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Stalled Progress on Inflation; Suicide Rates Increase Among College Athletes; Opening Arguments in Idaho Triple Murder; Weisselberg Sentenced to Five Months in Jail; Proposed Electoral College Changes in Nebraska; Masters Kicks Off Today. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired April 10, 2024 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:31:12]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this morning, stalled progress on inflation. The latest consumer price report just released.

CNN's Rahel Solomon is with me now.

What's in the numbers?

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the markets don't like it. So, inflation on an annual basis, this is CPI core - consumer price index, increasing more than we expected. Also increasing more than the prior month at a - at a rate of about 3.5 percent. The same sort of trend on a monthly basis, 0.4 percent.

Two really big takeaways from this report, John. One, as you said, it appears that inflation is stalling. Definitely not the direction that we were looking for or hoping for. And, two, the likelihood of a rate cut in June is looking real iffy after this report. And so you can sort of see the path of inflation.

I want to take a look at some of the components. And if you look sort of under the hood of the report and look at sort of where we're still seeing prices go up, gas prices and shelter were the really big components in March. This was more than half of the increase we saw. So, gas prices continue to go up.

And shelter. We had been hoping to get some relief on shelter. Shelter you think rent, you think the price of - to put a roof over your head. So those prices continue to go up.

Food, modestly, but that actually seems to be perhaps some - some good news there that food is only going up modestly at this point. We did see some declines, right? So, if you were in the market for a new car, you might like what you see here. So, we saw prices for new cars and trucks go down. Used cars and trucks go down quite a bit, 1.1 percent is - that's not nothing, right? And then airline fares also going down as well.

A few things to put this in perspective. So, we have gone from, John, and you and I have talked about this a lot over the last six months or so. We went from rate cuts are absolutely coming in 2024.

BERMAN: Yes.

SOLOMON: Most likely in March. And then it became, OK, most likely in June. Then last week we heard a Fed officials say, well, maybe we won't see rate cuts at all in 2024. And that really set off some alarm bells on Wall Street and really set off some alarm bells. And now I've actually seen economists after this report this morning say the Fed's next move may be a rate hike.

So, we have really gone from absolutely seeing rate cuts to March to June to now being like maybe the July meeting, hopefully the July meeting, because essentially what we're seeing is a still-strong economy. You have really strong job growth. You have consumers who continue to spend and yet inflation is moving sideways. It's stalling. So, it's not what - certainly not what the Fed wants to see.

Yes, they want to see it dropping to 2 percent. They see it stalled out at that 3.4, 3.5 rate. You saw that line graph before when it was flat.

SOLOMON: Yes. And I should say, not just what the Fed wants to see, certainly what Wall Street wants to see, but also what we want to see as consumers.

BERMAN: Absolutely. Absolutely.

All right, Rahel, thank you very much.

SOLOMON: Yes.

BERMAN: So, I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align. Today, Boeing under investigation after one engineer claimed the company skipped crucial safety steps.

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[09:38:43]

BOLDUAN: Alarming data out this morning on suicide rates showing suicide is now the second leading cause of death among student athletes. The rate doubling over the last two decades.

CNN's Jacqueline Howard has more on the details of all of this for us.

Jacqueline, tell us what more - tell us more about these findings.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, Kate, these are eye- opening findings. What this study found is that suicide was the cause of about 8 percent of deaths that were recorded among NCAA athletes in the years 2000 to 2012. But it jumped to being the cause of 15 percent of deaths in that following decade. So, to break this down, in that first decade, from 2002 to 2012, we saw the top leading causes of death among NCAA athletes were accidents, cardiac related deaths, and then suicide. In that following decade, from 2012 to 2022, as you see on this screen, suicide became the second leading cause of death, followed by accidents. So, these findings really show, according to the researchers, they say we need to do more to really implement suicide prevention efforts for student athletes.

And this study also found that specifically male cross-country athletes had the highest rates of suicide in this study.

[09:40:01]

So, it's really a call for at, not just the collegiate level, but for all student athletes, coaches, team personnel, really need to be aware of this. And more can be done in suicide prevention.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: And, Jacqueline, what more are you learning - are they saying is behind this rise and how does the findings with student athletes, how does this track and compare to other groups?

HOWARD: Yes, well some researchers say what's behind the rise, just the pressures of being a student athlete. The psychological impacts of injury and possibly losing your scholarship and the pressure to perform academically and athletically. But this rise in suicide that we see among athletes really reflects, on a broader scale, the rise of suicide we're seeing among young people in general. When you look at the data across the United States, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages ten to 12, the third leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24, and the second leading cause for ages 25 to 34. So, this is a growing public health concern for the nation as a whole. And this study really highlights the impact it's having specifically on NCAA athletes at this moment, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much.

John.

BERMAN: All right, any minute now opening arguments set to begin for a murder case that prosecutor say involves power, money, and apocalyptic spiritual beliefs. They say it drove Chad Daybell to kill his first wife and two step children. That crime already sent his second wife to prison for life.

CNN's Jean Casarez here watching this today.

This is a case that has intrigued, I think, and also discussed a lot of people.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a triple murder. This is a death penalty case. This is Idaho. And when I tell you the facts, and this is what I'm going to lay out for you, it seems like a fiction novel, but this is real life. These are real people.

And it was in 2018 that Lori Vallow lived in Arizona with her husband. Chad Daybell lived in Idaho with his wife. In 2019 they met at a religious LDS conference. Chad Daybell was really a leader in what is called an extremist sect of the LDS church, which is the doomsday philosophy. That the world is going to end. And Lori signed on and it is the belief, and they shared this, this

will be evidenced in the trial, that the people are filled with spirits. Some people. And those people Lori referred to them legal documents have as "zombies." Those people need to be killed because it is God's will.

In 2019, Lori's husband in Arizona was killed. Several months later, no charges. She moves to Idaho where Chad lives with his wife. Her two children, in September, they were last seen alive, they were gone, they were missing, but nobody really knew about it. In October of 2019, Chad's wife, she's found dead in her bed.

While the children are missing, they go to Arizona. They go to Hawaii. They get married. They're on a honeymoon. There are lays. There are poolside visits. Suddenly, investigation. She's arrested. She's brought back to Idaho on child endangerment. The children still aren't found. Chad ultimately goes. They are found buried on Chad Daybell's property, her two children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, 16 and seven years old. They were buried on his property.

Now, she was convicted last year, three consecutive life terms. He is now charged with the death penalty and three murders of his wife, Tammy Daybell, and her two children.

BERMAN: The death penalty very much on the line. We were seeing pictures from inside that courtroom a moment ago.

CASAREZ: And Bryan Kohberger's case, the Idaho state murders should be next year. Death penalty case in Idaho. This is really sort of a bellwether case for the Bryan Kohberger case also.

BERMAN: All right, I know you're watching it. Thank you so much for being here.

Jean Casarez, thank you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right, the breaking news just in, former Trump CEO Allen Weisselberg receives his sentence. We'll go live to the courthouse, next.

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[09:48:44]

BOLDUAN: And the breaking news just in, Allen Weisselberg, longtime ally, fiercely loyal employee to Donald Trump, just received his sentence in a New York courtroom.

CNN's Kara Scannell is outside the courthouse for us.

Kara, what happened?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate, the whole sentencing hearing took less than five minutes. Allen Weisselberg walked into the courtroom, but he is not walking out. He was handcuffed and will begin serving his sentence today.

So, the judge went through this very quickly. She asked Allen Weisselberg if he had anything he wanted to say today. He said no, your honor. The judge said, then I will sentence you to the agreed five month prison sentence. And that is what she did.

And then after that, the officers came over, cuffed Weisselberg behind his back and escorted him out of the courtroom. So, he will begin serving this five months sentence for perjury. As you know, this is the second time he's pleaded guilty. The first time to tax fraud charges. In that case he also got a five month sentence, ended up serving about 100 days in Rikers Island. It's possible that's how that will go this time.

But this is now the second time former - Donald Trump's former chief financial officer, a longtime associate, has pleaded guilty, this time for perjury, for lying during the investigation by the New York attorney general's office into Trump's finances by saying that he did not have knowledge of the inflated value of Trump's triplex apartment at Trump Tower and lying about his role in inflating the value of that amount on the financial statements that were at the very center of that case where Donald Trump is facing that nearly half a billion dollar judgment.

[09:50:12]

So, Allen Weisselberg being sentenced for the second time, five months in jail. And he's handcuffed and on his way to begin start - to start serving that sentence.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Kara Scannell, outside the courthouse for us, thank you very much.

John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, a fresh effort from loyalists to Donald Trump to change the election laws in Nebraska. Nebraska is one of just two states that awards electoral votes by congressional district. Donald Trump easily won the state in 2020 but did lose one electoral vote to President Biden in the Omaha area.

CNN chief national affairs correspondent, the pride of Omaha, Jeff Zeleny, is there.

Jeff, tell us what's been happening from these Trump loyalists here at the last minute?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John, good morning. I mean Nebraska's hardly a battleground state. But as you said, Omaha is becoming the battleground city because of that one electoral vote. And in a close presidential race, it's not a far-fetched scenario where this could be a tide contest and this electoral vote could matter. That is why Trump loyalists are paying so much attention to this conversation here. Last night, conservative activist Charlie Kirk held a rally with Trump supporters here, trying to urge Republicans in the state to change the state election law.

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CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TURNING POINTS USA: If we want to see - and we're going to see this story come to completion. We are going to keep on pushing and keep on pushing and keep on pushing until Nebraska gets winner-take-all.

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ZELENY: So, it's sort of a Republican on Republican fight here, John. And here's why. These Republican supporters of Donald Trump are calling on the Nebraska Republican governor, Jim Pillen, to call a special session of the legislature to change this election law. Now, the governor said he would call a special session if there was support in the legislature. But up until now there has not been. And here's why. It takes about 33 votes of the 49 member legislature to survive a filibuster to get this through. As of now, Republicans do not have that.

So, John, so many interesting things converge in here. One, Nebraska has a non-partisan unicameral legislature. One body. It ends its session next week. So, the governor would have to call a special session back in to change this law.

It's been on the books for about 30 years or so. Obama won this district in 2008. .Biden won it in 2020. Important to note, though, Donald Trump carried it in 2016. They're trying to change the law rather than campaign for the votes here.

So, John, it's not far-fetched at all to say that in November all eyes could also be here in Nebraska and in Omaha.

John.

BERMAN: And just so people know, one electoral vote matters because there are plenty of combinations of states that could lead to a 269- 269 tie, which would send it to the House of Representatives. More states are controlled by Republicans.

ZELENY: That's right.

BERMAN: Donald Trump would win. This really is something that is a plausible scenario.

Jeff Zeleny, in Omaha for us. Thank you very much.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, it is that time of year again, friends. The annual Masters tournament kicks off today with the world-famous par three terms. So many players to focus on in Augusta, but so many are focused on just one, Tiger Woods. CNN's Don Riddell back in Augusta for us and back with us.

Don, we haven't seen a lot of Tiger on a golf course of recent. What's the expectation there?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Hey, Kate, I think the expectation is that he will be the biggest draw out on this golf course for as long as he is in contention. We just don't know how long that will be.

You're right, we've hardly seen him play really since the car crash this year. He hasn't even played two rounds. That's literally it. So, we don't know what he's going to bring but he's been looking good in the practice rounds. We know that he's got the game and the experience. The question is, can his body hold out over four rounds to be in contention on Sunday afternoon? He thinks he can do it.

I have a listen.

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TIGER WOODS, 15-TIME MAJOR CHAMPION: If everything comes together, I think I can get one more. Do you want me to describe that any more than that or are we good?

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RIDDELL: So, Tiger Woods believes he can do it. Everybody else wants to believe that he can do it. And remember, Kate, we've already seen two celestial bodies line up to give us the eclipse this week. So perhaps the stars will align for Tiger Woods as well.

BERMAN: Don, what's the reporting from the annual champions dinner that was held last night? A lot of green jackets.

RIDDELL: Yes, it's always such a special occasion, isn't it. It really must be the most exclusive club in all of golf because you only get an invite if you've won the masters in the past. So Jon Rahm was hosting it last night. It was an Iberian feast. It looked absolutely delicious, didn't it.

[09:55:01]

Mama Rahm's classic lentil stew was one of the dishes on the menu. Just such a cool event.

The question remains whether Jon Rahm will get himself a second helping of a green jacket. It is incredibly rare for a golfer to make a successful defense of his Masters' title. Only three guys have ever done it before. Tiger Woods being the last. Pretty much a quarter of a century ago.

But good to see Jon Rahm back here. Remember, he's now a LIV players. So his - his world has completely changed since he won his second major title here last year. I think it's going to be a brilliant week. We're a bit concerned about the weather tomorrow because we know about the system that's coming through the southern United States. But the forecast for the rest of the week is great.

BOLDUAN: It's always great when you're there.

Don, it's good to see you. Thank you so much.

BERMAN: And that is all for us today. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

CNN NEWSROOM with Jim Acosta up next.

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