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Joyce Mitchell Admits to Hiding Blades in Beef; How Dylann Roof was Caught; Body of Slain Pastor to Lie in State Today; S.C. Lawmakers Vote to Allow Flag Removal Debate. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired June 24, 2015 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:01] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Not an injury on her. Authorities say if the boys waited even a minute longer, end would have been very different.

Thank you, fellas. That's why you're the "Good Stuff" here.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Great example of "Good Stuff." As are you, Lewis Black. Thanks for joining us. It's time now for "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, my god, is that Lewis Black?

PEREIRA: It's Lewis Black.

CUOMO: You should hear what he's been saying about you.

PEREIRA: Right there.

COSTELLO: I love you, Lewis Black. I love you.

LEWIS BLACK, COMEDIAN: I can't hear a word she's saying.

PEREIRA: She says she loves you.

CUOMO: She says she --

COSTELLO: Probably a good thing. I sound like a stalker.

Have a great day, guys. NEWSROOM starts now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Happening now on the NEWSROOM, smuggling contraband to killer convicts inside hamburger meat, allegedly manipulating guards with baked treats?

ANDREW BROCKWAY, ATTORNEY FOR GENE PALMER: Miss Mitchell was just as manipulative as these two inmates were.

COSTELLO: A new look at the inner workings of the prison when two killers broke free as hundreds of officers chased their trail. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My gut is that if they're here, we're going to

find them.

COSTELLO: Also a growing chorus to take down the Confederate flag. But not everyone is on board.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we on your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) agenda today? Get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of the Summerville.

COSTELLO: Meet the people who say the stars and bars should stay.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not going to defeat racism through politics. You're going to defeat it through -- ultimately through love and forgiveness.

COSTELLO: Plus, Trump on top?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because a lot of presidential contenders are mad that you might bump off the debate stage. What do you say to that?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I'm far more accomplished than they are.

COSTELLO: A fresh new New Hampshire poll has the Donald beating everyone except Jeb Bush.

Let's talk. Live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Baked goods, frozen hamburger beef and hacksaw blades. We begin with a bombshell revelation on how convicts Richard Matt and David Sweat broke free from prison. An official telling CNN prison worker Joyce Mitchell has now admitted to smuggling escape tools inside frozen meat. Now the attorney for the guard who delivered the package says his client is a victim of manipulation, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROCKWAY: She has conned many individuals inside of the prison. She would curry favors amongst the prisoners. She'd bring them baked goods. She was just very good at what she did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: That guard, by the way, is now on paid leave. He has not been charged. We've also learned that Mitchell actually vouched for the inmates, saying they were good guys and that their cells should be moved next to each other. In the meantime 19 days into the manhunt, major questions about whether more could have been done to prevent the break-away. And hours from now, a group of prison guards who claim budget cuts are to blame will gather at the manhole where those inmates broke free. Let's bring in CNN's Boris Sanchez. He's on the ground in Cadyville,

New York.

Good morning.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Law enforcement officers here looking forward to a day of much better weather after rain over the past several days slowed them down. A law enforcement source telling that to CNN yesterday.

Right now we're learning more details about Joyce Mitchell's involvement in helping these men escape the prison. As you mentioned she admitted to sneaking hacksaw blades inside frozen meat and getting it into the prison. Apparently she convinced that guard Gene Palmer to pass the meat through without going through a metal detector. Obviously a violation of prison policy. His lawyer has apparently said that he was duped by Joyce Mitchell. That she manipulated him into doing that.

We're also hearing that Mitchell tried to gain favors for these two inmates by offering pastries to her colleagues. And she would get them favors that way. At one point she may have even requested that David Sweat's cell be moved next to Richard Matt's.

Some intriguing details there. We also got word one of the inmates may be barefoot. We've been speculating about that. A law enforcement official, in fact the sheriff of Clinton County tells me that is highly unlikely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF DAVID FAVRO, CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK: Going through that terrain even with mountain boots on and something with good ankle support is very, very difficult. Even walking through the better parts of that terrain is very difficult. So it's almost unimaginable to try and navigate through that without any type of footwear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Regardless of whether or not they're barefoot, investigators certainly are hoping that they're getting closer to catching these killers. They have a press briefing set for noon and we will bring it to you live right here on CNN -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Boris Sanchez, reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.

Can it get any more bizarre? Joyce Mitchell allegedly conning guards with delicious baked goods? I don't mean to sound trite, but seriously?

Andrew Brockway, who represents fellow prison guard Gene Palmer told CNN Mitchell used baked treats to gain trust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) [09:05:00] BROCKWAY: He had no knowledge beforehand that there were any kind of tools inside. The only mistake he made was trusting Joyce Mitchell. He could have run it through the metal detector. That was his mistake, Anderson. He didn't run it through the metal detector. He feels extremely guilty about that. He's regretful. He apologizes for that. But Miss Mitchell was just as manipulative as these two inmates were. He trusted her. If he's guilty of anything, Anderson, is that he's a very trusting individual and he's looking forward to telling his side of the story.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: With me now former NYPD detective and law enforcement consultant Tom Verni.

Welcome, Tom.

TOM VERNI, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: Tom, you know, I love it when my coworker Centera (ph) brings in her delicious red velvet cupcakes. But come on. Really?

VERNI: You know, I've been guilty of doing a lot of things for chocolate muffin or chocolate chip cookies but -- which we don't have enough time to talk about today, but, you know, Joyce Mitchell should be completely ashamed of herself. I mean, God forbid these two guys commit some sort of serious crime while they're out there, if they -- you know, if they hurt someone or even murder another person which is the reason why they were in jail to begin with.

You don't become friends with murderers, period, while you're in jail. It's as simple as that. So, you know, they could talk until the sun goes down about how, you know, they manipulated her and did this and not the other thing. You know, she has a job to do while she's in the jail just like all the other, you know, prison employees have a job to do. They are not babysitting 5-year-olds. They're babysitting big time, you know, crime committers that have been put there for a reason.

So the fact that she would even, you know, participate in anything having to do with these murderers wanting to get of that place is just heinous to begin with. So --

COSTELLO: It looks like -- but then the other thing, this Gene Palmer who said, you know, you know, Joyce Mitchell was manipulating him through baked goods. You know, Palmer's lawyer says he was too trusting. Well, the question is, do you want people who are too trusting working in a maximum security prison?

VERNI: I would not, no. They might want to reevaluate maybe some of the personnel they have working there because, you know, these people need to stay behind bars where they were put for a reason. You know, we don't want them running throughout the woods of New York or potentially Pennsylvania or anywhere else. We're now -- you know, these people who live in these areas have to worry about looking over their shoulder in their backyards, in their own homes, out of fear that these guys are going to be breaking into their homes, stealing goods, stealing things they need to survive and to potentially, you know, do whatever it is they're going to be doing next.

You know, when you're spending a lot of time in prison, and for as good as their plan was to get out -- and clearly it was a good plan -- I don't know if their after plan was as good because apparently they've already made some mistakes which have now opened up some leads, which is great. Yes, I'm always hoping that these guys at some point, they're just going to say, listen, yes, we've run our course, we -- you know, we got out, we tried our best and now maybe we should just, you know, walk out with our hands up and give them up. That would be great.

COSTELLO: I don't think so.

VERNI: I'm really fearful that they're going to do something to someone and then that's going to be -- that's going to be even make the situation a lot worse than what it already is.

COSTELLO: I hope you're wrong on that point.

Tom Verni, thanks for your insight.

VERNI: I hope so, too.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

VERNI: Any time.

COSTELLO: The end of the road for a confessed killer. A police dash cam video showing the arrest of Dylann Roof the morning after his deadly rampage inside that Charleston church. He calmly walks away from his vehicle and the apparent murder weapon that laid within reach.

CNN's Alina Machado in Charleston -- this morning to tell us more.

Good morning, Alina.

ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. That weapon was found in the back seat of the car underneath a pillow. The video shows just how calm Dylann Roof was just hours after the killings.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Confirmed it is the suspect from the Charleston shooting.

MACHADO (voice-over): Newly released footage from police dash cams along with 911 dispatch calls give a fuller picture of the moments leading up to the capture of accused South Carolina mass killer Dylann Roof.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Black Hyundai, white male traveling westbound. MACHADO: Police were on the lookout for Roof after the killing of

nine people inside an historic African-American church last Wednesday. The next day, an officer in North Carolina some 250 miles away received a tip from a woman driving to work, saying she spotted Roof partly because of his hair. The officer then called 911.

I UNIDENTIFIED MALE: know it's strange, but I just got a call on my personal cell phone. A lady called a friend of mine and said that she was behind the car matching the description of the Charleston killer. That it had a South Carolina tag on it, white male, early 20s with a bowl haircut.

MACHADO: The dash cam video shows police closing in, ending the 14- hour manhunt. You can see the moment police order Roof to step out of the vehicle, placing his hands on the top of the car. Roof is checked for weapons, but none were found on his body. However, according to the arresting officer, a search of the car revealed Roof was traveling with a Glock semiautomatic handgun in the back seat.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[09:10:09] MACHADO: A federal law enforcement source tells CNN Roof purchased that weapon at a gun store in west Columbia, South Carolina, not far from where he lived -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Alina Machado reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, not everyone in South Carolina backs the movement to take down the Confederate flag.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED), people come together in peace. Why don't you (EXPLETIVE DELETED) worry about that? This is (EXPLETIVE DELETED) peaceful. You guys are here stirring (EXPLETIVE DELETED) up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: I don't think that man was -- I don't think that man was too happy, do you?

Up next I'll talk with a lawmaker who voted no to a debate on removing the flag from the capitol grounds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Today South Carolinians will pay their respect to the Reverend Clementa Pinckney who along with eight others was gunned down at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston last week.

[09:15:09] Pinckney was also a state senator and in just a few hours, his body will lie in the rotunda lobby at the South Carolina Statehouse. The viewing taking place in the very same building where legislators cleared the first hurdle in removing the Confederate flag from the capital building. The effort coming after South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said the flag should no longer be displayed on capital ground.

Last night, lawmakers voted to move forward with the debate on the issue, although 20 said no or abstained.

And as CNN's Ed Lavandera reports, the strong emotions about the Confederate flag are being felt far beyond the capital's walls.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Erin, there's no question, the confederate flag's symbol is deeply embedded in some parts of southern culture. But as you've seen a growing chorus of people calling for the flag to disappear in recent days, we saw today first- hand the intensity and anger this issue can spark.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we on your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) agenda today? Get out of Somerville.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): This is what happened when we tried to shoot video of a store in Somerville, South Carolina selling confederate battle flag memorabilia.

This man who refused to identify himself, wanted to make sure we couldn't show you the sign announcing three shirts for $25. He threw in an obscenity laced tirade for free.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're stirring (EXPLETIVE DELETED). People come together in peace, why don't you (EXPLETIVE DELETED) worry about that? This isn't (EXPLETIVE DELETED) peaceful. You guys are here stirring (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

LAVANDERA: And it didn't end there. The man followed us and tried to get in the way of us shooting other pictures around town.

With so much focus on the Confederate battle flag, tempers and passions are heated once again over this divisive symbol.

Since the murders of nine African-Americans at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, the calls to bring down the Confederate flag have largely focused on the one flying on state capitol grounds.

But Confederate imagery is big business. Found in countless stores, shops and front yards across the South. Confederate flag symbols are emblazoned on everything you can imagine, bumper stickers, bikini, cigarette lighters, belt buckles.

But buying these items may be getting a little tougher. Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Sears are banning the sale of Confederate flag merchandise.

Randy Burbage keeps this Confederate flag cross stitch framed in his office.

RANDY BURBAGE, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS: The national flag was changed.

LAVANDERA: Burbage is a spokesman for the Sons of Confederate veterans. He says 57 of his ancestors fought for the Confederacy in the civil war, 16 of them died in battle. For him, the confederate battle flag is a family symbol of honor and sacrifice.

BURBAGE: Once this flag is removed, it will start down to a slippery slope. And then the monument will be called for to be removed in state house grounds. And then the next thing will be street names and building names, which has already begun. Complete eradication to eliminate all Confederate history.

LAVANDERA: Despite the calls for Confederate symbols to come down, this is the reminder that the issue won't go away without a fight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVES DELETED)

You're all part of the problem.

LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, Charleston, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: As we told you, South Carolina lawmakers will move forward with the debate about taking down the Confederate flag from the state capital. But a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the legislature is needed for the measure to reach Governor Nikki Haley's desk.

Senator Graham making this plea to those legislators who are opposed to the action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: To anybody thinking about voting no, here's what it means -- it means we'll get boycotted. It means that our state will suffer economically. It means that the children, black, white and everyone in between in South Carolina are going to be haunted by this.

There is no way to explain this after nine people were murdered by a racist young man who embraced the flag. So, for God's sakes, understand this is not about your political future, my political future. This is about the future of the state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: With me now, South Carolina State Representative Jonathon Hill.

Good morning, sir.

STATE REP. JONATHON HILL (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Good morning.

COSTELLO: You voted against a debate on this issue. How would you respond to Senator Graham? HILL: Well, you know, my view on the Confederate flag is simply that

it's important that we remember the start time in our nation's history, in our state's history. I certainly think that those who gave their lives for their families ought to be remembered.

But, you know, really I think the focus needs to be on the love and the forgiveness and the grace that's been extended by the victims, by the church and the community in Charleston and just how they've come together. It's a remarkable thing that can only happen with the grace of God.

COSTELLO: You know, I know you've said it many times, you just said it here, you said it last on Erin Burnett show that you defeat racism with love and not politics.

But, sir, the victims of the church massacre showed love and compassion for that gunman for over an hour and he turned around and he shot them.

[09:20:01] I would posture that love isn't enough. And sometimes you do need politics to deal with such things.

HILL: Well, I think where politics has a role is in the protection of all life, all innocent life. So, you know, that's one of the reasons here in South Carolina, we take our right to self-defense very seriously.

But you know, obviously, it's not possible and I'm standing here speaking as a state legislator. It's not possible to eradicate all of society's wrongs and ills through legislation, especially issues that are acts of the heart. Now, there were --

COSTELLO: But, sir, can't we just take this baby step --

HILL: -- very likely some mental health issues at play as well that maybe we can help.

COSTELLO: Can't we take a step in removing a symbol that is really upsetting to people and is really divisive? Why can't we just take that baby step? And honored civil war heroes in a museum? Why is that so bad?

HILL: Well, the thing -- I understand that the flag is offensive to some. And quite frankly, it's associated with a period of time in history that should be offensive to all.

When we look at what the South stood for and the fact that slavery was brought in as an issue, it wasn't the only issue, but it was an issue during the civil war. That's not a period in time of our history that we should be proud of. So, yes, by nature -- by association there's a certain amount of offense it's going to have for people of any color, certainly to me as well. I am offended by the fact that my ancestors, some of them, may have had slaves.

So, that is a problem that we need to be aware of. Now, if you're going to take it down off a monument and put it into a museum, who's to say someone walk into that museum would not be offended by them as jus there? There's a proper context for everything, and I think the monument that was erected to the lives of those died during this war, this -- I would dare say needless war, is a very appropriate place for the battle flag they fought under.

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you the question this way. Let's take race out of the equation for just a second. Many Americans view Jefferson Davis, for example, as a traitor. Senator Mitch McConnell wants his statute removed from the Kentucky statehouse.

Why should America honor such a man?

HILL: You know , there's a difference between honoring and remembering. Once again, it's all about context.

COSTELLO: When you build a statute on the state house grounds, that's honoring someone. That's not remembering or learning about history.

HILL: Well, you know I suppose you can make that argument. Maybe there's a place for, you know, revisiting these monuments and taking a look and remembering the facts in their proper context. You know, but I think that these two go together, the monument and the flag. They go together. They're from the same period in history. They carry the same message.

And so, if you're going to argue for taking down one, if you're going to be consistent, you should argue for bulldozing the entire monument. Personally, I think that would be a misguided move. Because, once again, if we forget our state history and we forget the mistakes of the past, then we're going to be putting ourselves in a position to repeat the same mistakes, and I don't want to see that happen.

COSTELLO: I just don't -- I guess my final question is, Senator Pinckney's body is going to be lying in state on the capital grounds and that Confederate flag is going to be flying there. Should that really be?

HILL: You know, I can see the case out of the courtesy to the family for taking it down for the day. I don't know if that's going to happen or not.

I do plan to attend that service in the state house today and I certainly extend my condolences. I was walking over here for this interview, I was actually praying for the family. I think many in our state and nation are praying for all of the victims. And this is a very difficult time for them.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: You know, sir, that Confederate flag probably bothered Senator Pinckney, right?

HILL: Well, you know, this flag is erected and placed here by state law. Until the legislature takes action to take it down, then by law it flies here. Like I said, it's part of the monument. So, you know, if you're going

to say the flag is offensive, I think you're probably going to also say the monument is offensive. Once again, it's offensive because of the history. And yes, wrongs were done. They were.

COSTELLO: All right. Republican state lawmaker Jonathan hill, thank you so much for sharing your insight. I do appreciate it. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM: will Tsarnaev talk? And will it mean anything? That's the big question at today's sentencing hearing for the Boston bomber. We'll break it down, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:29:06] COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Just minutes from now in a Boston courtroom the victims of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and their family members will get to say their piece in front of the convicted Boston bomber. As many as 30 people will speak today, and feel free to speak or as long as they wish.

But there is one question that remains for many about today's proceedings, will we hear from Tsarnaev himself?

To talk about this, I'm joined by CNN legal analyst and senior trial counsel, Paul Callan.

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, do you think Tsarnaev will stand up and say anything?

CALLAN: Hard to say. You know, I was looking to see how many death penalty defendants spoke in court. I was looking at timothy McVeigh from, of course, the Oklahoma City bombing. He did speak. And he gave a rather bizarre, you know, short speech in which he said the government is the omnipresent teacher of the people, and he claimed that he was quoting from a Supreme Court decision. And that was it.