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DOJ Report: Law Enforcement Response To Uvalde "A Failure"; Carroll's Expert Witness Estimates $7.2M-$12.1M In Damages; Iran: 10 Killed In Pakistani Strikes Near Border; U.S. Carries Out New Strikes Against Houthis In Yemen. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired January 18, 2024 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Today's federal report on Uvalde describes how officials misled families and the public about what had happened during the shooting at Robb Elementary, how families were told their loved ones had survived when actually they had died. And that the initial narrative officials told of a heroic first response was a lie.
Joining us now is Adam Martinez. His son Zayon was eight years old when the tragedy unfolded. Zayon survived, but is struggling still from the trauma that he experienced that day. And Adam, you have a podcast that you host now called "Karma Corner", where you interview family members of Uvalde shooting victims and others close to this tragedy. And we thank you for that and for being with us here today to talk about this.
As you look at this report --
ADAM MARTINEZ, SON, ZAYON MARTINEZ, SURVIVED UVALDE SHOOTING: Thank you.
KEILAR: -- and I know it's long, you're still going through it, you've said you wanted to know who was accountable for the failures. Do you think the report answers that question?
MARTINEZ: Well, it's 500 pages of, you know, just proving that they were chicken, right? They chickened out. That's what it's saying, you know. But like Attorney General Garland says, this is very valuable information, but it's only valuable for people that care, people that are actually going to do something.
And how do we know that they're going to care now? You know, like, they say Uvalde -- I keep hearing that Uvalde is healing. That's what I'm hearing. Because there's murals that were painted. I mean, you talk to the families, you listen to that podcast, you don't hear that they're healing.
How do they heal when the same people that were in there are running for sheriff? They're winning, winning elections. You know, it's a slap in the family's face. And how do we move forward, you know, when there's so much division?
They need to come together. Uvalde needs to come together and support the families, not these officials who didn't do anything, the officials who let our children down.
KEILAR: We heard that loud and clear, that point you're making from the families today, that they aren't healing and that this is insult to their loss to see those folks still in those positions. This report doesn't make recommendations for punitive steps. What do you want to see? What do you want to see from the DA, even as, you know, the police chiefs here and the sheriffs who were on scene have been called out by name?
MARTINEZ: Well, first off, we can't just assume that the DA is just going to do the right thing. We've seen that, that the city officials or government officials won't just do the right thing. They give false information.
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Just like Amy Marin, that poor teacher that they said propped the door open when that was completely false and they didn't apologize for that. So we can't assume that they're just going to do the right thing. It takes pressure. You know, we as a community have to come together and put pressure on them to get answers. If we don't put pressure, nothing is going to happen.
KEILAR: Can you tell us a little bit about how life has changed for your son and what that has meant for your family since the Uvalde shooting?
MARTINEZ: I mean, it's very emotional anytime I think about him. But what I can say is that he's doing better, but, I mean, it changed his life. It changed my life, but, I mean, I still have him.
KEILAR: You still have him. And I know it's hard for you. I've read a lot about it. I know that you say he went from being bubbly to being quiet, that he couldn't sleep in his room for the longest time and that he was afraid of the dark. And certainly he has concerns about not being protected at school that I'm sure persist.
What are you hoping for him as he continues and so many other kids in his situation in Uvalde? Yes, you still have him, but they have a lot of challenges ahead of them. What do you hope for him and for them?
MARTINEZ: You know, I think children are resilient. So that's all we can hope for, is that they're resilient and they make a change. They're the ones that we're going to count on because right now things aren't changing. So those are the people, those are the kids that we're going to count on to make change.
KEILAR: You, at one point, were banned from school district meetings. You had questioned a controversial new police hire. I know ultimately you, through your own efforts, managed to get back into those meetings. You have this podcast I mentioned. You become such an advocate. But I also know that you've lost friends over your advocacy for the victims. Can you tell us about that?
MARTINEZ: You know, people don't want to step out of their comfort zone. It's uncomfortable when you have to, you know, say that this person didn't do their job when you're next to them in church or, you know, you went to school with them. And so it makes people feel uncomfortable. And they call us troublemakers, you know, like we're troublemakers just because we want answers.
So they, you know, slowly, people, I feel they've come around, but you have to be accepted by certain people, and slowly they realize that what we're doing is not just to cause trouble, but all we want is answers. So I feel, yes, we, you know, we've lost friends or, you know, but I think we've gained more support and we continue to gain support.
I just hope that people actually do the right thing. What Mayor McLaughlin did by wanting the DOJ to get involved, that took courage. And you have to go against the grain and more people have to do that.
KEILAR: Adam, thank you so much for being with us today and talking so openly. And we wish the best for you and your wife and for your kids on the path ahead.
MARTINEZ: Thank you.
KEILAR: Stay with us. We'll be right back.
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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The star witness in the defamation damages trial against former President Donald Trump wrapped up her testimony today. E. Jean Carroll said on her -- on the stand that her status was, quote, "lowered" after suing Trump for denying that he raped her.
In May, a federal civil jury found Trump sexually abused Carroll several decades ago. The judge here has already established that that is a fact. And the trial is now to determine how much the former president should pay Carroll, who's seeking more than $10 million in damages.
Now, yesterday, the judge threatened to kick Donald Trump out of the courtroom for disruptive behavior. Today, Trump wasn't there. He's attending his mother-in-law's funeral in Florida.
Let's get to CNN Correspondent Kara Scannell, who's been following all the twists and turns of this case. She's outside the federal courthouse in New York for us. So, Kara, an expert on damages just took the stand. What did he say?
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boris. So E. Jean Carroll called her expert on damages. That's what this trial is all about, how much Donald Trump may have to pay Carroll, if any amount of money to repair her reputation as a result of the statements that he made that the judge has already found to be defamatory.
So this witness is a professor at Northwestern University, and she testified that to repair Carroll's reputation, it would cost between $7 million to $12.1 million. And that is not including any damages Carroll could potentially be awarded for emotional damages or impunitive damages, which are to punish Trump for making these statements.
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So that is a pretty significant number. Carroll is suing for at least $10 million. Now, this testimony is by this professor who testified in this case last year. She also testified in Rudy Giuliani's defamation case for the plaintiffs who won that case.
Her testimony, the direct of that had finished just before lunch. Once we return after the lunch break, then it will be Trump's lawyer's turn to cross exam and the witness and challenge her findings. And so she is the second witness in this case following E. Jean Carroll, who finished her testimony earlier today.
Carroll was on cross examination for most of the day. She was asked about if she really did face any negative impact from Trump's statements. And she was asked specifically, are you more well-known now since you wrote this book and went public with these allegations? Because part of their theory has been that Carroll's Twitter followers has grown and that she makes more money now.
And Carroll testified, I'm more well-known, but I'm also hated a lot -- by a lot more people. That was one of the final statements that she made on the witness stand. So once this damages expert finishes her testimony, Carroll's team will be calling other witnesses.
One of those witnesses is Carroll's former boss at L Magazine, where she wrote her ask E. Jean Carroll column for many, many years. There's also the possibility that they will play the access Hollywood tape where Trump makes statements about women. The judge has said he would allow that to let the jury hear Trump's statements about women who accuse him of wrongdoing. Boris?
SANCHEZ: And at some point, Trump himself may actually take the stand. So we'll see what comes next in the case.
Kara Scannell from New York, thank you so much.
Still ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, Pakistan and Iran exchanging deadly airstrikes. Ahead, how this unprecedented escalation of aggression is now drumming up concerns in the United States. We'll discuss in just moments.
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KEILAR: As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Pakistan and Iran now trading airstrikes across their shared border. We're getting a look now at this new video where we can see a huge crater. Homes reduced to rubble after Pakistan says it launched retaliatory strikes overnight in Iran.
Yesterday, Pakistani officials say an Iranian missile strike in Pakistani territory killed two children. Let's discuss what we are watching in the region now with Retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold. Sir, thank you so much for being with us. You, of course, were the commanding officer of the USS Cole when the ship was bombed in October 2000 by al-Qaeda there in Yemen.
And I know you're watching very carefully what's happening. Pakistan and Iran trading airstrikes in the wake of the terror attack that killed almost 100 people in Iran. Israel's fighting a war with Hamas as the Houthis are targeting shipping lanes and the U.S. is responding. How are you seeing these developments that are all happening at the same time even if, you know, some of them aren't exactly related?
CMDR. KIRK LIPPOLD (RET.), FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER, USS COLE: Well, Brianna, first, thank you for having me on. And when you look at what is happening, go to the center of gravity for all the issues that are occurring, and it's Iran. Clearly, Iran is feeling rather emboldened throughout the region to be able to conduct the type of strikes.
Now going into Pakistan, claiming that they're going after terrorists, a bit ironic when you really think about it, given that they're the number one state sponsor of terrorism. But when you look at what is happening with Yemen and the Houthi rebels disrupting maritime shipping in the Red Sea, I would look at the area between Iran and Pakistan right now, that may have been just a simple exchange.
I don't foresee that really expanding much beyond that. They're kind of sending a signal to each other that, hey, get your little terrorist groups that hate each other's countries, get them under control, tell them to stop any cross border incursions. But I don't think you're going to see a continuing expansion of the conflict in that area.
KEILAR: We're seeing the U.S. now striking Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen for the fifth time here in a week, hours after the Houthis struck a-U.S. owned and operated shipping vessel in the Red Sea. Do you think the U.S. strikes really work as a deterrent, or does this just create the conflict that the Houthis so desperately want and need to rally Yemenis to their cause?
LIPPOLD: Well, a couple things to consider. Number one, the strikes are absolutely necessary by the Biden administration because they're sending a signal to the Houthis that if you continue to disrupt international maritime shipping in the Red Sea, the strait of Bab al- Mandab and the Gulf of Aden, that there will be consequences.
And we should continue those so that we can, in fact, disrupt the armaments that are shooting, the radar sites, the targeting ability of the Houthis to do that. But number two, you have to consider that at the end of the day, Iran needs to be held accountable.
Just the other day, and unfortunately, we lost two Navy SEALS in a boarding operation where we stopped the dowel that was full of equipment going to the Houthi rebels and that Iran is behind this entire thing. It is going to be good, but I think the Biden administration would really do well to consider the next step. And that is, let's have a realization that Iran being behind all the disruption in the Middle East, it is time for sanctions to be imposed.
Perhaps, a more rigorous maritime interdiction operation, along with our allies in the region. And then, if necessary, let's start working out the long range plan for what we're going to do with Iran and how we're going to deal with them, whether it's diplomatically, whether it's through sanctions, or whether, God forbid, it actually involves kinetic and attacks on some of the key facilities that are facilitating the war in Europe, with Russia and throughout the Middle east.
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KEILAR: What would an increased maritime interdiction look like?
LIPPOLD: I think what you need to do is take the current operation that's going on with Operation Prosperity Guardian and expand it further so that we can begin to interdict any vessel that is headed towards Yemen to be able to cut off the supply of weapons that may be coming through.
And additionally work with the other countries in the region, specifically Oman and the United Arab Emirates, to make sure that there's no illicit cargo coming through their countries that are then being transited across the desert in the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula and getting to the Houthis.
We want to make sure that we completely cut off that illicit supply of arms. But it's going to take a lot more than the United States. We don't have the naval forces in the region to be able to sustain that large of an interdiction operation. And we should, in fact, expand it along with our allies that could include the U.K., the Netherlands and other nations that are working with us in that Operation Prosperity Guardian.
KEILAR: Yes, it takes a lot, and so much is at stake as you mentioned, those Navy SEALS who, at this point, disappeared about a week ago.
Commander, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate it.
LIPPOLD: Thank you, Brianna.
KEILAR: The Justice Department issuing a damning new report laying out the flawed response to the shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde 20 months ago. Stay with us for more on that.
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