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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Latest 2016 Election Polls; Hunting a Suspected Serial Killer; Florida Road Rage Killing; Obama, Huckabee Trade Barbs; Cosby Accusers on Magazine Cover. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired July 27, 2015 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00] ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jeb Bush actually lost two points in the last month compared to our most recent poll. But you're right. Those numbers on the GOP side do not translate to the broader electorate.

Eighty percent of Democrats have an unfavorable view of Donald Trump, 53 percent of the Independent have an unfavorable vote -- unfavorable view, and 42 percent on the number is for Republican view. Add all that together, average of that, it's 59 percent of the American people have an unfavorable view of Mr. Trump. And that is not a good number. That's a very, very high unfavorable number and it's the highest among any of the candidates we polled.

Randi?

RANDI KAYE, CNN HOST: And in terms of our poll, what does it tell us about voter's satisfaction? That's got a way heavily on this poll. I mean I guess we're locked up right with Washington.

JONES: Exactly. It looks like it's the people who are most fed up with Washington. The -- Republican voters especially who are the ones that are really -- that really like what Trump has to say.

Our poll shows that if you ask, you know, "Does the government in Washington represent your views?" Twenty-seven percent of Democrats say that government in Washington does not represent your views at all, but that number for Republicans, it's 53 percent. And of those Republican, that 53 percent, 20 -- they choose Donald Trump at the rate of 24 percent compared to 13 percent for Jeb Bush. So he's even further ahead of this nearest rival when it comes to those specific Republicans who just feel like Washington does not have their back.

So, it gives us a clue as to who exactly it is that he's appealing to.

Randi.

KAYE: One of many, many polls to come, I'm sure, but always interesting to crunch the numbers.

Athena Jones, thank you.

JONES: Thanks.

KAYE: The number 8 GOP candidate in our poll back by 3 percent of Republican voters is weighing in on the theatre shooting last week in Louisiana.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry says declaring certain place is off- limits to guns is not the answer to gun violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK PERRY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These concepts of gun-free zones are a bad idea. I think that you allow the citizens of this country who have been appropriately trained, appropriately backgrounded, know how to handle and use firearms to carry them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: For his part, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, also Republican presidential hopeful polling just below Perry at 2 percent, says every state should strengthen its gun laws.

And then there is Mike Huckabee. On Saturday, the former Arkansas Governor and yes, Republican presidential candidate accused President Obama of risking another holocaust with the nuclear deal the U.S. and other world powers just signed with Iran.

Huckabee spoke to Braveheart Radio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This President's foreign policy is the most feckless in American history. Uh, he's so naive he would trust the Iranians, and he would take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven.

This is the most hideous thing, this Iran deal. It should be rejected by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress and by the American people. And I think we forget that the Iranians have never kept a deal in 36 years under the Ayatollah. There's no reason to think that they'll suddenly start doing it.

I read the entire thing. We gave away the whole farm. It's got to be stopped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Now, that one line in particular, "marching Jews to the door of the oven," set off a firestorm that didn't stop at the water's edge.

This morning, President Obama weighed in from Ethiopia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The particular comments that Mr. Huckabee are I think part of just a general pattern that we've seen that is -- would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Huckabee's comments also are being condemned by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League.

Up next, road rage.

It happens all over the country, it happens everyday. But this one turned deadly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:37:22] KAYE: Here is a quick look in other stories in the news today.

Last week's tragedy, Louisiana is brining back memories of the movie theater massacre in the rural Colorado three years ago. The jurors who convicted James Holmes are being asked if the Lafayette shooting impacts their ability to be fair. The jury is now weighing the death penalty versus life in prison for Holmes.

President Obama speaking from the capital of Ethiopia this morning said it is time for breakthrough in this South Sudan peace process.

The president said the civil war is deteriorating and time is running out on solution. He also praised Ethiopia as a strong partner in the fight against terror groups.

The boy scouts are expected to lift their ban on gay scout leaders today. The National Executive Board is voting on a resolution that would reverse the long standing ban under the resolution, local units and religious organizations can still choose their own leaders. The scouts lifted their ban on openly gay youth back in 2013.

Well it all began as an incident of road rage and then it turned deadly.

A Florida man is now charged with second degree murder after shooting and killing another man right in front of that man's family, this all happened last week in Citrus County. Both parties dialed 911 as they accused each other of driving recklessly. The calls captured the horrifying moments.

Nick Valencia picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHY GONZALEZ, VICTIM'S WIFE: He killed my husband. Oh my God.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Disturbing 911 calls revealed both sides of a deadly road rage altercation in Florida that ends in gunfire.

On Thursday, 44-year-old Candelario Gonzalez was in truck with his wife, daughter and grandson.

His wife calls 911 claiming that 51-year old Robert Doyle was "Driving like an idiot."

Doyle, called 911 too saying Gonzalez was "Trying to run him off the road." The incident quickly escalates.

CANDELARIO GONZALEZ, VICTIM: We're going to follow him right to his house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no.

ROBERT DOYLE, ACCUSED SHOOTER: They're following me to my house and the guns are already out.

VALENCIA: Doyle tells the dispatcher he has his gun cocked and locked. If Gonzalez insists to his dispatcher he wants to stop by the house to get Doyle's address.

Seconds later Doyle reaches his driveway and Gonzalez decides to get out of his truck.

CATHY GONZALEZ: Son of a -- has got a gun. Get somebody here now.

VALENCIA: Shots rang out and a witness says Doyle shot Gonzalez as he was backing away. But the wife of the alleged shooter says the 44- year-old was charging towards her husband.

WIFE OF ACCUSED SHOOTER, ROBERT DOYLE: We were in our yard, he stopped in the middle of the road and came after my husband.

VALENCIA: Then as Gonzalez was lying on the ground, Doyle allegedly forced the victim's family out of the car, holding them at gunpoint until police arrived.

[12:40:02] CATHY GONZALEZ: That son of a -- is making me get out the truck with my daughter.

You got to help me please.

VALENCIA: Doyle, is charged with second degree murder and is now out on bond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Nick Valencia joins me now live from Atlanta.

So what is the latest Nick?

VALENCIA: Randi, Robert Doyle was initially booked without bond. But under in his first court appearance on Friday the judge change that to $60,000 bond.

Doyle, we understand according to sheriff's office posted that. He is now out of jail. Some people have been reaching out to CNN to wonder why that bond was set seemingly so low at $60,000.

We have reached out for the judge to try to figure that out but we're still waiting to hear back. Randi.

KAYE: And what is the family saying? Anything more about this incident, I mean it's incredible that they were held at gunpoint and could even help the man who was killed.

VALENCIA: It is terrible to think about that, it was two children that witness this, both under the age of 10 that were in Gonzalez's car. Of course Doyle was driving with his wife.

We have attempted to reach out to the Gonzalez family but have been unsuccessful. CNN local affiliate did talk to a relative of Gonzalez and they are grieving and still mourning this case, just really sending tragic ripples to that community there just outside of Tampa Bay. Randi.

KAYE: So sad, so unnecessary.

All right Nick Valencia thank you so much.

VALENCIA: You bet.

KAYE: 35 women who accused Comedian Bill Cosby of sexually assaulting them are brought together in a story for New York magazine.

Just ahead we'll talk to the photographer who captured the moment on camera.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:12] KAYE: Investigators may have a break in the case of a possible serial killer connected to 10 possible murders in Nevada, Illinois, and Ohio. The alleged victims ran in the same circle. Many were drug addicts or prostitutes, the potential break in the case happening in Charleston West Virginia.

A woman said she was attacked by a man who answered an ad that she posted on the adult website backpage.com.

Here is the 911 call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lady in the alley here and she's saying that some guy tried to rape her and she had to defend herself and she shot him and he's in the kitchen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He pulled a gun on me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He pulled a gun on her. She's got cuts and stuff all over her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does she know who this guy is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know who the guy is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She said no.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I opened the door and he said live or die and he said, he (inaudible) and I wrestled with him and he was going to kill me.(inaudible)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did he actually rape her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sure. She said he tried to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was she able to injure him in any way?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah she shot him. She says he's on the kitchen floor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Well this man, the accused serial killer, Neal Falls, did not survive his gunshot wound and what investigators found in his car is shocking.

This kill kit was in his trunk according to investigators including an axe, a machete, knives, box cutter, a large container of bleach, and a large number of trash bags.

Joining me now is CNN Contributor and Forensic Scientist, Larry Kobilinsky.

So Larry, they found bleach. Could he have used bleach to clean up a crime scene, to scrub any of this important and key forensic evidence to commit another crime scene?

LARRY KOBILINSKY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: No doubt about it. This guy maybe a socio -- or was a sociopath and a sexual predator. But the fact that he had bleach tells me, he knows something about DNA because bleach will wipe out DNA. He was covering up his tracks

KAYE: And he was prepared to do it again...

KOBILINSKY: Absolutely.

BANFIELD: ... and it looks like some of these Las Vegas cases that we mentioned, some of those are 10-years-old. I mean how much does forensic evidence decay and how difficult might that be in a case like this?

KOBILINSKY: Well, biological evidence does in fact decay. But I'll tell you what is pretty, pretty, a strong and does not decay that rapidly and that's DNA.

And we have a National Database operated by the FBI, the NDIS, National DNA Indexing System which actually links crimes that are in different jurisdictions. So it's the ideal tool to deal with the situation like this whether he was in Oregon or West Virginia or Las Vegas or any place if he has committed crimes and he has left biological evidence and that could be just about anything including semen, you're going to be able to link these crimes. And ultimately link it to a particular person.

It's all through DNA. It's all through the National Database and it can -- it's specifically with these kinds of horrible predators. KAYE: And when you talk about some of the evidences, how much do they keep, I mean do they keep all the hair fibers? Do they keep a car -- maybe a carpet fiber? Do they keep some of the semen? Do they keep it all?

KOBILINSKY: At least we'll keep a sampling of what they think is relevant. Hair is very good, teeth -- different body parts. There is so many -- so many parts, so many biological parts have DNA. So you really don't need to keep the whole body obviously, you need to keep samples. They'll take blood for example and it can be preserved very or very long time.

KAYE: And so he had this kill kit allegedly in his car. What else would they look for just in the car specifically?

KOBILINSKY: Well it's interesting that you talk about the kill kit because there were axes and similar types of devices and many of these victims were dismembered, takes a special kind of predator to dismember a body. That's another form of linkage.

If you look at the dismembering, the marks, what we call tool marks in the bone, you might be able to tell that the same tool was used to dismember different bodies. It's another way of linking these things, all these cases.

So yeah, there's a lot going here to solve all of these cases if you're going to establish the linkage.

KAYE: And I'll have to go through the car and the residence as well, right?

KOBILINSKY: Yes of course. The car, the residences, its all -- these are all technically crime scenes. You can collect DNA. You can establish a pseudo example are known, DNA profile on the perpetrator.

Yeah, I mean there's a lot of information that has to be put together. But ultimately what ties everything together is the DNA National Database. That's the power of DNA.

KAYE: Sort of a gruesome question. But is there a chance that in this -- in some of these older cases would they have to go and exhume some of these bodies to look at them again.

KOBILINSKY: It's possible if the police did not take adequate samples. You might have to exhume the body. You know, what your font is hair or skeletal remains or teeth and those all have DNA. Very important information if we're looking for a linkage.

[12:50:13] But if you left a semen behind, anything like that, it's not going to be there for much, much time and unfortunately, we can't take advantage of that.

KAYE: Thank goodness for that DNA database, right?

KOBILINSKY: Absolutely.

KAYE: It's an amazing tool.

KOBILINSKY: Yes.

KAYE: All right Lawrence Kobilinsky, I appreciate it, nice to see you, thank you.

Accusers who say comedian Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them are brought together in a story for New York magazine.

Just ahead we'll be talking with the photographer who capture the moment that 35 of them came together to tell their story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back about five minutes before the hour now.

For about a year now, the accusations about Bill Cosby's alleged sexual assault have been relentless. I'm sure you've heard them.

New York magazine today has published the chilling stories of 35 women, 35 of them who claimed that they were all sexually abuse by Cosby at some point in the past.

There might be more alleged victims but these are the women who have agreed to come forward with their stories.

Like 72-year-old Former Playboy Bunny, Victoria Valentino who says the comedian assaulted her back in 1969.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[12:55:03] VICTORIA VALENTINO: He reached over and he put a pill next t my wine glass.

He said. "Take this. It will make you feel better. It will make us all feel better."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: CNN has reached out to Cosby for reaction but so far we have not heard anything back.

And joining me now on the phone from Los Angeles is the photographer behind this powerful cover, Amanda Demme.

Amanda, I've looked at this covering, it really says so much. It is very, very powerful. Tell us where the idea came from.

AMANDA DEMME, PHOTOGRAPHER: It is version of a Mexican showdown, but there ladies so I have them sitting.

But -- yeah and so that's it just where -- emotionally that's where I wanted to see them and how I want to see them.

KAYE: And, did you get all of them in one place? DEMME: No, I did it in clusters. But part sponsors and it was pretty profound especially the first shoot when they all arrived. And some asking forward and it was sad and -- but at the same time it was profound, and I am surprise (ph).

KAYE: Could you -- having a little bit of hard time hearing you but you -- could you see them bonding I mean it was -- did you sense a relationship and, you know, really in a sad common bond among all of them.

DEMME: Oh yes, at first. But they truly were, you know, there was -- it was unconditional love in a really profound way. They are very kind to one another.

And some had never met before which was incredible. And to see this women really got to sit in the room with everybody how believe their thought. And ...

KAYE: And have you heard from them since they cover came out? I'm curious with their reaction and want to see it there.

DEMME: I haven't meet some everybody but (inaudible), I mean to be able to be hold in an environment that -- just a code this not so much though.

KAYE: And what kind of statement to mean as the photographer of this? What kind of statement do you think this makes. What were you going for?

DEMME: I wasn't going so anything other than that I'm going to document them in the way I've talk, well I didn't have any specific goals (inaudible).

KAYE: Well if they are fascinating cover and I'm sure with a very interesting shot.

Amanda Demme appreciate your time and calling and to talk about it.

And by the way coming up in our 2 P.M. Eastern hour break (inaudible) and we'll interview the writer of the New Yorker Article, Noreen Malone. So be sure to stay tune for that.

Thanks so much for watching today. I'm Randi Kaye. Have a great afternoon.

Wolf, starts right now.

WOLF BLITZER: Hello. I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1 p.m. here in Washington, 6 p.m. in London, 8 p.m. in Addis Ababa. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

Up first President Obama has mostly stayed out of the Republican primary fight.

Until now the president came out swinging. He gets several top Republican candidates during a news conference in Ethiopia today. He took direct aim at the former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for comparing the nuclear agreement with Iran to the Holocaust.

Huckabee saying, "The Iran nuclear deal is marching the Israelis to the door of the oven."

Here's how the president responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: A particular comment said of Mr. Huckabee are I think part of just a general pattern that we've seen that is -- would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)