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Judge Agrees To DOJ Request For Weeklong Pause In Discovery Process; Vatican Prepares For Pope's Funeral Saturday; July 4th Parade Mass Shooter Sentenced To Life In Prison, No Parole; Railcar Company Found Not Liable For Ohio Train Derailment; 19-Year-Old Faces Arson Charges For New Jersey Wildfire. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 24, 2025 - 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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[13:30:22]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: A new legal twist in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The presiding judge has now ordered a one-week pause in the expedited fact-finding process intended to determine what the Trump administration is doing to facilitate his return to the U.S. This is happening a day after the judge excoriated the Trump administration for not acting in good faith and ignoring court orders.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is with us on this story. Priscilla, why did the judge order the pause?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, she certainly didn't give much of an explanation, simply saying that it was a two- sentence order and she paused the discovery for a week, quote, "at the agreement of the parties". Nothing more.

Now, you'll recall, Brianna, that this is a judge who has had very stern, terse words for the Justice Department. She has been frustrated over the course of this case, feeling as though the Justice Department was stonewalling her.

And that's what ultimately led to her ordering for expedited discovery, because when the question came as to how they're facilitating the return of the government, she didn't feel like she was getting enough answers, and she wanted to understand more of this process.

She also asked the government to provide daily status updates to understand, again, what exactly the administration was doing, if anything at all, to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, again, after the Supreme Court had required the facilitation of his return.

Now, earlier in the day yesterday, the administration had asked for a one-week pause. It was sealed. And the attorneys of Abrego Garcia had opposed it. But ultimately, as the hours went by, we got this order from the judge that suggests, or says quite clearly, that there is agreement between the two parties about pausing this for a week. So it opens up a lot of questions as to what exactly is happening behind the scenes. We know some things about Abrego Garcia since this case started. Of course, it's confirmed that he's in El Salvador.

You saw as well that Senator Van Hollen meet with Abrego Garcia, where we saw the first photos of him since he was deported in mid-March. But we've also learned he's been moved to another detention center in El Salvador. And that's similarly raised a lot of questions, because it is not as strict as on a maximum security prison the way CECOT is.

Now, he's somewhere else. So there's these little movements that have been happening over the last few days, but we just don't know what it's going to culminate into yet. But it is a good time to remind viewers, too, that the administration is in its right to remove Abrego Garcia to any other country. It's just going to be to El Salvador.

So it begs the question, what could happen next in this case? We don't know yet, but we do know that there is a pause in the discovery for now.

KEILAR: Really interesting to see why they agreed to that.

Priscilla, thank you for the reporting. Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, mourners are packing St. Peter's Basilica to see Pope Francis. These are live images as he lies in state. The Vatican says more than 50,000 people lined up in the first 24 hours. This, of course, is the second of three days for the public to pay their respects.

A procession tomorrow evening will take him slowly through the streets of Rome to his final resting place with a funeral on Saturday. And today, the Vatican released this image of Pope Francis' tomb made of marble from northern Italy.

CNN Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb joins us now live from Rome. And Christopher, what are you learning about what we should expect for the coming days?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, as you said, there are thousands of people still filing into St. Peter's Basilica, which was open all night for people to continue to go in and pay their respects to Pope Francis.

I myself paid my final respects when the Pope was in the Santa Marta Chapel. It was a very almost overwhelming experience, covered the Francis pontificate so closely for, you know, many years. It was a very moving experience to go and do that.

And you could see in the Square people really full of emotion, full of sadness at the loss of a pope who they felt was their pope, someone who they felt a deep connection to. Now, we're expecting a large number of heads of state. President Trump will be here for the funeral on Saturday, along with other dignitaries.

It's going to be an event that is going to be attended by, we're expecting tens of thousands of people. And it will be presided at by the dean of the College of Cardinals. For those who've watched the movie "Conclave", they'll know the dean plays a very important role in the period, in the run up to the conclave and a papal funeral.

And then after the funeral is celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope's casket will be transferred to his final burial place place at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

[13:35:11]

And the Vatican saying that the people who will be paying their respects to the Pope right at the end will be the poorest in Rome. A group of poor and those who are on the margins of society will be brought in to pay their respects to the Pope. A very fitting final moment for Francis, who of course said he wanted a poor church for the poor and devoted himself to those on the margins of society.

Boris?

SANCHEZ: Christopher Lamb live Force in Rome. Thank you so much for that update.

When we come back, the man who pleaded guilty to a mass shooting at a July 4th parade just learned his fate. We have new details minutes away.

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[13:40:15]

SANCHEZ: The Illinois man who abruptly confessed to a deadly mass shooting just moments before his murder trial was supposed to begin just got sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 24-year-old gunman pleaded guilty last month in the 2022 attack on a 4th of July parade just outside Chicago.

He actually refused to attend his sentencing hearing today and yesterday. That is his empty chair. What he missed were the emotional impact statements from survivors and family members who lost loved ones. You might remember he killed seven people and injured nearly 50 others.

CNN Law Enforcement Correspondent Whitney Wild is here with more on today's sentencing. Whitney, what are you learning?

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Boris, it's been an emotional two days. Those victims that you point out, Robert Crimo, did not get to hear from recounted in quite a bit of detail the absolute nightmare that they lived through three years ago.

In some cases, these victims said their lives have been changed forever. Another victim said that, in fact, he forgives Robert Crimo. So there was really a wide range of reaction and experiences shared in court over those two days, even though they knew Robert Crimo would not hear it. The specific sentence on paper is seven consecutive life sentences for each of the people he killed. In addition, Boris, he was sentenced to 50 years for each of the 48 people he injured that day.

Following the hearing, Boris, there were a few people who spoke to the media to talk about what this day means to them. One of those people is Liz Turnipseed. She was shot in the pelvis at that parade. Here's what she said this day. This sentencing means to her.

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LIZ TURNIPSEED, SHOOTING SURVIVOR: While I don't have closure, it's closing a chapter on this, this part of our lives. And I don't have to think about him anymore. I don't have to worry about him anymore. And me and my husband and my daughter can continue to move forward, and I can continue to heal.

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WILD: Boris, during that hearing, the judge said that Robert Crimo III was simply beyond rehabilitation. His attorneys did not issue a statement from him. He didn't make an oral statement, of course, because he wasn't there, he didn't issue a written statement.

But basically, in summary, they said he understood when he abruptly pleaded guilty just before his trial was supposed to begin, that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Whitney Wild, thank you so much.

Brianna?

KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour, the company that owned the rail car responsible for the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment will not have to help pay that $600 million settlement that Norfolk Southern agreed to with residents.

A jury determined that GATX is not liable for damages, even though a failed wheel bearing on one of its rail cars caused the 2023 disaster. The company argued successfully that it was Norfolk Southern's responsibility to maintain the cars and deliver their cargo safely.

And a 19-year-old is facing arson charges in connection with the wildfire that has burned at least 15,000 acres in Southern New Jersey. Officials say Joseph Kling ignited wooden pallets to start a bonfire and left the scene before putting it out properly. No injuries have been reported, but the mayor of Lacey Township says the wildfire is the largest in the community's history.

And the spring home buying season is off to a slow start. The National Association of Realtors says sales of previously owned homes dropped 5.9 percent in March compared to February. That's the sharpest monthly decline in more than two years and the weakest number for March since 2009.

The NAR's chief economist says rising home prices and persistently high interest rates remain the biggest factors. Target walking back its commitment to diversity and some of its shoppers appear to walk away entirely. Details on the boycott that may have sparked the drop off in foot traffic, next.

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[13:49:11]

KEILAR: The first court hearing in the legal battle between the White House and Harvard University is set for Monday. The nation's oldest university asked the court to fast track its lawsuit against the federal government after the Trump administration announced a funding freeze on more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts.

We have Betsy Klein with us here with the details. So, Betsy, what's Harvard saying about the case?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Yes, so Harvard is essentially asking this federal judge to fast track its challenge to this $2.2 billion funding freeze. Harvard arguing that the Trump administration's move here is threatening critical medical, scientific, and other research.

Now the Trump administration says that this is about combating anti- Semitism, but Harvard says that this threatens their First Amendment rights. Listen to what Harvard President Alan Garber had to say about this.

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ALAN GARBER, HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT: We don't know how much we can actually absorb, but what we do know is that we cannot compromise on basic principles like defense of our First Amendment rights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this bigger than Harvard at this point?

GARBER: Of course it's bigger than Harvard because we look at what's at risk here. And what's at risk is the excellence of higher education in the United States.

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KLEIN: Now Harvard is essentially asking the court to speed up the timeline here. They want the judge to look at the case and make a decision very quickly without a jury, without a full trial. The goal here is to get this resolved faster than the years that it can typically take.

We're also seeing the Trump administration really take aggressive aim at Harvard and other higher education institutions. We are seeing -- starting to learn a little bit more about the task force led by the Justice Department here that is taking aim at some of these colleges.

Now, to get a sense of the scope of their work, the Justice Department-led Task Force on Combating Anti-Semitism earlier this month sent Harvard a letter demanding policy changes. Of course, Harvard rejected those demands and this is the task force that is responsible for that funding freeze I mentioned.

So who is on it? It's led by a former Fox News personality and civil rights leader, Leo Terrell, representatives from across the federal government. But the policy here is really being driven by Stephen Miller, the President's deputy chief of staff, of course really underscoring how much power and influence that Miller has amassed as he's trying to implement the President's agenda.

There's an initial target list of universities in addition to Harvard, Columbia University, Northwestern, Cornell, the University of Michigan. But a White House official tells me no university, Brianna, is off limits.

KEILAR: Yes, they're sending a message to higher education in America for sure.

Betsy, thank you so much for the reporting. We appreciate it. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Retail giant Target is seeing a decline in foot traffic at its stores at least for the last 10 weeks or so. A coordinated boycott of the retailer may be a factor. A boycott started after Target announced a rollback of its diversity initiatives.

CNN's Ryan Young talked to the pastor leading the charge against the retailer.

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PASTOR JAMAL BRYANT, NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH: It is not because of tariffs, it is not because of the stock market, it is because of the power of black unification and the black dollar.

$12 trillion in spending power is not anything that we should laugh at.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What started out as a movement to send a message against Target downsizing its DEI initiatives?

BRYANT: 200,000 people signed to be a part of the Target fast.

YOUNG (voice-over): Led to Target stores nationwide taking a nosedive in foot traffic. Down for 10 consecutive weeks, dropping 9 percent in February and falling 6.5 percent in March compared to one year ago. The significant decline also impacted by spending pullbacks during decreased consumer confidence and tariff uncertainty.

BRYANT: So the fast shifts to a full out boycott.

YOUNG (voice-over): Prominent Atlanta area megachurch Pastor Jamal Bryant's call for a boycott during Lent. A fast aimed at Target and is still not over. BRYANT: We had four asks and only walked away with one thing. Target has agreed that by July the 31st, they will complete the pledge of $2 billion for black business. We gave you 40 days to answer four not one. We ain't going back in there.

YOUNG: You met with the CEO?

BRYANT: Yes.

YOUNG: What was that like?

BRYANT: We're still meeting. I think it's a healthy start for where it is that we are.

YOUNG: Do you think they hear you?

BRYANT: Oh, they hear me. The cash register hears me.

YOUNG (voice-over): Target has not responded to CNN's interview requests or questions about the boycott's impact. In an internal note on diversity from Target's chief equity officer earlier this year, the company says they are still committed to inclusivity and offers a wide range of products and services, including items made by companies that are black and minority owned.

CHANTEL POWELL, FOUNDER, PLAY PITS: That was disappointment.

YOUNG (voice-over): Five megachurches held bullseye black markets over Easter weekend to help power small black business owners, several of them stung and saddened by Target's policy reversal.

YOUNG: You had products on the shelves at Target.

POWELL: We've definitely felt a hit, right? So our sales in store are currently 30 percent less than what they were last year. People feel hurt because it felt like Target was for us. It felt like Target believed in us.

YOUNG: When Target stepped back, what was your initial reaction?

CARLTON MACKEY, BLACK MEN SMILE CREATOR: It felt like a gut punch, to be honest. The way Target had positioned itself in the black community suggested that there was a commitment. To see it swept away in an instant, it felt like a rug pull.

PATRICE CHAPPELLE, FOUNDER, MELANBRAND SKIN: Skin care products for children, especially black and brown children.

YOUNG (voice-over): Patrice Chappelle and her son started MelanBrand Skin in 2023 with the goal of getting her product onto the shelves of Target.

[13:55:07]

CHAPPELLE: With all the rollbacks on the DEI, that's going to, you know, make it a lot harder for us to get into the store. It's no longer inclusive, and it feels that -- it feels like they have really just turned their backs on us.

BRBYANT: We ask that because black people spend upwards of $12 million a day, that they would invest a quarter of $1 billion in the black banks so people would have access to capital for businesses and for home ownership. We ask the Target to invest in HBCUs and to give a re- examination of what DEI would look like in the future.

YOUNG (voice-over): Ryan Young, CNN, Stonecrest, Georgia.

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SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Ryan Young for that report.

We should let you know that we are monitoring an event at the White House right now. President Donald Trump alongside the Norwegian Prime Minister. He is answering questions from reporters, so let's listen in.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- Jonas Gahr Store is here, who is the, as you know, the Prime Minister of Norway. He's a great gentleman, highly respected, beloved in his country. And we've had talks on the war with Ukraine and Russia and trade.

We're doing very well, I think, on both. We've had some pretty good movement in every respect. The war is very important. It ends with, I used to say, 2,500 people a week dying, young people, mostly soldiers from Russia and Ukraine.

And we want to end that war. We want to end it quickly. And I think we've made a long -- a lot of progress, and we'll see what happens.

This next few days is going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now. Additionally, we talked about trade, and we will definitely we get along very well on trade. We'll do something.

But I think the Prime Minister knows that over the years, the United States has been very good to a lot of people, and it's time for us to benefit also. So we're going to have a good relationship on trade, and we discussed other things also.

But, Mr. Prime Minister, it's an honor to have you at the White House. Thank you very much.

JONAS GAHR STORE, NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you, Mr. President. This is -- this year is 200 years since the first immigration from Norway to the U.S. We come here early in your term. Appreciate that you take time.

We have highlighted that very close cooperation. We are allies. We look after security in the north, in the Arctic. A lot of confidence between our services. We have discussed in detail the war in Ukraine.

I have saluted the President for his initiative to make progress towards something that can be a ceasefire and an end to this terrible conflict. It is a complex picture, but it needs political will and push, and we have exchanged ideas on that. And I think the President and his team have been open to hear our perspectives.

And on trade, we have also emphasized that we can benefit, both of us, by trading. We can be complementary, and we can find good solutions. But, first of all, I appreciate, Mr. President, the spirit and the tone of this conversation, which has been confirmation of a very strong partnership.

TRUMP: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Any questions from the press? Yes?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, can I ask you the President -- have you spoken about the tariff that you want to impose on Norway? Is there a chance that you can lower --

TRUMP: We spoke about trade, and we understand each other very well. I think we'll have no problem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think that you can get an agreement --

TRUMP: I think we'll have no problem whatsoever with Norway.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, have you discussed a possible visit to Norway? Did you discuss a possible visit with President Trump?

TRUMP: We didn't, but I would -- I love it. I mean, I've been there, and it is a beautiful place they have.

STORE: But I told the President that, you know, he is receiving us early in the term. He is welcome to visit Norway. We would like to have him, and it will be another way of emphasizing this strong friendship.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, Norway has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine --

TRUMP: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- since the Russian invasion in 2022. Has something been discussed here today that have -- may have altered your views on things?

TRUMP: No, we want to -- very simply, I have no allegiance to anybody. I have allegiance to saving lives, and I want to save a lot of lives, a lot of young people, mostly young people. It's the war. It's the soldiers.

And if we can do that, I've also -- as you know, I got started because the money that's been spent on this war is insane. It should have never happened. And it would have never happened if I were president.

But Biden spent $350 billion on this, and it's a shame. And that's what got me involved. And then I looked at -- and I see the results, it's horrible. It's a --