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New Day

Suspect Named in Pennsylvania Police Ambush; Vikings Ban Adrian Peterson; Source: Rivers' Doctor Performed Unauthorized Procedure; Ground Troops May be an Option to Fight ISIS

Aired September 17, 2014 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: There is a manhunt going on right now for a suspected cop killer and it is intensifying this morning. Police are looking for this man -- Eric Matthew Frein. They believe he was the trigger man who ambushed officers Friday night, killing one and injuring another. The search is forcing school closures in the Pocono Mountain area as concerns mount about a firefight if the suspect is located.

Jason Carroll is live in Pennsylvania with more.

Jason, what do we know?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What really helped investigators with all this, Chris, was a man out walking his dog this weekend, about two and a half miles from where we are now. He spotted an abandoned jeep. He called police.

That was the tip that they needed to find their suspect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): Police searching through the night for Eric Matthew Frein, a survivalist who spoke of mass murder. They also say he ambushed two Pennsylvania state troopers Friday night.

FRANK NOONAN, COMMISSIONER, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE: Frein is not in custody. He is at large and is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

CARROLL: About 200 law enforcement officials, including members of the ATF and FBI are searching a densely wooded area in northeastern Pennsylvania for Frein, who police say fired four shots at the Blooming Grove state police barracks, killing Corporal Byron Dickson and critically injuring trooper Alex Douglass. One resident spotted a Jeep believed to be Frein's, partially submerged in a pond about two miles from the shooting. Inside it, investigators found shell casings that matched those at the crime scene, two empty rifle cases, military gear and camouflage make-up.

NOONAN: What I want to emphasize to everyone is that this fellow is extremely dangerous. We have no idea where he is. CARROLL: Officials say Frein has expressed hatred toward law

enforcement in the past. That he made statements about wanting to kill officers and committing mass murder.

Police caution that the 31-year-old Pennsylvania native is very familiar with the area, he is suspected to be hiding in. Though authorities say they are confident they will eventually find him.

LT. COL. GEORGE BIVENS, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF OPERATIONS, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE: We will find you and we will seek justice when we do.

CARROLL: Also, police were able to interview Frein's father, he lived with his father and his mother. His father says that two weapons are missing, Chris, an AK-47, also a rifle. In his bedroom, they found a book titled "Sniper Training and Employment", just a little more information about this man who is at large.

His father says that he is well-trained when it comes to guns. He was in the rifle club when he was in high school. And when asked about what type of shooter he is, he says he never misses -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. Jason, obviously the concern is they're being baited by this man. It's going to have to make for an exercise of greater caution. So, we keep following it. Keep us in the loop.

Thank you very much, Jason Carroll.

Mick?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Breaking news this morning, the Minnesota Vikings have reversed course. They banned Adrian Peterson from all team activities until his child abuse case is resolved.

Andy Scholes has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report."

We sure haven't been talking about any sports from any games in a while, have we, Andy?

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Certainly haven't, Michaela, and this new Adrian Peterson news this decision by the Vikings, it comes just hours after Minnesota's governor called for Adrian Peterson to be suspended indefinitely. And one of the league's biggest sponsors, Anheuser-Busch, they released a statement criticizing the way the NFL has handled this whole situation.

Now, on Monday, Peterson was reinstated by the Vikings and was expected to play this Sunday against the Saints. But as more allegations arose and more sponsors started to speak out, the team changed its mind and have now banned him from all team activities until his child abuse case is resolved.

The owners Zygi and Mark Wilf released a statement this morning, it says, "After further reflection, we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear, we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children and we want to be sure we get this right."

Also breaking this morning, the NFL player association has appealed Ray Rice's indefinite suspension. In a statement the NFLPA says they are trying to protect the due process rights of all NFL players. And Rice was not treated fairly by Commissioner Roger Goodell. They've asked for an independent arbitrator to hear the case, since Goodell and members of his office will be key witnesses. A hearing date will be set in the next 10 days.

The NFLPA calling this double-jeopardy. They say Rice can't be punished twice for the same action, when all of the available evidence was available the first time.

PEREIRA: I don't think we've seen a football season start so roughly as we have as this year's season. It's insane, unprecedented.

SCHOLES: It's probably ever.

PEREIRA: It is. Andy Scholes, thanks so much for that.

SCHOLES: All right.

PEREIRA: New details in the death of Joan Rivers, sources tell CNN imagine this -- one of the doctors snapped a selfie during her throat surgery before that procedure took a fatal turn. That's note the only shocking detail that CNN has uncovered. We'll talk about it, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: You ready for this? There are stunning developments this morning in the death of Joan Rivers, reports the comedian's doctor had started an unauthorized procedure at the New York City outpatient facility, and did something no doctor in any operating room should ever do.

CNN's Susan Candiotti explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A source tells CNN investigators are learning this -- an unauthorized procedure, a biopsy on Rivers' vocal chords, was begun on the comedian while she was sedated. Staffers told authorities they found no signed consent form from Rivers.

If so, ethicist Dr. Arthur Caplan says that's a red flag.

DR. ART CAPLAN, ETHICIST: Knowing what's going to happen to you is crucial to any care interaction.

CANDIOTTI: The morning began like this -- our source says Rivers was undergoing a scheduled endoscopy by the clinic's gastroenterologist, Dr. Lawrence Cohen -- inserting a camera down her throat, looking for possible digestive issues when staffers say Cohen saw something. While Rivers was still under anesthesia, staffers told authorities Rivers' personal ear, nose and throat specialist examined Rivers' vocal chords and began a biopsy. And in addition to the fact the procedure was unauthorized, our source says the ENT doctor was not certified to operate there.

CAPLAN: Even though you are a licensed physician, you still should have, if you will, the checks and balances to get you approval to practice in a particular place.

CANDIOTTI: And there's more. In a statement, the clinic flatly says a biopsy of the vocal chords, quote, "has never been performed at the clinic."

While technically true, it doesn't appear to be the whole story. The ENT doctor may not have completed the biopsy, but our source says it was started. Our source says as the unauthorized biopsy got under way, Rivers' vocal chords began to swell, cutting off her oxygen, putting her into cardiac arrest.

(on camera): Doctor, if there were oxygen deprivation to the brain, what particular impact might that have, if someone is elderly, in this case, 81 years old?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The effect of having no oxygen to the brain is damage to the nerve cells which can precipitate coma, paralysis. But in the elderly, you have less reserve, you have less of a window to correct it.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): When Rivers' heart stops beating, seconds count. It's 9:40 a.m., the clinic calls 911. The call gets the highest code.

Five minutes later, New York Fire Rescue arrives, CPR is under way. A defibrillator is attached, a breathing tube inserted, Fire Rescue takes over CPR.

9:47, a Mount Sinai ambulance team arrives and joins the efforts. A minute later, a second fire rescue unit arrives. By 9:50 a.m., ten emergency personnel are on the scene. One week later, Joan Rivers is dead.

As New York's medical examiner and the state's health department continue to investigate, the clinic announcing a shake-up. In a statement saying Dr. Cohen is not currently performing procedures, nor is he currently serving as medical director. At this time a source says neither Dr. Cohen nor the ENT is being accused of wrongdoing.

Citing federal privacy laws, the clinic declines comment on whether Rivers' personal doctor was there and performed a biopsy. This head- shaking news, while Rivers was under anesthesia, staffers tell investigators the ENT, Rivers' personal doctor, was taking a selfie while she was in the room under anesthesia. Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: That sure is a disturbing detail to come out.

CUOMO: That is a very ghoulish thing because of obviously what wound up happening to Joan Rivers.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

CUOMO: But the concern here is that if this could happen to Joan Rivers, what about everybody else? This is a big part of emerging medicine, these clinics. And this investigation is the state, but also the feds because there are a lot of unanswered questions that we'll keep trying to unpack as the reporting comes out. Thank you to Susan Candiotti.

BOLDUAN: Clearly a lot still to come with that. We'll be on it.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

BOLDUAN (voice-over): President Obama's top general says the U.S. could send ground troops into Iraq to battle ISIS if the conditions demand it. That's not what the president has been telling the American people, though. So where's the disconnect? Is there a disconnect? We're going to be digging deeper on that.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Breaking news, both on the threat of ISIS and the planned response.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (voice-over): First the threat. You're looking at it. ISIS has released a new video in direct response to President Obama's plan to quote degrade and ultimately destroy the terror group. Slickly produced video seems to dare American troops to come after ISIS in Iraq. Take a look.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq.

CUOMO: They should be careful what they ask for, because this comes a day after the president and one of his top generals appear to get their wires crossed on the strategy, specifically involving U.S. troops on the ground.

As you know, the president has said for weeks that there will be no American boots on the ground in Iraq. But on Tuesday, chairman of the joint chiefs, Martin Dempsey, told Congress he has not ruled out the possibility of combat troops. Listen.

GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS: My view at this point is that this coalition is the appropriate way forward. I believe that will prove true. But if it fails to be true and if there are threats to the United States, then I of course would go back to the president and make a recommendation that may include the use of U.S. military ground forces.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (on camera): What you are seeing play out in real-time is the difference between politics and practicality. Let's get some perspective now. Bring in retired U.S. Army Major General James "Spider" Marks, CNN military analyst. Marc Lamont Hill, CNN political commentator, host of "HuffPost Live".

Marc, I start with you, but both of you gentlemen, thank you for being with us this morning. No U.S. boots on the ground is one thing and one thing only. This is President Obama responding to the polls that say we're war-weary. This is a man who as senator was against the war, who as a candidate said that his whole platform was getting us out of Iraq because it was a mistake, and whose pledge is to not do it again. That's what it's about.

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's what it's about to a certain extent, but conditions do change. Obviously after we drew down in Iraq, security forces didn't remain, conditions changed, and there was a need for some sort of intervention.

The president isn't simply responding to the polls and saying we're a war-weary nation, a war-weary community. Although, that's true. There's also a very practical reason that says, look, U.S. troops in the air, U.S. boots on the ground have a negative impact on the area. It's much better to include regional forces to get Sunni buy-in, to get PKK troops, to get Shia militia groups, although that's very problematic we've learned lately, to get all those groups in because it creates a different atmosphere on the ground and it stops new death spots from emerging.

That said, it's always been puzzling to me, this idea that I'm going to announce before the world that ground troops are off the table. That just seems like bad strategy.

CUOMO: It's about politics. And to you, General, when you hear this information, this is one of main frustrations of being a military man. You're at war with ISIS, they don't like the word in government because they know what it means. But isn't it time to just tell the truth, can this get done if U.S. troops aren't on the ground?

MAJ. GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS (RET.): I'm confident that it can get done. But the key issue is, at the end of the day, if you want to do what the president has described in his strategy, which is to defeat ISIS , that by itself is a very broad and very descriptive term. That means something to military folks.

You're going to have to have forces on the ground. You're going to have to have troops on the ground. Whether those are U.S. troops or whether those are coalition troops, at the end of the day, it's a necessity to get that accomplished.

Now if you want to degrade them, if you want to push them out of Iraq, give Baghdad an opportunity to reestablish its borders and to establish governance with its new government going forward to try to get some distance between what the challenges have been right now and where they need to go. Moving forward, you can do that.

But at the end of the day, if it's about defeating - - and this is what General Dempsey said. If you've told me you want me to defeat ISIS, my obligation as the chairman of joint chiefs of staff is to come back and say Mr. President, I've got a mismatch of ends and means if this isn't working out. I either need to reduce what you're asking me to do, or I may have to increase the resources necessary to get it done. And that could be soldiers, that could be air power. It could be time, and I think that's the key issue moving forward is to have that discussion.

CUOMO: But general, isn't it fair to say it's not an if, it's a when? You know that the coalition in that region, the Arab countries as well as Turkey, don't want to put men in the fight. You know the Free Syrian Army isn't doing well as it is, and is not showing an inclination to fight ISIS. They want to take on Assad. Isn't this just about waiting until there's no other option, except U.S. troops?

MARKS: If, yes, Chris, I would agree with you completely. The issue is, is if you've got that conundrum, if you're sitting at that inflection point and you know we're not going to get this done unless we put U.S. soldiers and service members on the ground. And if the president is adamant that that will not happen beyond what he already has in Iraq, in the form of advisers, then you reduce the mission. He's going to have to come back to the American population and international partners and say, look, guys, I've got to change what it is we're trying to do because we can't get there from here.

HILL: No sitting president is going to say, you know what? We changed the mission, we were going to degrade and destroy them. Now we're merely going to contain them. You talk about something that's politically unacceptable, that's probably the worst thing that could happen. The question, though, is are there other ways of doing this? And I'm not necessarily convinced, neither are any of these international community, that this cannot happen without putting American troops on the ground.

One issue, again, is the funding. We have to really get at the Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti relationship. Not just the nation states, but the private funding. If we get at the funding of ISIS, and we get regional buy-in, and we have coalition forces, now all of a sudden we can move in that direction.

That, again, doesn't mean that there aren't problems. The problem is not, I don't think, the willingness of the Arab community, it's the capacity of the Arab community. It's whether the FSA can do this. It's whether Shiite militia groups create more problems in Iraq than they do solutions. Those are the problems.

CUOMO: There's one thing we know about that part of the world, and the general can attest to this. They can fight, Marc. They can fight for good reason, bad reason, no reason. They don't want to fight here., and that's the problem with this plan right now. The bigger problem politically, though, and this is what I want to end with with both of you, is the president, you could argue, is getting way too much criticism here because, although he's the commander-in-chief, all of these members of Congress are saying everything they need to say to trigger their constitutional responsibility to declare war and take a vote. And they're avoiding it like scared children because of the mid-terms.

HILL: Absolutely.

CUOMO: What's going to happen with that?

HILL: Ultimately their hand is going to be forced. We saw it with the president's speech a few weeks ago.

CUOMO: They're voting today about whether or not to arm the rebels, which is the least of the concerns.

HILL: That's the least of the concerns, but that's also the easiest thing to fund, because it makes people feel like we're not engaging in war. Although, quite frankly, we are whether we want to acknowledge it or not.

But as we move down the road, Congress is going to have to take more votes around funding, around authorizing what's ultimately going to be a war. That puts everybody's cards on the table. Right now it's the president taking all the heat. Once Congress has all bought in and all their votes, all their names are on the line, you'll see a different type of narrative about what's going on here.

CUOMO: And also, General, the reason we wind up bringing you back on this as we go forward is everybody in Congress agrees on one thing, right? Boy, they support the troops. Our fighting men and women. By not voting in this situation right now, not having a clear plan --

MARKS: They're undermining.

CUOMO: They're undermining the military.

HILL: Absolutely.

CUOMO: And I hope people understand that at home.

General Marks, thank you very much. Marc Lamont Hill, always a pleasure.

HILL: Thanks, Chris.

CUOMO: Helping us out on this.

This is a big story for you about what happens as you start your NEW DAY. There's a lot of other news as well, so let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Vikings banning Adrian Peterson from all team activities. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has admitted what he has done. This man has no

place on the field.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A Rochester, New York man indicted on charges of trying to recruit for ISIS.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This underscores the problem that is really a growing problem here in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police searching through the night for Eric Matthew Frein. He ambushed two Pennsylvania state troopers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is at large and is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will find you, we will seek justice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a once and for all decision. If Scotland votes yes, the UK will split, and we will go our separate ways forever.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO: Good morning, welcome back to NEW DAY. We are following breaking news this morning. The Minnesota Vikings reversing course on the future of star running back, Adrian Peterson.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (voice-over): The team announced overnight that Peterson is exempt. What does that mean? It means he's banned from all team activities until his child abuse case is resolved. This just a day after Peterson was reinstated and cleared to play this Sunday.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): The NFL continuing to feel the heat from a rash of domestic violence cases which are starting to hit the league in its pocketbook.

Look at this list of sponsors. Budweiser, Pepsi, Nike, just to name a few. All expressing concerns over their handling of these situations. And those cases we're talking about include ex-Baltimore Raven Ray Rice, who beat a midnight deadline and formally appealed his indefinite suspension.

We're going to have complete coverage for you. CNN's Nischelle Turner is starting us off, following all of these developments. Nischelle, and every day there is new developments. What's going on this morning?

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there definitely is. Now, Ray Rice's appeal didn't surprise us. We expected him to do that by midnight last night.