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Autopsy: Jayland Walker Had 46 Gunshot Wounds From Police Shooting; President Biden Fist Bumps Saudi Crown Prince Ahead Of Meeting; CDC: Nearly 1,500 Monkeypox Cases In U.S., Up 40 percent In 24 Hours. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired July 15, 2022 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Developing right now, officials in Ohio just announced the autopsy results in the police shooting death of 25-year- old Jayland Walker, the medical examiner there, saying that Walker's body had 46 entrance gunshot wounds. The black man was killed last month in Akron while running away unarmed from police after a traffic stop and pursuit.

[11:35:09]

CNN's Polo Sandoval joins me now with more details on this. You're watching the medical examiner as they spoke about the results this morning, what more did they say?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we heard today, Kate, from the Summit County Medical Examiners basically confirmed and finalized many of those preliminary findings that I was I was able to see firsthand while in Ohio, basically proving or at least showing that Jayland Walker died as a result of dozens of gunshots here and that he suffered many devastating injuries.

And also after today, though, we do have that definitive number now which is 46 total gunshot and grace wounds. Though also the medical examiner's office was quick to point out that that is very possible that one bullet cause many of those injuries, but really what we've heard from the family attorney since the start is that one shot was one to many.

They still believe that even after police officers on the night of June 27 reported hearing a gunshot from inside the car being driven by Walker, that those actions should not have been enough to justify the amount of deadly force that we saw that night to lead -- that lead to the 25-year-old's killing and that's why they've retained a forensic expert of their own. At this hour, they're looking over these final -- this final report as well.

And also, what may not be included in there, Kate, and this is also really stood out to me during the announcement earlier today by the medical examiner basically saying that a gun residue test was not performed on Walker's body, and also saying that that is not unusual because typically those kinds of tests would provide inconclusive results. This is how she explained why that crucial test was not performed on Mr. Walker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. LISA KOHLER, SUMMIT COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER: The FBI lab discontinued gunshot residue testing in 2006. Based upon these issues related to the interpretation and testing, and the ease with which these particles can be dislodged from the skin, the medical examiner's office discontinued collecting these samples in 2016 and no longer purchases the collection kits to be used by our staff. Because of this, Mr. Walker's hands were not swabbed or tested for gunshot residue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: We will ultimately have to see whether or not that presents an issue for investigators with the state because that ultimately could have at least been further evidence that Mr. Walker actually pulled the trigger inside the vehicle. But again, Akron police continue to maintain that they not only saw but also heard a shot 40 seconds into the pursuit and that was considered that perceived threat when those eight officers opened fire shooting and killing the 25- year-old on the night of June 27.

BOLDUAN: All right, Polo, thank you very much for that update. And joining me right now is Jayland Walker's cousin, Roddray Walker Jr. Roddray, thank you so much for being here. Having this report now, having this official word from the medical examiner, how do you feel about it?

RODDRAY WALKER JR., JAYLAND WALKER'S COUSIN: I feel like we've been echoing zero threat, zero violence from Jayland Walker. I keep saying his name. Young African-American male from Akron, Ohio, who's looking to explore the world, lively young man, loves to travel, even made plans to come down to Houston to visit the Rodeo Renaissance Festival, won't even catch a live, WWE event, so his life was taken away too soon. And again zero, threat zero violence. I'll keep saying that.

BOLDUAN: And this, for you and your family kind of caps off or ends a brutally painful week. I mean, you -- Jayland's funeral was just two days ago, how are you all doing?

WALKER JR.: We're doing well. We know that everything happens for a reason. But we will not let his name go in vain with his death -- his death go in vain. We will continue to raise awareness and keep saying his name and keep saying zero threat zero violence. Now, I'm focusing on how to educate my girls on what just happened, the tragedy behind that, and then what we can do locally to raise awareness and continue to be out in the community and show that we are not threats to society.

BOLDUAN: His funeral as I mentioned, it was just two days ago. The investigation on the state level is still underway. What do you want to see happen? WALKER JR.: I want -- I want his name to keep being out there. I want it to -- the story to keep being present as things are made aware, or new evidence, and the investigation goes on. I want his name to keep being out there. I want the media to continue to say, zero threat zero violence.

BOLDUAN: Do you -- how do you feel about the state investigation that is underway? Do you trust -- do you trust that investigation? Do you trust the investigators that are looking into what really happened, what those eight officers were doing?

[11:40:20]

WALKER JR.: Here's what I trust. I trust that my cousins, specifically Robert DeJarnette (PH), I trust that Bobby, I trust that Paige White will continue to press the issue and make sure everything's done according to the procedure to receive the best results from the investigation.

BOLDUAN: You said something this week, it was -- a one of the events either at the funeral or right before the funeral that kind of stuck with me. You were wondering, you said what do I do now? What do I -- what do -- how do I respond to all of this? You said, I just don't know where to turn to and I just don't know what to do. And it struck me because it is a reminder of how you and your family were just thrust into the spotlight and -- in the midst of this tragedy of losing your cousin. Does -- do you feel hopeless? Do you feel helpless?

WALKER JR.: No wonder do I feel hopeless or helpless. I made a conscious decision Monday evening, to rise up to the -- to the challenge, to step out in front, help push the narrative -- helped create the narrative that Jayland was, again, a humble competitor, a nice kid, like any other young man that plays video games, listens to music. And what my job is now is to be present, get in front of the media, whatever outlets that want to speak and reach out, I'm available to talk about his life and to continue to echo zero threat zero violence, justice for Jayland Walker.

BOLDUAN: What is justice though, right now? The investigation continues, I know, and being respectful of it, but what does justice look like to you?

WALKER JR. To me, again, I have to trust the people that are put in places such as Bobby and Paige, I have to trust that they know what they're doing, that they're going to take the right actions and the right steps in order to receive the best outcomes.

BOLDUAN: This week, you shared some very sweet stories of your cousin's video game nights between the two of you chasing fireflies. What's a memory that sticks out to you after capping out this horrible week for you?

WALKER JR.: 2019, we came out here with my parents, I grilled some steaks for him, we explored a little bit of the Clear Lake area, man, it was -- it was a blur because this was right before the pandemic. But we just reminisced on my uncle, Uncle Pete, who had passed a year prior, and just connecting, you know. And even as early as this year, I remember him looking back through my text messages, and reflecting on some of the conversations we had, we wished each other a happy new year.

And again, we had talked about this year, he was going to come out with Jaymeisha, his late girlfriend -- fiance, and we're going to explore Houston and again, visit the rodeo. We were going to do some Renaissance Festival and see if there was a WWE event or a wrestling event locally to partake in because the year prior he had been out to California with my sister. So it was again, just continue to live life. You know, and his life was taken away too soon.

BOLDUAN: A full life ahead.

WALKER JR.: Yes.

BOLDUAN: Roddray Walker, thank you so much for coming on.

WALKER JR.: Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thank you. We'll be right back.

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[11:48:14]

BOLDUAN: Few breaking news just in. President Biden has arrived at the Royal Palace in Saudi Arabia. We're going to show you video in -- from just moments ago, the president's arriving fist bumping the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Back with me now, Wolf Blitzer. So, Wolf, one big question has now been answered, how the two leaders would greet each other.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And they greeted each other with a little fist bump and not a formal shaking of hands for whatever any of that means, but they are in a substantive meeting right now. And we'll see if anything emerges positive from that. But you see the president going up to Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince, the de facto really leader of Saudi Arabia for all practical purposes. And looks like he was smiling at the president too when he walked up to Mohammed bin Salman.

This is all happening here in Jeddah, right now, in Saudi Arabia. And these talks are going to continue through much of today and then tomorrow as well, the president will continue not only meeting with the Saudis but with other members of the GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council. They're all -- they've all gathered here in Jeddah, first substantive meetings and the president.

U.S. officials have high hopes that they can, what they call, recalibrate the U.S.-Saudi relationship and at the same time, see if the U.S. could convince some of these oil-producing countries to increase the production of oil in order to reduce the price of gasoline back home in the United States. So there's a lot going on right now. BOLDUAN: Absolutely, beginning with this greeting, and now to the substance. It's good to see you again, Wolf, thank you so much, I really appreciate it.

Let's turn now back here at home, an update on the monkeypox outbreak. The CDC is now reporting that nearly 1500 confirmed cases of monkeypox now -- are now in the United States, that number jumping 40 percent in just the last 24 hours.

[11:50:04]

Health officials say that more monkeypox vaccine doses are on the way, but demand still outpacing supply. Joining me now, CNN medical analyst, Dr. Leana Wen. She's an emergency room physician at George Washington University Hospital. It's good to see you, Doctor Wen. That is a significant jump in cases in the last 24 hours. What does that tell you?

DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: We shouldn't be surprised by this jump in cases and that's because there was this huge testing bottleneck. Now we're seeing Labcorp and other commercial laboratories come online, and that's the reason why we're seeing this increase in cases. It's because previously those cases were there but there were uncounted because there was a lack of testing. So we're going to see an increase in cases in the next several days. I don't think people should be alarmed by that but we do need more information.

So for example, for these new cases, are they symptomatic? And if so, how long into their disease, are these individuals -- or are they asymptomatic? And also, do we know anything about the exposure of these people who are testing positive, are they people with known exposures to somebody who has also had monkeypox? Or are these individuals who really don't know where they got it from which we are a lot more worrisome because that points to impossible community transmission?

BOLDUAN: Dr. Anthony Fauci, he said last night that more help here is on the way in terms of vaccines, more vaccine doses, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT: There's a lot more doses, hundreds and hundreds of thousands, really reaching to about 1.1 million. That will be available relatively soon. I mean, the sooner the better, but hopefully within a very reasonable period of time because you want to get a much broader coverage of people. Because right now, the initial tranche of vaccines were intended for people who are at risk following, for example, an exposure, more of a post-exposure type of a -- of a vaccination. What we really do need is to blanket the situation for people at risk.

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BOLDUAN: What does a million additional doses mean to getting this outbreak under control Dr. Wen? WEN: Well, I wish we were not in this situation. I wish that we had had earlier testing so that we could just be blanketing those individuals with direct exposure. But that's not where we are now. And so I think it's good that we're getting more vaccines on the way. But in the meantime, we have to ration the vaccines that we have because every day counts.

And so I think that policies, for example, to make this two-dose vaccine, just get the first dose, for now, wait for that second dose, that's going to help a lot because right now, the demand far exceeds the supply and so individuals who are exposed should definitely get the vaccine, but also, individuals for at risk, people who have who are in high-risk categories should also try to get the vaccine. And we need to get that out to as many people as possible to any chance of containing this outbreak.

BOLDUAN: Dr. Wen, thank you so much. Coming up still ahead for us, before Steve Bannon heads to trial next week for defying the January 6 committee, CNN takes a closer look at his connections to the insurrection and the power of Steve Bannon. A preview on CNN -- of a CNN special report next.

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[11:55:37]

BOLDUAN: Steve Bannon's criminal contempt trial is scheduled to begin on Monday. He faces contempt of Congress charges for failing to cooperate with the January 6 committee. The role that Bannon played on that day, is part of a new Special Report airing Sunday night from CNN's Drew Griffin. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: Wrap your arms around Donald J. Trump

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Bannon threw his weight and power behind the Stop the Steal movement. He shows financially supported protests. Then behind the scenes, Bannon circled a date on the calendar, January 6, for an entirely new plan.

BANNON: Out there, we're going to run the Green Bay sweep.

GRIFFIN: Dubbed by Bannon, the Green Bay sweep, the plan called for right-wing members of Congress to object to the certification of the election when lawmakers convened on January 6. Trump Attorney John Eastman outlined the legal theories.

JOHN EASTMAN, FORMER TRUMP ELECTION ATTORNEY: We need to bolster the authority of our leaders in Congress to not accept fraudulently certified slates of electors.

GRIFFIN: According to the plot, Vice President Mike Pence could then refuse to certify the votes and send the election back to the states where fake electors would flip the vote for Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida number of voters, 11.

BANNON: If Pence decides that it can't be certified and kicks it back to the state legislatures, then that election's over.

GRIFFIN: The War Room would talk about Mike Pence in 37 shows in the lead-up to January 6. Eastman was a frequent guest. The plot is now part of an investigation by the Department of Justice and the January 6 committee.

BANNON: Live from our Nation's capital, you're in the field headquarters of one of the small divisions of the -- of the bloodless coup.

GRIFFIN: To make the plan work, Bannon sought to pressure lawmakers and told his listeners to do the same.

BANNON: Step by step by step day by day, understanding we're all going to converge on that point on the 6.

GRIFFIN: It was as he told them, their moment to save America.

BANNON: I've met so many people in my life who said man if I was in revolution, I would be -- I would be with Washington that trend, right, or I would be in the Civil War. Well, you know, this is where -- this is for your time in history.

GRIFFIN: On January 5, Bannon and Trump would speak by phone at least twice and Bannon joined a meeting of Trump's inner circle at the Willard Hotel, according to a congressional subpoena, in an effort to persuade members of Congress to block the certification of the election.

BANNON: It's not going to happen like you think it's going to happen, OK? It's going to be quite extraordinarily different. And all I can say is strap in. The War Room is a posse, you have made this happen and tomorrow it's game day, so strap in. Let's get ready.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: And Drew is here. He joins us now. Drew, Bannon's trial -- with all of that as background, Bannon's trial starts Monday. He's been trying to get it postponed for quite some time. What is the latest on that?

GRIFFIN: Yes, motion after motion after motion, even attorney changes, this guy who just jumps in front of every camera he sees even tried to claim pretrial publicity was getting in the way of his trial. And, of course, Kate, we have this last-minute tease about the fact that he may now want to testify. The prosecutor, the judge, they aren't buying it. This trial is scheduled for Monday morning, and we'll just have to see what happened. Bannon is always trying to throw some kind of a kink in the works to try to stop the trial. BOLDUAN: Definitely. Well, that's -- I mean, the good point about jumping in front of a camera every chance he gets, and now this tease that he is willing to testify before the committee at the 11th hour.

GRIFFIN: Right. Under his conditions, I might add, which might not be the conditions that the committee wants.

BOLDUAN: Likely, not entirely in line. I think we could say. What else can we expect tonight in this -- in this -- on Sunday night?

GRIFFIN: I think you'll see an in-depth look at a guy who believes he controls the political future of the United States, and which will surprise a lot of people, even those who follow him. It's just who he is, where he came from, and how he has been able to manipulate an entire political movement, Kate, out of a lie. He has really motivated millions of people to get involved with politics, people who now believe in their hearts, that Donald Trump won the last election and they are in the game to make it right. It is a frightening look at just what could be done if you have the kind of microphone power that Bannon has.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Drew, thank you, it's good to see you. I'm looking forward to the special. Drew's CNN "SPECIAL REPORT: STEVE BANNON DIVIDED WE FALL," airs Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Thank you all so much for being with us at this hour, I'm Kate Bolduan. "INSIDE POLITICS" with John King starts right now.