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Hearing Underway to Decide Next Steps for Menendez Brothers; RFK Jr. Pledges to Find Cause of Autism Epidemic by September. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired April 11, 2025 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Right now, the Menendez brothers are appearing remotely at a critical hearing to determine if the L.A. County District Attorney can withdraw his predecessor's motion supporting their release. It's been nearly 30 years since the two were convicted of killing their parents and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Now many of their family members are among those pushing for their release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY MENENDEZ-BARALT, AUNT OF KYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ: For everybody, this is a story. For me, it's very personal. Those kids, they are like the boys that I didn't have. So, it's time. 35 years is a long time. It's a whole branch of my family erased.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And at this point, the family is absolutely unanimous that they should be released?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson joins us now. Joey, what are you looking for at today's hearing?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, so, Boris, what's going on is that it's largely procedural. And what I mean by that is that there are arguments from the current district attorney as to why there should not be a resentencing. They are very much -- that is the district attorney's office -- opposed to any resentencing.

Now, this is where politics comes into play. The argument by the current district attorney -- I keep using that term -- is that his predecessor, right, who he lost the election, that's why he's his predecessor, was really under intense pressure to do something to close and tighten the polls. And as a result of that, made a recommendation that there should be a resentencing here, that he looked at the case anew, and that it was all political.

It wasn't predicated upon any good set of facts. It wasn't predicated on any changed circumstances. It was just politics.

And as a result of that, the procedural nature of this hearing before the judge is to determine whether that petition by the former district attorney should be withdrawn. And the current district attorney is saying, I don't support this at all. There shouldn't be a resentencing. They should pay their penance as they should because of the fact that they murdered their parents. And there's nothing to see here. End it now.

And so the critical issue is whether or not the judge will adopt that school of thinking or will really defer to the family, which says, hey, it's time. And they've done a great job in prison. They are rehabilitated. They are living anew. They're not the same as they were 30 some odd years ago.

They deserve to be resentenced. They deserve a new look. They deserve to be out. That's the critical point.

KEILAR: Joey, arguably politics played a role in the initial sentencing. And so often there's a feeling that it does because these positions are elected positions, right, some of them. And right now you have the attorneys for the Menendez brothers saying that Hochman was influenced by politics.

There are deputy district attorneys who did the original filing under the previous D.A. who have been demoted and are now suing this current D.A. What are you seeing in terms of the influence of politics versus where the facts are actually pointing?

JACKSON: Yes, Brianna, that's a very good point and question. And here's why. Right.

When you look at prosecutors, a prosecutor really looks to examine a factual scenario. And based upon how that those facts and set of circumstances apply to the law, you apply it. And there's nothing else to see here.

Here, it's argument is pure politics.

[15:35:00]

And what the argument is, again, is that, listen, I, as the new elected D.A., do not see a path forward with regard to a recommendation for resentencing.

Now, to be clear, even in the former D.A.'s recommendation, there was dissent in the office as to why or whether there should be this recommendation. Under this new D.A., he's looking at it and saying, and today's hearing really plays this out. These are stone cold murderers.

Don't tell me about what they did in prison. Don't tell me that they're rehabilitated. Don't tell me any of that. Look at the circumstance as to how this occurred, the murders, that is. Look at what the two have done. Look at the heinous nature of those circumstances and look at what the trials. There were two different trials here. First, hung jury, right, with regard to not reaching a determination as to guilt or innocence. Second trial, 1995, convicted.

And so what the new D.A. is saying, you have not shown me anything. Furthermore, the new D.A. is saying, you haven't come clean. It's about lie after lie after lie. And until you come clean and admit that you did this, admit that there was no sexual abuse, admit and own what you did, I'm not supporting this.

And so it's going to be up to a judge, Brianna and Boris, to make the assessment as to whether, based upon their rehabilitation, what they did in prison, how they uplifted others, are they changed from the past, do they deserve to be out. And that's really what the judge is going to assess to determine whether it gets to phase two, which is that resentencing upon which a judge on the merits can make a decision as to whether there's going to be a release.

KEILAR: Yes, and there are other avenues, including a request for clemency from the governor. So this won't be the end of it.

Joey Jackson, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

JACKSON: Always, thank you.

KEILAR: Still to come, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says a new research effort will be able to determine the cause of autism by September. That is a huge promise. The Autism Society of America is calling the claim both unrealistic and misleading. We'll have it next.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Not only has Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he will find, quote, what has caused the autism epidemic, but the Health and Human Services Secretary also put a deadline on it saying that it will happen by September. That is an incredible promise.

The Secretary's saying it'll come from a massive testing and research effort.

SANCHEZ: Notably, at the same time, Secretary Kennedy is detailing further cuts in his department in this opinion piece in the New York Post. He said he would be eliminating redundancies, closing offices in five major cities, and returning HHS to pre-COVID staffing levels.

CNN's Meg Tirrell has been tracking this for us. Meg, what has been the response so far to Kennedy's goal on finding the cause of autism by September? I mean, if that were that easy, you'd think it would have happened before.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, Brianna used the word incredible, and I think the reaction from the scientific community is incredulous that a rigorous and large scientific study like this could yield an answer predictably in five months. But there are also questions about whether it's being undertaken in good faith. And that was underscored by how President Trump responded to this pronouncement in this Cabinet meeting yesterday, suggesting what the answer might turn out to be.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: We've launched a massive testing and research effort that's going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world. By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and we'll be able to eliminate those exposures.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You can come up with that answer where you stop taking something, you stop eating something, or maybe it's a shot, but something's causing it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TIRRELL: Now, President Trump there said maybe it's a shot. And we should note, RFK Jr., of course, has in the past made the false link between vaccines and autism, and that's where the community is concerned he is going to take this.

Vaccine scientist Dr. Paul Offit writing this morning, quote, it doesn't take a psychic to see where this is going. Noting there have been two dozen studies that have shown that kids who get the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine are no more likely to develop autism than kids who don't.

And the NIH itself, which is expected to be involved in this study, says on its website, quote, no link has been found between autism and vaccines, including those containing thimerosal, a mercury-based compound. So, guys, a lot of concern that this study isn't being undertaken with an open mind about trying to find the answer but instead having one preordained.

KEILAR: Yes, I think we all would like to find a cause to this. We all have reference points for knowing someone. But also, Meg, autism rates have been on the rise.

Why do scientists think that is? Is that just a matter of people being diagnosed who maybe decades ago would not have been?

TIRRELL: That is a really big part of this, and it's really important to provide that context. It is very true that the rates of autism have been rising over the decades. Back in 2000, the rate was about 1 in 150 kids in the United States.

By 2020, the rate was 1 in 36 kids. So that seems like a precipitous rise. And RFK Jr. said yesterday we're about to see new data that will show it's 1 in 31 kids. But really, a big reason behind this, according to researchers and advocates, is a much better understanding of autism, better diagnoses, more inclusive diagnoses in this community, improved screening tools, and earlier detection, guys.

[15:45:05]

So there has been a lot of research into causes of autism, but this is a key driver of why we're seeing more people being diagnosed with autism.

SANCHEZ: Meg Tirrell, thanks for staying on top of that for us. Appreciate the reporting.

Stay with CNN NEWS CENTRAL. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: A new episode of "UNITED STATES OF SCANDAL WITH JAKE TAPPER" follows the notorious D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his story. He became known for his substantial influence on the inner workings of Washington politics, lobbying, and legislation.

[15:50:00]

KEILAR: But in the early 2000s, it was revealed that Abramoff was involved in conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion, that shocked not only those in the DC sphere, but across the whole country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jack Abramoff is a chameleon. Sometimes he's very religious and caring. Sometimes he's an absolute crook.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, UNITED STATES OF SCANDAL: Jack was able to alter or block bills for his clients by plying lawmakers with free meals, Super Bowl tickets, exotic vacations, and, of course, massive campaign contributions.

By the early 2000s, Jack Abramoff was Washington, D.C.'s most powerful man that you had never heard of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And joining us now to talk more about it is CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper.

TAPPER (on camera): Are you guys old enough to remember Jack Abramoff?

KEILAR: I remember. I know the signatures thing was giving me some flashbacks, seeing that video of that. Remind us of the fraud that he committed.

TAPPER: Well, we only have a couple minutes to do this, and we have an entire hour show, but there was a lot. He, in 2006, was convicted of faking a wire transfer to try to get other investors. He pretended he was investing $26 million in some gambling situation, and it was fake.

But the most shocking stuff was -- he represented, as a lobbyist, Native American tribes. And he was defrauding them by creating fake opposition and then convincing them to spend millions of dollars to fight this opposition. It was really sleazy.

And then in 2008, he was convicted again for all the free gifts he was bestowing upon people. He wasn't the only one that went to prison. There were a bunch, including a congressman.

SANCHEZ: It's interesting to hear the description of him as a chameleon, as we heard from that woman that you were speaking to. I wonder what other sort of personalities he held. She described him as being religious at one point.

TAPPER: Oh, he's a very observant Jew. He is Orthodox, I think. But I think the thing about him is, what people out there in the world need to understand is that bad guys often are very charming and seem very ethical and are very nice and kind and well-meaning, seemingly.

And that is the great gift of the most successful bad guys in the world. And Jack Abramoff was that. People loved him.

They thought he was earnest. They thought he was helpful. They thought he was nice. They thought he was ethical. And he was one of the most sleazy lobbyists in the history of lobbying, which is saying something.

KEILAR: And as you said, a lot of people went under because of him.

TAPPER: Yes, and we interviewed a bunch of them, including one of his co-conspirators, a member of Congress, Congressman Bob Ney from Ohio, who actually went to prison. We interviewed him for this. It's the season finale of the United States of Scandal. We're going out with a Jack Abramoff-sized bang.

KEILAR: That's a big one.

SANCHEZ: What would you say you learned this season through all the stories you told?

TAPPER: Oh, wow. I think, I mean, there's so many things that I've learned from all the different episodes. One of them is that the narrative of what you think happened isn't necessarily what really happened.

Another one is that sometimes the FBI doesn't trap people. I've learned that before, but definitely an Abcam. And in this one, I think it's just the degree to which some of the worst people in the world can seem like some of the nicest and kindest.

KEILAR: Yes, that's really something. Jake, it's been a wonderful season. Can't wait for the finale.

And thank you so much for telling us about this one.

TAPPER: Always great to be here, B&B.

KEILAR: That's right. JT, we appreciate it.

And you be sure to tune in to this new episode of the "UNITED STATES OF SCANDAL WITH JAKE TAPPER." That airs Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on CNN.

And "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt will start after this short break.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Breaking news right now on CNN. Let's head into THE ARENA.

Seconds before the closing bell, Wall Street about to wrap up one of the most volatile weeks in modern history. The market going through the day, up, then down, then up again, as investors weigh what's next in the President's global trade war.

Also this hour, a tense hearing in front of the White House. Federal court, the Justice Department, defying a judge's order in the case of a Maryland man unlawfully deported to El Salvador.

Plus, more big law firms bowing to pressure from President Trump, agreeing to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in free work after threats from the President.

Hi everyone, I'm Kasie Hunt. Welcome to THE ARENA. It's wonderful to have you with us on this Friday. We made it, I think. As we come on the air, we're nearing the end of one of the wildest weeks on Wall Street ever.

We're standing by for the closing bell, while Wall Street is heading for a close in positive territory after days of tumultuous swings on fears over tariffs. In the 129-year history of the Dow, it's closed higher or lower by 1,000 points just 31 times. Four of those times have happened in the past week.

And what's next? Depends on what happens between these two men, President Trump and President Xi, the leaders of the two biggest economies in the world. And so far, after China increased tariffs on the U.S. overnight, after the U.S. increased tariffs on China the day before, the White House today saying this about whether the two sides are even talking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I'm not going to comment on communications ...

END