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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
U.S. Weighs Airstrikes on ISIS in Syria; Remembering James Foley; Officer Suspended Over Ugly Rant; Mayor: "No racial Divide" in Ferguson; Supporting Officer Wilson; What we know about Officer Darren Wilson; Fund for Officer Wilson Tops $200K+; Brown Family Attorney Speaks Out; Funeral for Michael Brown on Monday; American Ebola Survivor Speaks; Two American Survive Ebola Infection; Ferguson Business Stays Open; Chinese Fighter Jet Vs. Navy Plane
Aired August 22, 2014 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, AC360 HOST: In Iraq, they have heavy, heavy sectarian bloodshed in new American airstrikes. We're back in Washington to talk now, turns the heading ISIS beyond the borders of Iraq inside Syria. We begin with the fight against ISIS and the growing sectarian turmoil in Iraq. New York Times correspondent Ben Hubbard is in Baghdad. I spoke to him just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Ben, what's the situation at the Mosul Dam because U.S. military said they conducted at least three new air strikes around the dam where there's been fighting -- do you know the latest there?
BEN HUBBARD, NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER: The dam is still under control -- I mean Iraqi, the Peshmerga forces that moved in sort of Iraqi counterterrorist and forces. They're still controlling the dam. I believe that the airstrikes are sort of mapping up around the area and trying to give them better control of the surrounding region.
COOPER: And have Iraqi government forces, have they shown any better capabilities of actually standing up in fighting -- standing up and fighting? And have they shown any capabilities of actually retaking, towns or territory?
HUBBARD: Well, unfortunately I think the performance of the Iraqi security forces has been pretty bad. They don't really have a lot of accomplishments to hold up at this point in the fight. I mean the dam, you know, the dam was a success but it's quite clear that this is something that they would not have been able to do if there haven't been fairly intense American airstrikes in the area that had, you know, done a lot of damage to ISIS'S positions and probably cause a lot of their fighters to withdraw even before these forces moved in.
So we really haven't seen a lot of successes. It seems like mostly these forces are now in a more defensive position trying to prevent, you know, trying to keep from losing more territory to ISIS but we haven't seen a lot of examples of them actually taking back areas that are being controlled by this extremist organization. COOPER: And also it seems, I mean, do you see an avenue for the Iraqi security forces to improve anytime soon? I mean it seems that, you know, reading, you're reporting, other reports from the New York Times and elsewhere, it's the Iraqi leadership core, the generals who are in charge of some of these brigades completely have no battlefield experience and in many cases were pick, you know, by Nouri Al-Maliki for political reasons.
HUBBARD: Yeah. I think that any reform to the Iraqi security forces is going to be -- it's going to have be a very long term process. I don't think that anybody who's watching this very closely thinks that there's going to be sort of a sudden turn around and I think that -- in general I think this is sort of one of the sadder parts of the current prices is that they doesn't appear to be a quick and easy solution. There doesn't appear, you know, -- the American government has put a big emphasis on the formation of a new more inclusive government. And while this could certainly change the atmosphere, it's probably not going to immediately cause, you know, ISIS to get chased out of areas where it has established withholds.
It's probably, you know, it's not going to lead to immediate reforms and the security forces. I mean these are things that take time. It takes a long time to weed out cultures of corruption. It takes a long time to give soldiers the training that they need, you know, to be able to take on this kind of a threat.
So, you know, regarding even in a best case scenario. I think we're looking a quite a long process of development here and there's unfortunately plenty of ways that that can go wrong.
COOPER: Yeah. Sure it is. Ben Hubbard, I appreciate you being with us, thanks.
HUBBARD: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: All this comes in a day mark by much tougher talk from the White House and the strong suggestion that having hit ISIS from the air in Iraq. The campaign may soon include Syria as well. Barbara Starr reports now on what's being contemplating.
BARBARA STARR, CNN REPORTER: U.S. officials tell CNN, there are long standing and ongoing talks inside the administration about increasing airstrikes in Iraq and easing the possibility of tailored strikes inside Syria against specific ISIS targets. But official stress, no decisions have been made by the White House.
BEN RHODES, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVICERS: We're actively conserving what's going to be necessary to deal with that threat and we're not going to be restricted by borders.
STARR: And the Pentagon is devoting nothing.
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We don't telegraph our paunches. I think you can rest assured that the leadership here in the Pentagon understands the threat post by this group.
STARR: Talk of military options stirred up by this comment, by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about the threat of Isis and its ranks of 10,000 fighters.
CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Oh, this is beyond anything that we've seen. So we must prepare for everything and the only way you do that is you take a cold steely hard to look at it and get ready.
STARR: Officials are taking panes to emphasize that any military action would only be part of a long-term strategy against ISIS involving diplomacy and action from other countries in the region.
U.S. military leaders continue to make the case that air strikes alone will not defeat ISIS, that counties in the region must bond together to defeat their radical ideology. Barbara Starr, CNN from Pentagon.
COOPER: I want to dig deeper now just for few minutes on what it may take to deal with the ISIS as well as the cost and risk for doing it including hostage taking with former Navy Seal, Daniel O'Shea. He's also the former coordinator at the U.S. embassy's hostage working group in Baghdad and thanks for being with us again.
In terms of special operations forces what role would they play if there were airstrikes in Syria, I mean would there -- do you need forward, you know, people in forward positions to laser sight positions to bomb?
DANIEL O'SHEA, FORMER NAVY SEAL: Well, yeah. Of course, the role on the ground is that you would have embedded folks that would actually help call on the grounds that are going to be pinpointing, dropping the mortars or that the -- and in the common implement that the jets overhead. So absolutely that is a skill set that's inherit within special operations and that's what you call combat enabler. But right now there's no word of putting troops on the ground. So that doesn't seem to be option on the table at this point.
COOPER: And certainly, you know, intelligence on the ground in Syria, one would have to assume to try limit it at this point. How much would that hamper any possible military operation?
O'SHEA: If you're referring to the hostage still being held as a threat for them on the ground in Syria, you know, the complication is that we don't really have a good ally in Syria, not with the host nation government or, you know, the rebels themselves. So that's the challenge of finding good intelligence sources on the ground when we're really -- we have no footprint there presently.
COOPER: Can the U.S. hamper disruptive group like ISIS with just an air campaign ?
O'SHEA: Well, I would go back and use the analogy in Afghanistan. Obviously the Taliban which had, you know, a large number of forces have the upper hand against the northern alliance. They couldn't defeated by your fire alone (ph). You had to have our special operations in particular green berets embedded with the Northern Alliance elements to bring air power that they have that pinpoint accuracy with those combat controllers. So arguably, there would had to have some type of the game plan to do the same to defeat ISIS in Iraq.
COOPER: You know, in terms of hostages, you know, the New York Times has reported that European nations pay large sums and it sort of a major source of income for groups like ISIS, for Al-Qaeda linked groups. It's fueled probably, it's a business now. The United States according, you know, supposedly does not pay. That disparity, it obviously would make it more dangerous for American hostages. Do you see any chance that western European nations may rethink their policy on paying?
O'SHEA: Well, this pattern started in Iraq and in fact it started in 2004 to 2006 where European powers, it's well-known now, there's no secret, in France, Germany, Italy and many others were paying multimillion dollar ransoms and it just escalate it and that's why you have this predominance of this tactic that spread to Afghanistan and all over Africa as well. Boko Haram is using this, Al-Shabab or what the piracy off the coast of Somalia.
So this has been a scourge and it's been a topic for a decade now and really the U.S. allied with our close partners, the Brits, Canadians, and Australians, and New Zealanders. We're the only ones that really stuck in the policy of no ransoms paid but again, we just made the concessions to bring back Bergdahl. So, you know, we've essentially changing U.S. policy in that venue as well.
COOPER: In order though for progress to be made I mean, does everybody needs to be on the same page? Would it help the situation if western Europeans nations -- I mean, you know, one of the man held with Jim Foley which there are French national who France paid for him and he's alive today.
O'SHEA: Well, I could just tell you this, when I arrived in Iraq in the summer of 2004, we were averaging two kidnapping a day of westerners. There was 31 kidnappings a month. I arrive within two months, it was up to 53. And the problem was out of control. When we came up with the three-tiered approached to deal with the kidnappings, number one, was to focus on the rescue recovery of all hostages which was devote all intelligence assets towards rescuing those that were taken captive.
Number two, prevent future kidnappings and a lot of that was a campaign to get out and educate everyone on how dangerous environment is on the ground and to be aware of the threat and mitigate, take the steps and mitigate from that threat. And then number three was bringing those responsible to justice which was a targeted campaign that ultimately broke the back of kidnapping rates which is where we put our special operations forces against some major kidnapping that works Baghdad and we wipe them out. And by the time I left Baghdad, kidnappings of westerners were down to single digits. In fact with...
COOPER: Wow.
O'SHEA: ... only one hostage was taken on the last two months of my your, one...
COOPER: Right.
O'SHEA: ...western hostage. So there is a strategy that you can apply but it will be though because we don't have assets on the ground and intelligence networks. We have to rebuild that over from scratch because we left the country in 2010 with no footprint behind.
COOPER: Dan O'Shea. I appreciate you being with us Dan. Thanks very much. Coming up next, Michael Foley remembers his brother James. More of my interview ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back into the news. We talked about before the break an awful lot of people are no doubt busy tonight. They're looking for ISIS targets in Iraq and probably in Syria as well. Intelligence officers are scouring their sources, trying to pick up new hints about where the remaining hostages are being held. There's no doubt there're a lot being done that we don't know about and may never know about.
At the end of the day though, at the end of this day, we do want to focus no less closer on just one thing, a journalist James Foley who's been mourn tonight and being remembered so firmly by so many people. We think you should know -- I think you'll be glad to know what kind of person he was, what kind of son he was, what kind of brother he was. Earlier today I spoke at link to his brother Michael about all those things and all the things they all miss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Michael, I'm so sorry for your lost and for what your family is going through. First of all, how you were all holding up?
MICHAEL FOLEY, JAMES FOLEY'S BROTHER: We've had our highs and our lows. You know, we have a large contention of family, standard family here which helps quite a bit. It's great seeing all my brothers and sisters or, you know, my brother and sister are in town which is very helpful.
COOPER: What do you want people to know about Jim? I mean what kind of guy was he?
FOLEY: Anderson, I don't want Jim to have died in vain and from the amount of support I've seen and in interest, I certainly don't believe that will be the case but I want people to remember Jim and his legacy, how he, you know, his fight for the less than privilege people, for the poor, for his love of journalism and the desire to bring light, to bring the story out from places in the world that when otherwise be heard. And Jim is really my hero and I think he's a hero for many people and I really just hope that that legacy caries on.
COOPER: Is that really what compelled him? I mean he came late to the world of journalism.
FOLEY: He did.
COOPER: He was 40 years old when he died but to go to the places repeatedly that he went to I mean, you know, there are other forms of journalism one can do but he really chose the most difficult path and most dangerous imaginable. Was it -- For you, in his description of it, it was always about trying to give a voice to those who didn't have a voice.
FOLEY: It was and I didn't appreciated it especially after, you know, we worried for 40 days to get him out of Libya. I didn't really appreciate it until he went back to Libya that second time and I started to understand it and someone, you know, but I asked this question a million times why he's going back and someone shared with me the analogy which is, you know, why does a fireman go back to that burning fire? Because they believe in their core that this is where they're meant to do. And Jim late in life but it really merged his talents and his desires and I really things he brought a lot of skill to the profession in a short amount of time he was doing it.
COOPER: It also I think it's important to point out that I mean again, you know, he wasn't a sort of this young, full hearty guy going off to wars, I mean he had been out there a long time. He had been experience as you said. He had been taking captive in Libya. He knew how to operate on the ground. Did you talk to him about the dangers? Did he discuss those with you in about his thoughts on it?
FOLEY: Yeah. I mean we knew -- I mean he had a lot of experience. You know, you're right. He was imbedded with some forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and then of course Libya in multiple times, Syria more than once but, you know, anyone that's following what's going on in Syria knows there is no blue print for safety.
COOPER: I was reading after he got out of Libya the first time, GlobalPost, I mean he had a job stateside for a while but he...
FOLEY: He did.
COOPER: ... but just didn't fit, I mean he just...
FOLEY: He didn't but Jim...
COOPER: ... insisted on going over.
FOLEY: Jim actually lived with us in Massachusetts and it was the time that we cherish my two boys really, really looked up to uncle Jim, the fun uncle with no rules and but now domestic life wasn't for him.
COOPER: You've mentioned your kids. I'm not sure how old they are but how do you explain this to your kids?
FOLEY: Well, they're seven and four. So the four year old Matthew (ph) or Matty as Jim called him is too young to understand but, you know, Michael is beginning to understand. We'd just told them straight. My niece Lorry (ph) who's also seven was a little more emotionally intelligence, said her heart was broken when we spoke to her and it really -- that just sums it up. A seven year old says it's straight, says it the best way possible.
All our hearts are broken and I -- it's really important to me that Jim's legacy caries on and I do want to highlight the scholarship fund at Marquette University that his friends have put together for disadvantage to students who want to go into communications. If you would find a way to post a link for that I appreciate it.
COOPER: Yeah. We'll definitely post a link and I'll tweet that link as well. I was thinking about your family when I heard that they had received and email. I just can't imagine the horror of even seeing that email pop-up, you know.
FOLEY: Have you read it?
COOPER: Yes I have. But just seeing, you know, checking your email one day and seeing an email from the people that are holding your brother, your child. I mean I'd just -- I kept thinking about your parents in that situation and your whole family and I just -- I don't know, there's no question there. Just horror that really struck along for me.
FOLEY: A horror is a good word. It's like -- it's right out of a Hollywood movie and unfortunately you're in it. And I'd just know that I'm comforted by the fact that it was clear on the images, in the video that Jim didn't flinch, he had the courage. I'm certain that he put himself in a position to be first in line and he wanted us to be strong and that's the message he was sending without saying it. And, you know, I want that memory to live on. We all love Jim and I know there's a lot of others that look up him and just the people from all over the world, all over the country, from all walks of life had reach out to us and it really, really means a lot.
COOPER: Michael, again, I'm just -- I'm really just stunned. I'm so sorry for your lost and if there's anything we can do for you or your family, please let us know.
FOLEY: The helping to get this word out is enough Anderson. Thank you for taking the time and helping to paint the picture of who Jim was. Thank you.
COPPER: Thank you Mike.
And the link for that scholarship fund is in our website. I also tweeted it out, so you can check my Twitter. It's also there at the bottom of the screen.
Coming up next, Ferguson and yet another major development. Another police officer and the one here shutting Don Lemon has now been suspended, not for what he's doing there but because of some very toxic things he said.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COPPER: Welcome back. There's been an eye-opening development in the already racially charged and highly polarize tragedy in Ferguson. A County police officer, Dan Page, has now been relieved of his duty. He's the one who push CNN's Don Lemon, when Don was on the air earlier this week. Now officer Page's suspension wasn't stem from that, it stems from another piece of footage of him a few months ago, giving a speech, filled with some pretty ugly statements against gays, affirmative action, women, President Obama, you name it.
Don is in Ferguson tonight, he joins me now. So the suspension of this officer, what do we know about it?
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: We know that it is because of these controversial statements, inflammatory statements that he made at an Oath Keepers meeting back in April. He made them on tape.
One thing he said that was controversial, he talked about domestic violence Anderson. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN PAGE: When the inner city start to ignite, people are going to start killing people they don't like and I'm going to warn the ladies on something. And these always get me in trouble but I got to tell you.
This domestic violence stuff, every time a man turns around and gets jammed up by his wife, unless you are heading for trouble ladies. A man can be arrested up for domestic property damage, domestic peace disturbance, domestic destruction of property, so and forth and so and forth. And so how can you do that in your own house?
You can be a reason for domestic trespassing. I've seen people are lying down the middle of the house. Stupid. You don't like each other that much, just killing each other and you going to go with.
Problem solved. Get it done. Don't be waste cop's time, just shot each other and get it over with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well as bad as that is, it's more concerning to the police as how he talks about indiscriminately killing people and he appears to be glorifying killing people.
Listen to this Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Page: I personally believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord savior but I'm also a killer.
I killed a lot. And if I need to, I kill a whole much more. If you don't want to get killed, don't show up in front of me, it's that simple.
I have no problems with that. God did not raise me to be a coward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COPPER: I mean, I guess his reference in killing people in the past was perhaps a reference due to his service in the military. You said he have been a green beret. I don't understand his threat either his willingness to kill people if they step in front of him now.
I understand he also made some controversial statements about President Obama.
LEMON: Yeah, it goes back Anderson to that old President Obama, where was he born? Where are he's ties? Kenya. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAGE: And so I want to go find where that illegal aliens (inaudible) to be our president, my undocumented president lives at.
So I go to Africa and right there and I went to our undocumented President's home. He was born in Kenya.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COPPER: I mean, they aren't just argue in the facts, I mean...
LEMON: GO ahead Anderson.
COOPER: ... just the idiocy that a police officer sworn to protect and serve people would still believe that which has been proven time and time again. How did the Saint Louise Police Chief react to this?
LEMON: They're not happy about it. As you've mentioned they've put him on leave and by all account he's going to be fired either or force to retire. The chief came out and spoke to me about exactly how he feels about it.
Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON BELMAR, ST. LOUISE COUNTY POLICE CHIEF: Some of the things you said regarding use of deadly force things such as that kind of troubling. I really do.
And I like I said, I use to think this is so unusual, this I was just so bizarre that this would be unusual for anybody not only a police officer but citizen, a member of the military, this really took me back when I saw it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, Chief Belmar also said in this statement, he said, Chief Belmar would again like to apologize to anyone this video has offended and ask any videos of this nature be reported so we can take proper action against any officer not meeting our standards."
So they are looking for a possible other incidences or instances where officers may have these sorts of feelings or there are other videotapes out there like this, Anderson.
COPPER: Is the officer speaking at all? I mean have we reached out to him?
LEMON: We have reach out to him. So far he has not been in contact with us. He has not gotten back to us but we did try to get in touch with him.
COPPER: All right. Don, I appreciate the reporting Don. Thank you very much.
Think about that last report when you consider this, the Mayor of Ferguson James Knowles saying there is "no racial divide." He said there is "no racial divide" in his city.
I took to him last night in the program and he claimed that most residence feel the same way. I spoke to the Mayor last night and I ask him if he still stood by that statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COPPER: I heard you're saying you don't believe any resident here believes there's a racial divide. And I mean, I ...
JAMES KNOWLES: Well and maybe that was too strongly statement, you know, I obviously wanted to impress upon people that the majority of a residence in Ferguson, you know, don't -- I don't believe felt that way.
COPPER: But the majority of residents in Ferguson are African- American and they are being police by force which does not represent them in terms of race. And I'm not saying race is the only criteria here but...
KNOWLES: Well yeah...
COPPER: ... but any...
KNOWLES: ... you're kind of making it the only criteria though.
COPPER: Well, no actually because I mean, any company in America make, you know, has diversity programs.
KNOWLES: And we do have, yeah.
COOPER: Have you guys not heard of diversity programs? You three African-American officers and 50 white officers. Is that make any sense to you?
KNOWLES: We have a couple more than that but we also have Hispanic officers and Asian officers. So we have been...
COPPER: The force is 90 percent white.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COPPER: Joining me now, our Missouri State Senator, Maria Chappelle- Nadal and in Ferguson Protester Andrew Tetzlaff.
Senator, I appreciate for being with us. I want to give your take on the Mayor's comments that his belief that there is no racial divide in Ferguson. Even though the City Council of five out of six, six of it, I think are white, six out of seven on the school board are white and 90 percent of the police are of course is white.
MARIA CHAPPELLE-NADAL, MISSOURI STATE SENATOR: Well, Anderson I have to tell you that this is a tale of two cities frankly. And when I am on the streets in my community, I hear a lot of people who have been angry for a very long time. And with this incidence with Mike Brown people understand that we have to start having honest conversations, that's not happening right now.
And so we have to be honest with ourselves. Even today when I was at the local coffee shop, there are people who are selling signs that said, "I love Ferguson." And I went to the streets talking to the protesters and they said, you know, we have a different impression about Ferguson and this is lasted far too long and we have to do something about it.
COPPER: And, you know, I have a lot of respect for police officers. It's an extraordinarily difficult job but, you know, in the last two days, we have seen basically now two police officers who were on the scene there, basically now being force -- suspended or taking off active duty, one for pointing a rifle on protesters saying, "I'll f--- ing kill you." And now this other officer from St. Louis County making this comment. Senator, what do you make of this comments now have come out made by the St. Louis County officer?
CHAPPELLE-NADAL: Well, I have to tell you, this is not the first time that CNN has reported statements that have been made by police officers. If you recall, my constituents were called animals and treated us like animals.
And so we really need to get rid of people who are in the police force who feel this way, feel so it's OK to call an individual outside of their names. And I have to tell you, I do ride along with the St. Louis County police departments and I have a lot of friends who are police officers and I am very proud of that fact. But I -- in no way condone an officer who threats someone inhumane.
And so, there is a cleansing that needs to go on in the St. Louis Country police department, the sooner the better because my residence in my district do not deserve it, whatsoever.
COPPER: Andrew, this officer is one of the officers doing crowd control the last couple weeks. As the citizen in that community you were there as a protester, what did you make of his comments and specially based on what you saw over the last several nights there?
ANDREW TETZLAFF, FERGUSON PROTESTER: Well, I would say the officer's comments are outrageous and suggest that they're not doing proper filtering and screening for police officers. I mean, their primary job should be restrained and to protect and served. And this guy is already got an acts to grinned and that makes a situation in a poor community where they've had difficult relationships with the police before, it get tense very quickly when he's already amped up with his opinions barely under the surface and then people were trying to live their lives but feel it becomes combative very quickly in all these circumstances.
COPPER: Andrew, I understand you went up to the Ferguson Mayor last night because you disagree with what he said about, they're not being a racial divide in that community. How is that conversation go?
TETZLAFF: I'm not a confrontational person by nature so it was pretty a lot awkward and it was a polite conversation but I said -- I basically said I couldn't believe you suggested on the other network that there wasn't a racial divide.
And then there was a question that followed up and said, "Well, are you speaking for yourself or are you saying that the entire people of Ferguson wouldn't say there is a racial divide?" And he went the whole way and he said, "I think all the people would say there's not a racial divide." And I said, "Listen, the only evidence you need to see of racial divide in North County and I'd been here 25 years is massive white flight."
Look what's happening in Ferguson over the last 20 years of so, how the percentages have flipped and to suggest it's for other reasons just like putting your head in the sand.
And frankly just being audacious enough to suggest on behalf of everyone else that there isn't a racial divided was sort of an embarrassingly simple mind of statement. He really -- he shouldn't have gone there. He can speak for himself but that was too far.
COPPER: Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal, I appreciate for being on, Andrew Tetzlaff as well. Thank you so much.
Coming up, there had been demonstrators in Ferguson who support Darren Wilson. Support and point out the police officer who killed Michael Brown. And the online fundraising page for him has raised more money so far than the Michael Brown memorial fund.
Closer look at Wilson's supporters is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COPPER: And tonight I want to take a closer look at who Officer Darren Wilson is and the people rallying behind him. And you don't see a lot of people in Ferguson itself supporting him. There you do see some. Two nights ago a pair of Wilson supporters were in a confrontation with the rest of the marchers. Police escorted them away. The place they gather the exception on the ground obviously in Ferguson.
Elsewhere though it's a different story especially online where fundraising page is now raise to a six-figure amount in the officer's name. More tonight from Jason Carroll
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: His very name has stirred unrest and has invoked words about injustice and police brutality.
But to others here in Ferguson, Officer Darren Wilson's name is synonymous with justice and it's become our pro-police rallying crime.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The police have done nothing wrong and this was a just, a rushed to judgment.
I'm not going home, honey. My America too.
CARROLL: The man behind so much of vision of here in Ferguson has yet to emerge following the shooting of Michael Brown.
A Ferguson police source telling CNN, Officer Wilson received death threats following the shooting when all the unrest broke out.
The source also says Wilson left Ferguson last week to an undisclosed location for his safety and is now on paid leave panning the outcome of an investigation. Ferguson's police chief has spoken to Wilson several times since the shooting.
CHIEF THOMAS JACKSON, FERGUSON POLICE DEPARTMENT: He's very shaken about what happen that day in the aftermath.
CARROLL: Has he said anything about his emotional stage of mind?
JACKSON: We talked about that, you know, he is hurt.
CARROLL: For those looking for more insight into Wilson or his actions the day he shot and killed Michael Brown may have to wait.
Wilson is not talking, he has no spokesperson and the 28 year old has not confirmed who if anyone maybe legally representing him. As for his record on the force...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great job there.
CARROLL: He's a six-year veteran with no disciplinary action.
JAKE SHEPHERD, FRIEND OF DARREN WILSON: I'm just here to try to people that he is a good person.
CARROLL: Wilson's friend, Jake Shepherd was one of the first who publicly defend him.
SHEPHERD, FRIEND OF DARREN WILSON: It's sad, you know, I'm obviously sad for the family of Michael Brown but I'm sad for Darren and his family too. Every law enforcement officer dreads the time when they are forced to make that split second decision whether or not they have to take someone's life. CAROLL: Shepherd says after his interview on CNN, Wilson send him text messages, one reads, "The support is really keeping me going during this stressful time. Just stay safe. I appreciate all you have done." Wilson then wrote the following about his situation, "I can't go out." And while Wilson remains in hiding, support for him continues to grow. Online, a GoFundMe page has already raised more than $250,000. Jason Carroll, CNN, Ferguson Missouri.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, another view now, Anthony Gray an Attorney for Michael Brown's family his co-council Benjamin Crump, he joins me now tonight. Thanks very much for being with us. The incident report...
ANTHONY GRAY, BROWN FAMILY ATTORNEY: Hey, thank you for having me.
COOPER: The incident report in the shooting that was finally made public today, that's something you've been pushing for. There's essentially no real new information about what happened that day, no written details, we you surprised by that?
GRAY: I was not surprised by it. I expect a full and thorough report to be issued by St. Louis County. I believe the report that you have in your possession and that has been circulated is a report from Ferguson P.D. And so, as my understanding that they transfer the investigatory responsibility to St. Louis County and I would await the conclusion of that report.
COOPER: And Michael Brown's father I understand visited the memorial for his son today at the location where his son was killed, there are two memorials very close to each other, people laid out flowers and candles, balloons and teddy bears, what was that like for him?
GRAY: Well, you know, I didn't talk to him personally today. I talked to him well I basically learned about his feelings to other people that were with him and you can imagine it was a sobering moment for him, it was touching and they're just trying to get through this process and coping with the death of a child under these circumstances. So that's where they are right now so it hadn't changed Anderson.
COOPER: And the funeral is on Monday, do you know more details on how it's going to work out? What the plan is?
GRAY: Well, we know from a global standpoint we just wanted to be dignified and graceful. I do not have the finalized lineup. I'm not sure who's all going to appear or have words but at the end of the day we just want it to be respectful, peaceful and a good home going for this young man who lost his life in a very tragic way.
COOPER: Anthony Gray, I appreciate you being with us. Thank you very much. Just add tonight, she beat the odds. Beat Ebola, American missionary Nancy Writebol is back with her family. It's an extraordinary story of survival and faith. Her son joins me ahead.
(COMMERICAL BREAK) COOPER: On a week there's all some truly horrific news around the world. There was also a remarkable story of survival and faith. The two Americans who contracted Ebola in West Africa nearly died left at Atlanta hospital with a clean bill of health.
Dr. Kent Brantly and Missionary Nancy Writebol are virus free according to their doctors. Dr. Brantly spoke in a press conference at Emory University Hospital where they both were treated after being airlifted from Liberia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. KENT BRANTLY, EBOLA SURVIVOR: Today is a miraculous day. I'm thrilled to be alive, to be well and to be reunited with my family. I'm glad for any attention my sickness has attracted to the plight of West Africa in the midst of his epidemic. Please, continue to pray for Liberia and the people of West Africa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well Nancy Writebol was discharged on Tuesday. She left the hospital quietly without giving any interviews. In a statement her husband says, "She'd still weak from her ordeal and will continue her recuperation while reuniting with her family." Her son Jeremy Writebol joins us tonight.
First of all it's so great to meet you and so great that we're here under this happy circumstances and I want to start of by saying that. How's you mom doing? How's your dad doing?
JEREMY WRITEBOL, MOTHER RECOVERED FROM EBOLA: They're doing well. Yes, that's been the -- the amazing part of this whole story is seeing mom and dad reunited. Mom recovering from Ebola virus and actually surviving it. So...
COOPER: Did you have any doubt that she would survive?
WRITEBOL: Oh yes. Well, I mean, when we got the phone call from dad about four weeks ago I had in my mind that mom wouldn't make it.
COOPER: Really?
WRITEBOL: Just because of the high mortality rate...
COOPER: Right.
WRITEBOL: ... associated with Ebola and she was in Liberia. There was no idea that she would be evacuated or any of that would be in play at all. So...
COOPER: You do -- And at that point you didn't even know about the serum that...
WRITEBOL: Not at all.
COOPER: ... yes, so I hadn't heard, I mean, most people became as a complete surprise.
WRITEBOL: Right. Right. Yes, we hadn't heard any of that. We've been told on Monday after mom had been diagnosed that evacuation was out of the picture there is no way that was going to happen and so from that Monday until Thursday evening of that week we just -- we didn't have that as an option. And then, Thursday evening I got a call from the president of SIM (ph) saying we're going to evacuate your mom and dad and get them home and we started hearing reports of they're going to Emory and all of this and it just kind of -- everything flipped at that moment.
COOPER: I heard that when your mom got out of the isolation when hospital released her, the first thing she said is to God be the glory.
WRITEBOL: Right.
COOPER: Explain her faith in how that helped her through this.
WRITEBOL: Mom and dad are very devoted Christians, they've answered his call to go overseas and to serve other people and so for the last 15 years they've been doing that in places like South America and Africa and now Liberia and they said, "Let's go and care and love for people that are hurting and broken and in need." And that's just been the compelling force of their life.
COOPER: I understand that when word of the serum became known to you mom and Dr. Brantly that initially he had said that your mom should get the first dose but then he started to deteriorate and asked for himself to get the first dose. Your mom agreed to that. I mean, that says a lot about your mom.
WRITEBOL: Yes, I think it says both a lot about Dr. Brantly and my mom that they were acting Christ like and they were trying to care for and love one another and so from what we understand the serum had several treatments with it and these kind of be...
COOPER: Like there had to be like three different treatments...
WRITBOL: Right.
COOPER: ... and there had to be defrosted naturally.
WRITBOL: Exactly, exactly And so, mom was telling me that her treatment was they had placed that under her arm to help fought naturally more quickly and when she found out that Dr. Brantly needed he was ready to give it up but...
COOPER: Did you mom ever have any doubts about taking this serum? Because, I mean, this was experimental. No one had done this before.
WRITEBOL: Yes, I 'm sure there were. I'm not sure exactly how much they knew about it. They had to, you know, have some of those discussions and they felt like in life or death, one way or another, it was worth a try and if that helps and the research through that help other people understand how to defeat Ebola and help other people then go for it.
COOPER: Do you know how your mom actually contracts it because, I mean, it's, you know, it's often to caregivers. People who are working those who've been infected, they are the ones who get sick. We've seen doctors, we've seen countless numbers of nurses and attendants die, it's coming in contact with bodily fluids with, you know, all the things that when comes in contact with when you're caring for somebody.
WRITEBOL: Sure. There's some questions that they're asking each other, her and Dr. Brantly about when they were exposed and there's a potential that a healthcare worker who didn't report himself to any facility there that he might have had it when that healthcare worker came into work one day he was sick and through their contact with him, unknowingly, that might have been where they contracted it.
COOPER: It's just an extraordinary blessing and I appreciate you being here to tell us about your mom, she sounds like amazing lady.
WRITEBOL: Absolutely, I'm glad to do that. Thank you.
COPOER: Both Nancy Writebol and her husband has spent years dedicating their lives to helping others first in Ecuador, in Zambia they were for eight or nine years before going on to Liberia. They got the calling later in their lives after raising their kids. They took one of their kids to Ecuador with them and just an extraordinary couple. You can watch my entire interview with Jeremy Writebol on our website at ac360.com.
Just add tonight, the new Burger Bar that opened their doors the day before Michael Brown was shot and refused to shut them when Ferguson erupted.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Tonight's American Journey the last two weeks in Ferguson, Missouri had been a test for the community in a lot of ways if times the city streets were convulses in chaos it wasn't put a mildly the ideal time to open a small business. And yet a new restaurant did open its doors night after night through the thick of it.
What happened next is quite remarkable, Ed Lavandera reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Charles Davis will look back on this last two weeks and ask himself, "How did he make it." But right now he's to exhausted to think about that.
CHARLED DAVIS, OWNER, FERGUSON BURGER BAR: Welcome to Ferguson Burger Bar and More where the food here is going to tap dance on your taste buds.
LAVANDERA: Davis bought the Ferguson Burger Bar and opened for business the day before Michael Brown was shot and killed just around the corner from his restaurant. It's been trial by fire for Davis. His never run a restaurant and his learning in the midst of chaos.
So this experience, the last week and a half, the last almost two weeks has just been crazy for you.
DAVIS: It's been very, very crazy. I don't feel threatened by it. I don't feel intimidated. I don't feel scared. I don't feel any of those things.
LAVANDERA: Davis' Burger Bar has been the only business left standing at night, some places have reopened during the day but when the sun goes down on the stretch of road and the demonstration starts Davis refuses to lock his doors. You never stopped and said, "Why am I still open?"
DAVIS: Not once did I but people have came up and said, "Thank you for being opened."
LAVANDERA: On some nights looters and vandals have ripped through the stores around him but the Burger Bar still stands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... you will be subject to arrest.
LAVANDERA: Opened later to the night even when the tension erupts and often a safe haven for frightened protesters to hide from the violence.
DAVIS: They were firing off teargas regular on my lot. I'm standing on my window seeing these big truck -- tank artillery just drive by I'm just sitting here watching they're shooting of teargas on the lot where the smoke is coming up and I just sat down and watch.
LAVANDERA: So many people have counted on his burgers late at night that the wait is often close to an hour. The tables are a front row seat to the violence.
Do you feel like staying open or was a strong message did you even thing about that?
DAVIS: Opening up is letting them know look, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care what you do. If you break the windows I'm going to board them up. If you steal my food I'm going to go buy more. I'm going to keep it cooking and still try to serve the people.
LAVANDERA: Charles Davis has survived another long day. It might be closing time but the lights will come back on tomorrow. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Ferguson Missouri.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: He's going to keep on cooking. Let's get the latest on some of the other stories. We're following Randi Kaye on 360 bullet.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson the Defense Department says there was an aggressive encounter between a Chinese fighter jet and the U.S. Navy plane this week. As spokesman says the Chinese fighter jet made several passes at the navy plane in the South China sea, coming as close as 20 feet at one point.
The White House calls it a provocation and says the United State have launched an objection with the Chinese Government. The United States does a move by Russia to divert dozens of trucks from an aid convoy into rebel held Eastern Ukraine is a flagrant violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. NATO said there are questions about whether the so called humanitarian convoy could actually be a mission to resupply armed separatist.
The bodies of 20 Malaysian passengers who were aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 have arrived in Kuala Lumpur more than a month now after the plane was shot out of the sky above Ukraine. Families gathered at the airport for a ceremony and Malaysia observed a national day of mourning. And listen to this. Researchers have discovered a 500 million year old fossil site at a national park in British, Columbia.
The CBC reports researchers have already collected more than a thousand samples and Anderson they've identified more than 55 ancient animals.
COOPER: Wow. That is really cool. I love that. Randi thanks very much. That does it for us. I appreciate you watching our two hour expanded edition of 360. CNN Tonight with Don Lemon starts now.
