite confused by some of the things Bruce Jenner said in that interview. And of course we'll be delving into some of these topics in the next hour.

Zoe Tur, great seeing you, great having you. All the best to you.

TUR: Thank you. Thank you so much.

WALKER: While Nepal is reeling from a quake, Chile is braced for the worst from its own natural disaster. We'll have the details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:22:12] WALKER: Welcome back, everyone. In southern Chile, a volcano called Calbuco has a lot of people very frightened today. CNN's Shasta Darlington is in Chile just a few miles from the volcano. And a lot of concern there that this volcano will erupt for a third time after it erupted twice for the first time in, what, four decades?

SASHTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Amara. This is -- these eruptions that we've seen are the first major eruptions in over half a century. And we haven't had any kind of an eruption at all since 1972. We've managed to get a bit closer to the volcano as they as they clear the ash out of the road, so we're now about eight miles away.

And I don't know if you can see this, but the ash is actually falling down on us. It's like a light mist. The volcano is right behind these two peaks behind me and there's this light mist falling on us. Of course it's actually more like dust and it gets in our eyes and makes it hard to breathe.

I'm also standing right next to the river where the main salmon fishing river in the region. It's famous because you get these really big salmon from here. A lot of people come down here as tourists to go fishing. Now it looks like it's covered in snow. That's actually ash. That's very thick ash that's been coming out of the volcano.

So they have actually sent in these trucks, these water trucks, to get a lot of the salmon out of the river and try to save them, put them in a safe place. And if we can get through this, if the volcano will finally calm down, they'll still have some of the -- at least the younger salmon to breed back into the rivers.

But this is just a -- gives you a really good idea of what this region is going through, just these extreme measures to try and save what's so important for their livelihood. And standing here under this falling ash, you get a sense of how difficult this is going to be going forward.

We don't know when or if this volcano is going to calm down. The last thing the officials said is it's unstable. While it's unstable, while it's still pumping out this ash, we're going to have to be on alert for a possible third eruption. So that's what people are doing, cleaning up, trying to get the ash out of the way and preparing in case we have another big one, Amara.

WALKER: Yes. So air quality is obviously a very big concern. How far are people being evacuated? Where are they going? DARLINGTON: They're not -- it's not even -- they're not being

evacuated that far away. It's maybe ten miles from here. But in the other direction away from the wind -- where the wind is blowing. What happens is these huge plumes of ash come out and they blow this way. So they're ten kilometers that way sleeping in schools and just waiting to get back in, Amara.

WALKER: All right. Shasta Darlington, very close to the Calbuco volcano. Keep us posted and be safe. Thanks so much, Sashta.

And we will have much more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:56] WALKER: If you like adventure and exotic meals, get ready for brand new episodes of "ANTHONY BOURDAIN PARTS UNKNOWN." The fifth season debuts this Sunday night at 9:00 right here on CNN. First up, South Korea. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, PARTS UNKNOWN: Everything you learned painfully in college about drinking, don't mix, you know, try to avoid raw shellfish in excess while drinking. They do all of those things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dried squid, m & ms and mixing your alcohols?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BOURDAIN: Modern Korea has over the course of the last decade or so invested so heavily in an official way in their culture. You know, not just infrastructure, not just industry. They spent a lot of money promoting their music, their films, their television, their just general pop culture to spectacular results.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:30:02] WALKER: I'm Amara Walker at CNN Center. Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores health issues and around the world.