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Company Attempting to Foreclose on Graceland Drops Pursuit; Top Brass at Louisville Police Department Believe Scheffler Charge is Excessive; Robb Elementary School Victims' Families Reach $2 Million Settlement with City; Hunter Biden's Trial on Tax Charges Delayed Until September. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 22, 2024 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This whirlwind, bizarre legal battle, this foreclosure auction that was scheduled for tomorrow, but now the company behind this foreclosure attempt on Graceland says that it will not move forward with their claim. That is according to a statement released to CNN by someone who identified themselves as a representative of Naussany Investments and Private Lending LLC.

The company saying that this came after consultation with their lawyers. Part of the reason for dropping this claim, the company says that the loan was not correctly recorded with the county, saying that there was no harm meant on Ms. Keough for her mother's Lisa Marie Presley's mis-habits and mismanagement of the money. The company will be withdrawing all claims with prejudice. That final part right there with prejudice, that typically means that they are not planning to refile.

So it sounds like this company is abandoning all efforts to foreclose on Graceland. Now, there is still a lawsuit in play in all of this, a lawsuit by Riley Keough, again, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, the heir to Elvis's entire legacy to Graceland. And she claims in her suit that this company, Naussany, presented documents claiming that her mother agreed to a loan, $3.8 million, and then defaulted on that loan, meaning that Graceland would belong to them. Well, she says that's not what happened. These documents are fake. My mother never signed off on this.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Isabel Rosales, I guess the partial end to this weird, strange saga. Thank you so much.

ROSALES: Thanks.

SANCHEZ: This just in to CNN, a source tells CNN that high ranking police officials in Louisville have privately voiced concern that the felony charge against world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler is excessive.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: It is the first indication that some top brass at the Louisville Metro Police Department believe the charges against Scheffler should be reduced. CNN's Gabe Cohen is here now. And following this, Gabe, what more are you hearing? GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So remember, Scottie Scheffler is charged with four counts related to that arrest last week as he was arriving at a golf course for a tournament in Louisville. He's facing charges of criminal mischief, reckless driving, disregarding signals from officers.

But the most serious one by far is the second degree assault on an officer charge. That is a felony. And now we're learning that privately, at least some high ranking officials within the Louisville Police Department have been expressing concern that that might be an excessive charge, that that felony charge might be excessive here.

As you mentioned, it's really the first indication that we're hearing from anyone that police are concerned about it and feel that the charges should be reduced. We have learned through a source that there was some sort of meeting that included at least some of those top brass officials from the Louisville Police Department, and they were really in consensus that that charge felt excessive.

Though, to be clear, they're not the ones prosecuting the case. It has now moved to the county attorney's office. We don't know what's been shared, what of those opinions have been shared with the county prosecutor's office, but it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. We know the police department is holding a press conference tomorrow.

They're expected to release additional video of the arrest from a traffic poll in the area. As of now, we don't believe there's any video of the initial incident when the police officer was knocked over, but we're hoping to get more video. And we don't know if police are going to address some of these concerns or anything more about the case.

But look, we're also learning that there are some local officials in Louisville who are starting to raise these concerns that perhaps the case is being overcharged. I spoke with a council member, Anthony Piagentini. He represents the district where the arrest unfolded.

He told me he definitely feels that this is being overcharged. He has been speaking to a lot of the parties involved here. I want to read you a quote.

He said: I think the charges should either be dropped entirely or at least be dropped down to a very, very tiny misdemeanor. I don't know every piece of evidence, but I know enough to say the officer was trying to do his job. Mr. Scheffler was trying to do his job and an unfortunate circumstance happened.

So again, now we're starting to get that indication that there may be some agreement within the police department, but we don't know.

DEAN: We're going to see. All right, Gabe Cohen with the latest on that. Thank you so much.

This Friday marks two years since the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. 19 children and two teachers were killed in that mass shooting as law enforcement waited more than an hour to confront the shooter.

SANCHEZ: And today the families of the victims announced they have reached a $2 million settlement with city leaders, but they say their fight for accountability is not over. The attorney for the families also announced they are suing the school district as well as 92 officers who they say failed to protect their loved ones.

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JOSH KOSKOFF, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILIES OF UVALDE VICTIMS: What have they done? A lot of talk, a lot of blame.

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What has the state of Texas done other than prevent these families from getting the information that they so deserve?

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SANCHEZ: CNN senior national correspondent Ed Lavandera joins us now with more details. Ed, how are families reacting to the settlement?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's significant that this particular settlement announcement and the lawsuit involves 17 families of students that were killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary almost two years ago, as well as two children who survived the attack on that elementary school.

And as you mentioned, this lawsuit or this settlement, I should say, involves a $2 million financial settlement with these families, but it also goes beyond that and what the lawyers describe as restorative justice. So a series of programs to enhance training for police officers, setting a standard of fitness for duty for officers in the city of Uvalde as well as the school district as well.

And it also goes toward the city agreeing to establish May 24th, the anniversary of the shooting, as a day of remembrance there in the city, as well as efforts to maintain and upkeep a memorial for the victims of the shooting and the cemeteries where -- the cemetery where victims are buried. So that is the significant part of that particular settlement with the city.

But also significant here is this lawsuit involving 92 state troopers, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who were at the scene that day. There have been a number of reports and a great deal of criticism, as we've reported over the last few years, about the failure of law enforcement responding to that shooting scene there at Robb Elementary.

So a significant part of this is the lawsuit against 92 specific officers who were there at the scene, as well as the school's principal and the former school district police chief Pete Arredondo. One family member who spoke at the press conference today announcing this lawsuit says this is what the family has to do -- these families have to do.

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JACINTO CAZARES, FATHER OF UVALDE SHOOTING VICTIM JACKLYN CAZARES: It's been an unbearable two years. We all know who took our children's lives, but there was an obvious systemic failure out there on May 24th. The whole world saw that.

No amount of money is worth the children's, the lives of our children. Justice and accountability has always been my main concern. We've been let down so many times. The time has come to do the right thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So the city of Uvalde officials are saying that they're grateful to the families for reaching this settlement. We have reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety, but have not heard back from them yet so far -- Boris and Erica.

DEAN: Ed Lavandera for us with the latest reporting there. Thank you so much.

As Florida deals with record heat, the term climate change is being erased from state laws aimed at confronting that crisis. And now one meteorologist there is responding.

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SANCHEZ: It's only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida. And one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor's indifference to climate change. Listen.

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STEVE MACLAUGHLIN, METEOROLOGIST, NBC MIAMI: The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change. And our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority. The most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote.

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DEAN: That's NBC6 meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin. He's furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis, which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws.

And joining us now is CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you make of this moment and what does the data actually say about climate change's impact on Florida in particular?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a seismic moment for a number of reasons, actually, because Florida is arguably the most vulnerable state in the nation to climate change. Let's start with hurricanes. Hurricane Ian, the most expensive, they're still picking up the pieces from that. There's the algae blooms that are supercharged by warmer water, the coral bleaching, which would be devastating to the fishing and tourism industries in the Keys and up and down the coast there as well. There's sea level rise, which threatens a city like Miami. It's the reason that Miami is spending millions of dollars to raise streets and sewage systems to adapt to a new world.

Florida is the home of some of the greatest climate scientists in the world at the University of Miami, Florida Gulf Coast, all of these sorts of things. So this is pure economically driven politics. The analysts would say the only winners with this are the big fossil fuel interests who don't want the words climate change bandied about. It's a threat to their business models, right?

What's interesting is that Ron DeSantis, when he ran in 2018, there were dead fish all over the beaches due to red tide. He ran as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican, made friends with duck hunters and fishermen with promises to restore the Everglades, put a lot of money into that, put a lot of money into hardening the coastal cities against sea level rise, but without mentioning the root cause.

And so to not to be able to talk about it is like covering -- I mean, obviously there's no gag order on talking about it on the media.

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But not to be able to talk about it within legislation for the state is like banning guns or opioids from law enforcement legislation or planning.

It is the source of everything going forward. It will, it will inform business is how things are built. And it's the reason that the big three insurance companies have pulled out of Florida or has limited coverage there because they've lost so much money.

That's the reality and props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters with global trends. Just lay out the science. You don't have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.

SANCHEZ: Bill Weir, thanks so much.

DEAN: Most 11 year olds are worried about middle school. Not our next guest though. She just graduated from college. Uh-huh. How she did it and wait until you hear why.

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SANCHEZ: Athena Elling is set to graduate college tomorrow at just 11 years old. Not only will she become the youngest person ever to graduate from Irvine Valley College, she's actually snatching that title from her big brother who graduated last year, just days before his 12th birthday.

DEAN: Amazing. Athena will graduate cum laude with an associate's degree in liberal arts. And Athena and her mom, Christina, are joining us now.

A huge congratulations to you, Athena, and to your mom for parenting you through this. How does it feel to be a college graduate?

ATHENA ELLING, 11-YEAR-OLD, YOUNGEST TO GRADUATE FROM IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE: I'm really happy. I'm proud. You know, I did break my brother's record.

DEAN: So yes, it sounds like that was important to you.

ELLING: Very. I've always been very competitive with him.

SANCHEZ: So since he graduated at 12 and you at 11, how do you tease him now? Do you call him a slacker?

ELLING: A little bit. I've always teased him for not working hard because we all goof around a lot. He's definitely not as competitive as me, so I don't think he cares as much, but.

DEAN: That's amazing. And Christina, you have to be so proud. What's a moment like this for you? You now have a child who graduated at 12 and 11.

CHRISTINA CHOW, ATHENA'S MOTHER: Yes, it's a little surreal. They're such different kids. And so this is one of the few things they kind of have in common, but in totally different directions. So, yes.

DEAN: I just, I have like a logistical question. How do you graduate from college by the age of 11? Did you recognize that Athena was really gifted at some point? How does that work?

CHOW: I think it was really driven by Athena followed her brother into calculus and then just she, you know, she wanted to do more classes. She wanted to explore. And then it just became this thing that it was possible. So.

SANCHEZ: I never did calculus. I did pre-calculus, which was like the basic requirement.

DEAN: Boris and I went into a job where words are used.

SANCHEZ: Yes, not quite as much math. What is it like to be 11 years old and no calculus? Like what is the work like to get to that level?

ELLING: I'm not sure. To me, I feel like it's normal, but you know, there's always a lot more studying. It's always nice because, you know, my schedule is so free all the time.

Because of that, I can, you know, manage my own schedule and stuff, but I don't know.

SANCHEZ: Help us understand that. How do you have so much free time? Because I imagine you, so you started college at nine. I imagine that to graduate by 11, you had a lot of coursework to go through all that, all those years of schooling kind of truncated that way. How, how are you so free with your schedule?

ELLING: It's, I think because it's community college, you know, you can do the homework when you want to. So you just like sort of manage your own schedule and manage your own homework, I think.

DEAN: Wow. And so Athena, what comes next for you? You have so much life ahead of you. What do you want to do? What are you interested in?

ELLING: I'm really interested in, I want to become an actress. But for now, after this, I really want to get another associate's degree, maybe in like theater or music or psychology.

SANCHEZ: That's amazing. What was this associate's degree in?

ELLING: An emphasis in liberal arts.

SANCHEZ: Oh, interesting. So a really well-rounded education. Christina, typically when parents' kids graduate from college, they kind of become empty nesters and they get to travel and then they get to do different things. What's it going to be like for you?

CHOW: I get to chauffeur and I get to be a cheerleader. You know, Athena has always been very independent. She takes just all these classes in taekwondo, dance, everything. So, you know, I think I'll continue to chauffeur and cheerlead. That's my role now, so.

SANCHEZ: Athena, congratulations again to you. We're really excited about what you're going to do next. And Christina, I mean, you're like the parent of the century. That's incredible. Congratulations to you.

ELLING: Thank you.

DEAN: You're so welcome. Good luck with everything.

SANCHEZ: Stay with CNN. We're back in just moments.

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DEAN: This just in now to CNN. Hunter Biden's tax evasion trial has been moved to September. This after the presiding judge made Hunter Biden's attorney promise that he would not seek any further delays.

SANCHEZ: That same attorney cited the heavy workload involved with Hunter's upcoming gun-related trial in Delaware as justification for a delay. The tax trial is now set to begin on September 5th. The president's son has been accused of a years-long tax avoidance conspiracy and now faces nine criminal counts in California.

So September 5th is exactly 61 days, two months from November 5th, obviously the presidential election, already an unprecedented one. You have a former president who is mired with legal battles, who's been indicted how many times?

DEAN: Multiple times.

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SANCHEZ: Multiple times, numerous counts, some 90-something charges against him, facing a sitting president whose son is also mired in his own legal battles and potentially will be in court as early voting is going on in certain states.

DEAN: In three states, I think it is that early voting will be happening. So I interviewed somebody the other day who said the thing about this election is it's an October surprise almost every week and we're just going to have so many unprecedented things leading up to this election.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it is a long windup and we appreciate you joining us this afternoon for a small sliver of it. Jessica, thanks for being with us this week.

DEAN: Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Stay with CNN because "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.