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Sentence to be Given to Daniel Perry for Murdering a Black Lives Matter Protester; Deja Taylor, Mother of the Six-Year-Old Student Who Shot His Virginia Teacher is Speaking Out; Children's Book Author About Grief Accused of Killing Her Husband; APA: Teens to Undergo Training Prior to Using Social Media; After 36 Years, Paramount Will Discontinue "MTV News"; Westminster Best in Show Awarded to a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired May 10, 2023 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:30:00]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: He is now seeking to move this case out of New York City and into federal court. There is this special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents. There are signs that investigation is now looking into possible obstruction of justice.
The same special counsel is also investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. And then there is Georgia, for months, a special grand jury there investigated possible interference by Trump with the election results in that state, conspiracy and racketeering charges are reportedly being considered there. The Fulton County district attorney has indicated a decision whether to charge could come as soon as July.
Sara.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Later this month, a Texas judge is expected to sentence U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry who is convicted of murdering a protester at a Black Lives Matter rally. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, however, has been pushing for a pardon. Perry's attorneys are asking the judge to sentence him to 10 years, prosecutors though are seeking at least 25 years in prison. Perry shot and killed 28- year-old Garrett Foster at a racial justice protest in Austin in 2022.
CNN's Lucy Kafanov is now with us on the story. Yesterday, we heard from several witnesses including Foster's fiance. What are we expected to hear today about this?
LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, the sentencing hearing kicks off in just about 30 minutes when the judge is expected to decide just how many years Daniel Perry will spend behind bars after being convicted of murdering Garrett Foster at that Black Lives Matter rally in Austin in 2020. Now, prosecutors say that Perry who was stationed in Fort Hood in 2020, he had a side hustle as an Uber driver. They say he initiated this encounter by running a red light and turning his car into the crowd that was gathered at that protest where he then shot Foster. Now, in closing arguments yesterday, prosecutors cited Perry's numerous racist social media posts and text messages in which he advocated for violence to make the case that he remains a danger to the community and should have a more-strict sentencing. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUILLERMO GONZALEZ, PROSECUTOR: This man is a loaded gun ready to go off on any perceived threat that he thinks he has to address in his black and white world, and his us versus them mentality. And he's going to do it again. When we looked at his social media, he had issues with Muslims, he had issues with transgender persons, he had issues with black people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAFANOV: Now, Perry's legal team argued that his actions were justify as self-defense. They said that Foster had approached Perry's car with an assault-style rifle and motion for Perry to lower his window. While agreed that some of the messages and memes that Perry shared online were, "Disgusting," they argued that others were simply dark human -- humor and barracks humor.
One of their witnesses, a forensics psychologist suggest that Perry might have been suffering from complex PTSD, as well as an autism spectrum disorder. The defense asked the judge to consider this along with Perry's decade of military service as a mitigated factor to push for a more lenient sentence. Take a listen to them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG O'CONNELL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We're asking that you recognize that Daniel Perry, unlike a lot of people that you have to sentence on a day-to-day basis in this courthouse, doesn't have any criminal history. We are asking you to take that into account, along with the fact that he has 10 years of honorable service in our army.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAFANOV: And as for that pardon request by Texas Governor Greg Abbot, the parole -- the board of paroles and pardons has told CNN they are still considering the governor's request in investigating the incident. Kate -- Sara.
SIDNER: No worries. Thank you, Lucy Kafanov. And just, by the way, we will bring you the result of what happens today in just about, as Lucy said, in half an hour in the court there in Texas.
Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: Florida education officials are rejecting dozens of social studies textbooks now. Hear what information they want removed.
And after her husband died suddenly, a woman in Utah published a children's book about grief. Well, she is now charged with his murder. Details on that case next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:35:00]
SIDNER: "On Our Radar" this morning, the mother of the six-year-old student who shot his Virginia teacher is speaking out. This morning, Deja Taylor told ABC that her son's actions could be linked to his ADHD diagnosis. She was also asked whether she feels responsible for what happened at the school. Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEJA TAYLOR, MOTHER OF 1ST GRADER WHO SHOT HIS TEACHER: Yes, of course. That is my son, so I am, as a parent, obviously willing to take responsibility for him because he can't take responsibility for himself. I just truly would like to apologize that, you know, out of the incident she did get hurt. We were actually kind of forming a relationship with me having to be in the classroom mom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: You heard her there apologizing for what happened. Taylor is charged with a felony count of child neglect and a misdemeanor count of recklessly leaving a firearm as to endanger a child. Her bench trial is scheduled for August 15th.
[10:40:00]
The Georgia Bulldogs are turning down an invitation to visit the White House next month. The back-to-back national football champs say that the date of June 12th is not feasible with the school's calendar and the time of year. The university says, it is appreciative of the invitation to celebrate their second consecutive national title and looks forward to future opportunities.
And Florida rejects nearly 35 percent of the social studies textbooks submitted for state approval on Tuesday. The state's Department of Education announced that 66 out of the 101 materials were approved and met the state's standards for each grade level. Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. says the department had to ensure schools have the highest quality material available which it defines as focusing on historical facts and free from, "Ideological rhetoric".
John.
BERMAN: All right, Sara. This morning new eye-popping murder charges in Utah. A mother there wrote a children's book on dealing with grief after her husband's sudden death, but now investigators are charging her with his murder. Kouri Richins said she published "Are You with Me?" almost one year to the day after her husband eric died to create peace and comfort for children who have lost a loved one. Authorities now alleged that Richins killed her husband of nine years with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
CNN's Nick Watt covering this story for us. Just remarkable charges, Nick.
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And listen, this all started when the medical examiner found a huge amount of fentanyl in Eric Richins' system after he died, five times the legal dose. And we know that Kouri Richins, his wife, had the night before he died served him in bed a cocktail, a Moscow mule.
So, that toxicology led to a warrant for electronics and to Kouri Richins' phone. And in that phone, investigators found contacts between her and a known drug dealer dating back to late '21 or early '22. She asked for drugs then in in mid-February, she asked for some more, she asked for "The Michael Jackson" stuff, asked for fentanyl. Then a third contact, a third delivery of drugs apparently in late February, this all according to authorities and court documents, late February and then just a few days later her husband Eric died of this fentanyl overdose.
You mentioned, she also wrote this book "Are You with Me?" She says that she wrote it with her kids, her three boys, all aged 10 and under. And she was out and about promoting it on local TV back in March. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KOURI RICHINS, CHARGED WITH HUSBAND'S MURDER: My husband passed away unexpectedly last year. So, it's -- March 4th was a one-year anniversary for us, and he was 39. It completely took us all by shock.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: So, she dedicated that book. I will read it, it says, dedicated to my amazing husband and a wonderful father. She, of course, is now accused of killing that amazing husband and wonderful father and then inflicting the grief on her children. She is due in court next May 19th, that's next Friday, for a detention hearing. John.
BERMAN: Three kids. Three young children. Nick Watt, thank you so much for that.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: Training teenagers on the impact of social media before they're allowed to get an account. One leading scientific organization thinks that's exactly what should be happening now. What would that look like? That's next.
And a new best in show has been crowned. Meet the dog who beat out all the rest at last night's Westminster Dog Show.
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[10:45:00]
BOLDUAN: Teenagers should get training before getting a social media account, that is the latest recommendation from the American Psychological Association. The APA says that just like teens need to go through driver's ed, they also need instruction on how to be safe online.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard is looking into this for us, she's joining us now. Jacqueline, what kind of training are they talking about?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, Kate, the APA says that teens should be trained to understand how their data can be used and stored online, they understand how misinformation can spread on social media, and how social media can impact their mental health. So, these recommendations do not provide like a formal curriculum, but they do offer a guide as to what teens should know about their social media use.
And this recommendation, Kate, for training, it's just one out of a list of 10 recommendations from the APA. And some of the other recommendations say that parents of 10 to 14-year-olds should monitor their social media use, it also stresses that social media should not impact a child's sleep schedule or how much exercise, physical activity that they get.
So, again, Kate, it seems like the APA is putting out this guidance for parents, practitioners, teachers, policymakers on social media use among teens and how we can help adolescents have a healthy relationship with social media and really monitor its impact on its day to day lives.
BOLDUAN: And I'm -- and parents across the board need help with this, because, I mean, social media keeps changing. What the kids are doing online are changing, you know, faster than the speed of light. What's the advice on how parents start this conversation?
HOWARD: Yes, it's really complex, but the APA says, number one, try to have weekly conversation with your kid about their social media use. Ask, what did you see on social media today or this week?
[10:50:00]
Ask, what did you think about it? And then try to also pose some hypothetical questions to better understand. You can ask your kid, like, what would you do if you saw a racist post or cyber bullying or inappropriate message? And you can guide the conversation to kind of discuss those more important safety topics, as well. So, that's some guidance again from the APA, Kate.
BOLDUAN: It's good to see you, Jacqueline. Thank you.
Sara.
SIDNER: All right. It is the end of an era for millennials and gen- Xers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: I loved that between the music videos back when "MTV News" had those. It was led by -- in its heyday by Correspondent Kurt Loder. He covered issues from pop culture to politics. But now, the iconic network's news division is shutting down after 36 years. One of the most memorable moments came when "MTV News" hosted a town hall with Then-President Bill Clinton in 1994. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, the world's dying to know, is it boxers or briefs?
BILL CLINTON, THEN-U.S. PRESIDENT: Usually briefs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President --
CLINTON: I can't believe she did that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: No one else could have believed that either. The decision to close the "MTV News" division came as a part of a larger round of cost-cutting at its owner Paramount Global. It announced, Tuesday, that it slashed 25 percent of its U.S. workforce.
CNN's Oliver Darcy is here now with more. Oliver, "MTV News" was a pop culture juggernaut. We loved it in the '90s and the early 2000s. What happened here?
OLIVER DARCY, CNN SENIOR MEDIA REPORTER: Yes, it's really the end of an era, Sara. And it really comes as "MTV" has not played the crucial role it did, I think, in young people's lives. I mean, I remember I used to gather around "MTV" after school and watched all the programming, including "MTV News". That really isn't the case, I don't think for young people these days. It's not the cultural force it was back a couple of decades ago.
And you've seen that with "MTV News" being scaled down significantly in recent years. This is just really the final nail in the coffin. And it comes as other news organizations are struggling in this environment. We saw this month or this past month "BuzzFeed News" shutdown. Vice -- shuttered "Vice News" tonight.
And so, it's really part of turmoil swallowing the industry. This is also part of the, as you said, broader cuts at Paramount Media networks which operates channels like "Comedy Central", "MTV", "Nickelodeon". And so, they're making some cuts to their workforce, slashing 25 percent of the workforce over there. And so, "MTV News" falling victim. It's sad to see it go, but you know, I think, the days in which people gathered around the television set and watched "MTV News", that happened a while ago. Sara.
SIDNER: Now, they watch it on their computers alone. Oliver Darcy, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
John.
BERMAN: All right. The Westminster Kennel Club has named its best in show. It is a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, excuse me if I did not say that correctly. That thing is named Buddy Holly. This is the first time that breed has ever won. Listen to the owner's excitement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANICE HAYES, BUDDY HOLLY'S HANDLER: I have dreamed of this since I was nine years old. So, I'm not going to tell you how many years that go, but it's been a while. And this breed, I've been passionate about for over 20 years and to do it with a dog of this quality is -- and to have the breeder here and my husband and -- hi, everyone at home. We just won best in show at Westminster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: She's been dreaming of it since she was nine --
SIDNER: Nine.
BERMAN: -- which is 63 in dog years. The runner-up there is Pekingese named Rummie. Now, you know what some people like to say about this dog show. It's a celebration --
BOLDUAN: They should call the Pekingese a Roomba.
BERMAN: -- it's a celebration of exclusion and a little bit of inbreeding.
SIDNER: Wow.
BERMAN: Do you know how many mutts were in the dog show this year?
SIDNER: Let us know.
BERMAN: Zero.
SIDNER: Zero.
BERMAN: Zero, zero.
SIDNER: Right, they're all pure breed.
BERMAN: More than half the dogs in American houses are mutts, yet none of them participate in this celebration of purity.
SIDNER: My vote goes to Winnie and Daisy. I'm just putting that out there right now. They are my dog friends. I do not own them, so, you know, and I can't be biased.
BERMAN: I'm sure they're delicious.
BOLDUAN: What?
BERMAN: They're delicious dogs, yes. Lovely.
SIDNER: OK. Did we just start --
BOLDUAN: That's so uncomfortable --
SIDNER: Oh, OK. Delicious as in --
BOLDUAN: All I'm going to say is --
BERMAN: Wonderful dogs.
BOLDUAN: -- I think Buddy Holly is just now deserving of a long vacation. I'm sure he just wants to get back to being a regular dog.
BERMAN: He did all of the work. You hear the owner there being like, oh, my God. I've been waiting of this since I was nine.
SIDNER: True.
BOLDUAN: Don't be offensive. She did a lot of work, too.
SIDNER: She did the work. You have to strain them.
BOLDUAN: I don't know what that is but there's a lot of work that goes into training dogs.
BERMAN: No doubt.
SIDNER: That is true.
BERMAN: No doubt.
BOLDUAN: We literally acted like we just landed from an alien planet and talked about this.
SIDNER: I agree.
BOLDUAN: This is a normal thing that a lot of people do.
SIDNER: This is normal. Every year.
[10:55:00]
BOLDUAN: We're going to move on to lots of other news. We are standing by to hear from the Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He's going to be giving an update on the government's plans to deal with the expected chaos at the southern border. All of this coming could be coming to a head, really, as Title 42 tomorrow ends tomorrow night.
Plus, Congressman George Santos, he is now in federal court custody. Charged with wire fraud, money laundering and more. We have much more that we are learning about the 13-count indictment that was just released this morning as he is also about to face a federal judge. Stay with us. We'll be back.
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[11:00:00]
