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Don Lemon Tonight
Men in Uniform in Full Force in D.C.; President Trump's Twitter Silent on George Floyd's Funeral; Police Chief Extends an Olive Branch; Floyd's Family Waiting for Justice; Protests Continues on George Floyd's Memorial; Stacey Abrams Message on George Floyd's Memorial Service; Police Use of Neck Restraint Tactics Being Questioned; Drew Brees Apologizes About Kneeling Comments. Aired 10- 11p ET
Aired June 04, 2020 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[22:00:00]
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: But it just breaks your heart that the more you learn the more realize that it was not motivated by anything but the wrong things.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Right.
CUOMO: And it just breaks your heart.
LEMON: And they're admitting that in the courtroom and even unwittingly. They don't even know how they're admitting it. Can I say -- I just want to say something that, it has been -- what has it been since -- are you all right?
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: We've been working non-stop since March since the coronavirus, and then we have this. Everybody is so tense and emotional and upset. Have you found that?
CUOMO: Absolutely. I mean, look, we've never lived through anything like this. And I know we seem to say that a lot to each other. This has been a weird, weird bunch of years.
But within the context acutely here, COVID is one of the scariest things we've dealt with as a people whether or not people choose --
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: -- to believe the facts or not. It's changed our lives and mine certainly. The Arbery case on video, the Floyd case on video --
LEMON: On video.
v -- chasing him around like an animal like the '50s like with the hoses is frightening.
LEMON: I just --
CUOMO: You know, people thought we were better than this, Don.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I agree. I agree. I've had several emotional conversations, emotional interactions with people after the funeral today, I was talking to Brook. She's very emotional. Everyone is just on -- it's just -- all I can say is emotional. And it's a roller coaster ride. I have never seen to this level the amount of not knowing, uncertainty, I should say, anger, fear, all kinds of things. And I don't know -- we need to figure out where to -- what to do with all of that.
CUOMO: Well, one, you need it. You need it. You need it. You need -- you know, human beings are led by their passions.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: And passions lead to purpose. But I'll tell you, my mother is with us for a quick visit -- quick, quick, I promise. My family's watching. They all want to take her away. It's like, you know, I am the virus as far as they're concerned.
She's heartbroken watching this, you know?
LEMON: Same.
CUOMO: She has lived the lifetime hoping that things would get better and she seems to see a situation that puts us at our worse. To have Cha-Cha, you know, my 10-year-old, to hear her talking to friends about the George Floyd case and about -- and it's not like we're some hypersensitive news. I don't even -- my kids don't even watch what I do 90 percent of the time.
LEMON: They're watching now though.
CUOMO: But it's so penetrating.
LEMON: It is.
CUOMO: It was so long and so wrong, and it's so frightening that this is who we are.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: This is who we are.
LEMON: I got -- I got a -- I was on a call the other day. I got a call from a friend. And as soon as I said hello, he says, Don, what would you have me do? What do you want? And I mean, just immediately not hello, how you doing, nothing.
I have so many of those phone calls. And I just -- I want to -- honestly, I think we all need to think about this, the productive way for all of us to get all of this out. And I don't know if that's in the form of -- I mean, if we had, probably if we had better leadership, a fire side chat would be great, town hall of some sort would be great, a collaborative effort on many peoples' part in the media would be great, something to get all of this out instead of keeping it inside and then doing it within our own silos. That's it. I don't know what that is. That's for smarter people beyond my pay grade.
But I've got to run.
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: I've been -- I've been getting a yell back for taking to you for so long. They're like, you talk to Chris all day, you talk to him on the weekend, you hang out with him, and then you get on the TV and you eat up the time when you talk to him. That is all your fault. Not mine.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: Find something that the audience appreciates more than this and let me know.
LEMON: I know. But you know what? Maybe this is what everyone needs to do.
CUOMO: That's right.
LEMON: You've got a white friend. A white friend. Everyone says I love your bromance. But it's -- I don't know. I just think of you as Chris. It's kind of weird. It's not like a bromance.
CUOMO: Look, I'm just ridiculously attractive Chris, and you are Don.
LEMON: Boy, you have got the biggest ego I've ever --
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: It's all insecurity. It's all insecurity.
LEMON: Nobody loves Chris more than Chris, and if you don't believe him, ask Chris. OK. Thank you, buddy. I love you.
CUOMO: I love you.
I'll see you soon.
LEMON: This is CNN Tonight. Everyone, all, calm. This is CNN Tonight. I'm Don Lemon. Thank you so much for joining us.
Of course, we have breaking news. We have protesters who are still in the streets tonight in spite of curfews in some of the nation's biggest cities. It has been a day of massive demonstrations from coast to coast on the day of George Floyd's memorial service in Minneapolis, his home going, and the message was unmistakable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[22:05:07] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reason why we are watching all over the world is we were like George. We couldn't breathe. Not because there was something wrong with our lungs because you wouldn't take your knee off our neck. We don't want no favors. Just get up off of us and we can be and do whatever we can be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And no wonder. George Floyd didn't die peacefully in his bed after a long life. He died in the street with a white police officer's knee on his neck. He died calling out "I can't breathe" and begging for his mother.
And this is the result. Look at these live pictures happening in New York City right now. Police facing off against protesters. Protesters against police, police against protesters. We've been watching it now for 10 nights, for 10 nights.
As I said, as we watch this, George Floyd didn't die peacefully in his bed after a long life. He died in the streets. White police officers, knee on his neck. He died calling out I can't breathe, begging for his mother.
He died like so many black men and women. He was a victim of racism. And if you can't tell the truth about that at his home going, when can you?
Thousands of thousands of Americans as we are seeing now live on television black and white and brown taking to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd and the long disgraceful history of police brutality against people of color.
The president apparently couldn't even be bothered to tweet about it today. Even as he's seeing it play out, the president can't be bothered to tweet about it. Instead doubling down on his law and order tough guy stance.
That's our Shimon Prokupecz. We're going to get to him in moments as this chaos is playing out. Looks like right there in midtown right across from the Plaza Hotel.
Tonight, the president is tweeting don't burn churches in America. Even though it was his own photo-op in front of St. John's church after peaceful protesters were gassed that outraged faith leaders.
And showing his ignorance of history. Do you know who did burn and torch and fire bomb a lot of churches in America? White supremacist racists trying to terrorize black people. Read about it. Pick up a book. It's a known thing.
But this president doesn't read history, he rewrites it. And he's trying again tonight sharing a letter from his former attorney John Dowd including this quote. "The phony protesters near Lafayette were not peaceful and are not real. They are terrorists using idle hate- filled students to burn and destroy." Well, CNN was on the scene of that protest, and what we saw were
peaceful protesters gassed. There is video tape. Attacked by police. The action this president condoned, gassing them so he could have his church photo-op, is nothing but the mark of a want to be autocrat.
Still he had a chance yesterday to address the racial turmoil in this country. Asked in the friendliest possible way by Fox's Brian Kilmeade what he's going to do about police violence against people of color. The president answers by bragging about his poll numbers.
(BEGIN VOICE CLIP)
BRIAN KILMEADE, HOST, FOX NEWS: According to an Axios/Ipsos poll, 70 percent of white Americans say they trust the local police. Only 36 percent of African-Americans do. How do you attack that problem? How do you change things?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, I think it's a very sad problem. As you know, as a Republican I'm doing very well with African-Americans and with devout -- with in polls and everything. Especially -- I haven't seen one very recently because you have the plague come in from China, so that changed things up.
(END VOICE CLIP)
LEMON: Give another opportunity to actually answer how he'll handle the law enforcement part of the problem; the president complains that he didn't get enough attention for adding comments about George Floyd's death to the top of his speech in Florida for the NASA SpaceX launch on Saturday.
(BEGIN VOICE CLIP)
TRUMP: I've spoken about it numerous times in various speeches. You know, it was interesting I spoke about it when we launched a very successful rocket, a tremendous program that culminated on that day, and obviously it goes on from there.
[22:10:03]
But I then made a speech and it was a speech about the rocket, I devoted 25 percent or more to what happened or more to what happened with respect to George, George Floyd.
(END VOICE CLIP)
LEMON: Speech about a rocket. Wasn't a speech about George Floyd or racism or how African-Americans are treated by police. Speech about a rocket.
The president apparently expects a pat on the back for taking on comments about George Floyd in that speech, comments that included the president saying, quote, my administration will stop mob violence and stop it cold. And on the third bite at the apple, he was asked about Joe Biden's speech in Philadelphia this week, vowing to heal the racial wounds in this country. (BEGIN VOICE CLIP)
TRUMP: A guy like sleepy Joe Biden was in there for 43 years and he says I think we should do this. I saw it today. He took his mask off for the first time in a while. I haven't seen his face for a long time. He said I think we should do this or I think we should we do that. And actually, then he started speaking through the mask again. He feels comfortable with the mask on, I think.
(END VOICE CLIP)
LEMON: So, in response to questions about police violence, this president talks about his poll numbers, the SpaceX launch, and Joe Biden's mask. While thousands upon thousands of Americans are making their voices heard on the streets. That's what the President of the United States is doing. Grievance tweeting. This is where we are, America.
To the streets now. Shimon Prokupecz marching with protesters in Manhattan tonight. We saw some of the disturbance as I was speaking in my open. Shimon, take it away.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Yes. So, Don, we're on 5th Avenue and 59th street. I was with this group of protesters. I'm on live television, officer. And we were coming up 57th Street, we were coming up and down, we were walking around and for whatever reason, yes, we're two hours past curfew.
For whatever reason as this group of protesters moved north on 5th Avenue, officers just started moving in and making arrests. One of the officers was swinging his baton. And then the captain actually pulled him back after seeing this officer doing this. And other protesters were trying to diffuse the situation. But it just didn't work.
Several officers started moving in making arrests. And then all of these -- Tom, if you could just show all of these officers, my cameraman here -- just swarmed into this location. I mean, there are now hundreds of officers here in this location.
They came from south -- they came north on 5th Avenue. They came east, they came west, and they just swarmed this area. It was clear that they wanted to move in and take these demonstrators off the street.
From what I understand, I was with the chief of patrol for some time tonight talking to him about everything. This group, we have started with them at around 34th Street. They're the last remaining group of demonstrators around Manhattan.
And it just seems like the NYPD just decided it was time for them go home. They made no announcements saying that they were going to make arrests. I've seen in certain situations where they've come out, they say if you don't leave, we're going to make arrests.
Legally, they probably have the right now to make these arrests because the protesters are violating curfew. But certainly, you know, we talk about diffusing certain situations. This seemed to escalate pretty quickly.
Now you can see a lot of the officers leaving. And, Don, several arrests were made. And they're telling me to get on the curb so I'm getting on the curb. And now a lot of the officers are leaving, Don. But several arrests were made at this location.
LEMON: Wow. That's a big presence of police officers. I mean, it looks like as many police officers as protesters out there, Shimon.
PROKUPECZ: Yes, absolutely. Yes, absolutely, Don.
LEMON: OK.
PROKUPECZ: I mean, they came from everywhere.
LEMON: All right.
PROKUPECZ: Yes.
LEMON: Shimon, we'll check back. We've got to check in, we have a lot of places in the states tonight that we need to check on. New York City is one of them. The other one is Washington, D.C. That's where we'll find Alex Marquardt for us.
Alex, boy, you're standing in front of a fence. I'm not sure if that fence was erected in the last couple of days, but here we are. No curfew tonight in D.C. What are you seeing?
ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, no curfew tonight in D.C., Don. Because over the past few days these protests have been very peaceful as they are tonight.
[22:14:56]
What you're looking at now is a bit of thinner situation than it has been. But that can be forgiven because we just had this huge downpour that swept through downtown D.C. and after really it be an admiration of the resilience of these protesters. They really weathered it.
We have seen protesters all over D.C. today. I marched with some young people from the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial all the way to the capitol. And so, they are keeping it peaceful and that's why there is no curfew tonight.
There were no arrests last night and the Metropolitan Police Department said that they were not going to enforce that curfew as long as people stayed peaceful.
Don, I do want to point out this fence that you were mentioning. They had erected this several days ago, but you remember that yesterday the protesters were pushed back another half block away. And the reason why, if you look down and Jamie Michael (Ph) is going to pan down, they put out these huge concrete blocks to reinforce this fencing in certain areas. There is a second layer of it.
And then you could also notice those flood lights that have been pointing at us when night falls but they have been lowered to eye height. So, they're essentially pointing right into the faces of the protesters so we can't really see the forces that are behind those lights.
And those forces are really, have really become a huge point of contention here in D.C., Don. You and I have talked about this incredible patchwork of federal law enforcement that has poured into D.C., that has been deployed in D.C., including National Guard from other states, active duty military that have been called to D.C., not yet deployed in the streets, as well as all those other agencies like ATF, DEA, FBI, the Bureau of Prisons that we were showing you last night.
And now the mayor of D.C. is saying her first priority is to get military and out of states -- out of state National Guard out of the city. You have Nancy Pelosi who has been -- who wrote a letter to President Trump saying it is of great concern and could encourage chaos having so many different federal agencies here.
That mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser saying that it is really only for the glorification of one man, President Donald Trump, who she says is afraid and alone. Don?
LEMON: Alex Marquardt in Washington, D.C. for us. Alex, thank you very much.
So, you've seen the protesters out in Washington just within this program. You've seen them in New York City. They're all over the country, really all over the world. What is the catalyst? George Floyd's death.
Today was his homecoming. It was full of impassioned call for justice, including from his family. His brother is here, Philonise, and attorney Ben Crump, next.
[22:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We will get back to the protesters out on the streets tonight, this time in Brooklyn and Jason Carroll. Jason, what are you seeing out there?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was really a remarkable moment, Don. What we saw was Chief Maddrey, that's the man you see there in the white shirt. And it was a very tense moment as a little more than a hundred of these protesters came in contact with the line of police officers.
And Chief Maddrey who you see right there, basically reached out and spoke to them. And at one point started shaking their hands and really deescalated what was becoming a very tense situation. And it's really once of the first times, Don, since we've been out here where we've seen police engage some of these protesters in this way.
If you take a look around you can see a number of the protesters still gathered here on this street in Brooklyn. And again, it came to a point where the officers were not going to move. They were not going to let these protesters continue. These protesters had been marching peacefully all night.
But, again, we're now just a few hours past curfew. But again, it was an incredible moment that you still see now, Chief Maddrey, they are still talking, till engaging with some of these young men and young women out here and talking to them.
But again, the most remarkable moment was when he reached out and started shaking their hands. And it's important to how this, you some of if happening now, these officers who are trying to engage with the community. And conversely, some of those who are out here demonstrating trying to -- trying to reach out and communicate with some of these officers here.
It was just really an incredible moment and one I thought was important to share with you and your audience.
LEMON: No. Right you are because we need more moments like that where there's de-escalation instead of escalation, Jason. I think that you're right on. And if the police are doing something right and the protesters are as well, I think we should get that on television.
Jason Carroll is in Brooklyn with us, the site of an incredible scene. A number of them playing out all over the country. We're going to get back to him, to Alex, to Shimon and to others who are out there for us this evening.
Massive protests across the country on the day of George Floyd's memorial service. Family, friends, community leaders all coming together in Minneapolis to honor the unarmed black man killed in police custody.
The service pausing for 8 minutes 46 seconds. That's how long the police officer's knee was on George Floyd's neck. His brother joins me now, Philonise Floyd, and the attorney for the family, Ben Crump. Gentleman, good evening, thank you so much.
BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR FLOYD FAMILY: Good evening, Don.
PHILONISE FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S BROTHER: Good evening.
LEMON: Philonise, your words were incredible. It was beautiful to watch. I was honored that I actually was the person who got to cover this. Obviously, it's -- we're so sorry for what happened to your brother and what's happening to your family. But what did today mean to you? Can you explain that?
FLOYD: It was a very emotional day. Just, you know, trying to keep my family. Right now, they're emotionally -- like, when I say it's hard, it's hard. You know, I'm trying to keep them together because that was our first time being that close to George.
[22:24:56]
You know, my brother -- it wasn't open, but we knew he was there. And just knowing he was there, it hurt. It hurt a lot.
LEMON: You know, there's -- I wondered out loud today, I said out loud I wonder how many of these we don't see. Right? We got to see your brother's memorial. And we're going to see this is a number of home going ceremonies for your brother.
And if I will, just on a personal note, you reminded me of February of 2018 when I had to get up and speak about my sister who died. And I kept thinking about that the entire time that you were speaking and just how surreal that was and how I couldn't even -- even given what I do here as an anchor on television every night, I could not imagine having to go through something like this in front of the entire world.
I think your family handled this with such dignity and grace. I can't even tell you -- I don't have the words to express the admiration that I have for your family.
So, I just -- I've been wanting to say that to you and today I was just full and just thank you and your family for doing what you're doing.
Every time this happens to a family, Ben, you know this, they have to live this through the whole world. Their whole lives, their backgrounds, everything as people go over it. It is an incredible and unfair experience for these families. And this family is incredible the way they're dealing with it, Ben.
CRUMP: Yes, they are, Don.
FLOYD: Yes, sir, thank you. Thank you.
LEMON: When you -- the message from Reverend Al Sharpton saying take your knee off our neck and you talked about the idea that there can't be two justice systems, one black America, one for white America. Ben, is George Floyd's death becoming a real catalyst? Do you believe this time it's going to have a huge -- make a huge difference, make some change?
CRUMP: I think we have an opportunity, Don. And, you know, you've covered all of these cases and you see every time we get right on the cusp of some change and then somehow it is not delivered. But right now, we have people from across the aisle who have seen what happened to George Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, Don, and I think they are emotional.
We might, just might, if we don't lose this moment, we've got to stay focused, get systematic change where we actually look at police officers that kill all these unarmed people of color and never be held accountable. I mean, the Congress is really talking about the possibility of looking at that because of what happened to his brother.
LEMON: Philonise, if I'm -- I just want to take people back to the service, and I want to play this moment. It's from Reverend Al Sharpton. And he talked about asking to talk to your mother about George. Here it is. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL SHARPTON, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: I said his mother passed. But he was calling for his mother. Talking to Quincy last night, one of his five children. Quincy said, you know, I was thinking maybe he was calling his mother because at the point that he was dying, his mother was stretching her hands out. Saying come on, George. I'll welcome you where the wicked will cease from troubling, where the weary will be at rest.
There's a place where police don't put knees on you, George. There's a place that prosecutors don't drag their feet. Maybe his mama said, come on, George.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: What do you think? And does that give you any comfort?
FLOYD: It gives me comfort that he's screaming for my mom, but I'm never going to be in comfort until those officers are arrested for first-degree murder, not second-degree, not first -- I mean, not third-degree. That was premeditated, and I want justice.
LEMON: A key message in the service was turning this energy into action. I talked to Ben just a moment ago about this. But beyond seeing these officers convicted and as you said first-degree murder, what else would you like to happen on a societal level in this country, Philonise?
CRUMP: He didn't hear you. I think you asked, Don, what else does he want to happen --
(CROSSTALK)
[22:30:06]
LEMON: To happen in society on a bigger level, societal level in this country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible).
PHILONESE FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S BROTHER: I just want everybody -- I want all cops -- put it this way. I want all cops, everybody that's wearing a badge to understand everybody has human rights. And they are human too.
I want everybody who was driving not to be racially profiled. I want people to be accounted by being good people, not bad people. If I don't know you, I shouldn't have to walk up to you and ask you question after question why are you over here in this neighborhood.
I'm not a racist guy. I just believe in what's right is right. Wrong is wrong and right is right. When an officer has his knee in my brother's neck, that was wrong. The other officer who had his knee on my brother's back, that was wrong. The other two officers that watched this, they helped. All of that was
wrong. I just want justice and I want the society to understand that. Everybody in this world, we have a place. And right now we all need to come together like we are because right now we all are human (ph).
LEMON: Thank you both. Thank you, thank you, thank you. That's all I can say, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Don.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
LEMON: My next guest says -- my next guest says voting is the first step to solving the inequality in this country. Stacey Abrams, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:35:00]
LEMON: Peaceful protests stretching across the country on a day full of raw emotions, protesters out in the streets of Atlanta today. Joining me now from Atlanta, Stacey Abrams, the founder of Fair Fight Action and former Georgia state house leader and gubernatorial candidate. Leader Abrams, thank you so much for joining us this evening. I appreciate it. You doing all right?
STACY ABRAMS, FORMER GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: As well as can be expected.
LEMON: Yes, yes. Good answer. Perfect answer. Listen, we're seeing the 10th straight night of protests. Incredibly powerful day today with George Floyd's memorial and black people in America have seen the promise of change before. Is something different now?
ABRAMS: I think there are a few things. One is that these murders, while they are not new, the time, the visual of George Floyd being murdered coming in the context of the murder of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
And all of that is wrapped into the ravages of COVID-19 which are also putting black and brown families, especially black families at the highest risk. Disproportionate likelihood of contracting the disease, disproportionate likelihood of losing jobs, disproportionate likelihood of dying.
And I think we have seen happen in 2020 has been a confluence of all of those moments that highlight the systemic inequities and the systemic injustices that dehumanize the lives of blacks. And that is what we're seeing in the streets.
But what is so encouraging is that we are seeing a multiracial, multigenerational response that understands that while black families and black people are at the center of this crisis of conscience, but this is happening to Latino families; that Native Americans are dying at disproportionate rates. That there are communities across this country that are linked together by the failure of our government in this moment and we can come together to fix at least in some measure what has been broken and start to build something new.
LEMON: I want to take you back to a couple of days ago and ask you about what happened outside the White House. It was Monday. Police clearing peaceful protesters with tear gas.
An official telling CNN that the Attorney General William Barr made the decision after being told that protesters were throwing water bottles in his direction even though our reporters didn't witness that and it's not what the live picture showed. What's your reaction?
ABRAMS: If they had been throwing water bottles, that still wouldn't have justified the actions taken. This is a democracy that was grounded in and founded on the notion of citizen engagement and citizen action. We became a nation because we rebelled against tyranny and we rebelled against an authoritarian notion that we could be controlled.
The fact that the president of the United States is such a moral coward and a such a physical coward that he required the decimation of our civil liberties so he could cross the street to do performative art in front of a burned church. That is a condemnation of who he is, but it should never be seen as an example of who we are.
LEMON: You're in Atlanta, Leader Abrams, a city that has seen many peaceful protests. Have you participated in the protests out there? What are you doing?
ABRAMS: I've not been physically in the protests in part because when I help lead protests in 1992 as a student in response to Rodney King, I remember what it meant for the students and the young people to take the lead.
I appreciate the instinct of leaders to join in these protests, but too often, our presence distracts from their message. And so what we've tried to do is be supportive, helping with bail funds, helping with lawyers, helping build the narrative and get the message out.
But I want to be very clear that this is about the demonstrators who are facing this issue every single day.
[22:40:00]
My responsibility is to fix the systems I can, to promote the change we need, and to do what I can to support their message, but not to distract from their efforts.
LEMON: If you're out there, all the cameras are going to come to you and take the focus off of where it should be. Today in --
ABRAMSL: Again, I want to be clear. I understand the instinct to be there, but having been on the other side, having been an activist and a protester, I have a very visceral reaction and my conscience tells me I need to stay out of the way and let the attention focus on the demonstrators.
LEMON: Today in the "New York Times" you wrote about voting and how important it is even if it sounds inadequate amid all the injustices we continue to see.
And, you know, there are people who say well, voting, that's -- voting, is that really going to change, you know, what police officers are doing? But, you said even if it seems inadequate. What's your message to black people about voting?
ABRAMS: Voting is like medicine. We have a nation that is diseased. It is diseased by racism and by systems of injustice that need to be cured. But there's not a single medicine you can take that instantly cures your disease.
It takes time, and you've got to go through treatment. And voting is one of those treatments. Filling out the census is one of those treatments. We get the power we can take. No one's going to give it to us.
And I would like to point out that when I was in the state legislature because someone voted me in, I was able to vote for, in fact, to co- sponsor legislation that peel back some of the protections that law enforcement had that shielded them from accountability.
Voting did that. When I worked for the city of Atlanta, voting helped make changes. And so yes, the changes are going to be slow, they're going to be tedious, and they're going to be inadequate, but they're progress and progress matters.
Progress is how we get to the change we ultimately need. And so I don't want to be disingenuous and say just go vote, but I do want people to understand as I said in this essay, silence damns us all because our silence gives evil carte blanche to continue and we see what evil would do.
LEMON: I'm so glad you said that. Thank you so much. I appreciate you're being vocal and I appreciate your presence and using your platform for good. Thank you so much Stacey Abrams. I'll see you soon. You be safe.
ABRAMS: You too. Take care.
LEMON: With protests over the death of George Floyd across the county, there's also outrage tonight in Sacramento after a 22-year-old was shot by police in a nearby city. An investigation is under way. And with police under the microscope right now, there are more. We're going to take a look at those investigations, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:45:00]
LEMON: Protests now in their 10th night as the country reels over the death of George Floyd. The video of a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on Floyd's neck has outraged the country. And now questions are being raised about other cases of police using neck restraints. Please watch this story about Ryan Young.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police tactics across the country are now under a microscope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got your knee on my man's neck, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On his neck, bro.
YOUNG (voice-over): This video from Sarasota, Florida shows the moment officers attempt to arrest a man during a domestic disturbance call.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got you on his neck, bro. I got you on my man's neck.
YOUNG (voice-over): One of the officers kneels on the back of the man's neck just days before George Floyd's death. One of the officers said in the incident report the defendant tried to get away and that police used minor force.
Kneeling on someone's neck, Sarasota police say is not something they train their officers to do. The department has now launched an internal investigation.
It's one of several recent incidents protesters say highlight a pattern of troubling police techniques. Another example, police in Vallejo, California shot and killed 22 year-old Sean Monterrosa while responding to a suspected looting call.
Officers say he ran towards them while reaching for what appeared to be a gun, but later confirmed it was a hammer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The district attorney is going to look at this and our internal affairs unit is going to look at it.
YOUNG (voice-over): As calls for justice spread on the streets, a similar investigation is now under way in Tacoma, Washington. In March, Manuel Ellis was heard saying I can't breathe when he died in police custody according to a sheriff department's spokesman. The case in the wake of Floyd's death, now getting added attention.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a top priority for her and it is a top priority for me. And we will be pushing to make sure there's a full and complete investigation of that incident.
YOUNG (voice-over): And in Chicago, another investigation launched looking into the actions of these officers during an aggressive arrest last weekend.
It's unclear what happened before the confrontation or why it escalated, but the family said they had not done anything wrong. Cook County says it is conducting a thorough investigation of the matter including the conduct of the police officers involved.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twelve of 14 cops that just start bamming on my - they just swarmed in and just started bamming at my windows, bamming at my car. They had their weapons drawn.
YOUNG (voice-over): Cedric Alexander, a former president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives believes that tactics, kneeling on the individual's necks are troubling and not part of police training.
CEDRIC ALEZANDER, FORMER PRESIDENT, NATIONAL BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES: It's no question about that. And training is so important in our police organization today. This technique is not being taught. It's just not acceptable.
YOUNG (on camera): Don, as you can imagine, lawyers activists are showing up saying there are more cases like this that need to be highlighted throughout the country. Just think about the Chicago area, there is a case of a young man named Jemel Roberson who was killed over a year ago.
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And activists here say they would like to have more of a spotlight put on that case as well to see if they can get some action. It seems we're going to be dealing with this for the next few months, Don.
LEMON: All right, Ryan, thank you very much. When I saw Ryan's face there, it's interesting, I haven't seen many of our reporters in the fields faces for so long because they've been wearing those masks. I almost didn't recognize him, but I'll move on.
Drew Brees apologizing today for his comments about taking a knee during the national anthem, but are his words enough? I'm going to talk with former NFL player Martellus Bennett, next.
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LEMON: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is apologizing after saying yesterday that kneeling protests were disrespectful to the flag.
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In an apology posted on Instagram, Brees writes, "I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.
I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community and this movement. I'm sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability.
I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening. And when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen. For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness."
Well, his original comments were criticized by football players and athletes throughout the sports world including my next guest. He is Martellus Bennett, a former NFL player and creator and director. Thank you so much sir. I appreciate you.
Also, the author of "Dear Black Boy" by the way -- we need to get that in. Thank you for joining us. I appreciate what you're doing and I'm so grateful to you for coming on to this program. Again, we've spoken before, right, about your book.
MARTELLUS BENNETT, FORMER NFL PLAYER: Yes. We have, man. I'm a fan of yours. I enjoy your message and your voice.
LEMON: You didn't like the comments that Drew Brees made, his original comments, and you say that you're not impressed by his apology. Explain that.
BENNETT: I mean, because white quarterbacks would never and ally to Kaepernick. No one has more power in the NFL than the white quarterback. If they would have been an ally, they would spoke up on his behalf and the whole situation would have been different.
But they remained silent, right. And they watered down the message with a false narrative about the military flag on these large platforms drying out our communication. There's nothing that has saved more lives than communication.
And when you water down communication of us trying to save lives about our brothers, you know, our cousins, the men that look like us, the black people who have to walk through a racist world, then you are not on our side. You are with the enemy.
LEMON: I think what many people found offensive especially for me who, my father and stepfather both served in World War II. My sister was also in the military as well and served her country.
It was that the notion what they thought that he was sort of insinuating that the African-Americans who are kneeling and the people who supported it, that their family members had never served and didn't respect the flag.
BENNETT: I was born on the navy ship in San Diego. My dad served (inaudible) and they ignored the contributions that black people had made whether it was in the military or whether it was our part in building the society that they all live in. Building up all these (inaudible) just like they were fighting for this like we weren't fighting for that. And when we got back, we still didn't have the rights that they had. It was a whole - it was still -- (inaudible) they want us.
LEMON: Hey Martellus, we lost you, but I just want to ask you this because you went really, you went off on twitter, on the twitter thread about the racial issues that you have seen in the NFL.
You've been calling out the league itself. You've been calling them racist. Tell us about some of those issues? Why do you say that?
BENNETT: Well, it's irresponsible for a head coach to say that he doesn't see racism in the NFL. What is going on with this?
LEMON: I can hear you, Martellus.
BENNETT: Okay, yes. So, I just think it's irresponsible for a head coach to say like he doesn't see racism (inaudible). We all know that this is (inaudible) injustices and the way the whole thing is structured is the black player has always been (inaudible) on the sideline.
The media that would cover Odell Beckham. He's a problem. He's an issue. And then Tom Brady doesn't like, this guy is firing up the team, right? Why both of them don't get painted in the same way.
And they create this false narrative around black players throughout the league. They hold down prices. They kick them out. They hold them down. Man, I have had white coaches that told me I was too smart, like, that's you're not speak in the media because he didn't want to feel like he was lesser than, right.
So, like I see these things happening to players all throughout the system. It happened to myself and I also would look at teams like when I played in Green Bay, right.
They come to me when I'm protesting, they come ahead. We rather you not do that. They know that their community is one day will be against me for protest, right.
They tell me these things. Look, I think you should do it because this is not the city for it. So they know the city is racist, right?
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And they don't want to deal with the backlash of the blackness that I bring to the table.
