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Cop Acquitted in Unarmed Couple's Death; Cleveland Mayor Addresses Police Shooting Verdict; Interview with U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois; Honoring Kids of Fallen U.S. Troops. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired May 23, 2015 - 16:00   ET

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

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: 4:00 on the East Coast. I'm Poppy Harlow. You're in the "CNN Newsroom."

We begin in Cleveland where the verdict in a police shooting trial has yet another American city on edge. Officer Michael Brelo was acquitted today on all charges surrounding the death of an unarmed couple in November 2012. Timothy Russell and Melissa Williams were shot at close range while they were sitting in their car.

According to prosecutors, Officer Brelo stood on the foot of the car then fired 15 shots into that windshield. The shots came as a conclusion of a high speed chase, one that began when Russell's car backfired. It was that backfire noise the officers say they thought was actually gunfire. Well, it turns out that Russell and Williams were not armed.

Outside that Cleveland courtroom emotions ran high today, but so far the protests in the city have been peaceful. Our Ryan Young is in Cleveland. He was in the courtroom when the verdict came down. Ryan, I wonder if this was a surprise to people. Were they expecting an acquittal across the board, and what the reaction has been?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What a mixed bag so far, Poppy. I can tell you people did believe he was going to be acquitted but they thought maybe he would - one charge would stick. That didn't happen. In fact, we saw that crowd kind of surge toward the front of this courthouse. The team that was on the inside came right out and met them.

But so far it was OK. They said everybody just back up a little bit. Everybody did. They protested here on the front steps. They stepped in the middle of the street and blocked traffic for quite some time. Police did obviously block the streets so they can do that protest. The remnants of the protesters are just right there. They're holding their signs, not even chanting anymore.

Some of the other protesters decided to take to the streets, walk to this community to have their voices heard. But everything remains so peaceful right now. Talking to community leaders, they tell us they believe all the front work they've been doing for the last two years, talking with the community, lessons learned from Ferguson and Baltimore, they tell me, where they wanted to get ahead of this, to make sure that when this verdict came down, there wasn't the unrest they've seen in other cities.

I can tell you people are upset about this, they were angry. In the courthouse we heard people's voices being raised. Because they feel this is another travesty of justice. In fact, we talked to the Williams' brother just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALFREDO WILLIAMS, BROTHER OF MELISSA WILLIAMs: I was so hurt, I don't know what to do. My mind went somewhere else, you know what I'm saying? I held my composure. I know where I'm at. I'm in Cleveland. Like I told my family, if this case was tried in any other city, that police would be in jail right now. We know it and they know it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: So you can see behind me, you can see protesters walking with signs like this one. People were obviously upset. The leaders here are telling me they're wanting to see what happens over the next 24 to 48 hours. Of course, this is Memorial Day. Some people feel like this announcement was made during Memorial Day for the simple fact they knew people would not be here. But you can see protesters are having their voices heard, this man behind me sitting with a sign. Several others have been walking through the street.

But again, Poppy, as you know, it's usually in the next few hours when people start learning about this and having conversations and organizing before you see anything happening.

HARLOW: All right. Ryan Young, thanks for the reporting, live in the ground there for us, in Cleveland.

Two people as we just reported killed in a hail of 137 bullets. Ultimately the judge today ruling that Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo's actions were justified. Today's verdict garnered swift and emotional reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE RUSSELL, SISTER OF TIMOTHY RUSSELL: We don't know why they didn't pull over, but I can tell you what I do know. I know those officers were upset, adrenaline was flowing. By the time they reached Tim and Malissa in that parking lot, they simply let them have it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tim was a loving person, you know. He was a forgiving person. What he would have said, we're going to love him anyway. We're going to pray for them.

PATRICK D' ANGELO, MICHAEL BRELO'S ATTORNEY: One of our citizens was taken on by the state of Ohio. We fought tooth and nail as you saw in this courtroom. It was classically a case of David versus Goliath.

TIMOTHY J. MCGINTY, CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO PROSECUTOR: I'm convinced that the prosecution in this case will prevent future deaths, both police and civilians in the future. MAYOR FRANK G. JACKSON, CLEVELAND: While we encourage and support

peaceful protests, I want to make sure that those who are here that have a different agenda understand that actions that cross the line, whether by police officers or citizens cannot and will not be tolerated.

16:05:02

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want justice for Tim and Malissa, but we want people to see the Tim

that we knew. Because the public, they have tarnished him, just made him like he was a thug or a drug - just a drug addict on the street without family that loved him, that our family didn't care for him. This is an example of what Tim was. He had a heart of gold, and they took that from us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Reaction came swiftly once that not guilty verdict was read in that Cleveland courtroom today. Let's talk more about it with Cleveland city council member Zach Reed. Thank you for being here, sir. I appreciate it.

You know what? We lost his shot. It happens in live television. We're going to work to re-establish that and bring it to you as soon as we can.

As we continue to follow this story, just after the ruling and two years after the shooting happened, the Justice Department now says it will review this case. Our Martin Savidge looks back at the controversy surrounding this deadly event.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): November 2012 when a couple in a car speeds away from an undercover cop, their engine back fires, it triggers a police radio report of shots fired and the chase is on.

Investigators say the pursuit involves as many as 62 police cars at speeds of 100 miles per hour through the streets of Cleveland. It ends in a hail of gunfire killing two unarmed people. An investigation reveals a stunning 137 shots fired by 13 police officers, but only one, Michael Brelo, was on trial, charged with two counts of voluntarily manslaughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is shooting repeatedly, he is shooting excessively and he is shooting to kill.

SAVIDGE: Prosecutors say the 31-year-old former Marine did what other cops didn't, he reloaded. When the car police were chasing finally came to a halt, Brelo is said to have jumped on its hood and fired 15 shots directly through the windshield. The prosecution believes those are the shots that killed 43-year-old Timothy Russell and 30-year-old Malissa Williams. Brelo told investigators he thought he and his partner were in danger, believing the couple in the car were shooting, saying "I've never been so afraid in my life. I thought my partner and I would be shot and tat we were going to be killed." Brelo went on, "at which point I drew my weapon and I shot through the windshield at the suspects." Recorded police radio traffic that night gives conflicting accounts, at one point warning police about weapons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Use caution. Occupants are armed.

SAVIDGE: While other officers on the radio report seeing no weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He does not have a gun. He has black gloves on. He does not have a gun in his hands.

SAVIDGE: Neither victim in the car had a gun. But defense attorneys say Officer Brelo had no way of knowing that at the time, telling the court "he wasn't trying to be Rambo, he was just trying to survive."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Well, as I said, reaction came swiftly once that not guilty verdict was read in Cleveland. I want to talk about it with a council member from the city of Cleveland, Councilman Zach Reed. Thanks for being here. I appreciate it, sir.

COUNCILMAN ZACH REED, CLEVELAND: Thank you for allowing me. I appreciate it.

HARLOW: Of course, let's talk about this. This obviously is a case that captured national attention when it happened and obviously the attention of your entire city, became known to many locally as 137 shots. What are you hearing on the ground there from the people, from your constituents who now have heard the judge say he believes that this officer, Michael Brelo, is not guilty on all counts?

REED: Well, most of them said, "councilman, I told you that was going to be the verdict. They're just telling me they're not surprised and they just say the situation between the African-American community and the police department just continues to go on and on, and we've got to fix that problem. We've got a very serious problem of the relationship between African-Americans and the police officers in our nation and we've got to fix that problem.

HARLOW: I think it's interesting because we just heard from the brother of one of the victims, the young woman who was killed who said, if this was in any other city, this wouldn't have happened.

I wonder what your reaction is to comments like that. Because actually we have seen similar things happen in other American cities. Although the cases are different, but the verdicts have been similar.

REED: I think the Justice Department made it clear, that over a period of time there's been excessive force in the city of Cleveland by police officers, that the way that we're policing in the city of Cleveland is unconstitutional and we've got some very serious problems between relationships between our police department and the citizens.

So we've got to fix that problem. We've got a very serious problem. My hope is that while the federal government is looking and evaluating our police department from top to bottom, that we come up with concrete solutions so that the city of Cleveland can become a model for the nation and how we can work together to have the best police force in the nation.

16:10:02

HARLOW: So just to be clear here, the judge, when he was handing down this lengthy verdict today, Judge O'Donnell, he said, in fact, this use of force was found he believes to be constitutional because of the perceived threat that the officer thought that he could die, he thought they were armed. He said this, this caveat "his gun and badge offer no special protection here." Saying "if, indeed, he were found guilty, he would be treated like every other criminal." Do you believe that the outcome here of this case was just?

REED: I believe the outcome came about simply because he was a police officer. If this would have happened between me and another citizen, I believe that we'd be going to jail today. But because the police officer, as the judge said, feared for his life and laid out how other police officers feared for their lives, therefore, he felt it was justifiable to allow Officer Brelo to go free.

HARLOW: Is that - are you saying that fear - I don't know what it's like to be a police officer. I have no idea what it's like to walk in those shoes.

REED: Same here.

HARLOW: Are you saying you think that fear is not legitimate?

REED: I think that's the way they do what they continue to do. You saw the case in South Carolina. Until that film came out in South Carolina, that police officer was going to try to justify the fact that he killed, that he shot an innocent man in his back while he was running away. I don't know how it feels to be a police officer. I don't know how it feels to go out every single day knowing that you may not go back home to your family and to your friends and the people who love you the most.

So why they say that they are going out and they say that we fear for our lives, and that's what the judge said, that Brelo feared for his life so, therefore, he was justifiable in jumping on top of a car, using statements that are used in Afghanistan - remember what he said? He said I learned this in Afghanistan.

The last time I checked, this is not Afghanistan. This is the city of Cleveland. So we've got a serious problem between the relationship between the police officers and the African-American community in this city, and my hope is, while the federal government is here and we become under this consent decree, that we will fix this problem. By the same token, we cannot solve the problem by rioting, by looting, by causing harm against people or properties.

HARLOW: Councilman Zach Reed, I appreciate you coming on the program. Thank you, sir. REED: Thank you for the opportunity.

HARLOW: More ahead on this verdict. The congresswoman had this to say, "today we have been told yet again our lives have no value." We're going to discuss what she means by that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

16:16:03

HARLOW: As we continue to follow the breaking news from Cleveland, I want to take you to a press conference where the Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams just spoke about today's verdict. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALVIN WILLIAMS, CLEVELAND POLICE CHIEF: As you know, this morning one of the first protests, major protests was at (INAUDIBLE) park on the west side. That protest has ended. The individuals from there have moved to another location where they're joining with other people throughout the near west side.

As the mayor stated right now, people are peacefully exercising their first amendment rights, and the division of police is allowing them to do that and assisting them in doing that. We want to make sure that continues. We expect nothing less. We also want to make sure that our parents out there are aware of where their children are over this weekend and that they keep them close if possible. We don't want anyplace caught up in an unnecessary situation, especially our kids.

So if they can do that, we'd definitely appreciate it. For the people out there that experience some of these minor conveniences as far as traffic, people exercising their first amendment rights, we just ask you to bear with us. We're all definitely in this together, and people can be assured that we're going to do everything humanly possible to keep this city safe and keep traffic moving.

Bear with us for now. Also as I stated earlier, we are definitely going to monitor this for as long as it takes and make sure that there is no violence or destruction within the city. The city will not tolerate any violence or destruction. People need to understand that. We need to work together to ensure that doesn't happen here in this city. Thank you.

Questions?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The police have discretion. They're professionals. They have discretion on that. We have a pretty good tolerance level as regards demonstration as we have demonstrated ourselves in the past. The chief can answer that more specifically.

WILLIAMS: As I stated earlier, we are trying to ensure that people exercise their first amendment rights, but within the bounds of the law and what's decent and necessary in the city. People that commit violent acts, be it against property or persons, won't be tolerated.

Our officers are prepared to step in and make sure that stops as soon as it starts. People should know and understand that that doesn't move the needle. That doesn't get us anywhere. Violence only sets us back, and what we really need to do in the city to make things better. So that was our request and our expectation of people from the beginning, is that we do this in a loud, boisterous, peaceful way and we hear you, and we've heard you over the last six, eight months, and even before that.

If people stay on that track, we can really get some thing done in the city. Because I'm committed to that. The mayor is committed to that. Believe it or not, the majority of the men and women in the Cleveland Division of Police are committed to making this situation better and making our division better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

16:20:03

WILLIAMS: I'm as concerned that as I was when things started this morning. I mean, any time that there's a situation like this in the city, I'm concerned. Because I live in the city, my family lives in the city. I'm concerned for the rest of the citizens of the city and for our officers.

Again, we are along the track of where we should be as a city as it pertains to demonstrations. This is how we do it and this is how we're going to continue to do it. Our people are going to come out, and they're going to be peaceful, they're going to voice their opinion. They may get a little over boisterous but that's their right. As long as that doesn't result in anybody getting hurt, property damage. Then we're there to support them and make sure that happens.

(INAUDIBLE).

WILLIAMS: We've prepared for everything that's coming up in this city.

(INAUDIBLE)

WILLIAMS: Right now the situation only calls for Cleveland Police officers. We do have, as the mayor stated earlier and I stated, a contingent from the state highway patrol. They're assisting us today to make sure that we allow people to exercise their first amendment rights, and some of those officers are sprinkled throughout the city. So you may see of those cars out there as well.

CMHA Police, of course, is a continuous partner along with RTAs. So they're out there (inaudible) RTA is protecting RTA assets and things like that. Yes, you are going to see other law enforcement officers. But make no mistake, they're all under the command and supervision of the Cleveland Division of Police.

(INAUDIBLE) JACKSON: I'll do that at the proper time and in the proper way. Thank you.

HARLOW: All right. There you have it. A press conference that just wrapped up a few moments ago from the Cleveland Police Department chief Calvin Williams and the Mayor of Cleveland Frank Jackson talking about some protests that have happened in the wake of this not guilty verdict coming down for Officer Michael Brelo who shot and killed two people in their car back in 2012.

Main points here, people are exercising their first amendment right to be heard and they're doing so thus far in a peaceful way. The police chief saying the city of Cleveland is prepared for anything that may come up. Let's talk more about this with Michael Daly, special correspondent from "The Daily Beast" who has written extensively on this case before, far before the verdict came down today.

Thanks for being here, Michael.

Let's begin with this, a congressman from Ohio, Marsha Fudge said this after the verdict, let me read you the quote, "the decision of Judge John P. O'Donnell to acquit Officer Michael Brelo is a stunning setback on the road to justice for Timothy Russell, Malissa Williams and the people of Cleveland. The verdict is another chilling reminder of a broken relationship between the Cleveland Police Department and the community it serves. Today, we have been told yet again our lives have no value." That coming from Congresswoman from the state of Ohio. Your reaction to the last part, we have been told, again our lives have no value.

MICHAEL DALY, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT "THE DAILY BEAST": I can't believe that the judge would not have reached the same decision no matter what the race of the people who were shot. I don't think he was making a decision regarding the lives of people who were murdered or killed.

HARLOW: What do you make of a congresswoman saying that?

DALY: Well, I mean, it seems - particularly if you're African- American, it seems that one after another after another after another. And we've just had several situations where no officer was indicted.

HARLOW: Right.

DALY: So, you say, boy, there's no justice there. If this was a case where someone was indicted, goes to trial and then is acquitted. I mean you might keep in mind, too, that that could happen in Baltimore. You've got officers who are indicted. That doesn't mean they're going to be convicted

HARLOW: Good point. You have to talk about how the judge, before he gave his verdict, I was just looking at my notes here. He set this up, setting the stage with the national environment right now. He talked about Staten Island, New York. He talked about Baltimore. He talked about Ferguson, Missouri. He said, if not guilty, then I will not sacrifice him to a public frustrated by historical mistreatment by the hands of officers.

16:24:58

DALY: Right. And if you look at this case, really the - it was a 22- mile chase where the people went up to 120 miles an hour through a series of traffic lights. It ended in this terrible cataclysm where they were unarmed, but they were shot as many times as Bonnie and Clyde were shot. It was one bullet less than Bonnie and Clyde.

If the police departments - their own investigation found that there was a failure in the department, in their investigation they say that there has to be a system in place where officers who are under extreme stress are restrained from acting on how they might unless there was a system there. What happened was you had a communication failure. You had a command failure. You had no commanders there saying, hold it guys, hold. No one pulling that cop back and oftentimes situations are saved when there's one person who says that's enough, hold up, wait. You didn't have that here.

HARLOW: One thing that you've reported extensively on that I don't think a lot of our viewers know about is this lawsuit. There has been a federal lawsuit filed by some of these police officers. Nine of the 13 police officers that used deadly force against these two individuals filed a federal lawsuit saying they are victims of racial discrimination. Eight of those that are the claimants in this are white, the ninth is Hispanic. That is still on going right now.

DALY: They charge that because they are not African-Americans, that they are disciplined more severely than if they were African-American police officers. The main instance in this is the cop who made the original stop that triggered this chase eventually and decided not to do anything was African-American. And he was not involved in any of the shooting.

These guys - the punishment they're crying about is 16 months of limited duty. They're involved in incident like this and that to me - you can't call that severe punishment. You can't call that - the other thing about them is they give up their own guy.

HARLOW: Clearly both sides feel wronged. I mean clearly one thing we can determine is there is a problem in this city of Cleveland between some in the police department and some in the community and they're working to repair that.

DALY: Let's hope so. They filed this lawsuit, the same month that Tamera Rice, a 12-year-old was shot and killed. Right after that happened they filed this lawsuit. So hopefully everybody is working together. This particular bunch of police officers, I don't know.

HARLOW: Michael Daly, thanks very much. Appreciate it. Michael Daly with "The Daily Beast." We'll be right back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN HOST (voice-over): Dr. Phillip Zazove have always knew he wanted to follow his parents footsteps by becoming a doctor despite his hearing loss.

DR. PHILIP ZAZOVE, FAMILY MEDICINE, UNIV. OF MICHIGAN: When I was about four, I told my parents that I would be lucky to be able to be a janitor.

GUPTA: Dr. Zazove's parents pushed back and they placed him in public school where few special accommodations were given to deaf students.

ZAZOVE: We are talking about 1955. The teacher would say "oh, no way, can I have a deaf kid in my class." And my parents would have to insist.

GUPTA: Bullying became another obstacle.

ZAZOVE: Some kids who would speak with their mouth behind their hands.

GUPTA: But Dr. Zazove persevered and went on to medical school. He worked twice as hard to keep up with his hearing classmates.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I probably spent a lot more time reading and rereading material. I never doubted myself.

GUPTA: Today, the husband and father of two is department chair of family medicine at the University of Michigan.

ZAZOVE: Many patients don't even know I have a hearing loss. They think I'm born someplace else and have an accent.

GUPTA: He also inspires others like him to pursue careers in medicine.

DR. MICHAEL M. MCKEE, FAMILY MEDICINE, UNIV. OF MICHIGAN: Seeing people that are successful is always a help for all of us that may have a little bit of a struggle.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:15] HARLOW: A funeral will be held on Tuesday for an Omaha police officer who was brutally murdered just one day before she was supposed to start her maternity leave.

Twenty-nine-year-old Kerrie Orozco was a new mother. She had given birth to a premature little girl back in February. Friends say she was so excited for her daughter Olivia Ruth to finally leave the hospital this week.

In a cruel twist of fate, she was shot and killed by a fugitive before she could bring home her baby girl from the hospital.

We want to honor her, remember her and talk about what she was like, especially for her little girls. Joining me now, Kerrie's friend Vernetta Kosalka, and also her colleague, Detective Marcus Taylor, who worked with Kerry in the gang unit.

Guys, thank you for being here.

VERNETTA KOSALKA, FRIEND OF SLAIN OMAHA OFFICER KERRIE OROZCO: Thank you.

DET. MARCUS TAYLOR, COLLEAGUE OF SLAIN OMAHA OFFICER KERRIE OROZCO: Thank you.

HARLOW: Detective, she was described by one of your colleagues on CNN yesterday as an angel. Is that what you'd call her?

TAYLOR: I think that's probably the best description, just a selfless person. One of the better people I've ever met in my lifetime.

HARLOW: This is a woman, Detective -- you know the dangers of being a police officer. You run where everyone else runs away. And you put yourself in the line of fire literally. That is what she did less than 24 hours before she was supposed to go pick up her baby girl. It seems to me like she's someone who wouldn't even flinch, who wouldn't say, no, you go because I have a new baby.

TAYLOR: That's exactly who Kerrie was. Kerrie, considering the circumstances, she was so smart and she wanted to save her time so she could spend as much time as she could with the baby, but she also had so much love for the police department, for the citizens and for the people that she had the opportunity to interact with, both on duty and off duty.

And you're absolutely right. She's the one who -- she was all in no matter what she did, on duty or off duty.

HARLOW: Vernetta, what was she like as a friend? And I'm interested on your perspective on how much she loved being a mother.

KOSALKA: Right. Kerrie was very excited about being a mom, and she even until she gave birth, Kerrie was involved in volunteering with the community to ensure an annual gala we do supporting Special Olympics in Nebraska, she wanted to make sure that event was carried out smoothly and we were able to raise funds.

Kerrie was -- we would talk about our dreams and our goals. We would talk about our families. There was a time when Kerrie first met my children, she ran back to her car to grab little police officer sticker badges.

And she was just always ready to smile, to meet any and everyone, always helpful, always detailed.

[16:35:09] We would text early in the morning, late at night. She was always concerned about the community and the event. And once she had her little baby girl, she would text me pictures like at 11:00 at night, at midnight, sharing just the cutest intimate photos and moments.

So, she was just always so loving, so humble, so quiet and so involved.

HARLOW: So involved. That's what we heard, so involved, was volunteering with the community, helping everyone as much as she could.

Detective, can you tell me about the t-shirt you're wearing? I know that has some significance.

TAYLOR: Support blue, First Responders Foundation. What the First Responders Foundation is doing, they're going to support Kerrie's causes, give people an opportunity to give back. That's what the family wants, is for Kerrie's legacy of service to carry on.

And that's what we all want. I think that's what gives me peace and is helping me deal, is that her legacy will live on through service and giving back to the community and to the police department.

HARLOW: Right. As my colleague and one of our contributors Michael Daly was just saying, what we owe that little girl is to do something to honor her mother and to do something to help the community just like she did.

Vernetta, I know you guys are working with people in the community to try to raise money to help the girls, right?

KOSALKA: Right.

HARLOW: Tell me about the effort and for people who are watching, if they want to help, how they can do that.

KOSALKA: Right. They can definitely give back through the Omaha Police Department. There's a Facebook page that has all the direct links. I believe there's two organizations right now that are accepting donations that's going to support Olivia Ruth and her family.

What the talk I hear from other police officer peers is some officers are also donating portions of their paycheck towards a fund, a trust fund for Olivia. And, you know, to see that communication happening and to see that dedication happening amongst her friends, her officers, it's just tremendous. It's unspeakable.

And the Omaha community is a wonderful community, and there's been citizens that have donated food. There's been businesses that have donated services to help with funeral arrangements. There's been businesses offering accommodations to help with family. It's just tremendous.

HARLOW: Detective, let me ask you this, you're a police officer. Look, we're covering this situation involving a police officer and tension between some police officers and their community in Cleveland. Today, it has erupted across cities across this nation. And I just wonder if you can speak for a moment from the police officer's perspective of what that's been like for you as an officer and also holding up someone who was an ideal officer also for people to see. TAYLOR: It's definitely been very challenging. But I think what it

shows the importance of, of service. Kerrie embodied service. It shows the importance of community policing. I think in Omaha, we have a lot of organizations that have done a fairly good job of bridging the gap and getting involved in the community and just letting them know that we care.

You build those relationships to where citizens are able to see the person behind the badge and vice versa, police are able to see the citizens more than just suspects, witnesses or victims that see them as people. I think we do a pretty good job here in Omaha. We still have work to do. The hope is to carry on that legacy of service and build those bonds.

HARLOW: Detective Marcus Taylor, Vernetta Kosalka, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for helping us and everyone remember her. We appreciate it.

TAYLOR: Thank you.

KOSALKA: Thank you.

HARLOW: Thank you, guys.

As we mention, this fund has been set up to help support Kerrie Orozco's various causes, especially for her little girl Olivia Ruth who was just born. If you want to help, you can visit FirstrespondersOmaha.org/kerries-causes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:43:26] HARLOW: Senators opposed to the National Security Agency's bulk collection of telephone data blocked multiple attempts overnight to extend the law that authorizes the program. It is part of the Patriot Act. And Republican senator and presidential candidate Rand Paul led the opposition, repeatedly blocking attempt by Republican Senate leaders to keep the expiring law alive past that June 1st deadline.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to send them home until next Sunday, the 31st, when he is bringing them back, trying to get one last compromise. Mitch McConnell wants to see an extension of the current law.

The battle of reviewing the Patriot Act rests mainly on one controversial section known as Section 215, that is the part used since 2006 to justify the bulk collection of data. The House passed a bill called the USA Freedom Act. This renews the Patriot Act but what it does is it gets rid of that very controversial Section 215.

This is sort of the compromise that President Obama supports. His Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Friday explained why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORETTA LYNCH, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our biggest fear is that we will lose important eyes on people who have made it clear that their mission is to harm American people here and abroad.

INTERVIEWER: You think it makes America less safe?

LYNCH: I think we run the risk of essentially being less safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Now, here's some important context. While she was state's attorney in the eastern district of New York, Loretta Lynch prosecuted the most terrorism cases out of any department across this country in the wake of 9/11. Republican Senator Rand Paul and other critics say the Patriot Act is so bad that it can't be fixed and it should go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[16:45:04] SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: We have entered into a momentous debate. This is a debate about whether or not a warrant with a single name of a single company can be used to collect all the records, all the phone records of all the people in our country with a single warrant. Our forefathers would be aghast.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Congressman Mike Quigley joins me now. He's a Democrat from Illinois. He's a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Thanks for being here, sir. I appreciate it.

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: Thank you, Poppy, and glad to be here.

HARLOW: What do you say to Rand Paul who say our forefathers would be aghast, that this is not what this law was intended to do?

QUIGLEY: I think our forefathers would understand that this is a very scary world right now and there's a balance to be played. USA Freedom Act got it right. It was a rare bipartisan victory in the house with the president's support.

It protected our constitutional freedoms while protecting our country and our troops. I have no idea why Mr. Paul is taking this action. He's certainly campaigning, not governing.

HARLOW: Well, look, he's taken this position for quite a while. When you look at this, one thing Rand Paul points out is this -- he says why hasn't the president used the executive authority he has to end the program? Why hasn't he stood up and done that?

QUIGLEY: I think when the president acts and tries to do unilaterally, the conservative senators attack him for usurping their authority. And when he acts with the House of Representatives, on a bipartisan basis and gets it right like we did with this act, he gets criticism from Senator Paul as well.

It makes no sense. We had a great opportunity to get the right thing done here. It's so rare to have a victory. Unfortunately, Senator Paul saw it otherwise.

HARLOW: Well, you said we had the opportunity. Look, Senate Majority Leader McConnell is calling the senators back next Sunday, the 31st, the day before this all expires on the 1st of June. Do you think that the window is closed here? Do you think they're not going to come to an agreement?

QUIGLEY: Well, they certainly haven't shown that capability. You have to understand, you don't shut these programs off like a switch. They're already starting to phase down.

Not only did we lose important intelligence capabilities to keep our country safe, we also lost what Senator Paul should be championing, an opportunity for much-needed reforms, reforms that he's talking about. He also has to acknowledge the fact that there were two other provisions in here besides the gathering of data, including the lone wolf provisions which are extraordinarily important.

Does anyone think in this country now that we're more safe than we were before, that there aren't more homegrown extremists out there plotting against this country --

HARLOW: So --

QUIGLEY: -- that there aren't more lone wolf terrorists out there right now plotting in cities like my own?

HARLOW: Let me ask you this, this isn't saying the government can never listen in to these people's phone calls, it says they have to got to a court and have to get the authority from the court to do it instead of bulk collecting data without that authority. The government hasn't been able to show where it's played a key role in thwarting a terror plot. Is there one you can point to, sir?

QUIGLEY: You know, it's really interesting watching this process through the intelligence community's eyes in the last six month. The intelligence community takes a really beating on measures like this.

The fact of the matter is a lot of the things, a lot of times that they've had victories, they can't exactly have a press conference, because when they talk about how they've done something like this, point to exact examples that you would refer, they're actually giving away the keys to the kingdom, giving away the game book. So, I think you're going to see --

(CROSSTALK)

HARLOW: You sit on that committee. Are you saying yes, in deed, there have been instances but they're classified?

QUIGLEY: I think that there are instances in which all three of these provisions have kept our country safer. I think with Senator Paul's actions, this country is less safe than it was before. We are at risk.

HARLOW: Congressman Mike Quigley, a lot more to talk about. We love having you on the program again. Thank you, sir.

QUIGLEY: Thank you.

HARLOW: Last night was very special for the family of fallen troops. This Memorial Day weekend, the Pentagon made sure to honor families who lost husbands, fathers, husbands and wives protecting our nation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:51:57] HARLOW: This weekend, Americans are honoring those who died while serving our nation in the armed forces. The military is making sure to recognize the families and children of our fallen troops.

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASH CARTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Welcome home.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The secretary of defense welcomes a very special group to the Pentagon.

CARTER: This entrance to the Pentagon is the one we use for our most distinguished visitors and that includes you.

STARR: On this Memorial Day weekend, one of the most secure and closely guarded buildings in the world opens up its doors to the families of those who have lost their lives serving their nation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whenever you're ready.

CROWD: Defense!

STARR: For one night, the corridors of power transform into a playground for the very smallest who have made the very biggest of sacrifices, many losing a military parent.

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: He was a good man.

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: He liked to spend time with us.

CARTER: We remember those who paid the ultimate price for our country. These are the families of those people. So, they're real faces, real kids, and we're trying to show them that they'll forever be a part of our family.

STARR: The Air Force is lending its expertise to paper airplane design and flying, while the marines take a beating in their hand-to- hand combat demonstration.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever think you'd be kicking a U.S. marine?

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I did not actually.

STARR: This Army Humvee, now a jungle gym, and a concert from none other than the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Some of these children born after their parents died, like 11-year-old Grace Hufstedler whose father was killed by an IED in Iraq in 2004.

LESLIE HUFSTEDLER ALVAREZ, WIDOW OF SLAIN U.S. ARMY SOLDIER: It's good to see her happy. She's growing older, she started to grieve more. She never got the opportunity when she was younger. So, it's nice to see her with other kids.

STARR: These children who lost so much still giving back to others.

(on camera): What can you say to other kids that you think they need --

ARIANNA BERNAL, DAUGHTER OF SLAIN U.S. ARMY GUARDSMAN: Well, at first it will take you down pretty hard. And when I was in the beginning, it didn't seem like this, but it's going to get better. No matter what, it's going to get better.

STARR (voice-over): Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Barbara Starr, thanks so much for that. Adorable kids.

We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:58:47] HARLOW: Well, citrus is a huge global business and in this week's traders, we head to the start of the supply chain, the Sunshine State.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW (voice-over): When you think of Florida, you naturally think of sunshine and oranges. This may surprise you. A whopping 95 percent of Florida oranges are squeezed into juice and then one quarter of that is exported to places like South Korea, Canada and Japan.

Almost 100 years ago in 1922, a Florida farmer named Deeley Hunt planted a single seed that would lead to 5,000 acres of citrus and a business that would change a family tree forever. Today, they are one of the largest orange shippers in the state, producing nearly 2 million cartons per year.

Proving that oranges don't fall far from the tree, today, Hunt Brothers is run by the Hunt cousins, who take pride that their family business has expanded selling beyond borders, with about 10 percent of their fruitful commodity going overseas.