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The Killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile Captured on Video; Political reactiOns to the Dallas Ambush Shootings Is Coming From All Fronts. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired July 08, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:34:13] DON LEMON, CNN HOST: The killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police might not have sparked national outrage had their deaths not been captured on video. Now their survivors along with community leaders and even some officials are praising social media as a force for good in exposing police conduct.

But I want you to imagine for a moment that you are Cameron Sterling. Imagine that you are just 15 years old, and you're waking up one morning to every social media outlet and every news agency playing a video of your father being wrestled to the ground, pinned down by officers and then shot and killed.

It's a nightmare that my next guest has faced under her roof this week. She has faced it up close and personal and I watched that live interview. My heart was breaking for you, Quinyetta McMillon. She's Cameron Sterling's mother, by the way, and Alton Sterling's former partner. And she joins me along with her attorney, Chris Stewart. Thank you both so much for being here.

And Quinyetta, you know, I spoke to you the other day. You said you hadn't eaten. You hadn't slept. It was devastating for you. And I can't even imagine, but how is Cameron holding up?

[15:35:28] QUINYETTA MCMILLON, MOTHER OF ALTON STERLING'S SON, CAMERON STERLING: Cameron is holding up a little better than I thought he would be. He just told me, he said, Mama, right now I just want to be a normal 15-year-old kid again.

LEMON: Yes. That's going to be hard for quite some time. That's not going to be easy.

MCMILLON: Right.

LEMON: How are you doing?

MCMILLON: I'm staying strong for Cameron and I and the rest of the family members.

LEMON: Yes. You have been calling for the family, I know, have been calling for transparency in this. Do you feel that justice is on the way? Do you think that investigators and law enforcement are handling way?

MCMILLON: I most certainly do. I know justice is coming.

LEMON: Yes. Do you know when, Quinyetta, will be able to see the video from, you know, the surveillance video, the store video from the body cameras, I should say? Do you know when that's going to happen, Chris?

CHRIS STEWART, REPRESENTS ALTON STERLING'S FORMER PARTNER QUINYETTA MCMILLON: No, we haven't gotten word on that yet, but we are demanding that that get released. From my understanding, the surveillance footage caught everything. And the troth is going to fix this whole thing.

LEMON: It has been a few days since this happened. And you know, the nation has been dealing with not only this and then there was another shooting, you know, near Minneapolis, Minnesota, Quinyetta. When you woke up to that, were you even able to watch that video of the young lady in the car with her fiance?

MCMILLON: No, I couldn't. I couldn't bear to watch that.

LEMON: It's a pain -- I have spoken to mothers and wives and family members who say that it is a club that you definitely don't want to be a member of. It's a pain that you can't understand unless you're dealing with it.

MCMILLON: They're absolutely correct. It's unbearable pain. Especially being a mother with a teenage son, and it's like, you know, what's the next thing that you tell him besides I love you? And everything is going to be OK. We have to stay together. We have to pray together. And honestly, that's what's really been keeping me and Cameron focused with the help of my family as well.

LEMON: You said that you didn't want, you know, a terrible negative narrative to be put out there in the media about Alton. What do you want people to know about him?

MCMILLON: I want the world to know that Alton was a great dad to not just Cameron but also to his siblings. Him, selling his CDs every day, it was nothing for the kids to call and say, well, daddy, can I have, or can we do? And if he didn't have it, he also would say, you know, tomorrow I got you tomorrow, and that's one thing he always kept, when he told those kids something, nine times out of 10, they did exactly what they wanted to do or they had what they needed. And I just want everybody to remember him as a good man.

LEMON: In the neighborhood, it has been said that maybe he wanted to protect himself and because he had been -- people had been bothering him or threatening, at least to steal from him. Do you know anything about that?

MCMILLON: I most certainly don't know anything about that.

LEMON: You have heard that, Chris, you? STEWART: You know, I have heard a number of different things. But we

haven't verified yet much about the alleged weapon he had. He never pulled it out.

LEMON: Yes. And you can see in the video, the officer pulling it from the pocket. That it wasn't outside of his pocket.

Quinyetta, I'm sure you saw. You know what happened in Dallas with the police officers. What's your reaction to that?

MCMILLON: My reaction to the officers in Dallas. It's, again, another piece of unbearable pain. It's saddening to see these families have to deal with this, as I'm dealing with the pain from Alton Sterling. Those people did not deserve what happened to them. It's unbelievable.

[15:40:29] STEWART: It's ridiculous, Don. It's ridiculous. I want people to actually think and listen to this. Do they think that's going to solve anything with police interactions with minorities? Do you think that now an officer is going to take his time a little more or not use excessive force or the officer that's already trigger happy isn't going to pull the trigger faster because you took some innocent lives? Do you think that's going to fix it?

You're wrong. All you're going to do is cause more drama, more pain, for pointless revenge, which is stupid. And then I'm going to have another family just like this one next to me with a young African- American male dead over pure stupidity. What is taking other innocent lives going to fix? Do it the right way. Use that anger to vote people out of office who aren't supporting the community. Use that anger to get the right organizations organized. Use that anger to punish the officers who kill people, like Alton, and make sure they stay in jail for the rest of their life like slugger will. Do it the right way because that nonsense is just going to make things worse.

LEMON: Quinyetta, I'll give you the last word. What do you want people to know about what Chris just said?

STEWART: Chris just gave everybody the truth, honestly, that's just what it is. Violence to violence is not the answer.

LEMON: Quinyetta, Chris, thank you.

MCMILLON: Thank you.

STEWART: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:46:31] LEMON: Political reactions to the Dallas ambush shootings is coming from all fronts. President Barack Obama called the attack vicious and calculated. And comments he delivered in Warsaw, Poland, where he's meeting with European leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We still don't know all the facts. What we do know is that there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement. Police in Dallas were on duty doing their jobs, keeping people safe during peaceful protests. I believe that I speak for every single American when I say that we are horrified over these events and that we stand united with the people and the police department in Dallas. Justification for these kinds of attacks. Or any violence against law enforcement. The FBI is already in touch with the Dallas police, and anyone involved in these senseless murders will be held fully accountable. Justice will be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So let's talk about this now with CNN political commentator and former South Carolina lawmaker Bakari Sellers.

Bakari, hello to you on this really, really sad afternoon here. The president used the word horrified after an attack on major U.S. cities, a major U.S. city's police force by an American vet politically. What happens next?

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's an interesting question. I think that over the past three days, our country has been gut punched, not once, not twice, but three times. And we have to do what we have been known to do, which is stand up right. But w, have to deal with some of the troubling issues that we have in this country. I was speaking to a good friend of mine who is a lawyer, a Republican in Pennsylvania, who said she felt like we were sliding back into 1968. And that's not where we need to be going. You know, for me, I'm of the impression that we have seven funerals over the next week. And if you can't mourn for Alton Sterling, I mean, excuse me, if you can't mourn for Alton and Philando and the five officers, all, then you're a part of the problem.

LEMON: Yes. Each of them is just as tragic as the next, and all appears just unnecessary. Unnecessary. In the wake of this Dallas ambush, Bakari, the congressional black caucus held a news conference today. Paul Ryan, also, the house speaker, commenting from the house floor. Let's listen to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), TEXAS: My heart is broken and we will pray this weekend in Houston, marching for peace, nonviolence, and the action of the United States Congress to take violent guns and violent people off the streets of this nation.

REP. CEDRIC RICHMOND (D), LOUISIANA: We again today call upon Speaker Ryan, chairman Goodlatte, to convene an adult conversation about the use of deadly force, the need for AR-15s on our streets, the needs for high capacity magazines, no fly no buy.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: A few perpetrators of evil do not represent us. They do not control us. The blame lies with the people who committed these vicious acts and no one and no one else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:50:05] LEMON: Bakari, I thought the speakers, his speech was very compelling. And I thought, to me, you know, I felt like he was sort of reaching and trying to appeal to people on the other side of the aisle. And the congressional black caucus, is this a direct appeal to him? And do you see any common ground between these two sides worked out? Any policy solutions that can be worked out?

SELLERS: Well, I'm hopeful. I think we all are hopeful. And I think that, you know, the black caucus and I think speaker Ryan have all realized that it's time for leadership in this country. It is not time for politics but time for true leadership. As a Democrat, I have been on your show many times and I have blasted Paul Ryan. I have blasted Donald Trump. I have blasted the NRA. But even today, just recently, the NRA came out with a statement talking about the shooting in Minnesota. Paul Ryan's comments from the floor today. Donald Trump's statement this morning. All of those things struck a tone.

LEMON: Let me read the statements. This is what Donald Trump tweeted. He said prayers and condolences to all of the families who are so thoroughly devastated by horrors. We are all watching take place in our country.

And this is what Hillary Clinton said. I mourn for the officers shot while doing their sacred duty to protect peaceful protesters and for their families and all who served them.

By the way, we are waiting for an interview with her just moments away. But again, continue. I'm wondering if there is any consensus that could be met from the two side.

SELLERS: Well, I think there is consensus, Don because at the end of the day, look. I'm tired of the violence at theaters in Aurora. I mean, I'm tired of the violence at schools in Sandy Hook. I'm tired of African-Americans getting gunned down at traffic stops. And I'm tired of officers who were out there protecting our sacred first amendment right and getting gunned down by snipers. I mean, it's all been too much.

I mean, this last day, I saw you last night on TV. And the anger that you felt. I mean, I was hopeful that white viewers who were looking at that were able to understand that anger. I mean, I understand my passion last night when talking about these issues. I was hopeful that white viewers would be able to understand that because this morning when I woke up and realized that five police officers were gunned down and 12 total were shot, I mean, I cried those same tears and I'm hopeful that if you did not cry those tears for those officers this morning, you were part of the problem as well. I mean, we have to begin to come together in this country. We have to.

LEMON: I've got to go. But I was just as angry and it was breaking news last night, though, about the five officers but hi to keep it together. But, today, I find myself just being its just sad and this is just sad. Thank you, Bakari. I appreciate it.

SELLERS: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: Listen. At any moment now, Hillary Clinton is going to be weighing in on the issues live today in an interview just moments away so don't go anywhere. We will have that for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:56:56] LEMON: Welcome back. We now know the identity of the police officer who shot and killed Minnesota resident Philando Castile. He is 28-year-old officer Geronimo Yanez (ph). H is a four- year veteran of the St. Anthony police department. A second officer also on the scene was identified as Joseph Cowser. Both are on administrative leave. And as community calls for justice in Castile's death, many are reacting to what happened in Dallas including Castile's fiance Diamond Reynolds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND REYNOLDS, PHILANDO CASTILE'S PARTNER: Today is not only about justice and getting justice but it's about all of the families that have lost people. This thing that has happened in Dallas, it was not because of something that transpired in Minnesota today. This is bigger than Philando. This is bigger than Trayvon Martin. This is bigger than Sandra Bland. This is bigger than all of us.

So, today, I just want justice for everyone. Everyone around the world. Not just for my boyfriend and the good man that he was, because I'm going to continue to stay strong for him and I want all of you guys to do the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, CNN's Rosa Flores is at the site of the shooting where a memorial is growing.

Tell us about it, Rosa.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, you know, this is the intersection where that police officer Geronimo Yanez pulled over Philando and his girlfriend. This is the intersection where those shots were fired and where Diamond Reynolds shot that grisly video that she narrated.

So let me show you around because now it has grown to a memorial site. You see balloons and flowers, signs that say peace or justice for Philando Castile. Dolls as well. Candles. Even cards from children that have been left here as well.

Now I have talked to some of the people who have come here to leave flowers and leave their messages of hope and unity and here is what one of them had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. And so, I'm trying to stand here and take accountability for being a membership of the community in which his murder happened and to say that our community cannot just pretend that their own lives and own busyness is more important than taking a stand and saying, my God, now it's us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Now, here is one of the other messages that reads, thank you, Phil, for the smiles and the extra food. You deserved a life of peace and love. RIP.

Now, Don, I chose that message in particular because if you went to a public school in this country like I did, there was always that important woman or man that was at the food line that always gave you that extra piece of bread or that extra, extra piece of food that you needed. And that is what this message really resonates because as we know he was a cafeteria worker.

LEMON: And those are the folks that you remember your entire life.

Thank you, Rosa Flores. Appreciate that.

I'm Don Lemon. Thank you so much for watching us. See you back at 10:00 p.m.