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At This Hour

Celebrating Independence Day; Cities on High Alert for Holiday; Letter from Escapee to Daughter Examined; Trump Remarks Fallout. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired July 03, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:10] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Airports, parks, parades, as America celebrates July 4th, cities on high alert as federal officials warn of a heightened terror threat and New York just moments ago making a big move.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So was a warning missed from inside prison. A warning from Richard Matt himself before the breakout. A letter that said see you on the outside. So who saw it and what was done?

BOLDUAN: Enjoy your ride because we sure will. That exact message on a sign inside a Baltimore police transport van. It's sparking outrage. What does it mean now though for the city in the aftermath of Freddie Gray's death?

Hello, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan.

BERMAN: And I'm John Berman. Just moments ago, an announcement from the New York governor, extra man power, enhanced monitoring operations for this holiday weekend. This comes as the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security are warning authorities to be extra vigilant.

BOLDUAN: Officials across the country are also taking notice of this alert, and their boosting security at fireworks shows, parades, and iconic landmarks throughout the country. Concerns are much higher this year. Especially with terrorist networks taking to social medial urging their supporters to carry out attacks.

Let's get the very latest on security precautions across the country's major cities. Boris Sanchez is at New York's Penn Station and Sunlen Serfaty is live from the White House from that angle. Boris, let's start with you. A big move, as John said, first just announced by New York's governor.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is right, Kate. There are about 42 million people that are traveling across the United States this weekend, so officers are taking no, no limits on their precautions they're taking to make sure that everybody is safe.

Governor Andrew Cuomo actually announcing that he is adding extra staff and officers extra patrols to the office of operations management here. In addition, we learned that law enforcement have added snipers and spotters in strategic locations to watch out for anything suspicious in crowds. We also know that teams are scanning the city for explosives and any

radioactive devices by sea and air. Aside from that, there are about 7,000 cameras monitoring everyone in the city, and the Governor again asking all New Yorkers to be vigilant and to report anything suspicious to law enforcement right away.

BERMAN: As many layers of security as there has ever been here. Boris, thanks so much. Sunlen Serfaty, let's go to you in Washington. Even over the last 24 hours, we saw a security scare in Washington, D.C., and we know that security has been raised heading into the celebrations this weekend.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. And you know, Washington always is in a higher state of alert during fourth of July, so this increased security really isn't anything new, but authorities are taking pains to say that extra security is being added. They say in both seen and unseen ways. We know that already here in D.C. down on the national mall 18,000 feet of fencing already gone up, multiple checkpoints, as many as nine checkpoints that people will have to go in through tomorrow, and they're also increasing those patrols around the landmarks here in D.C. where the fireworks go off over.

We know that one big hit at sort of the anxiety that a lot of officials are feeling over this holiday and the threat from ISIS is that big response we saw yesterday to that - what turned out to be nothing but that potential threat at the U.S. Navy yard. Within minutes that building had been evacuated. There was boosted up security here at the White House and at the Capitol, so definitely a lot of anxiety around whatever festivities are happening and whatever threat there potentially could be tomorrow.

John and Kate?

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, everyone on high alert, carefully. Boris Sanchez, Sunlen Serfaty, thank you both very much.

Also new this morning, a Wisconsin man is accused of threatening to assassinate President Obama. He is now in police custody, police say this 55-year-old man made the threats while the president was visiting the state this week. Investigators say that he told a security guard that if he got the chance, he would take him out and take the shot.

Brian Dutcher is his name. He also allegedly posted on Facebook killing him is our constitutional duty. Now, ABC news is reporting the man has been taken to a mental health facility.

BERMAN: New questions this morning about a letter that escaped killer Richard Matt wrote his daughter just days before the prison break. The Buffalo News published part of it. It reads I always promised you I would see you on the outside. I'm a man of my word. The post office delivered this to Matt's daughter three days after he broke out of Clinton Correctional Facility.

BOLDUAN: But he never showed up as promised and of course, weeks later police shot and killed him after he aimed a 20 gauge shotgun at a border patrol agent. This letter really brings up a lot of questions. Could it have tipped off the prison to his escape plans? Did the prison - do - did the prison officials - do the prison officials, do they even screen these type of letters?

[11:05:00] Jean Casarez is joining us now from Upstate, New York outside the prison. Jean, what are you picking up?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, the protocol for the New York Department of Corrections is that they do not open and screen the outgoing letters unless the superintendent in writing believes that there's a security risk. Believes that there could be information in the written correspondence that could help the prison, help the safety of the community. They had none, so protocol is it's not, it's not checked, but here is what we're learning.

The Buffalo News along with an undisclosed law enforcement source is saying that it was June 9th that, that letter arrived at the home of the daughter of Richard Matt. She immediately took that letter to law enforcement. So law enforcement was alerted early on.

She didn't know anything about the escape, but she did receive some security herself while the escape was, was in the midst for all those weeks. And, and we don't know the intent of Richard Matt. We don't know if he was bragging or if he intentionally wanted to find his daughter at this point.

BERMAN: So, Jean, we're also learning so many more details about what went on at Clinton Correctional in the weeks leading up to this escape. Now, we understand there was some kind of a prison riot, although it lasted less than a minute. I'm not sure how a riot can last less than a minute but there was some kind of an altercation involving many prisoners just about a week before the breakout.

CASAREZ: Right. A law enforcement source of mine close to the investigation is calling it a fight and saying that it happened on May 29th. It involved 30 inmates. Remember, there's 2,600 inmates as of yesterday, just about 2,600 in the prison behind me, and it lasted for less than a minute. There were no weapons involved. One inmate was injured with nonlife threatening injuries. And after that, some of the correction officers wanted to do a lock down of the prison.

The Department of Corrections as I'm told determined based on the facts that there would be a lock down, a lock down of the block that included the inmates involved in the brawl, in the fight. That lock down was done, and they tell me that on a general basis, they determine whether a lock down of a prison occurs based on the facts of the actual situation.

Now, this is in response to a lot of reporting saying that if there had been a full lock down and search of all the cells, that they would have found with Richard Matt and David Sweat the holes that they were carving in their cell walls to escape. That didn't happen.

BOLDUAN: That's a fascinating element of all of this, absolutely. Looking back, of course, and hindsight being 20/20 and how there could have been major red flags. They should and maybe should, they could have and maybe should have picked up about this escape. Jean, thank you very, very much.

CASAREZ: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: So coming up us, there are also still some very big questions about what happened to Freddie Gray inside that Baltimore police van, but new today, take a look at this. A picture of this sign discovered on the inside door of a Baltimore police transport van. What's behind it?

BERMAN: Plus, if you're a republican now running against Donald Trump, what do you do? What do you say? What's the risk of taking him on head on?

Plus, a judge makes a surprising move in the bizarre case against a father whose son went missing for 11 days in the family's basement.

(START VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your son has been found in your basement. Sir? Are you? Mr. Bothuell, are, are you, are you...

CHARLES BOTHUELL, SON FOUND IN THE BASEMENT: What?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We are...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:10:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Concerning and unacceptable. Those are the words coming from Baltimore police officials who are now investigating controversial photos that have surfaced. Take a look. The picture shows a sign inside the door of a police van reading, as you can see, enjoy your ride because we sure will.

BERMAN: This comes after six officers were indicted on charges in connection to the death of Freddie Gray. Prosecutors say Gray suffered a fatal neck injury while in the back of a police transport van so you can understand why these words this morning are so controversial. Joining us now to discuss is CNN Law Enforcement Analyst, Cedric Alexander along with Maryland State Senate Majority Leader, Catherine Pugh. Thanks so much for being with us.

I want to talk about the nature of those statements and the timing of when they may or may not have been put there in a moment. But Cedric first to you, help me understand, is it unusual to ever see words like this inside a police van anywhere? Have you ever seen anything like that?

CEDRIC ALEXANDER, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I have been in the police profession for 38 years now, and, of course, I have never seen over the course of my career and working in a variety of departments across the country I haven't seen anything like it whatsoever.

I think in light of everything that's going on in Baltimore, this is really not a very good thing in terms of what it may suggest, and people may interpret it in different kind of ways, but I think if you put it in context, it is certainly of concern that, that type of language would be so neatly written inside that van.

That is not something was described out by somebody's handwriting. It clearly looked like it's painted on there and it's done very neatly even though they use a word such as "cuz" which is suggestive of just really being sarcastic.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Now, State Senator Pugh, I want to get your reaction to this as well. And, and I, I think we, we should point out yet again, CNN has confirmed the authenticity obviously of the photo. We don't know though - there's no confirmirtion - confirmation of when this photograph was taken.

Was - and that could be important for a lot of folks who care very much about the Freddie Gray situation, was it taken before or after, but maybe I guess maybe does it even matter to you when the photograph was taken, State Senator?

CATHERINE PUGH, MARYLAND STATE SENATOR: No, it, it, it absolutely does not matter, and I think as has been said, you know, this is totally unacceptable. We do understand that there is a full investigation taking place as relates to this matter and as this was pointed out, first of all in incorrect spelling, secondly, we wouldn't tolerate something like this.

So we we're waiting for the police investigation. The mayor also has called for a complete investigation of this matter because it is just not tolerable, not for the citizens of Baltimore and certainly I'm sure not with any police department, not in Baltimore city, not anywhere in the State of Maryland or in this

country. Totally unacceptable.

BERMAN: And, and if you say, the, the, the police are investigating. We have a statement this morning from Baltimore City Police that says the nature and the posting of the wording is both concerning and unacceptable. And it goes on to say, as you said, majority leader, that there is an investigation ongoing right now.

[11:15:00] Cedric, the timing is, is interesting. It is bad any way you cut it. But if it was in the police van before Freddie Gray's death perhaps I, I suppose it shows an attitude about that officers might have about what goes on to the back of the van. And if it was posted after Freddie Gray's death and all the controversies surrounding it, it, it shows perhaps police trying to make some kind of a statement.

ALEXANDER: Well, either way you look at it, it's not a, a good image for that department, whether it happened prior to Freddie Gray's death or afterwards. And certainly if it came afterwards, that is even very concerning in and of itself because this is not a joke. This is a very serious matter.

But let me say this, I am more than confident that the Commissioner Tony Batts there and his staff are going to look into this and are going to investigate it thoroughly. He's a very competent commissioner. I considered him a colleague along with many others across this country.

And I am more than certain they're going to take this very, very seriously because I think as we look at this statement on the back door of that transport va - van, it is a major concern for all of us, and there's absolutely nothing, nothing that I can think of or anyone else in this country could think of that will find this to be humorous because it certainly is not.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, but from your perspective of, of leading a department, Cedric, should the Baltimore police have known about this before it was made public? It seems at least now that it really only came to their attention once these photographs became public.

ALEXANDER: Well, and you know, I think that's part of what needs to come out in this investigation because here again, this was an attitude of certain people within that department prior to Freddie Gray's death that is of concern. If it came - if that was written or painted on that wagon after his death, that just suggests to me that there may be individuals here again, may be individuals, inside who find this not to be of a serious nature.

But I think that the investigation is going to be very revealing in terms as to when that statement was made on that door and even right down to the point of who put it there and when they put it there.

BERMAN: Senator, I know that the mayor is calling for Baltimore to install cameras now in police van to see what's going on. I suppose going forward that would prevent signs like this from going up. Just in general, I, I wonder if I can get a sense from you of the situation and the atmosphere on the ground there in that city. How do people on the streets feel? How do the police feel? Particularly heading into this holiday weekend when security a genuine concern?

PUGH: Well, let me just say I had a meeting yesterday with the head of the police union, and I'm also heading a criminal justice commission, co-chairing it with my colleague from the house, Kurt Anderson. And we're looking at all of these issues as it relates to the police department.

But I can tell you that they are very concern in about any of this kind of negative activity going on in the police department. And I can tell you also for the most part you know, our police department does protect and serve but there's a cultural behavior that needs to be corrected and I think there are those in the police department and around the State of Maryland who understand that and I think they do.

And I'm - I concur with the mayor that there needs to be a full investigation of this because this kind of attitude is just not necessary and it certainly does not endear our police officers who work every day on behalf of the community to the community and we're trying to work on this cultural behavior as well as attitude and making people feel safe in our communities and working along with the police department so that we can curb crime in our neighborhoods and in our city and in our state. BOLDUAN: And Cedric, real quick to you, what do you think the impact

of having cameras in police vans will, will have?

ALEXANDER: Well, for the confidence of -

PUGH: Well, I...

ALEXANDER: Are you asking me?

BOLDUAN: Cedric, yes.

ALEXANDER: Yes. I think they're going to be very important in the sense that it certainly will give some confidence to that community, and also believe to the leadership in that department as well, too, that when a prisoner is placed in the back, back of that transport van, they're going to be done so according to policy, written policy, how they have to enter into the back of that van, how they have to be handcuffed, and how they have to be watched and cared for from the time that they're picked up to the time they're carried to incarceration. So I think it's going to be very important for that community to have that for a sense of confidence.

BERMAN: Cedric Alexander, majority leader Catherine Pugh, thank you both for being with us. Always, always appreciate your insight.

ALEXANDER: Thank you for having me. Happy fourth of July.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

BERMAN: You, too.

BOLDUAN: You too.

BERMAN: We do have breaking news. Big announcement to the - from New York and the State Department. Now the State Department involving warnings of possible terror attacks on July 4th. Hear what new information and new warnings we're getting right now.

BOLDUAN: Plus, is Donald Trump hurting more than just his wallet with his remarks about Mexican immigrants? Why the billionaire, who is now in second place in the latest CNN poll, why he may be hurting his party as well?

[11:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BOLDUAN: Breaking news coming from the State Department. But this all comes in light obviously heading into the fourth of July holiday. We've been hearing about a heightened state of alert across the country. It also seems now it could be abroad as well.

BERMAN: Yes. New security concerns around the world at U.S. installations. Let's bring in Elise Labott with all the details. Elise, what do we know? ELISE LABOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, you know, that the U.S.

military has been talking with his bases around the world. Making sure that security is tight there. I understand the State Department did order all of its diplomatic posts around the world, all embassies and consulates to assess their security.

Have a meeting of their security teams, they call it an emergency action committee. Take a look at the procedures already in place and see if there are new measures. It's, it's pretty much a standing operating procedure ahead of a holiday weekend but certainly as we've seen the terror threats in this country, State Department wants to make sure all ever its embassies and consulates are ready to go.

BOLDUAN: And...

BERMAN: We - go ahead.

BOLDUAN: Sorry, sorry, John. And, and Elise, obviously a lot of this could be very sensitive information, but after that assessment, do you get a sense or are you hearing from any of your sources that changes were made and there was security added or any procedures were changed?

LABOTT: I don't really think so. I got to say, you have seen over the last year particularly with threats from ISIS and, and other terror threats around the world that U.S. embassies and consulates particularly in the Middle East have really been on high alert for some time. Of course, there are some things that could be done here and there, but I have to say also a lot of these posts in the Middle East held their July 4th celebrations a month ago.

[11:25:00] Sometimes they even did them on President's Day because, you know, the holy month of Ramadan the Muslim's holy month of Ramadan takes place early this year. A lot of Muslims in the Middle East are fasting and so they wanted to make sure to be able to welcome everyone to the embassies and consulates well before they were doing that.

So I think the State Department thinks everyone is pretty much in good shape but there may be some tweaks that you know, come ahead of a holiday weekend. There has been some chatter out there consistent with going into a holiday weekend, but I'm told by officials nothing that has caused any massive cancellation of any events, Kate.

BERMAN: Again, the breaking news we're just learning from Elise, that diplomatic post around the world. U.S. diplomatic post told to review their security operations and procedures and situations leading into the Holiday. Elise Labott, thanks so much.

Politics now. So if you are a Republican candidate for president and your name is not Donald Trump, what do you do about Donald Trump? The guy is second in most polls right now, but his comments about Mexican immigrants have led to a firestorm of controversy.

BOLDUAN: Here is how some of the other GOP presidential candidates have reacted to those comments so far.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think Donald Trump's remarks reflect the Republican party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The comments were inappropriate and they have no place in the race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't agree with them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you label a group of people as rapists and drug dealers, it's more about you than it is them.

BOLDUAN: Is that forceful enough? What do the GO - what should the GOP presidential candidates do about the Trump factor? Let's talk with Repub - our CNN Political Commentator and conservative talk show - radio talk show host Ben Ferguson. Ben, thank you so much for being here.

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to be here.

BOLDUAN: Of course. I know you're not a fan of the Trump factor, and it seems clear -

FERGUSON: Yes.

BOLDUAN: - that other Republican candidates, they are not - they don't support the comments that he's making, but it seems by and large their first inclination is to simply try to ignore him. Is that a good strategy for them? Doesn't it come with risk?

FERGUSON: Yes. Well, it was the united strategy early on. I mean, almost all of the campaigns I've talked to, they were pretty much saying this is a guy we'll just going to let flame out. And we'll just going to let Donald be Donald and we're not going to acknowledge him, we're not going to give him credibility or, or, or even give credence to any of the comments that he's making.

That obviously - that strategy for all of the GOP candidates has not worked well, and Donald understands how to get media attention, whether it be playing the victim card because Macy's got rid of him or "The Apprentice" and NBC. He understands how to steal a headline. So, now I think the candidates are realizing, we're going to have to, one, denounce him, and, two, you will see a lot of the campaigns I think really look at his record, go after him and attack him. He's got a lot of dirty laundry.

And not only that, but he's also has given a lot of money to democratic candidates including Hillary Clinton, and you're doing to see I think this campaign roll out to really bring down Donald Trump so they don't have to deal with him for much longer.

BERMAN: You really think that these candidates want to get you know, in a shouting match or a spitting match, you can use other words if you want, with Donald Trump?

FERGUSON: No, they don't, but I think what you're going to see is, you're going to see the campaigns start to put information out there. They're going to start to make I think these statements that are making it abundantly clear, we don't, we don't think that he even should be on the stage with us, and we don't think he's a conservative and we don't think he's a legitimate candidate and they're going to have to start attacking him to bring these numbers back down. I mean, if there's anything that we can learn for Donald Trump is, he's filled a void for other candidates to be bold.

And that's why I think he is doing so well. He is being blunt, and some of the things that he's saying people do like, but ultimately there's, there - a lot of the other candidates have not taken big risks yet mainly because it's very early on. They're focused on campaigning in the primary states and raising money and not you know, having these big ooopses in public right now. It's not worth at risk.

BOLDUAN: It seems conventional wisdom on the Republican side is that Donald Trump out there right now is bad for the Republican party. Is there any kind of argument to make that Donald Trump could be good for the republican party? The fact that - the, the fact that maybe him being in this race and flaming out at least removes him, the kingmaker quality that he's had in recent elections, or allows Republicans to draw some sort of distinction with someone when they're on the debate stage? That' always the biggest problem. A lot of their ideas are generally too similar to this to make a distinction.

FERGUSON: Well, I, I, I think what you're going to see is Donald Trump is someone that they all look at as someone that really should not be taken as seriously as some are making it out to be. It may give some of these guys a chance to actually make a name for themselves if they do take him on. Those that are polling lower.

But ultimately I think if you ask every GOP candidate that's in this race right now, none of them like Donald Trump and none of them want him in this and, and none of them really want to be sparring with him. They would rather spar with one another because they look each other as more of a legitimate candidate than Donald Trump. He is not going to be the president.

His unfavorability is almost has high as his favorability. Either you love him or you hate him, but ultimately for the other candidates, they just want him out of the race as soon as they can and certainly outside the top 10 so they don't have to deal with him on stage.