Return to Transcripts main page

Hala Gorani Tonight

Victims of South Carolina massacre offer forgiveness; Charleston church shooter appears in court; Extraordinary look at town freed from ISIS; European Central Bank gives emergency cash to Greek banks; Opposition party coalition wins Danish election; One plane stowaway found dead and second in critical condition; Indonesia on alert as Mount Sinabung rumbles to life. Aired 3:31-4p ET

Aired June 19, 2015 - 15:21   ET

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

(SIMULCAST OF CNN DOMESTIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:37] PAULA NEWTON, CNNI HOST: An outpouring of grief demands for answers and incredibly forgiveness for the man who confessed to killing

nine people in an historic church in Charleston South Carolina this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: These are photographs of those victims and we've just heard incredibly moving testimony from their families in court during a bond

hearing. Now bond, bail for Dylann Roof was set at $1 million on a weapons charge, it is a formality. Because of the murder charges he will not be

lead out of custody. But before we get to the latest there in Charleston, we just want you to hear some of what those family members said in court,

to that man, Mr. Roof.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are representing the family of Ethel Lance, is that correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Correct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you are whom ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The daughter. I'm listening and you can talk today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want him to know to you I (inaudible) very precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again, I will never

be able to hold her again. But I forgive you. (Inaudible) rest on your soul. You've hurt me, you've hurt a lot of people (inaudible) and I

forgive you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you ma'am, and I appreciate you being here.

Representative of the family of Myra Thompson. Sir, would you like to make a statement before this court? Please come forward. Your name sir?

ANTHONY THOMPSON: Anthony Thompson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Thompson.

THOMPSON: I would just like him to know that .

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Speak up for me, I can barely hear you.

THOMPSON: Saying the same thing that was just said. You know I forgive you, my family forgives you but we would like you to take this opportunity

to repay. Repay (inaudible) give your life to the one who matters the most, Christ, so he can change it and change your ways no matter what

happened to you and you'll be OK. Do that and be better off in this jail right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you sir.

Tywanza Sanders? Your name ma'am.

ALEESHA SANDERS: Aleesha Sanders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you Ms. Sanders for being here.

ALEESHA SANDERS: We welcomed you Wednesday night in our bible study with open arms. You have killed some of the most (inaudible) people that I

know. Every (fiber) in my body hurts and I'll never be the same. Tywanza Sanders isn't my son but Tywanza was my hero, Tywanza was my hero. But as

we say at our bible study we enjoyed you and may God have mercy on you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you ma'am.

A representative of Daniel Simmons. Your name ma'am.

(SIMMONS): Inaudible Simmons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you Miss Simmons for being here. Your statement please.

(SIMMONS): Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof everyone's plea for your soul is proof that they

lived and loved and their (inaudible) will live and love. So hate won't win. And I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn't

win.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you ma'am for being here.

Cynthia Hurd. A representative of the family of Cynthia Hurd.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have nothing to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE Thank you very much and thank you for being here today sir. The Rev. De Payne Middleton-Doctor.

Your name please ma'am.

(FAY MIDDLETON-BROWN): Fay Middleton-Brown.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for being here.

(FAY MIDDLETON-BROWN): (inaudible) with my sisters and I just thank you on behalf of my family for not allowing hate to win. For me I'm a work in

progress and I acknowledge that I am very angry. But one thing De Payne has always joined in our family is that she taught me that we are the

(inaudible) love built. We have no room for hate so we have to forgive and I prayer God on your soul. And I also thank God that I won't be around

when your (inaudible). May God bless you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now we also heard briefly from the shooter, he is Dylann Roof - here is Dylann Roof's exchange with the judge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is your age?

DYLANN ROOF: 21.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're 21 years of age? Are you employed?

DYLANN ROOF: No sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're unemployed at this time?

DYLANN ROOF: Yes sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: So some incredibly heart rendering moments there and dramatic moments in that courtroom and as we've said here issues of race and

violence have been front and center in the United States in recent months. So how can the country move forward after this latest tragedy?

For more I'm now joined live in New York by Martin Luther King III, he is the eldest son of Civil Rights Leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and a

prominent human rights advocate in his own right.

[15:30:00]

I can't thank you enough for sticking with us as we broke away for that breaking news. I just want to get your reaction to what happened there. I

was struck by the tone of forgiveness that a lot of these victims and their families uttered there in the courtroom.

MARTIN LUTHER KING III: Absolutely, it was certainly most moving. I heard it earlier today when it actually was happening live, and I was fighting

back tears because of how powerful it is for people to present themselves and say they are Christian and truly live by those values of forgiveness

and love. And to see an entire group of people who in a fresh sense, we can sometimes grow to that point of forgiveness but to immediately be able

to talk about love in the backdrop of a heinous hateful act that occurred to take their loved ones is very, very, very powerful.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Yes, absolutely powerful and they are giving each other strength and they'll need a lot of it going forward as this investigation moves

forward.

You know you have called this terrorism, you have said there is no doubt about it. Why does that language matter at this point?

KING: Well, I'm not so sure that the language matters, but it is an act of terrorism. I believe just as in 1963, when a gentleman from the Ku Klux

Klan planted bombing devices in the 16th Street Baptist Church and killed four little girls. So, it's the same kind of scenario, except for those

persons who never revealed themselves. They were truly cowards, whereas this young man, no matter what one may say, obviously he permeated hate.

To be able to sit in a room for an hour with people engaged in bible study and then to take a gun out and - and massacre - I mean, kill people just

with no feeling whatsoever. Some would say that's an illness. It may be a mental illness, but it - it is bred by hate. And I would have to say that

one of the things that we in this country must figure out how to address is the culture of violence that is being permeated (ph) and created.

We have video games. Seven out of 10 of those are violent. Some of our cartoons are violent. Our movies are violent. And, so, we've created a

culture of violence. I would hope one day that we can create a culture of non-violence. That's what my father and many others around the world -

Gandhi, Mr. Mandela and others - have represented.

And, in fact, that's probably the way that the majority of Americans attempt to live their lives. But these incidents really just tear us apart

as a nation.

NEWTON: Yes, and you've spoken about that culture of violence for years now. It's not just after this event. And the other thing you talk about

is reconciliation. But many people out there are saying where do we begin? Where does this community, and a larger sense the United States, begin to

get those - to those issues of race and those issues of violence and actually begin to change things?

KING: Well, until the community and people - that means blacks and whites and Latinos and Asian-Americans and all Americans - in a sense, state that

this is the kind of governing we want. And what I mean by that is, if we taught sensitivity, human relations, diversity and we taught it in the

kindergarten or when kids come to school all the way through high school, at the end of the day, we generally would produce another type of young

person than what we've seen happen in this particular scenario.

There are a number of hate groups that exist in this country. And, while that's a fraction of the population, the fact of the matter is in 2015 we

should be well beyond this kind of hatred, because it does not bode well for creating a unified nation called the United States of America.

But freedoms allow us to be able to believe what we want to believe. But freedoms do not allow us to be able to harm others based on what we

believe. And that's where we have to draw the line. But, again, I think education is so key here. And that's probably where we start. But it

doesn't need to start in college. It needs to start in kindergarten.

NEWTON: And - and in terms of going forward - I mean, when you look at any progress that has - has been made - you know, I was so struck by Athena

Jones, our reporter on the scene there at the vigil in front of Mother Emmanuel - you know, said there was a sign - it said never again is now.

It has been almost a half century since, you know, your father was assassinated. We have a black president in the White House. If never

again is now, are you hopeful? I mean we've gone through so many events now that we think will be catalysts for change, and they just aren't.

KING: Well, I - yes, I am hopeful. Now the reason I'm hopeful is because, after this - this very, very tragic - really execution of - of women and

men, the community of South Carolina - the community of Charleston and the state of South Carolina and the nation, is coming together.

You are seeing people - black, white, young, old, rich, poor, Latino and Hispanic, Asian - worshipping together - praying for - for peace and love.

And, so, people have the propensity to come together in great tragedies. That's - what we - what we're seeing is the best of America. What is

unfortunate is that this - this tragedy had to occur for people to come together.

We should be together always. And, at some point, the tone will be set that we will be together far more than we are apart. We are somewhat apart

today for many, many different reasons - maybe poverty is one of those reasons. We have a huge community throughout America that is impoverished.

Many people have lost their homes. And - but there are a variety of issues. There are myriad of issues. But incidents that tragedy - where

tragedy occurs -- shows that we can come together and help people ride through these very difficult storms that, unfortunately, will occur from

time to time.

But we are a better nation than this specific behavior. We as a nation are far better than this one incident. This one incident that interrupted so

many families - have impacted so many - and we are going to be a better nation. We will improve.

After each one of these incidents - I wish we could say, however, we won't see this kind of thing happening anymore, but I don't know that we are at

the point yet where we can say that. But we can work toward it every day.

NEWTON: OK, Mr. King. I think you so much for your time and your words, and we hope you can join again as we continue to cover the events in

Charleston.

KING: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And we will have much more for you right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:36:53] NEWTON: We're (ph) gonna bring you more now on our top story. Just a short time ago, 21-year-old Dylann Roof appeared in a Charleston

court charged with nine counts of murder. Now, Roof appeared by a video link. His bond was set at a million dollars, again a formality because he

must stay in prison because of those murder charges.

The judge, though, had this to say as the hearing began.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES B. GOSNELL, JR., JUDGE: Charleston is a very strong community. We have big hearts. We're a very loving community, and we are going to reach

out to everyone - all victims - and we will touch them. We have victims - nine of them.

But we also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young man's side of the family. Nobody would have ever thrown them into

the whirlwind of events that they have been thrown into. We must find it in our heart that some point in time, not only to help those that are

victims, but to also help his family as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now, many people thought that that was not necessary and wondered why the judge had decided to include the shooter's family in all of this.

Nonetheless, he did. It really added to very, very dramatic moments in that courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

Now, to talk more about the complexities of race relations in the United States, I'm joined by Bryan Stevenson. He's the founder and executive

director of the Equal Justice Imitative. It's a non-profit organization that provides legal representation to defendants and prisoners who have

been denied fair and equal treatment.

Now Bryan joins me now live from New York. Bryan, thanks so much for joining us. You know, you've been talking about this for quite a while.

And I had one of your talks on "TED Talks" - I was viewing it on a plane, and one of the things that struck me that you said was to be rich and

guilty is better than being poor and innocent.

And you were very blunt about that. That has to do with where you come from, who your parents are, what color your skin is. In terms of what

you've seen in the courts, in the justice system - when we talk about all of race relations in the United States - do you see change?

BRYAN STEVENSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: I don't see enough change. And I don't really see a lot of change on confronting our

history of racial inequality - this narrative of racial difference.

It was really created during the time of slavery. I don't think the great evil of American slavery was forced labor or involuntary servitude. I

think it really was the ideology of white supremacy - this narrative that people are different because of their color. And we never dealt with that.

And that manifested itself at the end of the 18th century with lynching and terrorism. It continued throughout the 20th century with segregation and

Jim Crow. And you see it today in our criminal justice system where we disproportionately target people of color.

So, I think that this tragic crime does expose this ongoing challenge we have in America of never dealing honestly with our history of - of

enslavement, of terror, of segregation, of white supremacy and ideologies that really are focused on race.

NEWTON: Is - is the label important to you? I see the Department of Justice now has announced that look - they will look into this as a case of

domestic terrorism in the United States. Is that important to actually call it racial terrorism?

STEVENSON: Well, I think there will be effort to minimize the significance of this crime. It will - some people will try to disconnect from the

larger story in South Carolina about how they still celebrate the architects and defenders of slavery through these monuments and memorials

and flags and things.

Yes, (ph) I do think it's important to broaden this - to put this in a larger context. This young man was living in a state where people have

constantly celebrated people for acts and for era (ph) and positions that were hostile to the full rights of African-Americans.

And you can't disconnect that. You know, this whole question of the confederate flag has come up. And the flag was, you know, really raised in

the 1950s and '60s as a symbol of resistance to civil rights.

And if the words that had been assigned to this young man are accurate, he's also resisting what he sees as growing progress for African-Americans.

And we've gotta talk about that. And, so, I think it is important to characterize this as an act that is intended to terrorize the entire

African-American community.

NEWTON: We just had Martin Luther King, Jr. (ph), III on. And, you know, his point was, look, I do see change. There is change out there. I think

if you're living perhaps in some of those communities in Baltimore - if you're living in a community in New Orleans - you may not see that change.

Do you see it at all? Do you see it in the way your clients go before judges? Do you see it in the prison system? Do you see it at all?

STEVENSON: I can't say I've seen positive change. I mean, things are different. Don't get me wrong. I don't think anyone can deny that. We

have an African-American president.

But, today, one in three black men and boys - black babies born in this country - is expected to go to jail or prison. That wasn't true in the

20th century or the 19th century. That became true in the 21st century. We still have too many people of color living in the margins of society.

And we have yet to deal with our history.

The fact that you can have confederate memorial day or Jefferson Davis' birthday or Robert E. Lee's birthday as a holiday says something really

tragic about the progress that we have made. Today is actually Juneteenth. It's a famous day in some quarters, because it's the day that many people

of color celebrate as the end of slavery. Most Americans know nothing about a Juneteenth and that history. And that speaks to the great divide

and the great challenge we face still to make progress toward racial justice.

NEWTON: Well, Mr. Stevenson, I know you will continue to talk about this, and I thank you for your time today.

STEVENSON: You're very welcome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now, as we were saying, the U.S. Justice Department is now investigating the shootings as a possible case of domestic terrorism. For

the latest on this, I wanna cross right to CNN Legal Analyst, Sunny Hostin. She's live for us in Charleston.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: You know, quite a series of events right there - so emotional. Let's deal with what the DOJ is saying right now. For you, Sunny, why do

you think that's significant, if it is?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think it is significant that the Department of Justice has indicated that they are conducting a parallel

investigation - an investigation into a hate crime - a Federal hate crime, because what that brings with it is the resources of the Federal

government. And, so, if they are working with the state resources here, we will be talking about an airtight investigation.

And, while many people think this is an open-and-shut case for the prosecution, that may not necessarily be the case. We many have an

insanity defense that we hear. We may have survivors that are traumatized and unable to recall all of these events. And, so, I think it's very

important not only for - for this case that the Justice Department is there.

I think it's also important that the Justice Department has indicated that this is in their mind possibly a hate crime. And that means that it could

also, I think, broaden the discussion about race in this country and about hate crimes that I don't think get enough spotlight here in the United

States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And if prosecuted in that way, Sunny, do you see this being as a pivotal point - oh, I'm sorry, I think we've lost our Sunny Hostin there,

unfortunately. We will try to get her back there live from Charleston. But, as she was saying, she does believe it is significant that the

Department of Justice is now saying they will investigate this as an incident of terrorism.

And we want to take a short break now and then bring you the other stories we're following this hour, including an extraordinary look inside Syria -

(INAUDIBLE) adventures (ph) into a town recently liberated from ISIS to see what the militants left behind.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:46:09] NEWTON: Now, all this week we've been telling you about the battle for Tal Abyad, a strategic Syrian town that was liberated from ISIS

just days ago. A CNN team has managed to get inside that town to give you an extraordinary look at what the militants left behind when they fled

Kurdish forces. Our Arwa Damon walks us through an abandoned ISIS control center in this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This was one of the main ISIS security buildings here in Tal Abyad, a town that was just

liberated a few days ago by the Kurdish fighting force, the YPG, a small unit of Arab rebels. And instrumental in it also were coalition air

strikes as the forces were approaching Tal Abyad.

Inside very prominent the black ISIS flag. Here on the wall - this is addressed to all of our brothers on the checkpoints is asking if anyone has

experience in teaching the Koran. In these back rooms, there are various other papers, administrative pamphlets, booklets that have been left behind

and, of course, the ISIS flag again.

This one is if someone has committed a crime and say, for example, an individual wants to come and guarantee to the ISIS authorities that the

crime won't be committed again, this is the form that they would fill out.

It's just a small indication of how much ISIS did run itself like a fairly well organized state. People that we've been speaking to and most of the

residents have yet to return were talking about how difficult life under ISIS was. They only stayed here because they didn't want to live as

refugees.

But many people did flee. For example, if you look across the street, the red writing there, that says state on it. And you see it on a number of

buildings and storefronts here. That means that they were abandoned or that ISIS laid claim to them, marking them with state. Most of them did

belong to Tal Abyad's Kurdish population.

And there's horrific stories everywhere. There's a square that's called the square of death. There's a cage that people were telling us -

individuals who had committed minor crimes like smoking in the street would get put into for a few days.

People relieved at this stage that not that much damage has been done to Tal Abyad. But many of them have yet to return.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Tal Abyad, Syria.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And we'll have more of Arwa's reporting from Syria next week when we look at what life under ISIS rule really looks like as told by the

people who've survived it. Now that's next week only here on CNN.

Greece is teetering on the brink of default. We have said that before. And now it is receiving a little bit of help. The European Central Bank is

quite concerned and decided to pump emergency cash in the Greek banks on Friday ahead of a crucial summit between Athens and its creditors in just a

few days. That's when European politicians will meet possibly for the last time before the debt deadline.

Now, Greece must make a $1.7 billion payment - repayment - to the International Monetary Fund by the end of the month or face default. And

we'll have much more on this at the top of the hour on "Quest Means Business."

In Denmark, in the meantime, the (INAUDIBLE) opposition parties have beaten the governing coalition in a closely fought election. Helle Thorning-

Schmidt, who has been ruling the country for the last four years, resigned as leader of the Social Democratic Party after the defeat. It was the

performance of the right-wing, anti-immigration Danish People's Party that surprised so many. They became the second largest party in the parliament

following that vote.

Now, London authorities say a stowaway plunged from a British Airways flight minutes before it was due to land at Heathrow and was found dead on

a rooftop. Now, a second stowaway was discovered hiding the plane's undercarriage and is now listed in critical condition in hospital.

They had traveled from Johannesburg to London. Our Fred Pleitgen has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Some people have come and laid flowers here at this site, and this is the building where

this man's body was found. Now, the London police have come and said that currently they are treating this as what they call an unexplained death.

But they also say that there are strong indications that this was indeed a stowaway who fell out of wheel well of this plane as it was coming in to

land. And, of course, the landing gear was coming down.

Now, there was a second person who was found on the tarmac at London Heathrow Airport. And, so far, police are saying that he's in serious

condition but he appears to have survived this ordeal. We have to keep in mind - we're talking about a flight that went from Johannesburg all the way

here to London Heathrow. That's about 8,000 miles. It takes almost 12 hours. And also we have to keep in mind that the wheel well of the plane

is not pressurized. There's very little air to breathe. And it gets very, very cold.

Now, needless to say, the people here in this area say that they're absolutely shocked by what happened. We spoke to a local reverend, and he

said that the community here is in mourning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REVEREND NEIL SUMMERS, LOCAL VICAR: I feel very much for people's desperation, actually. You know, with the stuff that's going on about

migrants coming across from North Africa, for example, into Europe, and for people who are trying to reach other parts of the world where they think

they can achieve a better life. It's just horrible when something goes so wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: British Airways has come out and they've said this is a very rare incident. But there are incidents where this happens. In fact, here

around the area of London Heathrow, there have been several incidents where stowaways have fallen out of planes before those planes were set to land.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now, the Indonesian island of Sumatra is keeping close watch on a rumbling volcano as it unleashes massive clouds of searing hot ash and

lava. Thousands of residents have already moved out of harm's way fearing the worst. Brandon Miller now has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRANDON MILLER, SENIOR METEOROLOGIST, CNN INTERNATIONAL: A massive avalanche of ash from Mount Sinabung sweeps down across the landscape. It

just the latest, threatening sign from the Indonesian volcano, as experts fear the mountain is on the verge of another major eruption.

They placed the volcano on the highest alert status earlier this month and have asked nearby residents to evacuate. Some 3,000 have had to leave

their homes in the past week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARMEN PUTRA, HEAD, MOUNT SINABUNG OBSERVATION STATION: Our worry is that Sinabung remains very active, and the hot ash still threatens the

neighboring areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MILLER: After lying dormant for centuries, the volcano on the island of Sumatra has become increasingly active in recent years. Several times in

the past week it sent clouds of ash up to two and half kilometers into the sky. So far, no one has been hurt in these latest rumblings from the

volcano.

But 15 people were killed in February of last year in another powerful eruption. Since then, tens of thousands of people have left the area,

hoping to avoid Mount Sinabung's wrath.

I'm CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And this has been THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. Thanks for watching. "Quest Means Business" is straight ahead.

END