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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Italian Earthquake Aftermath; Alt-Right Movement Examined; Fighting Zika Virus in Florida; Rapist Sentenced to Six Months to Be Released Next Week After Serving Thrtee Months. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired August 25, 2016 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:03] ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The first responder looks like her father the way he's hugging her. Just imagine, just 10-years- old. Just imagine what that moment was like.

CNN's Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen has been sending his time in the town of Amatrice, it is the epicenter of this quake. Those scenes that we just looked at Frederik must be playing out. Hopefully, they're playing out over and over again. Are they finding people and are they successfully rescuing them?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they certainly are doing their best, Ashleigh. And we can see that a lot of rescue workers they really are working until they're absolutely exhausted. I just saw a couple them come by here from where we're standing right now and they were covered in sweat and dust because they've been working inside that rubble for such a very long time.

And certainly they have been finding some people. On top of that, a girl which of course, that story is absolutely remarkable. They also found another woman that they were able to save.

And we ourselves, we're on a hand yesterday when they were able to pull two people from a house that was also absolutely destroyed. Where you just wonder how on earth people survived the initial quake of when that house just absolutely collapsed.

And we've been talking about the fact that these houses are so ancient, that they don't just fall together, they just crumble. They turn to absolute dust. That's one of the big problem that the rescue crews here face, it's getting through that dust.

There's a lot of them who were on the scene right now, I think you'll see behind me how much of this search and rescue forces have been brought in here by the Italian government, by the Italian authorities.

One of the big things however Ashleigh, that's really hampering their progress is the aftershocks they're taking place. The last major aftershock that we had right here was about two hours ago and I can tell you, it was absolutely scary.

The earth started rumbling, one building that had already been damaged actually been completely collapsed. Then the rescue workers had to get out of there as fast as possible and we later found out that that aftershock alone was 4.1 magnitude. So certainly a lot of very strong aftershocks at every time they do hamper the rescue operations. And of course, each aftershock also makes it less likely to still find people underneath that rubble alive, but the search and rescue crews said they're not giving up they're going to work here all night to make sure they go through every last piece of debris to see if anyone might still be under it alive.

BANFIELD: Oh, Fred, the pictures are unbelievable. Keep bringing them to us and let us let us know when there are more of those success stories for sure.

Fred Pleitgen, live for us in Amatrice, Italy. And for ways you can help the quake victims please visit cnn.com/impact. Everything you need to know is there, all charities bedded by us.

Coming up next, we mentioned Hillary Clinton's new line of attack on Donald Trump coming today, trying to link him to the so-called "Alt- right Movement." But what or more importantly who comprises the Alt- right Movement? What does it stand for? What do they stand against? You're going to learn everything about it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:37:22] BANFIELD: This afternoon 3:00 p.m. Eastern, Hillary Clinton is all set to give a speech in Reno, Nevada. And she's expected to attack Donald Trump specifically for his support from the so-called "Alt-right". Are you saying to yourself alt-what? Because a lot of people have been, it's not that well known.

CNN's Senior Media Correspondent Brian Stelter knows that all too well. So he's going to sort it out for you. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: While Donald Trump says he's seeking minority voters.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I think we're going to do great with African-Americans and with the Hispanic.

STELTER: Hillary Clinton is trying to tie Trump to the so-called "Alt- right." A movement often associated with white nationalism.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Propelling the term "Alt-right" into the national spotlight.

DAGEN MCDOWELL, BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Explain to us what alt-right is.

STELTER: The answer depends on who you ask?

JOY-ANN REID, CORRESPONDENT, MSNBC: Just sort of a dressed-up version of the American Neo-Nazi movement and the others.

DOUG MCKELWAY, REPORTER, FOX NEWS: The mainstream media is fond of portraying the alt-right as a mob of unruly, racist, bigoted, sexist, uneducated white males.

STELTER: Breitbart.com, the website shared by Steve Bannon has proudly led the charge.

Last month Bannon told Mother Jones we're the platform for the alt- right. Now, Bannon is the Trump campaign CEO and Clinton is seizing on the connection, calling the alt-right disturbing and extreme. So what is it exactly?

PAUL RAY RAMSEY, BLOGGER: ... having a home, a place where we can be with people like ourselves.

STELTER: This video blogger says the movement which started online several years ago is about ethnic nationalism, race, specifically the sense that white identity is under assault in America fuels the alt- right which stands opposed to both progressive and mainstream conservative thoughts. Supporters say they're not racist or divisive, but that is with some critics charge.

CHARLIE SYKES, CONSERVATIVE RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I spent some 20 years trying to say, that no conservatives are not racist. We're not misogynists, you know, this is not what we stand for. And now suddenly we have the Republican nominee who has become associated with some of these darkest elements of American politics.

STELTER: Trump is a favorite of the mostly young, mostly white men who identify as alt-right.

TRUMP: We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore.

STELTER: Nativism and even racial separatism are themes of alt-right websites that embrace Trump. But some of the loudest adherence, say they are just being provocative.

Milo Yiannopoulos has become a face of the movement through social media stunts, though he's now been banned from Twitter. He is cheering on Trump.

MILO YIANNOPOULOS, EDITOR, BREITBART NEWS: He represents the best hope we have of smashing political correctness apart, of breaking open, you know, all of the taboos, there are things/stuff you're not supposed to say, allowing real debate to be had again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:40:09] BANFIELD: Is he a legal immigrant? I mean he is sort of an interesting irony. He's been supporting a guy who has issues with immigration.

STELTER: I believe he is. But, you know, what he said there in that piece, he talks about saying the stuff you're not supposed to say. Sometimes that can be provocative it can be interesting.

BANFIELD: Sure.

STELTER: It can be incendiary. But sometimes on the fringe websites it can cross into sexism, racism and anti-semitism. And that's what the Clinton campaign will seek to point out today.

BANFIELD: OK, so, but is that fair? Because really -- help me connect or disconnect ...

STELTER: Right.

BANFIELD: ... the Trump campaign who's CEO is Steve Bannon with the Alt-right Movement. Steve Bannon who was chair of Breitbart said, "We are the platform for the alt-right."

STELTER: Yeah.

BANFIELD: Is Trump disavowing the alt-right? Is he embracing the alt- right?

STELTER: I think we've heard some of his surrogates say the past day or so, is he disavows racism in all its forms, he disavows that kind of language in all its forms.

However, the alt-right can mean many different things. It's an amorphous movement, mostly an online movement that we're seeing move off-line.

It can mean in more extreme forms, outright racism and bigotry and really ugly sentiments against women and minority groups.

And in a more moderate form you would talk about mostly young white men wanting to preserve their place in a diversifying society. You could describe them as white nationalists or people who are looking out for white identity politics.

So there's different shades or different versions of this. Breitbart, the website Breitbart which Steve Bannon was running, now, Steve Bannon runs the Trump campaign and this site would be a mainstream of forum of the alt-right to where they're taking fringe ideas, moving them more to the mainstream, but that's the connection Clinton can highlight. Bannon, who is now right in the Trump campaign, Trump himself and then tying it to the alt-right.

BANFIELD: Well, there's two ways of highlighting in a bad way and giving voice to and bringing into the forefront, if -- and Hillary Clinton ...

STELTER: You can make the case here. The Clinton is elevating.

BANFIELD: She could be elevating.

STELTER: These very fringe ideas, some of the conspiracy of the areas we talked about during this campaign, some of them start on this fringe websites and she does runs the risk of by actually giving a more attention with the speech today.

BANFIELD: Which is why it would be even more interesting at 3:00 to see what she has to say from Reno, Nevada. Brian Stelter, thank you.

STELTER: Thanks. BANFIELD: Appreciate that.

Also, you're going to hear more from Hillary Clinton. That speech is live in Reno at 3:00 and we're going to do live coverage. So make sure you stick to CNN.

You'll also hear from Donald Trump as well. He's going to be up at 1:00 p.m. And the live mic, live stage is set. Just minutes away, back in a moment.

By the way in case you miss the next hour, our Anderson Cooper is going to get everything in a sit down interview with Donald Trump. He is set for 8:00 p.m. make sure you catch it at AC360 tonight, 8:00 p.m. eastern right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:46:43] BANFIELD: I've got the live pictures up, this signal coming to us from Manchester, New Hampshire. It's where Donald Trump within minutes is expected to walk out on that stage and address the adoring fans at a campaign rally. We're going to take you there live just as soon as he walks up to the podium and strikes the electronic key that gets that mic going. We're going to bring you his comments live just as they begin. So make sure you hold tight.

Until then there's this other story, it been getting a lot of ink and it's the battle against Zika right here in this country South Florida, in fact. In Miami there is now a growing concern that this stuff, what's coming out of that pipe that hose, that the insecticide is being used to kill those mosquitos in case they're carrying Zika.

Well, apparently that stuff could be as harmful as the Zika Virus itself. Let that sink in.

CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has more on what they're using.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Zika is spreading in South Florida and the stakes are high. When pregnant women become infected with the virus, their babies can be born with devastating birth defects.

That's why health authorities have sprayed a pesticide from airplanes to kill the mosquitos that carry Zika. But there is concern that the chemical being sprayed, called Naled, may also be harmful to unborn babies.

DR. BARRY RYAN, ROLLINS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, EMORY UNIVERSITY: It's essentially a neuro toxin and can result in unborn children in particular having neuro developmental problems.

COHEN: The European Union has banned Naled insecticide.

And in Puerto Rico where Zika has been rampant, people had demonstrated against Naled a type of organophospate.

The Mayor of San Juan filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control to prevent spraying, saying "There have been recent findings linking the presence of organophosphates and behavior problems in babies whose mothers were exposed to this type of chemical during their pregnancy.

The CDC and Environmental Protection Agency say Naled is safe and the best option for killing these mosquitos.

The CDC points out that Naled has been used extensively for years in the United States, that just two tablespoons are used over the size of a football field. This small amount does not pose a health risk to people according to the CDC.

So who is right? Will Naled help stop babies from developing birth defects or can it harm them?

Experts say dozens of studies have shown that when pregnant women are exposed to Naled, their children are more likely to develop behavioral problems.

But for the most part those studies were done in agricultural areas where families live near spraying for many years. They say the risks are much smaller in Florida where the Zika sprayings have been done only four times.

Dr. Barry Ryan at Emory University has done some of that research and he supports the spraying.

RYAN: Zika is a real problem for children who suffer from this, would not be able to cope with the real world, they will never recover from this.

COHEN: He said Naled can carry risks but not nearly as big as the risk posed by Zika.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Elizabeth Cohen is live now in Miami. Tell me there isn't some other option, another insecticide that's not as dangerous.

[12:50:06] COHEN: Well, you know, pesticides pretty much by definition the kind that they sprayed out of plane will have some possible side effects, some possible ramifications.

So Naled is part of the organophosphate class that we mentioned in our story. And any of those pesticides could potentially lead to the same issues that Naled had. And this is what scientist will tell you, is the best bet for fighting Zika, that this class is the best fight -- best bet rather for fighting a bite from a mosquito that could give you Zika.

BANFIELD: It's just so devastating to hear the potential though for further damage. Elizabeth Cohen covering for us in Miami, thank you for that. Up next, we're watching our live cameras. Any minute now Donald Trump to take the stage in Manchester, New Hampshire, set to address voters there during a campaign rally.

Will immigration be one of the first things he addresses on a day, we were supposed to find out his policy, but it's a campaign speech instead.

What will he tell us from that podium? Stay with us. We're live in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:55:15] BANFIELD: Just a few minutes from now Donald Trump set to take that stage, take that podium and the live mics and address the voters in Manchester, New Hampshire. This is a live picture right now from the campaign rally set to go. And we are ready to go live just as soon as he does, so stick with us. Ah, that music has already begun. It's getting very familiar.

We are at a very important day in the calendar. Because if you look ahead to next week, one week from tomorrow, Brock Turner, the former Stanford student who got six months in jail for raping a woman behind a dumpster is set to be released.

It's three months early, yes, because inmates in Santa Clara County typically serve half their sentences if they can keep a clean record. So there you have it, it was summer jail for Brock Turner in the Stanford rape case. Mark your calendar. A week tomorrow, he's out.

We're going to cover that more live next week. But today we have yet another case to report to you. Sadly, I bring this with heavy heart because really? Hadn't they heard about Brock Turner? I guess 18-year- old David Becker hadn't. A former star athlete? Yes, athlete from East Long Meadow High School in Massachusetts.

This young man was charged with rape and indecent assault and battery. Two, two victims on this one. And his sentence? Two years probation. No jail. Nothing. And you know what? Mr. Becker could actually have a clean record and nothing to show for this when he goes for job interviews in the future. It could all be wiped out. How, you ask?

The person to ask is Jean Casarez, she's a lawyer. She's a reporter. She's following this case.

Two victims, both unconscious, he admitted to it, to both of them, and yet probation and a chance to keep a totally clean record in the future? How did this happen?

JEAN CASAREZ: That is right, let's look at the facts. They're so important right, and this all happened this year. First of all I we want to show you victim one, let's hear her story to police and prosecutors. She says that she went to a party it was a high school party, 7:00 p.m. of an evening on the weekend, She drank throughout the evening.

Now, it's extremely important right there to show inability to consent.

She was finally assisted to a bedroom by victim number two. She went to sleep. She woke up at 5:00 a.m. to find the defendant sexually assaulting her. She told police and prosecutors she did not consent, she quickly left the bedroom.

The defendant then texted her about 15 minutes later, at 5:13 a.m. And he said to her, "Sorry, it's my fault." No response. He then text her again at 7:48 a.m. "Very sorry about last night. I was very much in the wrong and was an embarrassment. I understand if I'm not your favorite person right now. Just wanted you to know I'm very sorry." She then responds to him, don't even worry about it. It's all good. She later told police I didn't know what to say so I said that.

Victim two -- as Ashleigh said, yes, there's another victim. She told police both victims were very good friends with the defendant. The defendant came up to the bedroom where victim two was also, started talking with them and they all fell asleep.

Victim two felt someone touching her through the night, three times she says, she kept pushing him away, but she fell back asleep. She woke up when the defendant was leaving the bedroom telling her good- bye. So the defendant made a statement in all this. He said, "She didn't protest." And this is victim one. He assumed it was OK.

Once she didn't stop, he thought he was OK with it and he began to "Finger her" unaware that she was sleeping. And as Ashleigh said, he's now been put on probation. Ashleigh, here are the probation terms. No contact with the victim. He has to remain in drug and alcohol counseling. There's an evaluation for sex offender treatment, but he can leave the state.

Now here is what his attorney said, his Defense Lawyer Thomas Rook said in court according to the "Boston Herald." he said "He can now look forward to a productive life without being burdened with the stigma of having to register as a sex offender. The goal of this sentence was not to impede this individual from graduating high school and to go on to the next step of his life which is a college experience."

BANFIELD: So that's the goal? So according to him that's the goal? The goal is not justice for two young women who were inebriated and legally couldn't consent to the kind of sex that he admitted to the judge in to the court, and yet this isn't even a guilty verdict? The judge is giving him a break?

OK, and now I've heard it all.

CASAREZ: And he's on Ohio and he wants to go to college, the school is not confirming.

BANFIELD: We're not finished with this story. You and I are going to continue this at another date. Thank you, Jean Casarez.

[13:00:02] We are watching this live event, Donald Trump. We have to make sure we don't miss when he comes out, because we are awaiting a lot of important comments from Donald Trump on immigration, making big, big news this week.

He's also reaching out to African-Americans and Hispanics, what will he say though from this live podium?