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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Manhunt Press Conference; Pinckney Honored in South Carolina; Obama to Speak on Hostage Policy. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired June 24, 2015 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:19] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Three very important stories breaking this hour.

We are about to hear from the police who are hot on the trail of those two escaped killers in New York state.

In South Carolina, the body of state senator and Pastor Clementa Pinckney, one of those nine people killed in a Charleston church, is going to make its way via horse-drawn carriage to the state capital building.

Also live this hour, President Obama announcing a major policy shift to help bring home some Americans held hostage by overseas terrorists. But some people fear the new strategy may only encourage more kidnappings.

Hello, everyone. I'm Ashleigh Banfield. To our viewers in the United States and around the world, welcome. This is LEGAL VIEW.

Any moment now we're expecting a news conference on that manhunt for two very dangerous escaped killers, murders, who made their way out of the Clinton Correctional Facility in New York, and that was 19 days ago. The search has been on ever since. We have a lot of new developments to tell you about.

First, a law enforcement official tells CNN that prison tailor Joyce Mitchell used baked goods to essentially facilitate their escape.

We're going to break from those developments for a moment to bring you the news out of South Carolina. I mentioned earlier a horse-drawn carriage known in these terms as a caisson. Right now, what you're seeing in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, is the procession from Leevy's Funeral Home to the state capital where Senator Clementa Pinckney, who was also a reverend and a victim of that terrible murderous rampage in the Mother Emanuel Church, his body is going to rest in state, it's going to lie in state in the building at the state capital on the second floor in the rotunda.

This is a very special day for so many people for so many reasons. There is a lot of symbolism in the pictures that you're seeing. The state capital, where they are headed, well, that statehouse in the capital, it still flies that flag, the confederate flag, that is the subject of so much grievance at this point. While the technicalities rage on as to whether that flag can continue to fly as the state senator lies in state and people come to view his body, there are measures that can be taken to actually have it come down. But whether those measures will be taken, well, no one is sure just yet.

But right now you can be assured there will be many people who will not only line these streets to watch this procession as the casket of Senator Clementa Pinckney goes through the streets of Columbia, the capital, towards the statehouse, but also those who will line up to get their chance to file past that casket as the senator lies in state.

Just so you know, this is going to happen today from 1:00 until 5:00. It is very hot in Columbia and all measures are being taken to make sure that people can line up and still be safe. They're going to pass out water for those who are going to line up to wait their turn. The security is tight. They are asking people to leave backpacks, purses, any kinds of baggage behind because they still have to go through all of the security. They've canceled all of the tours at the statehouse in Columbia.

And, of course, the streets are lined not only with security but media. There are very strict rules about the statehouse. No one is going to be able to take any pictures anywhere inside the statehouse. The media has been given a special dispensation to not only have what we call a pool feed, one camera that really is unobtrusive that will show the lying in state and the media is also going to be allowed on the first floor of the statehouse.

So you're just seeing now the live pictures as we're getting them from our affiliates in Columbia of the procession and the caisson that is on its way now for the next several hours. While the senator lies in state, the funeral plans also are still being finalized for Friday. And you will remember that the president, with a very high level group of dignitaries, is heading down to South Carolina. The president will be giving the eulogy at -- of Senator Clementa Pinckney.

[12:04:55] So I want to get you right now back up to New York because the officials are now filing out and towards a live microphone for that now what's become very regular briefing as to the situation in terms of hunting down those two escaped murders. This news conference is coming to us from Cadyville in New York, not far from the Clinton Correctional Facility. We've got our correspondents standing by but I think it's probably best left to the officials. We're not sure if they're going to release any brand new details, but we certainly have been able to dig up a lot on the woman who was arrested and is accused of having facilitated this escape. So as we get ready, we are expecting not only the trooper who usually does the briefings but other officials may speak.

MAJ. CHARLES GUESS, NEW YORK STATE POLICE: Good afternoon. I'm Major Charles Guess of the New York State Police. I'm joined by Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie and Franklin County District Attorney Glenn MacNeill, along with representatives from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. In the search for David Sweat and Richard Matt, the region around

Dannemora remains a primary focus of our investigation. Residents will specifically note a strong law enforcement presence in the town of Belmont as the search continues. In addition, although no evidence exists that the escapees are in the town a Malone or village of Malone, a search will begin that area in an attempt to insure the safety of area residents.

Our current search area is approximately 75 square miles within Franklin County. More than 1,000 federal, state, and law enforcement members are involved in this search area and our collaborative effort with our partners will continue until the inmates are captured. We continue to aggressively pursue leads in this case. We have developed more than 2,200 leads of -- as of today and more continue to come in. We appreciate the public's assistance during our investigation and we ask them to continue to call 911 if anything suspicious is noted in their property, in their digital recordings and their trail cameras at any time.

We've received reported sightings each day and we have investigated every one. So far, none of the sightings have been substantiated. But we will continue to ensure to the public that every sighting or lead that is reported will be investigated until exhausted.

We have dozens of experienced investigators who are tracking each lead and we are benefitting from the experience of our state, local, and federal partners. This remains very much a team effort.

Again, we ask the public to remain alert, take necessary safety precautions and remain vigilant about reporting anything that is out of the ordinary. We want to thank all of our law enforcement partners on a state, local, and federal level for their collaboration. The resources, expertise and experience they provide are invaluable to our investigation.

This search has not been without its challenges. I would like to introduce Captain John Streiff (ph) from the New York State Forest Rangers who can detail what our teams have been up against over the past few weeks.

Captain Streiff.

CAPT. JOHN STREIFF, NEW YORK STATE FOREST RANGERS: Good afternoon.

(INAUDIBLE) Park is the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. Searchers have had to work in an environment which presents significant challenges due to remoteness, terrain, vegetation and ever-changing weather conditions. This area contains mountains, hills and ravines that range from gentle to very steep. The area is heavily forested. Much of the land is probably held timberlands, the undergrowth in these lands is thick, especially on tracks of land that have been logged within the past 10 years. The vegetation is a dense combination of trees, saplings and brush.

Rivers and streams, ponds and large wetlands are also present. The wetlands are challenging with a combination of water, thick bogs and dense vegetation. Searchers are methodically moving through an environment where it's not only difficult to navigate, but the distance you can see ahead of you is sometimes only a few feet or less.

The road system in this area is mainly secondary, which slows down motor vehicle movement. There are hundreds of seasonal camps and second homes throughout the area. We continue to check these camps and secure them as we identify them. However, we're also asking camp owners to prevent any -- to report any suspicious activity or signs of trespass.

In addition, searchers are exposed to large amounts of rain and biting insects. It should be pointed out that the remoteness of the area and the conditions I have described are the very reason the Clinton County Correctional facility was built in Dannemora more than 100 years ago.

Thank you.

GUESS: All right, we'll take a few questions at this time.

QUESTION: Do you believe --

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) found in that cabin (INAUDIBLE) one of them is injured?

GUESS: There are numerous items we recovered from the cabin. Although I can't specify what those items were, we have no definitive information to reveal that someone was injured. Let's face it, a bloody sock could mean somebody had a blister or it could mean a lot worse. I'm hoping for the best. Anything that would impede their project in the search area and aid these searchers would be a good thing for us.

QUESTION: And a follow-up, sir. Are you concerned about the amount of time that's elapsed between the report of the men being there and the time that the officer actually arrived (INAUDIBLE)?

[12:10:04] GUESS: Time is always a concern. It generally works against the police in the immediate response, but it works typically for law enforcement long term as we begin to coalesce around the search area, bring in more partners. What you're seeing here is the -- is the face of relentless pursuit and we're going to be relentless until we capture these people. Bottom line is, we don't want them to have a restful, peaceful night putting their head on any pillow. Whether it ends here today in Owl's Head or whether it's, you know, an indeterminate amount of time going forward, we will resolve this case and capture these individuals and return them to corrections.

QUESTION: Did they steal a shotgun from the cabin?

QUESTION: Major Guess, do you believe they were in that cabin and, if so, how far away do you conceivably believe that they could be from there right now?

GUESS: We have every reason to believe that they were at the point last seen where that cabin is. Their distance from that cabin could be extensive if their travel was unimpeded. But as you heard Captain Streiff say, it's a very remote, difficult terrain to work in. We had units in the area almost immediately and we're doing everything we can to keep them hunkered down and secure until we can capture them.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) how many miles away (INAUDIBLE)?

GUESS: Again, that depends on the terrain and geography and the environmental conditions. You could easily cover 10 miles a day if you're unimpeded on an ATV trail or something like that would be a high-speed avenue of egress.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) did they steal a shotgun from the cabin?

QUESTION: Are they still (INAUDIBLE) together?

GUESS: What makes me think they're not together? I have to prepare for both eventualities and I'm not trying to toss the question back at you but we plan and we have been investigating since day one for both possibilities that they've either split up as soon as they popped their heads up out of the manhole or they remain together as a team. Obviously they committed the escape as a team. Working together as a team has certain pluses. Separating also has certain advantages when you're trying to elude capture. But we're working on both.

QUESTION: Is there a shotgun missing from the cabin, major, and also did any of the corrections officers who had access to that cabin that was broken into in the Owl's Head area have any interaction with Matt or Sweat when they were at the prison?

GUESS: I won't comment on the last part about the interaction with the corrections officers.

Regarding the shotgun, there have been reports widely made that a shotgun is missing. I do not have confirmatory evidence that a particular shotgun is missing. I would point out to you that those of you not familiar with the area, just about every cabin or out building in the north country has one or more shotguns or weapons and we have since day one operated under the belief that these men are armed. They're extremely dangerous. They're cunning. Why wouldn't they try to arm themselves immediately upon escape?

QUESTION: So, major, a follow-up for you. Wouldn't all of the people who had access to that cabin know how many guns they own and be able to tell you whether or not they have all their guns now?

GUESS: Logic would dictate that, but they put an inordinate amount of weapons and ammunition and other tools in these shared seasonal hunting camps and cabins. You would think that they'd have some sort of an inventory. But our investigation has led us to conclude that, in fact, a number of people cycle through these camps and cabins and they do not have a definitive number of weapons, so they cannot tell us what's missing and what's not.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)?

GUESS: That's entirely possible. Perimeter is a very definitive term that I have not used unless I've used air quotes. By that I mean, we've -- with this 75 mile square area -- and that's being generous. That's the primary search area. They could have made it out before law enforcement could have encircled them. The fact of the matter is, we are not limiting our investigation to Owl's Head. We're continuing to look nationwide and we have all the assets at our disposal, U.S. marshals, FBI and others to take this thing nationwide and around the world if necessary.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last question.

QUESTION: Is it becoming more clear, (INAUDIBLE) any evidence have surfaced, that they had (INAUDIBLE)? Were there more characters involved (INAUDIBLE)?

GUESS: We're continuing to develop on that particular aspect of the investigation daily, sometimes hourly. What we know for sure is that Joyce Mitchell, who has been arrested and charged, assisted them and our investigators, all investigators, are exploring what other further leads or collaborative efforts could have used to aid them in their escape.

QUESTION: What (INAUDIBLE) cross the border to Canada?

GUESS: Well, we're ready for that. We've already talked with Interpol, our Canadian partners of the RCMP and provincial police up there. Our customs and border patrol folks are adeptly integrated with them and our federal partners stand behind me at the podium here today are ready for that eventuality. In fact, looking in Canada, and by that I mean looking to Canada and not searching in Canada.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, everyone.

QUESTION: Just for clarification, major, you said there were no substantiated sightings, but the cabin has been substantiated, correct, that they were there?

[12:15:00] GUESS: We have virtually 100 percent assurance that they were in that area, but a sighting would indicate that I have some sort of photographic evidence to corroborate that or a visual description of the inmates that was so definitive that I could tell you that I have a sighting that confirms that. Even though we have a subject that we interviewed who reported the sighting, we don't have a definitive, physical description from that subject. He saw someone fleeing into the woods and that's the best we could get from him.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) found in that cabin, what makes you 100 percent certain they were there?

GUESS: We have a thousand people here and I believe that they're -- they were at that point last seen as of 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, everyone.

QUESTION: What about the video (INAUDIBLE) county?

GUESS: Thank you.

BANFIELD: So, you know, each day we've been waiting for additional details on just how close they are getting, how narrow the net is becoming around these escaped murders in upstate New York and it doesn't feel like there's a lot more information other than the fact that they've got a thousand people now on this search.

[12:16:09] I'm going to continue to cover this story and we'll take you live to our reporters. But I also want to take you back down to Columbia, South Carolina, so that we can take a moment to watch as the caisson that's carrying the body of Senator Clementa Pinckney arrives at the statehouse.

So as you can see, we are following a moving story, the casket bearing the body of Senator Pinckney, Reverend Pinckney, will eventually get to the steps of the statehouse. The senator is going to lie in repose -- I said earlier lie in state, I want to correct that. These are very special issues of technicality and this technicality is that he will lie in repose in the second floor rotunda of the statehouse.

But these are the image. You can see the law enforcement effectively clearing the way as the caisson makes its way throughout Columbia, South Carolina, throughout the streets. It came from the funeral home and the casket with the reverend, with the senator inside, will be in the rotunda for the better part of this afternoon for those who want to come between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.

It appeared earlier, as the hearse follows there was also a line that had already possibly started to form outside and the department of parks and recreation and tourism, other law enforcement agencies have made, you know, advanced preparations to make sure that the flow of traffic and the foot traffic of those who want to come to pay their respects to the senator in and out of the statehouse and around it will be able to do so without a lot of difficulty.

And let's keep in mind that it is extraordinarily hot in Columbia. So they are also going to be passing out water to those who will be standing and waiting for their turn to go through the statehouse. No photographs allowed for those who will be coming through to pay their respects.

As those look on, the body of reverend and Senator Clementa Pinckney returns to the statehouse in the capital of Columbia, South Carolina, where he served honorably this state. We do have news that the flag that flies very close to this location on the state grounds, the confederate flag, the subject of so much consternation, will continue to fly at full staff. Governor Nikki Haley's press secretary just recently releasing a statement suggesting she does not have the authority to change that and that she will instead work on the law to change the existence of that flag and where it flies. There is some question as to whether there is some kind of authority, some kind of measure that could be taken at least for this very austere day.

[12:25:38] But while that happens, this is what you're seeing. This only a few days from the funeral for Senator Clementa Pinckney, which will take place on Friday and which will see a delegation the likes of which is rare. The last kind of delegation that attended a state funeral of this magnitude was the Senator Ted Kennedy's funeral, Beau Biden's funeral, Senator Robert Byrd's funeral. And on Friday, Michelle Obama, the House Speaker John Boehner, the House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, the GOP Leader Steve Scalise, Representative Kevin McCarthy and several other senators will join President Obama in traveling to Columbia and traveling to South Carolina to be at the funeral for Senator Pinckney. It will be President Obama who delivers the eulogy on Friday.

CNN's Victor Blackwell is standing by and also I'm joined by Jason Johnson who says his real education began the day that he met Clem Pinckney. Johnson is a college professor. He's a political analyst and he's live in Atlanta as well.

Professor, I'll ask you to stand by for a moment so I can just check in with my colleague just to get a feel for the silent pictures that we're watching.

Victor.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Silent really is the right characterization of this. There are hundreds of people, maybe more than a thousand people, who are here on the statehouse grounds. You see the long line there as people begin to file in starting at 1:00 to pay their respects to Senator Clementa Pinckney.

And what you're hearing from not just, you know, people inside who knew him inside his -- the house chamber or the senate chamber, from people who did not know him. I walked up to a woman and I asked her why did she come here. It's 100 degrees. And she's standing outside on the street corner and she said for her it was not an option. She had to be here because of the reverence she had for this man and that he was praising God when he was shot and killed, as long -- as well as those eight other people.

And again, the word "silent." As that caisson came down main street, Ashleigh, the only things you really heard or I heard were the hooves of the horses hitting the asphalt and the helicopter above. I mean people were trying to chase down the caisson and get a picture of this moment, this moment of punctuation which in a broader spectrum is a moment of race relation, punctuation in this state. But there was silence here and now people are being beginning to file in. For the next four hours his body will lie in repose here.

Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: If I could ask, Jason Johnson, I'd like you to weigh in for me. What would the reverend, the senator, have thought about what's happening today?

JASON JOHNSON, POLITICAL ANALYST, FRIEND OF CLEMENTA PINKNEY: You know, it's hard to watch this. It's just hard to see him be gone. And this was not Clem. This is a guy from Jasper County. He -- this kind of pomp and circumstance is not how he served. It's not how he served as a pastor. It's not how he served as a senator. And the amount of passion, the interest and the pageantry, the respect, the love that's being shown now is only contrasted by the humility that he showed throughout his entire life. He was literally -- I've worked for a lot of campaigns. I've worked for Republicans. I've worked for Democrats. You never forget the first campaign you work for. He was one of the most loving, noble, humble and sincerest men I've ever met in my life.

BANFIELD: You know, I have learned that he was not interested in getting donations from people who could not afford to give donations, and that's very rare among our political breed these days.

JOHNSON: Yes, you know, one of the first things that happened, I'm down there and I was like, Clem, we've got to raise money, we've got to get this and that for the campaign and he was almost embarrassed to ask. He's like, look, there's people here who are poor. He's like, and I know they'll give to me. I know they'll give to me and not pay rent.

BANFIELD: Jason, I just need to jump in for a moment. I apologize for interrupting. I want to take us to Washington for the president.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Men and women, tourists, journalists, humanitarians, it's a horror and cruelty beyond description. For their families and for their friends, it's an unrelenting nightmare that the rest of us cannot even begin to imagine.

[12:29:59] As a government, we should always do everything in our power to bring these Americans home safe and to support their families. Dedicated public servants across our government work tirelessly to do so. Our military personnel