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Sketch of Tom Brady in Court Surfaced on Social Media; Department of Justice Opens a Federal Civil Rights Investigation Into the Shooting Death of Unarmed Teenager Zachary Hammond; Amazing Video of the Biggest Shark Ever Filmed Released. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired August 13, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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


[15:33:40] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Well, the biggest news to come out of deflategate in federal court had nothing to do actually with the NFL or Tom Brady's four-game suspension. The headline stealer is this, the courtroom sketch. Yes, that is Tom Brady. Once social media got ahold of this sketch here, let's just say it took on a life of its own inspiring as things happened on via through wed. It's inspiring means like this one, Tome Brady and Michael Jackson's thriller video. This one that we that we hear is the Thriller. Then you have the Brady bunch, then you have let's go to the ET1, Tom Brady riding on the basket from that same as scene in the ET.

So joining me by the phone here, Jane Rosenberg who is the artist who drew that sketch, who by the way has been doing this for 35 years.

Jane, thank you so much for joining me. And before we talk, I just want to show some other examples of your work. Alec Baldwin, sketch in the courtroom. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the courtroom as well. So you know, you are a veteran sketch artist. So let me just first ask you, you know, anytime you even began doing this, the process, how do you determine -- I don't know, how to portray the individual?

JANE ROSENBERG, SKETCH ARTIST (on the phone): I don't really have a determination of how I'm going to portray somebody until I see them in the courtroom and if they have an emotion or gesture, whatever it is, they look like to me at that moment, that's what I'm aiming to portray. I do the best I can, just see it in front of me and try to capture what I see.

[15:35:13] BALDWIN: Yes. That's precisely what I meant when you're in the courtroom and you are looking at these different people. And so, when you saw Tom Brady in that New York federal courtroom and you drew what we're looking at and now all of this just sort of -- I'm sure it totally took you by surprise the means online, you apologize for the sketch. Tell me.

ROSENBERG: Well, Tom Brady is a very handsome guy, very good looking, and when I'm doing a courtroom sketch, I'm working quickly and I tend not to make a lot of people and make them look beautiful. I do the best I can to capture what their look like, capture whenever the gesture is or those city and show the story of whatever way I can. I did the best I could. I realized he doesn't look as handsome as it is. I've gotten a lot of cruel comments and I've also gotten a lot of support. So I'm getting a very mix bag of thousands of e-mails.

BALDWIN: Well, listen, my advice to you. Don't read all of them. I mean, you're a professional. Again, you've been doing this for 35 years. And yes, Tom Brady is not ugly and maybe people are frustrated by that. They be Patriot fans. I don't know if you're in New York.

But no, seriously --

ROSENBERG: No, I'm not a football fan at all. I'm sorry. I don't even watch football. I had to look on the Internet to figure out who Tom Brady was.

BALDWIN: Incredible.

So let me keep you on the phone, Jane, and bring in another voice, Christine Cornell, another artist who was in the courtroom yesterday and had her own rendering of Tom Brady.

And Christine, I'm wondering, what do you make of all of this online over a courtroom sketch? Do you think it's fair?

CHRISTINE CORNELL, ARTIST: You know, it's just kind of funny stuff. I mean, Tom Brady is such a celebrity. People are nutty about him. They, you know, they care about every single thing. Personally, it is like we have good days, we have bad days. I mean, the drawing is -- Jane always goes for the emotional impact of things and she's really fabulous at making it very punchy and strong. And, you know, in this case, the guy is just, you know, famously pretty. And, you know, so there's just a difference.

BALDWIN: Do you think that's what it is, Christine? Is it because drawing celebrities, we all know their faces and is that why people so quickly are awful, are mean?

CORNELL: You know, it happened to me once when I drew Uma Thurman and I think that of you go to a website it says the world's worst drawing, you might find the one I did of her because, you know, she was just so -- had such a fair pallet and I couldn't get it, you know. It was looking like some other things this movie actress and not her.

ROSENBERG: With no makeup and looking sad, I remember that. I mean, they don't look like movie stars when they are in the courtroom, in general. They don't look Hollywood glammed up. She looked pretty, you know, sad and wiped out and no makeup, plain.

BALDWIN: Yes. And maybe Tom Brady, I imagine he's pretty irked that so far he's not playing the first four games in the season and that was your interpretation. You are artist. And who ever thought we'd be talking about this, especially after 35 years.

Jane, I know you said you've never had anything like this. But honestly, best of luck to both of you. Christine Cornell and Jane Rosenberg, thank you both for joining me.

ROSENBERG: Thank you.

CORNELL: Thank you, ma'am.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, the justice department is opening a civil rights investigation into the death of a white teenager at the hands of police. His parents wanted this investigation and they will join me live with their reaction to that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:22] BALDWIN: The public pleas from a South Carolina family have now been heard. The department of justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting death of unarmed teenager Zachary Hammond. Hammond was shot and killed last month by a Seneca police officer during a drug sting. But police allege that during the bust Hammond tried to run over the officer. Hammond's family does not believe that. They say they don't trust the police and they want to seek justice.

I'm joined by the Hammonds. I have Paul and Angie with me and also with me is one of their attorneys, Eric Bland.

So to both of you, my sincerest condolences, Paul and Angie, and thank you so much for joining me.

ANGIE HAMMOND, ZACHARY HAMMOND'S MOTHER: Thank you.

PAUL HAMMOND, ZACHARY HAMMOND'S FATHER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Angie, what has this past month been like for you?

A. HAMMOND: Total hell, if I can be frank. It's nothing that you would ever expect. You don't expect the coroner to come to your house and tell you that your son is dead and especially he's been shot. It's just -- it's just hard. Very hard.

BALDWIN: I cannot even begin to imagine. But at least now, I know you've been calling for this federal investigation. We know now that the DOJ will launch this probe. Your reaction to that, Paul?

P. HAMMOND: We're glad to see an outside source. We can't seem -- it's been three weeks this coming Sunday and we still have no more answers and we're glad to see an outside party taking a look because we don't see anything from the local police and we really have questions about our local solicitor. We'd really like to have he remove from the case and have somebody from the outside to come in.

[15:43:16] BALDWIN: As far as video is concern, there is a lot of these cases we've been covering, sadly, for really more than a year, there has been some sort of a video and in your case, you know, I know that there is a police dash cam video. It's yet to be released. You know, and there have always been questions in some of these cases about what is written in the police reports. How much trust do you have in what has been written down?

A. HAMMOND: None.

P. HAMMOND: We have none right now. Our trust has been completely shaken to the core. We have no trust in what we're told.

A. HAMMOND: When the stories keep changing, how do you trust something like that?

BALDWIN: Yes. The police officer here who shot and killed your son, I understand he has not been fired. He is on administrative leave. I'm wondering if, you know, prior to any official investigation, have you all communicated? Did he reach out to you at any point in time?

P. HAMMOND: No. We've had no communication with the Seneca police department at all.

A. HAMMOND: We have had contact - I'm sorry.

BALDWIN: No, please, ma'am. Go ahead.

A. HAMMOND: We have had contact from the county sheriff's department. They reached out to us as well as Tim Scott called yesterday.

P. HAMMOND: Senator Scott.

A. HAMMOND: Yes. Senator Scott.

BALDWIN: OK. I know that you all are frustrated. Are you feeling anger? I imagine it is anger as well.

P. HAMMOND: Yes.

BALDWIN: Over what has happened with your son. But, you know, a lot of these cases, as I mentioned, a lot of these shootings have been caught on some kind of video or, in other cases, involving when the victim is African-American, it was brought to light by the black lives matter movement. We've heard a lot of African-American voices with regard to all of this. But, you know, you said you're frustrated that this hasn't been covered more.

A. HAMMOND: Well, it just seems like it took a week for anybody to notice. And you know, I think every life matters, not just one or the other.

P. HAMMOND: We all matter.

A. HAMMOND: Every life matters. We feel like the police department doesn't feel like his life mattered. That's the way they make us feel, anyway.

P. HAMMOND: Yes.

BALDWIN: I'm wondering -- and I hear you and I know I've heard other people say all lives matter but prior to losing your son, were you at all involved in any of these movements? There's been a lot of activism, you know, with regard to police brutality or has it been until this happened to you that you are now outraged?

A. HAMMOND: We never liked it. Where we live, it just -- things like this never really happened. And so we felt for the parents and everyone that was involved, but when it happens to you, it affects your heart. And I feel just close to, you know, everyone that's ever had to go through this. I just feel a bond, I guess, and I understand now what they really are going through.

P. HAMMOND: What they go through. Yes.

A. HAMMOND: Yes. Where I didn't before.

P. HAMMOND: You shouldn't have to wait three weeks to get answers to what happened. You shouldn't have to wait that long.

BALDWIN: Eric, what's the next step here?

ERIC BLAND, HAMMOND FAMILY ATTORNEY: Yes. Well, obviously we're waiting for the federal justice department to come and investigate and they are set up better than any department to do this. They have the skill set, they have the personnel, they have the experience. They don't have friends to reward or enemies to punish like some of the local people that may be involved in this.

So the next move is, one, we need to -- the dash cam to be released, the video. It is what it is. It shows what it shows. It's not going to change unless somebody manipulates or modifies it. So release it now just like they have done in every other type of shooting. The second thing is, we would like our state attorney general, Allen Wilson, who is the chief prosecutor of the state, to strongly consider taking over this case. And then obviously we're waiting to see if this officer is going to be brought to justice.

BALDWIN: Angie and Paul Hammond, again, I'm so sorry for your loss. Please, let's stay, you know, in communication with you all and see when and if that video gets released.

Thank you both so much. And Eric, my thanks to you.

P. HAMMOND: Thank you very much.

A. HAMMOND: Thank you.

P. HAMMOND: Appreciate it.

BALDWIN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:54:10] BALDWIN: Some amazing video to show you now. Meet deep blue, a marine research group says she has the biggest shark ever filmed, the great white it has been. It's about 20 feet long, about 50 years old. We can call her a she, by the way, because they think this great white was pregnant when they shot the video. And this video where CNN hasn't been able to authentic has drawn more than two million views online.

Let me bring in Jeff Corwin, host of ABC's "ocean mysteries."

Jeff, I mean, when I saw this, I thought, is it a whale with a fin? How rare are these kinds of massive sharks?

JEFF CORWIN, ABC HOST, OCEAN MYSTERIES: Oh, my goodness, Brooke. I almost looked away when I saw this footage. Three things I was thankful for. One, that I was not in the water. And I was wondering, is she pregnant or did she eat something really big?

It's pretty remarkable to see a great white shark this large, this, shall we say, Rafinesque (ph). It is a wonderful reflection of the ecosystem, Brooke. Because as we've discussed before, sharks are the ultimate apex predator, right? So they're the ultimate reflection of the health of an ecosystem. So when you see a big, mighty female shark like this, it tells you it lives in a very robust, healthy ecosystem.

[15:55:27] BALDWIN: Robust, yes. I mean, this is sort of a random question, we will call you the (INAUDIBLE). How many babies when you're looking at a shark this large?

CORWIN: That's an excellent question. They can have anywhere between two and six babies.

BALDWIN: No kidding.

CORWIN: And it belongs to the same group of sharks that includes the Maco sharks. And when they give birth, Brooke, she'll give birth to a five-foot-long, 40 to 50-pound baby shark. They have a live birth.

BALDWIN: I'm glad I asked. And also, the shark was found (INAUDIBLE) off the coast of Mexico. Is this where there's a lot of shark activity?

CORWIN: We are seeing tremendous bursts in the population of great white sharks around the world. And there's two reasons why. One is we're not vilifying the great white sharks. We protect them more. They're more respected so the populations are pro-founded (ph).

The other reason why we're seeing more sharks, for example here in New England, because of the marine mamalac (ph), we have a huge bumper crop of seals. And more seals means more predators. And in the case of seals and sea lions, it's great white sharks.

So South Africa, coasts of Mexico, coast of Australia and California is where we're starting to see a lot of great white shark activity.

BALDWIN: And just quickly when you see a shark of this size, granted, we're thinking she's pregnant, but does this size and aggression are those one in the same, or not necessarily?

CORWIN: The great shark question, does size matter?

BALDWIN: That's what I'm asking!

CORWIN: Yes. The truth is, you're really no more in jeopardy of a shark, whether it's gigantic or small. Sharks rarely prey on human beings. You have about a one in 11 million chance of being attacked. But if you are that unlikely, or unlucky, it doesn't matter how big or how lumber she looks, she is a stealthy predator. She could quickly climb to speeds of 15 to 20 miles per hour.

BALDWIN: Pretty to look at in video. We'll just keep it there.

Jeff Corwin, you are the best. Thank you so much.

CORWIN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: And before I let you go, a quick reminder, "the '70s," the CNN original series tonight focuses on music, and what a decade it was. You had super groups like led zeppelin, earth, wind, and fire, the Jackson five, (INAUDIBLE) to just name a few, and then there would even emerging voices like the queen of disco, Donna Summer, David Bowie, and these guys.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

BALDWIN: The Eagles. That song "best of my love" topped the charts in March of 1975. It was co-written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther. I talked to him recently about the decade, and music he helped make and his new album.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. SOUTHER, MUSICIAN: A lot of the music dominated the first half of the '70s and some into the second half was the really soft pretty stuff, James Taylor and Carole King and Jonnie Mitchell, and Eagles and me. And when Duran said it would probably more top 10 reference and all of disco put together. So it doesn't really get to those places until later. But it was a fertile time to write and make music, or any kind of art.

I think the salient thing about making art in the '70s was that the '60s had already happened, you know. We had a beautiful fertile field of new ideas and new directions and a lot of really crazy and great and profound influences to work off of.

This album has the same things internally for me that I was doing in the '70s. I had sort of great stuff to build on. And in this case, I had some rich, happy or not, developments in my personal life. And I began to reach back further into the music I'd heard since I was a little kid. My father was a big band singer. His mother was an opera singer. So there's been music in my house all along. But during the last two or three years of writing this record, I felt all those things kind of rushing together again. Very much like they did in the '70s. I'm so pleased with this album, I can hardly stand myself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: J.D. Souther, thank you so much.

Do not miss the music of the '70s tonight at 9:00 eastern, right here on CNN.

That does it for me here today in Atlanta. I'm Brooke Baldwin.