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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Louisville Police Release Videos From Deadly Mass Shooting; Remembering Louisville Shooting Victim, Tommy Elliott; Reinstated Lawmaker Speaks Out On Gun Laws; Americans Recount Harrowing Kidnapping By Mexican Cartel; Manhattan D.A. Bragg Sues GOP House Judiciary Chairman To Prevent Interference In Trump Case; Judge Scold Fox Lawyers As Dominion Defamation Trial Nears. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired April 11, 2023 - 20:00   ET

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

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: "I will stop you and I will tell the jury that what you just said is incorrect."

The Judge also granting a win for FOX, granting the network's request to prevent Dominion's lawyers from mentioning January 6th during the trial. As for that, the Judge said this may be for another Court at another time, but it's not for this Court at this time.

Thanks so much for spending some of your evening with us.

AC 360 starts right now.

[20:00:25]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Good evening.

For the second time in two weeks, we have bodycam video showing police doing things right in the face of a mass shooting. Two weeks ago, it was a school in Nashville; tonight, it is a bank in Louisville, and even as the mind boggles at the sheer pace of the mass murder, even if it makes you heart sick to imagine the lives taken, there is at least evidence tonight that this latest tragedy, five killed, several other seriously wounded yesterday including a rookie police officer was not compounded by the lack of effective response on display in Uvalde, Texas.

What you're about to see is body camera footage from Louisville Metro Police Officer Corey Galloway's camera.

This is seconds after he and another officer rookie, Nickolas Wilt arrived at the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville and seconds before they engage the killer.

I want to warn you what you'll see is what these officers saw and it is at times, graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OFFICER: One-thirty-two and Baker, we're making entry from the -- from the east side at Preston and Main. (GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Police officers doing what they were trained to do for the second time in so many weeks.

CNN's Omar Jimenez joins us now with more from Louisville.

So footage from multiple body cameras was released today. Talk about what else it showed.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, as this video was being released, police leadership told us it is easy to tell an officer to run towards gunfire, it is a lot harder to actually do it and that is what we see in this video, and all of this is happening just minutes after people were already killed inside.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OFFICER: Stop. Stop right here.

(GUNSHOTS)

OFFICER: Back up. Back up. Back up.

JIMENEZ (voice over): The video starts as officers pull up to the scene.

OFFICER: Stop right there. Open the trunk.

OFFICER: One-thirty-one and Baker, on scene, we do have shots fired.

JIMENEZ (voice over): Body camera video from officer Nickolas Wilt shows him approach the bank with a pistol. His partner and training officer, veteran, Corey Galloway is wearing a camera, too. He grabs his long gun from the trunk, and moments later engages the shooter.

(GUNSHOTS)

JIMENEZ (voice over): His partner, Officer Wilt is shot and down in front of the bank. Galloway tells riving officers to look for a better angle.

OFFICER CORY GALLOWAY, LOUISVILLE POLICE: The shooter has an angle on that officer. We need to get out there. I don't know where he's at. The glass is blocking him.

JIMENEZ (voice over): And then --

(GUNSHOTS)

OFFICER: I think I got him down.

OFFICER: I think he is down.

OFFICER: Yes, suspect down. Get the officer.

(INCOMPREHENSIBLE CONVERSATIONS)

OFFICER: I don't know. He is down. Get the officer.

(INCOMPREHENSIBLE CONVERSATIONS)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: I mean, Omar, it is extraordinary, the speed with which all of this happens.

You know you can see it on paper that, you know, the response time is quick and how quickly officers tried to neutralize that shooter, but seeing that body camera image, that first officer, Officer Galloway whose camera we were seeing, he was actually shot.

How are -- how is he doing? How is the other officer doing? How are the other survivors of the shooting, the civilians doing?

JIMENEZ: Yes, Anderson. Yes, he was shot. The good news is that we got one more person released from the hospital today. So there are three still recovering. Two of them in stable condition, but the one that remains in critical condition is that officer, Officer Nickolas Wilt, a 26-year-old who had just graduated from the Police Academy. Police have said he was shot in the head.

And while officials have said he has made some progress, he is still being monitored very closely.

Now while police leadership also said though, they're proud of how their officers responded including Officer Wilt, but with an important caveat saying that the most heroic things we do are shrouded in people's tragedies, Anderson, this, no exception.

[20:05:05]

COOPER: Omar Jimenez, I appreciate it.

I want to get a professional take on what we just saw. We're joined now by CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, John Miller. He is a former Deputy Commissioner with the New York Police Department; also former FBI Deputy Director, and currently CNN senior law enforcement analyst, Andrew McCabe.

Andrew, we know the training is to engage right away. How much of a difference did that make here? Especially, it seems like the shooter had a tactical advantage in terms of his location and Officer Wilt had a pistol?

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Yes, so Anderson, it clearly made a significant difference. So it's -- I think it's important to, for context to understand that the shooter, as these gentlemen arrive, as police officers arrived, the shooter has taken a position basically lying in wait for them inside the lobby of the building. So he sees them pull up, and he has the clear advantage. He is behind the glass that at that time of day is very dark. It's hard to see from the outside where it's very bright into the lobby through the glass where it's darker.

He also has a position of advantage in terms of elevation. He is looking down on them. They are coming forward without many places to take cover.

Officer Wilt with only a pistol approaches that staircase and tries to do his job, but he is just viciously outgunned by the shooter with his high-powered rifle.

You see the same sort of adherence to training that we saw just a week ago at the Covenant School. You see the police officers, as they get up the training officer is telling Officer Wilt to back up, to get out of the way of the line of fire. They run to the back of the vehicle to get the rifle, which is of course the training officer has the rifle, Officer Wilt only has a pistol. That equipment is at the ready, it is loaded, all he has to do is charge the gun with his left hand, which you see that on the video, and then they take the best tactical positions they possibly can.

And it's just a tragic and brutal aspect of law enforcement in America, Officer Wilt tries to do his job and he is struck down and of course, trying to protect others and of course, his training officer is able to regroup after he takes fire and delivers the rounds that ultimately eliminate the threat.

It's remarkable, heart pounding, terrifying video to watch. But once again, we've seen an act of incredible heroism that likely saved many lives.

COOPER: Yes, and I think it's important we see this from police officers. I mean, we hear so much, you know, bad stuff. And it's -- you know, to see officers who are responding in such -- it was such bravery. It is really extraordinary.

I just want to show this moment again and talk about it with John here, because we see almost right away from the moment the officers arrived, they are under fire. Officer Wilt get hit early on. How much information, John, would the responding team -- you know, would they have had when they show up?

Let's play this. Let's play this section of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OFFICER: .. from the east side at Preston and Main.

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: You can actually see Officer Wilt in the reflection in the glass and as Andrew was saying, the shooter had the advantage. He could see them fully. They couldn't see him.

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, that's right. So how much information did they have? They have the call which tells them there is an individual, they give his name, they say he is shooting at the bank.

But the call doesn't say where he is. Their clue is when they pull up and you hear that shots fired and he tells Officer Wilt, okay, back up, back up. They want to back the car out of the line of fire so he can get the rifle. But then they're right back in the game, which is okay, now that they've got the rifle and he's got his pistol, they're moving towards the gunfire, but they don't know where in the building this person is, except it's close enough they can hear it.

He is waiting for them. Make no mistake about this. Andrew, what you're seeing here is the shooter has already shot everybody he intends to shoot in the bank. He has set up in the lobby to wait for the arrival of police and when they arrive, he opens fire on them from his position of advantage.

Officer Wilt goes down. His training officer, Officer Galloway, you know, Cory is in a difficult position there. His partner is down. He knows the government is behind the glass firing at them and he waits for his opportunity, gets that shot takes him down and advances there while giving commands to the officers, go get the officer who is down. Get him out to help, and they put him in a police car.

COOPER: And Andrew, that's one of the things that, you know, I think is important to point out in the training that police officers now get in terms of responding to this, is it's not --- it's about neutralizing the shooter that is the first priority. So even, and I mean, in this case, you see Officer Wilt getting shot and as much as the instinct would be to you know, try to get him out of the line of fire and render aid to him immediately, Officer Galloway is intent on and does neutralize the shooter.

[20:10:14]

MCCABE: That's right, Anderson.

He stays on target, he is committed to this mission of getting inside that building and neutralizing this threat. I think it's also important to point out, he doesn't have the luxury of just firing in the general direction of wherever he hears the rounds coming to him from. He has got to see that target before he fires.

He doesn't know it's possible. Maybe there's other innocent people in that lobby. Maybe the shooter has taken a hostage in between the time they've gotten the call and when they arrived.

So he's got to be precise. He's got to be relentless in his focus on that threat. Even when, as you point out, he knows that his -- not just his fellow officer, but his trainee, he is responsible for that, for Officer Wilt and his tactics and his wellbeing.

It's almost impossible to imagine the stress that Officer Galloway is under at that time. And he must - you know, he must feel absolutely terrible to some degree right now about what happened to Officer Wilt. But he doesn't let that get in the way of his duty. He runs to the sound of the gun quite literally, he gets thrown off his feet momentarily. He recovers, takes a position of cover and then goes right back at the threat. That is how it's supposed to be done.

And you can train people to do that. You can build the best, you know, muscle memory around those actions, but at the end of the day, it comes down to courage and focus and that's what you see on that video.

COOPER: Yes, John. I mean, nobody knows how they're going to respond when shots are actually fired no matter how much training you have -- you know, it's like until you get punched in the face, you don't know what it's really like.

Officer Galloway, I mean, just the tone of his voice, the tenor of it, it is very directed. It is -- there is an intensity to it, which you know, it's not the frantic, you know, voice we've heard of some police officers in other incidents or you know, other people in other instances, it is very, I mean, calm -- I am not sure calm is the right word, but it is focused.

MILLER: It's urgent and controlled. And, by the way, you know, Officer Galloway is a training officer. This young officer on his fourth tour of duty.

COOPER: Fourth day, I think his fourth.

MILLER: Right, I think it's his tenth day on the job, but his fourth time out on patrol.

The training officer is supposed to be teaching him and for a training officer to, you know, have his partner wounded in something like this, you know, who's going to think on your fourth tour of duty with a trainee, you're going to walk into an active shooter?

If you think this isn't affecting him, then you don't understand police. This is affecting him and a great deal of trauma. But as Mr. McCabe said, you know, he stayed focused. He got the mission job and the first thing he yelled is, let's get help to Officer Wilt.

And the thing about Officer Wilt, you know, his father passed away while he was in the Police Academy, but he persevered, stayed on -- stayed on mission until he graduated.

And, you know, yesterday, now he's in in critical condition, but stable in a hospital where they're monitoring him minute by minute. His brother is in the Police Academy now.

So you know, there's just, you know, policing as a family. You saw a lot of that in Louisville today.

COOPER: Yes, and we wish them the best, certainly.

John Miller, thank you. Andrew McCabe, thank you. We learn more today about the men and women who were killed and wounded. Again, Police Officer Nickolas Wilt, as John mentioned, is in the hospital, critical condition and recovering from a gunshot wound. As we mentioned, he was just 10 days out of the Police Academy. He also served as a volunteer firefighter in the area.

Juliana farmer was starting the next chapter in her life. She just moved to Louisville. It was only her third week with Old National Bank, she was just 45.

James Tutt also worked at the bank. He was deeply involved with a local nonprofit developing and promoting the city's downtown area. He was 64.

Tommy Elliott was 63. He was the Senior Vice President of the bank. He was also close friends with Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear, Louisville's Mayor and many others, including our next guest, John Brown. His sister is our colleague, Pam Brown.

John, I appreciate you being with us and I'm so sorry it is under these circumstances and so sorry for the loss of your friend.

I understand, you and your wife had just been with Tommy and his wife on Saturday. What can you tell us about him?

JOHN BROWN, FRIEND OF THOMAS ELLIOTT: We sure were, Anderson.

And thanks for your coverage and the opportunity to talk about Tommy. We were with Tommy and his wife, Mary Ann (ph), Saturday night. We went to Top Golf and then out to dinner afterwards and just had a typical fun Saturday night together.

Talking about Tommy's daughter just getting engaged, the young man asking for permission to marry her and how sweet that was. And the next day, Tommy was texting, teasing about how bad my wife and I were at golf, asking you if we were watching the Masters and then Monday.

COOPER: By the way, I assume he gave he gave his permission on the marriage.

BROWN: Oh, absolutely. Yes, yes. Most assuredly and enthusiastically.

COOPER: And Governor Beshear said that Tommy had given him advice on being a good dad. It sounds like he was a pretty great guy.

BROWN: He was. Tommy held many titles. He was on many Boards. But I think the way he'll be remembered by those who knew him and loved him is he was a wonderful friend, first and foremost. That was his great gift.

He just was masterful at it doing the little things, the little kindness that most of us don't even think about. And even when we do, we don't carry through on them, but Tommy always did.

I mean, last night, when we got home from the hospital, my son showed me a card that Tommy had sent him with a nice note, congratulating him on graduating from Law School, along with a gift card for ice cream and he kept it, you know, a year and a half later.

The small thing, but a meaningful thing and that is that's what Tommy did each and every day of his life, and that's why he means so much to so many.

COOPER: We're also consumed in our careers, and you know, he had an important job at this bank and, you know, a pillar of the community, as you said on many Boards, but I think it's so lovely that that's the thing you hold dear about him, it is the friendships, the quality of the friendships he had, not just with you, but with so many people and that is the most important thing in the end.

BROWN: It absolutely is and I think that's his legacy. And I saw the Governor yesterday at the hospital, and we talked briefly, and he asked how I was doing and how we can best remember Tommy, and I said, I think the best way we can remember him is to kind of step into the breach and carry on his legacy of caring for people. We can all care a little more, do a little bit better with the small kindnesses.

And every time we do that we can think of Tommy and smile and thank him for that lesson and his wonderful memory.

COOPER: John Brown, thank you for that. I really appreciate it. Thank you for taking time to be with us tonight, and again, I'm so sorry for your loss and everybody in the community has lost. Thank you.

BROWN: Thank you very much.

COOPER: Coming next one, of the two Tennessee Democratic State Representatives expelled for protesting gun violence joins us the day after he was reinstated.

His thoughts on Tennessee's Republican Governor today calling for some tougher gun laws.

And later when four Americans were kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel, the abduction was seen around the world, their fate unknown for days. Well tonight, my conversation with the two survivors telling their story for the first time exclusively to CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:21:59]

COOPER: Tennessee's Republican Governor, Bill Lee today urged State lawmakers to pass new gun control measures. He is asking the Legislature for what he calls an Order Protection Law to keep weapons out of the hands of those who might be a danger to themselves or others. The Governor also says he'll sign an executive order strengthening the State's background checks.

This comes two weeks and a day since the gunman murdered three children and three adults at a school in the State's capital, Nashville. It was four days after two Black Democratic State Representatives were expelled for violating decorum in a protest on the floor of the State Legislature, and a day after one of those lawmakers, Nashville Representative, Justin Jones was reinstated.

Tomorrow officials in Memphis could do the same for his colleague, Justin Pearson. Justin Jones joins us now.

Representative Jones, I appreciate you being back with us.

I'm wondering what your reaction is to Governor Lee's call for those gun safety measures?

JUSTIN JONES (D), TENNESSEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Yes, well, thank you so much for having me, Anderson. I think that it's a clear example of Frederick Douglass' wisdom that power concedes nothing without a demand that we have an NRA endorsed Governor finally taking action on gun laws because of these young people marching and continuing to exert pressure on the Governor.

I actually met with him this afternoon along with other members of the National delegation and I really see a change of heart. And I'm hopeful for the days ahead that we can pass some common sense gun laws to protect our kids and our students, and in our community as a whole. So I think it's an important step forward for our State.

COOPER: Do you believe he may actually even go farther?

JONES: Today, we met with him and I was sitting right next to him and I let him know that Governor, that this is a moment where we must be willing to stand up to special interests like the NRA, like the Tennessee Firearms Association. We must be willing to risk something politically. And I really saw a change of heart in our Governor, you know, sitting with him today. And I'm hopeful that this continued pressure will get us some common sense gun laws. I hope that this is not the end, which is this Red Flag Law, but we can pass laws to ban assault weapons.

I hope we can pass laws to have universal background checks. That's what we're finding and what these young people are asking us to do. And so I'm hopeful that if we continue to sustain pressure, I know there's another protest planned on Thursday, on Monday. I mean, these young people are leading a movement here in Tennessee and in Nashville, particularly.

And I'm hopeful that it will continue to inspire action from our Governor and my colleagues in the legislature. I really -- you know, being back today has been surreal, but I've seen a change of culture and in the spirit here at the Tennessee General Assembly.

COOPER: Yes, let me ask you, what was it like to walk back on the House floor and speak in front of the other members after you were reinstated? You know, looking right at those who had voted you out?

JONES: It was almost -- it was very emotional, I think to see that, that body that a week after the mass shooting hit Nashville, a part of the community that I represent, Nashville, my colleagues chose to expel us rather than take action on common sense gun laws.

So to come back and to say let's refocus the conversation on common sense gun laws to protect our young people, to protect our communities from weapons of war on our streets, it was very emotional, but it was also very hopeful because there's thousands of people gathered who walked with me from City Hall to the legislature to be re-sworn in and to walk back into the chamber and truth be told, it sent a message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence, that democracy will not be killed without a voice of moral dissent challenging it.

[20:25:13]

And so I think that they thought that Thursday, no one would pay attention, no one would, you know, challenge what they did, but the complete opposite happened. The community rose up and fought for this vision of multiracial democracy that we will continue to fight for.

I really believe that their attempt to crucify democracy has really resurrected a movement here in Tennessee for a multiracial democracy, a democracy that really lifts up the voices of our marginalized communities and all Tennesseans I think, that is having national implications. So I'm very hopeful for the days ahead.

COOPER: Representative Justin Jones, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

JONES: Thank you, Anderson.

COOPER: Coming up, you may remember this. It was video that was seen around the world, four Americans kidnapped in Mexico last month; only two survived. Their fates were unknown to the world or to them for four days.

Tonight, a CNN exclusive: My conversation with the two surviving Americans, LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams. They remember the two friends who were killed, also the torment and abuse that they suffered and the wounds that linger to this day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: A CNN exclusive now detailing a terrifying abduction by a Mexican drug cartel. You'll likely remember the story in this video, four Americans who crossed the border into Mexico being taken by a cartel, thrown in the back of a truck, two of them killed, and then days later, two made it back to the United States alive.

Those survivors Eric Williams and LaTavia Washington McGee have never told their story until tonight. You'll hear them talk about these harrowing moments after the shootout began and what happened during the four days in captivity, the threats, the torment they went through and the final moments that their two friends who were killed.

We will talk with LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams in a moment, but first how it all began. We warn you, some of the images you'll see tonight are difficult.

[20:30:13]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): The attack came in broad daylight. Four Americans ambushed by Mexican drug cartel members not long after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. In the green shirt, Latavia Washington McGee was forced into the bed of a pickup truck at gunpoint. Her friend Eric Williams was shot.

Her other two companions Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard were thought to have been killed in the initial attack. But today, we learned they were still alive when their limp bodies were dragged onto the truck bed, leaving behind a trail of blood in the street.

Brown and Woodard both later died. Eric Williams was wounded and put it in the pickup as well.

They'd gone to Mexico for Washington McGee's medical procedure and gotten lost when they were attacked. Cheryl Orange was also traveling with the group but didn't have the documentation to enter Mexico. She got worried when they hadn't returned on time.

CHERYL ORANGE, FRIEND OF MEXICAN AMBUSH VICTIMS: I said, something is not right. And I text my roommate. I said, something's not right. 9:00 got here, 12:00 got here midnight, and then now we're into Saturday morning at 10:23. I'm like, there's no way. I called the cops immediately.

COOPER (voice-over): Washington McGee and Williams were moved between several different locations over the next few days. Often, they said they were interrogated and abused by the cartel. When authorities were finally able to locate the Americans, a rescue operation was launched.

AMERICO VILLARREAL, GOVERNOR OF TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO (through translator): The victims were found in a wooden house three days after the crime. The four persons who were kidnapped were taken to different places, one of them to a clinic, in an effort to make this more confusing and avoid rescue.

COOPER (voice-over): Washington McGee and Williams were rescued and brought back to the U.S. along with the bodies of Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard.

NED PRICE, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: The two survivors have since been repatriated back to the United States. That occurred with the assistance of our Mexican partners, with the assistance of our officials in Mexico.

COOPER (voice-over): In a bizarre twist, the cartel believed responsible for the attack issued an apology letter and handed over five people the cartel claimed were involved in the kidnapping and murders.

PRICE: We want to see accountability for the violence that has been inflicted on these Americans that tragically led to the death of two of them.

COOPER (voice-over): Authorities have said they believe cartel members may have mistaken the four Americans for Haitians involved in smuggling.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And Eric Williams and Latavia Washington McGee, join me now. Thank you so much for being with us. So what happened when you crossed over?

LATAVIA WASHINGTON MCGEE, AMERICAN KIDNAPPED IN MEXICO: We turned down this little side road because we was going to see if that led us to the destination and we were going to turn around. We heard a car beat the horn and pulled around us.

Zindell was in the backseat. He said, don't stop. He saw a gun.

ERIC WILLIAMS, AMERICAN KIDNAPPED IN MEXICO: We drove through a few streets and corners until we got back on the main street, and that's when a gang of shooting started. Zindell and Shaeed, they jumped out to run, and they were gunned down. They was at Tay window, beating on her window with a little gun, probably a 9 millimeter.

And I jumped out of the driver's side. And when I jumped out on the driver's side, that's when I was shot in both legs.

He was on the ground for maybe, like, 10 minutes after they took everything from us, and I guess whoever told them to bring -- just go ahead and bring us with them, that's when they loaded us on the back of the truck.

COOPER: And your two friends, were they still alive at that point?

WILLIAMS: They were alive --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They were alive.

WILLIAMS: -- at that point. I couldn't see Shaeed because he was, like, behind me, but I could see Zindell back. He was hit two times in big chunks of meat was gone out of him. And then we rolled probably 10, 15 more minutes, and we got to the spot where they was taking us. The investigator interrogated us more.

And that's when Shaeed said, I love you all. I'm gone. And he died right there.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: Yes. That he loved us and he was gone. That was the last thing he said.

COOPER: And that was in the back of the pickup?

WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.

COOPER: Were you able to say anything to him or?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: I just told him I was sorry.

COOPER: So you finally arrived at this destination. What was it? What was a --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: It was a house. But a lot of Mexicans outside with guns.

WILLIAMS: Putting on Diablo mask, red plastic mask.

COOPER: They put masks on?

WILLIAMS: Yes. Was putting the guns to our head, telling us not to look up, things like that.

COOPER: Had you gotten any kind of medical treatment?

WILLIAMS: The cartel took us to a clinic after we left from the spot where they was questioning us at.

[20:35:04]

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They told us they was like, I guess after they kept asking us and our questions -- our answers never change. They said, well, we're going to get you all some help.

COOPER: And what kind of treatment did they give you?

WILLIAMS: They put my leg on a 2 by 4 and then they stitched it up.

COOPER: They just stitched it up?

WILLIAMS: Right.

COOPER: Did they give you --

WILLIAMS: No pain medicine or nothing? They just stitched it up and it might have not even been later that same day, all the stitches bust out.

COOPER: Did they check to see if the bullet was still inside or anything like that?

WILLIAMS: No, sir. After they stitched it, they took some light, I guess, gauze, and they put the 2 by 4 board under there, and they was wrapping it around like that. And I was telling them the 2 by 4 was hitting me in the back of my leg and it was killing me. So they took away the 2 by 4.

COOPER: What about Zindell?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Me and him was in a room together and he was fighting for his life. And they didn't do nothing.

COOPER: They didn't do anything to treat him? Was he conscious? Were you able to talk to him?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes. I talked to him the whole time.

COOPER: What do you say in a situation like that? WASHINGTON MCGEE: I just told him I'm sorry because I asked him to come with me. He's like, it's OK, I'm your brother. I'm supposed to be there for you. I love you.

COOPER: And is that where he died?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They -- he didn't fight so long, they was going to take him to the hospital. And they came back like, maybe an hour later, and it was like he was dead.

COOPER: So all this time, there's guys with guns around you guarding you?

WILLIAMS: Right.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They was like, we had to stay there for them to investigate us and different things. And like, one of them was sitting a chair, like where you sit into, and he was looking at something on his phone. And I could remember the sound of that day when it happened. Like, I could remember the gunshots, the noise, and I heard it.

And I asked him, I said, excuse me, is that us? And he said, yes. I said, can I see it? He's like, hold on. And he turned the phone around and he showed a video of us being kidnapped and stuff like that.

COOPER: The -- one of the gunmen actually showed you the video that we've all seen of you being kidnapped on the street? That's surreal. I mean, what did that -- what was that like?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: I just started crying. Just like I'm never going home.

COOPER: Did, in any way, help you to know that this video was out there, that people at least knew?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes. I thought maybe it was just out in Mexico. I didn't know that it hadn't reached the states.

WILLIAMS: United States, right.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: So I felt a little better. I just didn't know our families knew anything that happened to us.

COOPER: You're a woman in custody with cartel gunmen. Were they threatening to you in violence and sexual violence? I mean --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes, they said all that stuff, all of that.

COOPER: They did?

WILLIAMS: Right. They tried to make us have sex with each other but --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: And we told them we were brother and sister.

WILLIAMS: -- we were brother and sister and that she was pregnant. COOPER: Wait a minute. They tried to make you have sex with each other? What did they say to you?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They was like, what are you all? We said brothers and sisters. And they was like, have sex with each other. I was like, no, these are my brothers. I'm pregnant.

COOPER: I want to talk to you about what happened then and also how you ultimately got out. We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:42:35]

COOPER: We're back with Eric Williams and Latavia Washington McGee who were attacked in Mexico, kidnapped. Two of their friends were shot and killed. They were held hostage, separated and brought back together. That's where we're picking up what happened to them.

You're brought from the hospital back to another location. This is the one, two -- this would be the third property you're at, the fourth one you're at because you were at the hospital.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: No. Yes, yes, yes, yes. You're right.

COOPER: Right. So, I mean, first of all, when you're brought back to this house, it must have been a huge relief to at least be reunited.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: It felt good because I kept asking them, I said I wanted to go with my brother.

COOPER: So what happened at this new location?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: I just know I was in the clinic and there was -- some people came and knocked on the door. They said they came in and bagged the bodies up. They said, we were going to take you to your brother. So I thought they were going to take me to the hospital, but they put me in the back of a truck. They put me in the front. They put the bodies in the back.

I don't know. They had me blindfold, covered up. They took me a little piece. We switched vehicles. They put us in another vehicle, and then they covered me up, and we rode a little bit. And then I just know they backed in somewhere, took me out and took me in a room. And I saw him and some more people.

COOPER: There were other people?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes.

WILLIAMS: Yes.

COOPER: Who were the other people?

WILLIAMS: The people who has captured us. WASHINGTON MCGEE: In that.

COOPER: I can't believe how much you guys were moved around. I mean, it's got to be so confusing for you when you --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: I mean, I think we were going to never be found because they had police scanners and all types of stuff in their trucks. So --

COOPER: So they were listening to police.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes.

COOPER: So they knew --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They knew what was going on. They always was a step ahead.

WILLIAMS: Right.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: So I was like, they're never going to find us like this.

COOPER: So you're in that location now together, reunited. You're there until Monday, you said?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes.

COOPER: And then what happened?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: A guy came in Saturday night. Saturday night, sometime after, we end up falling asleep. But I just know I felt like it was dark in the room we was at. So when I rolled over, I could have seen somebody standing at the door with a phone light. And he was like, can you all get up? Can I talk to you all?

So me -- he sat up, and he was like --

COOPER: I assume he didn't say, you all?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: No, he said, can you get up? I have something to say.

WILLIAMS: Yes.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: And he was like, there's nothing that we can do to bring your two brothers back. He was like, but we're sorry. Somebody made the wrong call. They was high and drunk, and I'm from America, too.

[20:45:08]

And he said, I'm fighting with my boss for him to give you all up. He's like, I don't know how I'm going to do this, but we're going to try to get you all back home to your family. He's like, I'm sorry. There's no worries. There's nothing we can do to repay. You know, he just -- basically, he kept saying he's sorry.

He's like, when I give you all up, I'm going to leave too, because they going to kill me from letting you all go. And he said, well, I'm going to come back Sunday and get you all. But he didn't come back until Monday.

COOPER: He comes back on --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Monday.

COOPER: -- Monday and says what?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They just blindfolded us and -- blindfolded us. They blindfolded him. They took me out first. They put me in the back of the truck. And --

WILLIAMS: Yes.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: -- they put the seat down and pushed me through to the front. Then they brought Eric and put him in the back and put Shaeed and Zindell in the back with him too.

WILLIAMS: Their bodies all the top of me to hide.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: On top, yes.

COOPER: They put your friend's bodies on top of you?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes.

WILLIAMS: To hide me. Yes.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: So they took us to this other location. We met a truck to another stop. They put the bodies on the back, me in the middle, and Eric on the floor.

WILLIAMS: Almost on the floor --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Like under my feet.

WILLIAMS: -- truck this time. Yes, yes.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: And they just kept and I was like -- so they was like, we promised -- the man said, he promised, we're going to let you go. We're going to get you back. We just don't know how. We're going to get you all back cross.

COOPER: So you're driving, and where do you end up?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: They kept driving us all night. And they -- you could have hear them cocking the gun, stopping at different little intersections and stuff like that. I was thinking, he's holding us. He was getting away from his boss. But as I hear the scanners, I think it was the police, like maybe getting closer to us or something like that. And they just kept dodging us.

So they rode us around to like 3:00 in the morning before they dropped us off at that check that we was found in.

COOPER: So you tried to get out from that shack?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: I did.

WILLIAMS: We did.

COOPER: You did. That's real trauma, what you have been through. How do you deal with that afterward?

WILLIAMS: To hear your brother, somebody who's your friend, who you call a brother, tell you they love you and you're never going to see them again.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: And watching them fight for their life, and there's nothing you can do.

WILLIAMS: You can about it. Yes, yes, yes.

COOPER: You tried to escape twice. I mean, what was behind that?

WASHINGTON MCGEE: For my brothers to have the proper burial and for us to go back home to our family and kids.

COOPER: That's what you want -- that was important. Not only to get home for your kids, but to --

WASHINGTON MCGEE: To give them proper burial. Yes, because they didn't deserve that.

WILLIAMS: None of us.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: None of us deserved it. But we realized we have a lot of recovery to do. They didn't have to suffer. But I wish they were still here with us. And I'll do whatever because I know they'll do whatever for me.

COOPER: Listen, I so appreciate you taking the time to talk to us, and I'm so sorry for what you've been through. And you're both incredibly strong and brave. And thank you for talking with us.

WILLIAMS: Thank you for having us.

WASHINGTON MCGEE: Yes. Thank you for having us.

COOPER: Remarkable story.

Coming up, the Manhattan D.A. who brought criminal charges against the former president, now has another courtroom target, Republican House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. We'll explain why next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:52:18]

COOPER: Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney who brought criminal charges against the former president is now suing Congressman Jim Jordan for the way he's conducting his investigation into Bragg. Brad calls it a, quote, "unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York state criminal prosecution investigation."

He also says that, quote, "Chairman Jordan and the committee are participating in a campaign of intimidation, retaliation and obstruction." The Manhattan D.A. is asking a federal court to block testimony before Jordan's Judiciary Committee by a former attorney in his office. Plus possible testimony by Bragg himself as well as the release of confidential documents in their words.

Jordan told Fox Bragg is, quote, obstructing our investigation.

I'm joined now by CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, he's also the author of "Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With It." You've worked with Bragg in the past, what do you think of his suit?

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: He's coming out swinging here. This is really remarkable and unprecedented in two respects, Anderson. First of all, I don't believe there's ever been an instance. And Alvin Bragg, in his brief today says there has never been an instance where a local elected D.A. has had to go in front of Congress and talk about their investigation.

So the effort by Jim Jordan is unprecedented. And Bragg's response here of taking the affirmative step of going into federal court and saying, I want you to block this, I want to stop this right now is also unprecedented.

COOPER: Jim Jordan makes the argument that the Judiciary Committee has oversight and can do this.

HONIG: Yes. He says we have broad oversight. He says your office, Alvin Bragg, use federal funds. Alvin Bragg had said, yes, we used $5,000 worth of federal funds in this investigation. The response from Bragg, though, is you don't have all encompassing jurisdiction because you're Congress, you don't have a legitimate federal legislative interest in governing what we do as state and county level prosecutors.

And Bragg says the fact that we use some federal funds does not entitle you to do whatever you want, and to potentially obstruct an ongoing criminal case.

COOPER: So what do you think is going to happen?

HONIG: Well, they're in federal court now, they're going to have a hearing next week. I actually think as unusual as this is, I think Bragg has the better of the arguments here. I don't believe Jim Jordan can point to a legitimate legislative federal interest that Congress has in digging into an ongoing investigation.

And remember, Anderson, this is grand jury materials. This is universally regarded as secret. Imagine if Bragg or any prosecutor could get called up to Congress up to Capitol Hill and have to open up the files on a pending case of grand jury information. It would be damaging to the investigations. It would be damaging to the person who's being investigated

COOPER: How long could it take -- a case like this take to actually get a resolution?

HONIG: So hopefully the courts move quickly on this. We are in the U.S. District Court. Interestingly, Bragg filed this in federal court because I think his rationale is federal courts have more jurisdiction over Congress who he's seeking to regulate. It will be appealed almost certainly to the Second Circuit. Whoever loses there, can try to get it up to the Supreme Court.

[20:55:09]

I think we're talking a couple of months but again, we're talking about sort of a constitutional clash here that the courts really need to deal with as expedited as possible.

COOPER: Fascinating. Thanks so much, Elie. Appreciate it.

HONIG: All right.

COOPER: Coming up, CNN Primetime Kaitlan Collins takes a look at whether the right-wing attack on Bud Light over its support of a trans activist is hurting the company's brand. That's coming up in the next hour.

We'll be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Choice words for Fox today in a Delaware courtroom and Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billion defamation suit that came from the Judge Eric Davis who scolded Fox's lawyers after Dominion revealed that the network did muddied Rupert Murdoch's official role. Judge Davis telling them, quote, you have a credibility problem.

And a Fox attorney pushback, the judge replied, quote, I hope you're not being cagey with me and, quote, I don't know why this is such a difficult thing to say you don't know who your officers are seems extremely bizarre to me. And this came after a series of pretrial rulings including one forbidding Dominion from bringing up the January 6 attack on Congress.

Jury selection is set for Thursday.

The news continues, CNN Primetime with Kaitlan Collins starts now. Kaitlan?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: Definitely a story to watch, Anderson. Thank you so much.

Tonight, there are some major developments on all of today's biggest stories.