Return to Transcripts main page

Don Lemon Tonight

SCOTUS Denies GOP Effort To Block Certification Of P.A. Election Results; Mitch McConnell Still Won't Acknowledge Biden As President-Elect; Arizona GOP Tweets Asking If Supporters Are Ready To Die For Trump; Ex-Cyber Official Krebs Sues Trump Campaign; President- Elect Joe Biden Introduces Health Team; U.S. Getting 100 Million Doses Of Pfizer Vaccine; U.K. Gives First Doses Of Pfizer Vaccine. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired December 08, 2020 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN HOST (on camera): So breaking news, the Supreme Court denying a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to block Joe Biden's victory in the state. The move delivering a massive blow to President Trump's efforts to overturn the election. An election which is over.

Trump lost fair and square. So why won't Republican lawmakers admit Joe Biden is the President-Elect? Trump continues to push baseless conspiracy theories about our election, while coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are skyrocketing across the country. More than 2,400 American deaths reported, just today.

Joining me to discuss, CNN's political commentator Ana Navarro and Quin Hillyer, a conservative columnist for the Washington Examiner. So good to see both of you. Thanks for joining this evening, let's see, Ana Navarro, why don't I start with you and talk about the Supreme Court, with three justices appointed by Trump, by the way says the president cannot overturn his election laws. This election is over. Republicans, but with few exceptions, have been cowering in the corner. When will they admit that Joe Biden has won this election?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR (on camera): I don't know. I hope sooner, not later. I hope it's not on January 20th at 12:01. I think this is so embarrassing, it's so disgraceful. You know, every day I wake up and I think of that lady. You remember that exercise (inaudible) from the Ace, Susan Powers, who used to hold her head and say stop the insanity? That's how I feel every day where they keep (inaudible) in court.

You have today, the Texas Attorney General wanting to overturn the elections, not in Texas, but in Wisconsin and Michigan, and Georgia and Pennsylvania. You've got members of Congress Republican members of Congress who say they don't recognize Joe Biden's victory. You've got election officials in Georgia whose lives are being threatened. You've got state Senators in Michigan whose lives are being threatened.

When the hell do you stop the insanity? What is it going to take? In the meantime, you have got all these Republican voters, gullible, gullible, gullible people, being fleeced by the Trump organization in order to line the coffers, the political coffers of Donald Trump. And Republicans are silently allowing this to continue happening. It's just -- it's shameful.

LEMON: Well, Quinn, let me bring you in, because somehow Republicans are urging President Trump to fight this out on the House floor in January. What is going on here? Is this pandering to Trump's base? Am I missing something? Trump and his base?

QUIN HILLYER, SENIOR COMMENTARY WRITER, WASHINGTON EXAMINER (on camera): Well, I'm not going to say whether they are pandering or not. But today was an important day because today was -- what's known as the safe harbor day for the Electoral College. And what that means is, for every state, I think except Wisconsin that has certified its results by today, the House does not have the power to overturn it.

It has to accept the results as certified by the states according to a law passed back in 1877. So this is just not a legitimate idea to take it to the House floor.

LEMON: But there are dangerous consequences, Quin, of pushing conspiracy theories about this election. You called the armed protesters outside of the Michigan Secretary of State's home intolerable. Why aren't more Republicans calling out this behavior?

HILLYER: I don't know. I mean, look, there's a difference between reasonable protests and protests that is intimidating or bullying. I have to say it needs to go both ways. Protests where people smash in windows is equally unacceptable. A protest where people block streets without a permit so that innocent people cannot get by, that's unacceptable.

Everybody needs to start behaving in a more civil fashion. That's number one. And number two, regardless of how strongly they feel on the merits of their case, they need to work within the system -- the constitutional system that has worked for, lo, these 232 years.

[23:05:03]

LEMON: Ana, the Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, is still refusing to admit that Joe Biden is the President-Elect. Are we supposed to believe that McConnell is going to change his way, change his tune and be bipartisan after January 20th?

NAVARRO: I think Mitch McConnell is looking at keeping his job. He doesn't want to be singing that song, you are going to lose your job. And he knows that the only way he stays majority leader is if he can win at least one of those races in Georgia. And a mad, antagonized, angry, vindictive Donald Trump can very well tell his supporters not to vote for the two Republicans in Georgia and throw the race to the Democrats.

Mitch McConnell knows he is dealing with a madman and so he doesn't want to poke the bear. Certainly not before the January 5th runoff. And I think that's what you're seeing from Mitch McConnell. Look, here's the thing, Don, I know so many of these people. I supported them. I donated to them. I helped them in every way I can. I know they're playing stupid. I know they're playing dumb. I know they're compromising their principles and their convictions, and they know so too. OK?

They know so too, but the reason they do it is because they've been doing it for so long, it's like they've lost their mind, they've lost all principles. It's a bunch of Republicans u-knocks and a-boxes who have lost all ability to stand up to Donald Trump for fear of losing their positions or losing their jobs or losing their elections. And putting that in front of country.

LEMON: Quin, it doesn't look like Donald Trump is going away. You know, he'll likely keep the fund-raising, and milking, keeping that up, and milking the lies as long as he can. So, where does that leave your party? Because he knows better. He knows he's lost, but he knows his raising a lot of money off of it. So, where does that leave your party?

HILLYER: Well, it leaves our party at risk in these two Georgia races, number one, because every dollar that Trump raises for his legal battle, which has next to zero chance of succeeding, every dollar that he raises is a dollar that could and should be going to the Georgia races. The Republican Party needs to remember that it is about things other than Trump and people other than Trump. And that other races matter, other people matter. And that it is not Trump's Party. Trump is at best a member of the Party. He does not define the party.

LEMON: All right, you two. Thank you so much. I appreciate you, joining us from the south, Miami and Mobile, Alabama.

HILLYER: Mobile, yes, indeed. It's a great town. Come and visit.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: Now it turn out (inaudible) is moving to Miami. If we didn't have enough snakes here already.

LEMON: Om my gosh. Ana. Quin, I'll just say I used to go to Mobile all the time as a kid, but I also lived in Birmingham for a while so I know Mobile very well. Nice town. Thank you both, I appreciate it.

HILLYER: Thank you very much, Don.

LEMON: I'll see you both soon.

So, I want to bring in Arizona Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs. Katie, Secretary of State, Madam Secretary, thank you so much for joining us. So, just a few hours ago, tonight the Arizona Supreme Court ruled against the Trump campaign, shooting down their false claims and saying they presented no evidence of fraud. What is your reaction to this ongoing assault against the results of the election there?

KATIE HOBBS, ARIZONA SECRETARY OF STATE (on camera): Well, we've seen that lawsuit after lawsuit filed. We've been allowed to go after fees for in some of the cases because they're so baseless. And we've continued to say they're baseless. And they keep continuing to be filed. So at what point can people stop abusing the courts for this, and that, you know, they're not going to win. They don't have evidence. They keep saying they have evidence, but they haven't brought it yet.

LEMON: Yes, if we have so much evidence, where is it, well, you can't see it. Then they show the evidence, yes, but that is evidence and then the court says, that's not. It's just -- it's a crazy, I don't know feedback, whacko loop that's going on. I don't understand it.

But here's the sad thing and the very serious thing. You have been the target of attacks, even death threats since the election, but today the Arizona Republican Party retweeting a stop the steal activist who wrote, I'm willing to give my life for this fight. The Arizona GOP adding he is. Are you? What do you say to the Republicans who are stoking these kinds of emotions?

[23:10:00]

HOBBS: Well, I've been saying since November 4th that these conspiracy theories that are baseless and the people who are perpetuating them and fueling them both actively and by not saying anything to try to stop them are dangerous. And I've been saying that and here we are. This is next level dangerous.

This is inciting people to violence in a way that we haven't seen here yet. It's pretty scary, with my own focus on the Electoral College meeting on Monday, and we're having to ramp up security for that. And we shouldn't be having to think about those things right now.

LEMON: I can only imagine. I shouldn't say -- I know what you're dealing with, I had to deal with similar things myself but I don't know how severe yours are. So, I'm sorry that this is happening to you, and I wish it would just stop. You should be safe. Let's talk about the Supreme Court again, also shutting down the president, rejecting a bid to overturn the election in Pennsylvania. One short sentence, no dissent from the court. Is that a message to Trump and the Republicans, do you think?

HOBBS: Well, I hope so. I really do. But unfortunately, it seems like Trump is continuing to use these legal fights to raise money. And so at some point, I don't know if it matters what rational people are saying. And maybe on January 20th, he'll get the message that he has to leave the White House. I don't know.

LEMON: OK. Well, we'll see. Seriously. We're just going to have to see, because we don't know at this point. Is there anything that you can do, do you think that would convince people who have bought -- who bought into -- you know, the president's lies and misinformation. Do you try to get through to them?

HOBBS: Well, we've been fighting against misinformation for months. Knowing that it's going to be a big part of election security issues in this election. So my office is focused on putting out accurate information, for voters and the public about how our elections work, about all of the security and transparency measures that are in place. And all of the things that the folks are crying fraud about, they're just not based in reality.

We have postelection audits, we do logic and accuracy testing on the equipment before and after the election. And we've been touting this for months. And so I think that the people that are, you know, immersed in these conspiracy theories, this is just what they want to believe. And nothing I say is going to convince them, I know that there are a small, although loud minority of folks right now, and that at the end of the day I am confident that reason will win out.

LEMON: Do you think they're small? I don't know.

HOBBS: They're loud, they're loud.

LEMON: I hate to disagree with the Madam Secretary, but I don't know if they're so small, they are loud, but we'll see, we'll see. Madam Secretary, thank you. Please be safe, OK? Thank you.

HOBBS: Thank you. Thanks.

LEMON: So, when will the president let this fight go and what will it take to get him to stop his war on members of his own party, who don't believe his election lies? I want you to listen to the patriotic cybersecurity official fired for debunking the president's bogus claims of fraud.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER KREBS, FORMER DIRECTOR U.S. CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY: There is an ongoing effort, to try to silence Republican officials, that don't, you know, carry water for the campaign that this was an illegitimate election, it was a clean election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:15:00]

LEMON (on camera): So, here's our breaking news, the Supreme Court denying a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to block certifications of the commonwealth's election results. Not a single dissenting included on that decision.

Joining me now two former federal prosecutors, Elie Honig and Kim Wehle. Ellie is the CNN legal analyst and Kim Wehle is the author of what we need to know about voting and why? We all need to read that book, Kim. I mean, damn.

(LAUGHTER)

KIM WEHLE, FORMER ASSISTANCE U.S. ATTORNEY (on camera): I happen to agree with you.

LEMON: So, there's a lot to learn, trust me. But good evening to both of you. Elie, today Supreme Court decision came just hours after the president made this appeal. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now let's see whether or not somebody has the courage, whether it's a legislator or legislatures, or whether it's a justice of the Supreme Court are a number of justices of the Supreme Court. Let's see if they have the courage to do what everybody in this country knows is right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): The Supreme Court, it is a core telling him that it's the end of the road, Elie?

ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST (on camera): Yeah Don, and the Supreme Court is sending a message here. A, it's over it's the end of the road and B, guess what Donald Trump? We don't work for you, we don't owe any loyalty to you. And it was such a strong rebuke today, like you said this was a 9 to 0, one sentence rejection.

And the thing that we should keep in mind is, this is a 6-3 conservative majority. That's the largest conservative majority on the Supreme Court since before you or I or Kim were born. And all six conservatives said, no way, included three justices, who Trump himself appointed. So, that's a pretty harsh rebuke.

LEMON: Interesting, in one line, you're right. Conservative. But I wonder how long before, you are going to say, well, the Supreme Court is a deep state and they are out to get the president. I mean, that's surely the next thing to come.

Kim, did Senator Ted Cruz, had offered to argue the case before the court -- the Supreme Court, here's what he's now tweeting. He's saying, I'm disappointed the court decided not to hear the case, challenging the election results in P.A.

This appeal file race important and serious legal issues and I believe the court had a responsibility to ensure our elections follow the law and the constitution. The only thing that was missing was the idea of jada, jada, jada.

[23:20:00]

So you had a written piece, almost daring Cruz to do it. Do you want to explain why he's wrong about this, Kim?

WEHLE: Well, he's wrong for a number of reasons. I mean, he was the Attorney General of Texas, he went to Harvard law school, it's really unfortunate to be standing out and saying and suggesting there was any serious merit to this lawsuit.

First of all, not only it is astonishing that nine justices said no, but this was on a writ off for emergency injunction, and it went to Justice Alito. And when you look at the order, it looks like Justice Alito went to the other eight justices and said, have my back on this, and all of them signed it as one quart. So, I think that's a pretty stunning rebuke. With Ted Cruz did was a

political maneuver because in that moment there wasn't any argument. There wasn't even any case. And let's remember here, he was standing behind a lawsuit that was essentially urging the Supreme Court to cancel up to 7 million votes, legitimate votes in the state of Pennsylvania. And have the court direct Pennsylvania legislators to turn around and hand the election to Donald Trump. That's mind- blowing, in a government by we the people. We the people, not we the politicians, not we on elected members of the United States Supreme Court.

LEMON: Ex-cybersecurity official Chris Krebs suing the Trump campaign and one of its lawyers, Joe diGenova for attacking him after he said the election was secured, diGenova said that Krebs should be shot. Here's what -- this is what he told Anderson tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KREBS: I was a public servant in the national security community, defending democracy. Being accused of being a traitor, the penalty for treason is exactly what he described, and that's exactly how it was interpreted by the community, by everyone out there on social media. That's the number of death threats just went off the charts. And you cannot unwring this -- that bell in this highly intense toxic political environment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Elie, does he have a case?

HONIG: So it's an interesting case, Don. On the one hand the first amendment protects speech that is obnoxious, that is antagonistic, that is offensive. On the other hand, it does not protect speech that is likely to incite violence. And when we are talking about someone needs to be, drawn and quartered, and taken out and shot that could well cross the line.

And I do want to say one thing Don, you open the show tonight talking about how Trump was acting like a fool. I want to nominate a couple of other people for your list of fools. And that would be the lawyers who have represented Trump in this case.

From Rudy Giuliani to, Joe diGenova who was quote, we just heard Chris Krebs talking about. Lawyers do not have to take cases, they decide to take these cases and what we've seen is not good lawyering or average lawyering or bad lawyering. It is something altogether different, they are going into filing lawsuits with no facts, lawsuits with no law. And then even worse, you see lawyers like diGenova making outrageous sanctionable comment that could get him thrown out of the bar.

LEMON: OK, well, that's what I want to ask you, those comments, the sanctionable comments. You are talking about what said about Krebs, right? Is that what your -- OK.

HONIG: Right. LEMON: Just beyond that, so, should there be something, or is there

something for people who keep filing these bogus frivolous lawsuits, like now? And on top of that, raising money off of them, go.

HONIG: Number one, they should lose everyone's respect, let's start with that. And number two, yes, they can be sanctioned, they can be made to pay fees, if the cases are frivolous enough, and they can be suspended or even kicked out of the bar in very extreme circumstances.

LEMON: OK, thank you, very much. Let's put Kim's book back up there, because I think everybody needs to read that. What you need to know about voting and why? Kim Wehle, I think you're exactly right, read that book. She's a professor, law professor, she knows her stuff. And Elie, thank you as well, knows his stuff as well, I appreciate both of you, be safe, see you soon.

WEHLE: Thank you, Don.

HONIG: Thank you.

LEMON: A Blackman fatally shot by a sheriff's Deputy while entering his own home, but there are no witnesses, no video and more questions than answers.

And next, Joe Biden announcing his team to combat coronavirus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, 2020 PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's daunting, but I promise you that will make progress starting on day one, we didn't get into this mess quickly, it's going to take time to fix. But we can do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:25:00]

LEMON: A landmark day in the coronavirus pandemic, the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine outside of a clinical trial, given out in the U.K. today. And here in the U.S., we passed 15 million confirmed cases of coronavirus today. 36 states are reporting upward trends in cases, and a record 104,000 people now hospitalized with coronavirus across the U.S.

Tonight, fears are mounting over whether the federal government will be able to secure enough doses of a Pfizer vaccine after the Trump administration turned down the chance to buy hundreds of millions more doses.

Joining me now to discuss, Andy Slavitt, he is the former acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the host of the In the bubble podcast. Good evening, Andy. Good to see you.

ANDY SLAVITT, FORMER ADMINISTRATOR AT THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (on camera): All right, Don.

LEMON: So, let's talk vaccines. There are reports the U.S. may not be able to get more than the 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine already ordered until summertime? There are other vaccines in the works until -- excuse me, will they be ready quickly enough?

SLAVITT: Well, look, I think over the course of the first half of the year, we are going to see three of the four many, even five vaccines approved. All of them with various amounts of manufacturing.

[23:30:00]

I believe it's going to take until we get to the middle of the year before everybody can be assured to get what they need. By summer, I think we should be OK.

LEMON: But the Pfizer one seems to be the more -- the more effective one, the most effective one so far. So, I think people are, you know, out there saying, well, maybe that's the one I want. Sorry. Go on.

SLAVITT: But I think we're talking about the differences between 95 percent of the people in a trial versus 93 percent or 92 percent --

LEMON: All right.

SLAVITT: -- in the case of Moderna. So, I think these are both excellent vaccines. I think they're going to be very, very similar.

LEMON: All right, very good. Are you expecting there to be a trust issue with the vaccines or do you think most Americans will want to get whatever is available as soon as possible?

SLAVITT: I think people -- what we should understand is that whatever politics may have been involved here in the United States, you said it a minute ago, the United Kingdom was the first place to approve the vaccine, so that should tell us, that should send a strong message that this is not about politics. I think the data is coming out very, very transparently. We're hearing lots of scientists opine on it.

It's -- you know, the good news these days is thanks to people like you, Don. It's impossible to keep a secret anymore. So, if there is the hint of an issue with this vaccine, it will be well known. So I really hope that the vast majority of people feel very comfortable taking this vaccine, and I hope that people, role models, will say they're going to do the same.

LEMON: So this is -- you know, this is what everybody wants to know, right? This is what everybody is asking, when do you think it is going to be back to normal, right? There's a lot of virus fatigue out there. Realistic -- what is a realistic timeline for things to get back to normal?

SLAVITT: Well, you come to my house, 4th of July, for a barbecue, you don't have to wear a mask. We'll hang out. W can get within four or five feet of one another. We don't have to be nervous, maybe Memorial Day, but almost certainly 4th of July. And, you know, I think that is reasonable. I think we should -- over the course of time, things are going to get better and better and better until we get there. But I predict we'll be able to be barbecuing with maybe, you know, a little bit of worry.

And, you know, COVID-19 is not going to disappear entirely from the planet. It will make waves over time and seasonally. Of course, people -- certain people will need to be a little more careful than others. But I think we're destined to see things change in the first half of the year.

LEMON: Talk about an Independence Day celebration. That will be if your timeline is indeed correct, Andy. And you're usually right.

SLAVITT: (INAUDIBLE).

LEMON: I'm sorry. Say it again.

SLAVITT: And the invitation is real for you, Don.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: OK. I'd love to. As long as if you're cooking and supplying the food, I'm there. Do states have what is needed for a smooth distribution process or will they need more money?

SLAVITT: Yes, they're going to need help, they're going to need support. I think this is where -- I think I'm grateful that the Biden team is already beginning work to do this. I talked the other day with the head of CVS. I talked to the people of Wallgreens. They have hundreds of thousands of people between them hired.

You know, I think they're going to be ready. They're going to be able to get vaccines to people. The question will be how quickly we can get them out there. And we are reminding people that once they get their first shot, they have to follow up and make their appointment for their second shot because that is how you get to 95 percent efficacy.

And that people shouldn't get scared off by a little swollen arm or any minor side effects because that's actually the sign that the vaccine is working. That is not a sign of problems.

LEMON: What about underserved communities, Andy?

SLAVITT: Underserved communities are going to be top priority for the Biden administration. I think that is where -- that will be probably one of the biggest differences between what we'll see under Biden and what we'll see under the current administration.

You know, there is a person whose full-time job is to make sure health equity and disparity issues are addressed. So I don't think any decision will get made that doesn't account for racial disparities.

And by the way, not just racial disparities, income disparities, geographic disparities, gender identity disparities, all of those things are very real in health care, and if you don't pay attention to them, quite honestly, people get screwed and they're going to make sure that that doesn't happen.

LEMON: Andy Slavitt, thank you. I think you just invited everybody who is watching to come over your house for the 4th of July. There are a lot of folks. Hope you have a big grill.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Thank you, Andy. I appreciate it. Be safe.

A 23-year-old black man fatally shot while trying to enter his own home. His family speaks out, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Federal authorities are now investigating the death of Casey Goodson, a 23-year-old black man fatally shot while trying to enter his own home. A sheriff's deputy working for the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force fired the shot. He was looking for violent offenders. But police say Goodson was not the person being sought by the task force.

CNN crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz joins me now. Shimon, what -- it's quite a disturbing story. Thank you for helping us through this.

So, what do you know? What do we know about the deputy sheriff involved in this shooting?

[23:40:02]

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: So, he's a 17-year veteran, Don. Police there in Columbus identified him. His name is John Meade. And as you said, he was working with the U.S. Marshals. They have this fugitive task force that they incorporate with local police officers and officials locally. They go out to look for fugitives.

And what the officials there have said is that Mr. Goodson, this is their claim now, the officials, that Goodson had waved a weapon and that is why this deputy sheriff went to confront him. So he was working with this team. They were there for nothing that had to do with Mr. Goodson. But they had seen him, they claim, waved a weapon. And so they went ahead and tried to question him. And then there was this fatal encounter.

LEMON: OK. So, why is the FBI and Department of Justice joining on this investigation?

PROKUPECZ: So there have been a lot of questions about this investigation and who was going to be handling it. And so what happened is that the police there, the Columbus police, went ahead to the U.S. Attorney's Office, and together, they decided that they're going to investigate this with the FBI, with the Department of Justice, civil rights unit at the Department of Justice.

And they put out a joint statement, Don. Here is what they said. This is from the U.S. attorney. He said that after being briefed about the circumstances surrounding the incident by the Columbus Police Department, I believe a federal investigation is warranted. I have contacted the FBI and have requested that they work in conjunction with CPD to investigate the case through our office.

And what the FBI and the Department of Justice are going to be looking at is whether or not any of Mr. Goodson's civil rights were violated in this encounter, the stop by the police when they confronted him. All of that is something that the FBI is going to be looking at.

LEMON: The U.S. Marshal for the southern district of Ohio said that he believes the shooting was justified. He's making that statement pretty quickly.

PROKUPECZ: Yeah, and that is troubling because he made that statement on the night of the shooting, that Friday night. This happened on Friday. Within hours after that, he puts out the statement where he believes that the shooting was justified. And this is all based on information, according to the U.S. Marshal, there from a witness.

We don't have any information about this witness, but there's a witness, and of course obviously this deputy, this deputy who provided the information, all based on the fact that they say this marshal says that the deputy told Mr. Goodson to drop his weapon and that he didn't, and that is when the shooting started. But there are a lot of questions because there aren't many witnesses and some of the accounts --

LEMON: I want to ask you because you're saying -- because according -- maybe this is old, I don't know. Maybe something has developed. According to police, no other officer witnessed the shooting. No civilian witnesses have been identified. There is no body camera footage in the actual shooting -- of the actual shooting because Franklin County sheriff task force officers aren't issued body cameras.

PROKUPECZ: That's right, they're not issued body camera, so that is why there are all these questions, Don.

LEMON: Mm-hmm.

PROKUPECZ: Because he did say there was a witness but we don't really have any information on this witness. And by what you just read, there are no other officers who witnessed this encounter. We don't know what happened.

You know, the family, of course, says that, you know, they're very concerned about what happened here. They say that Mr. Goodson was shot while going into his home. He went to buy sandwiches at a subway shop. He was coming from the dentist. While he was walking into his home, he was shot.

Tomorrow, Don, we are going to -- we may get a key piece of information. The coroner's office, the autopsy, some information from that autopsy will be made public. And what I'm sure folks there are going to be looking at is where Mr. Goodson was shot. Was he shot in the back? Where exactly? The family believe that he was shot in the back. Will the autopsy report, the coroner's report, substantiate that? That is going to be a key point in all of this.

LEMON: CNN is reporting that Goodson had put his keys in the door --

PROKUPECZ: Yeah.

LEMON: -- before he was shot, fell into the kitchen, where his 5-year- old brother and his 72-year-old grandmother saw him lying on the ground with the subway sandwich, the family attorney, Sean Walton, told CNN.

Thank you very much. I want to get to Sean Walton, by the way, right now. Thank you, Shimon. I appreciate it.

So let us bring in Casey Goodson's mother, Tamala Payne, and Goodson family attorney, Sean Walton. Thank you so much for joining us.

SEAN WALTON, ATTORNEY FOR GOODSON FAMILY: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: I am so sorry for your loss, Tamala. You know, Casey was shot and killed as he was walking into his own home. Tell me what you know about what happened to your son that day, please.

TAMALA PAYNE, MOTHER OF CASEY GOODSON: All I know is that my son got home that morning as he would do as a normal person to go to a dental appointment after -- returning home from his dental appointment.

[23:44:58]

PAYNE: Well, before returning home, he stopped to get subway for him, my mother, and my 5-year-old son. While returning home, Casey was entering the house, Casey was executed, went into the home, his body fell into the house with the sandwiches, with the bullet holes.

WALTON: And so, Don, I think it's important to note that --

LEMON: Hang on a second. Hang on a second, Sean, because I think it's important for people to hear Tamala. It is important to hear you.

But I just want to know, you know, there are so many -- unfortunately, Tamala, there are so many mothers that have to go through this. We don't know, you know, what this investigation is going to uncover. But there are so many mothers who have to go through this. And that particular pain that you're feeling right now shouldn't be felt by any mother, regardless of the circumstances.

PAYNE: No, sir. It should not. This was senseless. My son would not have harmed a fly. If my son was given a command, he would have listened. He was a law-abiding citizen. Everything he did was legal. My son was murdered and there's no way around it. He deserves justice.

I mean, the kid had a whole life in front of him. He had plans, he had dreams, he wanted to be a CCW instructor, he had a CDL license, he was working to save up money to purchase his own truck, he want to drive his own truck, he didn't want to drive for nobody no more, he wanted to do his own thing. He had plans, he had dreams, he had goals, and they were ripped from him for nothing.

LEMON: Sean, thank you for being patient. I've got to ask you because, you know, he was armed. He had -- Ohio has a concealed carry law. He was a permit holder. He was legally armed. He had no criminal background. He was not the target of any investigation. Do you know why he was even confronted by the deputy?

WALTON: You know, Don, I think that is a major question because, you know, in 2020, in America, a black man should be able to legally possess a firearm in a state that allows you to openly carry a weapon. And so, you know, with that being the case, with Casey being someone who was a law-abiding citizen, you know, he was peaceful, always preached his family the need to safely follow gun laws. And so Casey was a person who did everything right.

And so what happened that day that calls this deputy to take the life of this black man as he walked into his own home, he left the dentist's that day, was carrying a face mask and subway sandwiches, had his keys in the door, and was executed. So, we have no idea why he was confronted, but, you know, Jason Meade need to tell the family what happened that day.

LEMON: There are rallies, Tamala, calling for justice. All summer, people all over this nation protested for police brutality and racism. Do you feel that this is a systemic problem in Columbus, as well as this country?

PAYNE: Absolutely. Absolutely. I believe this is a problem all around. But it's swept under the rug because these are their officers. They protect them. We're not protected, but they are. They're given a badge to serve and to protect us. But because of the color of our black men's skin, they're not protected. They become targets. Instead of somebody they have to protect.

I refuse to call him an officer. I believe that this inhumane man that murdered my son was just looking for trouble. He didn't get his target. He didn't get what he was there for. He didn't find what he was looking for, whatever his mission was, whatever he was there for, whatever brought him around those parts. He didn't complete his mission. He has a history of being a violent man.

And I just feel like he was fired up, he was ready. When whatever he was doing fell through, my son just happened to pull up and made a wrong place and wrong time and became his target because he was a black man.

[23:50:04]

LEMON: Ms. Payne, I'm so sorry for what you have to deal with. We're so sorry about what happened. We are going to continue to follow. Sean, thank you for joining. We are all thinking about you. Please, keep us updated, OK? Thanks so much.

PAYNE: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The United Kingdom today becoming the first country to start to fully bet and authorize vaccinations.

[23:55:02]

LEMON (on camera): And 90-year-old Margaret Keenan was the first in the world to get one. It is her 91st birthday next week. Well, she says that the vaccine is the best birthday present she could wish for. She was followed by none other than William Shakespeare. He goes by Bill. Listen to the reaction across the pond (ph) at the time we all desperately need some good news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET KEENAN, FIRST WOMAN TO GET COVID VACCINATION: It is the best thing that ever happened at the moment. So, do go for it. That's how I say it, you know? If I can do it, well, so you can you.

(APPLAUSE)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, RECEIVED COVID VACCINATION: Groundbreaking, I think. It could make a difference to our lives from now on, couldn't it? It's started changing our lives and our lifestyle.

UNKNOWN: Congratulations.

SHAKESPEARE: Oh, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

UNKNOWN: I hope I am not going to have the bloody bug now. I have granddaughters. I want to live a long time to enjoy their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON (on camera): We wish them all very, very well. Thank you for watching, everyone. Our coverage continues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)