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Marines Killed In Chopper Collision; Syrian Doctor Escapes To The U.S.; Nine Year Old Ran To Death In Alabama; Obama Speaks On Energy at University of Miami

Aired February 23, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Top of the hour. Let's get you caught up on everything making news. We begin, "Rapid Fire." Let's go.

First up here, a tough, tough day for Marines. Seven Marines are dead after their helicopters collided in the air over the desert in Arizona. The military says all of this happened during routine training operations near the Marine Corps air station in Yuma. Investigators trying to look into this could have happened. No names will be released until their families are notified. But we're going to get you a live report coming up.

Also this. In Syria, activists say today's fighting has claimed at least another 72 lives. A United Nations commission condemned the violence today, accusing Syria of crimes against humanity. Reportedly there are talks going on behind the scenes for a temporary cease fire to allow all those who are wounded to get medical help. Coming up in just a couple of minutes, I'm going to speak live with a doctor who escaped Syria a mere weeks ago after working to save lives there on the ground.

And another day of rage in Afghanistan. Now two American troops have died in a shooting on a base possibly linked to Koran burning by NATO troops. President Obama has sent a written apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The president says the burning was a mistake.

And the NYPD accused of spying on Muslim college students. Schools like Yale University say police went too far in surveillance of the American Muslim groups. But New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the police work was justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, I-NEW YORK CITY: And it's very cute to go and to blame everybody and say we should stay away from anything that smacks of intelligence gathering. The job of our law enforcement is to make sure that they prevent things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: On the flipside here, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says the surveillance is, I'm quoting him, "disturbing." And Newark, New Jersey, mayor, Cory Booker, has called for an all-out investigation into this. Gas prices jumping more than three cents since you went to bed last night. According to AAA, the average gallon will cost you $3.61. Live this hour, President Obama, he's in Florida. He's expected to talk gas prices and what he's doing to try and keep them from going even higher. So we'll take the president live as soon as we see him, again this hour.

Also, a third gang member has been taken into custody in the beating of a 20-year-old gay man in Atlanta. The FBI says 17-year-old Dareal Williams is now in custody in Erie, Pennsylvania. Two other teens already were in custody in the beating, which attracted nationwide attention after being posted online.

And some quick thinking and a jolt of adrenaline helped this Michigan teenager lift a car. Pull that car up off his grandfather. Austin Smith and his granddad were just trying to repair the brakes when the car suddenly fell, trapping his grandfather beneath. Smith still doesn't know how he was able to lift this hunk of steel on his own. Just a quick caution though, you are about to see the extent of the injuries to the grandfather's face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN SMITH, LIFTED CAR OFF GRANDFATHER: I have no clue. Probably out of adrenaline. I mean I couldn't do it right now.

ERNEST MONHOLLEN, TRAPPED UNDER CAR: Thank God he was here because if it had just been me and his grandmother, you know, I -- it would have been over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He also suffered fractured ribs, but is expected to be OK.

And in Florida, one Tampa reporter will not let anything apparently interrupt her coverage of the rising gas prices sorry. I want you to watch what happens right over her left shoulder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Flight costs go up, too. So we could see fewer people driving.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Spun out right behind you. Did you see that, Adrian?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I -- I didn't, but now I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: She didn't, but she heard it. Car crashed right there on live TV.

Got a lot more to cover for you in the next two hours, including this.

Seven Marines are killed after two helicopters collide over the desert and CNN is there on the ground trying to find out what happened in those final moments. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

As gas prices soar, President Obama's feeling the heat. So live during this hour, he's going to talk about what he will try to do to fix the problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A nine-year-old child is actually run to death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A little girl dies after police say her grandmother and stepmother told her to run and don't stop. All to teach her a lesson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Google knows almost everything about you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Plus, from web searches to e-mails, Google is under fire for its new privacy policy. A policy that impacts everyone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: An enormous loss of life for the Marines. And this happened far from the battlefield. Seven Marines are dead after their helicopters collided in the air in southern Arizona. These are the two types of choppers involved.

Now, the military says they collided during routine training operations at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The seven were part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. In fact, this is video -- this is file video of the same unit conducting live fire exercises at Camp Pendleton back in August.

And I want to bring in Miguel Marquez, who I know is now on the ground for us in Yuma, on the phone with me.

And, Miguel, I know this is so fresh into this investigation, but what can you tell us?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): You know, we have a bit more information. We just talked to the base commander here at Yuma Air Station and he says that this happened around 10:30 Eastern Time, 7:30 Pacific. The crash actually happened in the Chocolate Mountains on the California side of the base. And if you look at pictures of that crash, what sticks out is the only thing that tells you that this was a helicopter crash is you can see that rotor.

It was a mid-air collision according to the Marines. It appears that there must have been an explosion. The colonel that we just talked to says that there was ordinates, live ordinates on those helos, those helicopters. So it is quite possible they were in the midst of a live fire training exercise. He wasn't sure if they were actually firing last night or not. This was a large operation that they were involved in. There were many, many aircraft involved. All of the aircraft, the two squadrons of aircraft that -- the huey and the cobra that were here, are both from Pendleton in California, but they were training here on this range, which is a perfect match for both Afghanistan and Iraq. But these guys were training up, as they always do, to go to Afghanistan these days. It's Marines only go to Afghanistan these days.

-- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Are the Marines giving you any indication, any ETA as far as when they'll know a cause, be it a technical issue, perhaps pilot error?

MARQUEZ: Yes, they -- he said that they have everybody out there right now investigating. Photographers, their explosive ordinates people, so that they can get rid of any unexploded ordinance that might be out there. They are picking through the remains.

All of the individuals that were killed have been taken out of that site. Their families are being notified right now. And I think as we move ahead, it will take days, if not weeks for them to determine what exactly happened. But, you know, he said there were no weather problems. It was night. They do train hard. There were other aircraft in the air. And when you look at those pictures, it is very clear that there was a collision.

What caused it? Pilot error, a malfunction in one of the guidance systems, it is not clear. A brownout, if they get too close to the ground and that dust flies up, and at night and you have a complete brownout where the pilot can't see anything, very, very, very dangerous situations.

BALDWIN: You mentioned that they're notifying families. And that's the precise reason why, of course, we don't know their names yet. You mentioned Afghanistan. Do we know if all seven of those Marines were readying to deploy?

MARQUEZ: The Marines have said that these particular Marines, these squadrons, were preparing to go to Afghanistan, but it's not very clear because, as Marines will say, they're always preparing to deploy. And Marines are only going to Afghanistan these days. So it's not clear how soon these particular pilots or others would be going. It's not clear how much training these particular pilots had. It really isn't clear. This was a large exercise. It was clearly -- these pilots were trained up to a high degree. It's not clear how high. But they were in a very intense exercise mode last night.

BALDWIN: Oh, what a tough day. Miguel Marquez, thank you so much for the information you could provide. We'll check in with you next hour there in Yuma, Arizona.

Meantime, 9,000 people reportedly killed since the latest uprising began in Syria. And coming up next, we're going to speak with a doctor who was able to escape weeks ago. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are committed here at CNN to telling the story of Syria. Want to get you caught up on what's happening there today. Activists say another 72 people have been killed. Seventy-two. And that is just today. A United Nations panel is now accusing Syria of crimes against humanity.

And you've seen the pictures. You hear the screams. The fighting continues. But, reportedly, there are talks going on behind the scenes for a temporary cease fire to let people who are wounded get treatment.

We are also learning about two injured western journalists. They have taken their pleas for help to YouTube. This French reporter says she needs urgent medical attention, is asking to be evacuated and quickly. Also, activists have posted footage of a British photographer. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL CONROY, PHOTOGRAPHER, "SUNDAY TIMES": I was wounded in a rocket attack yesterday. And three large wounds to my leg. My colleague, Marie Colvin, was also killed in the same attack. I'm currently being looked after by the free Syrian army medical staff who are treating me with the best medical treatment available. And it's important to know that I am here as a guest and not captured.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I want to bring someone who is all too familiar with treating the injured in Syria. He is Dr. Amer Sayed, who just until just about a month ago was in Syria working to save lives.

Dr. Sayed, I just want to welcome you and point out you are now in Chicago. Syria is your home. Was it a tough decision for you to leave? And why did you do it, sir?

DR. AMER SAYED, SYRIAN REFUGEE: I could not stay there anymore. It was too dangerous. I was -- I went out on a lot of demonstrations, peaceful demonstrations, and I helped a lot and a lot of local medical centers. And like a lot of people told me that my name is in the security forces. And as you know, like being a medical field and help the injured demonstrators, it's a crime in Syria. Assad regime will not let me continue what I'm doing. So I decided just to leave and save -- the word.

BALDWIN: Wait, you're saying -- you're saying being in the medical field in Syria is a crime according to the Assad regime, yes?

SAYED: If I'm helping the injured demonstrator, yes, yes.

BALDWIN: Ah. Well, let me ask you about this then, because as we were just reporting, we're hearing that there's sort of these talks behind the scenes, you know, that perhaps they're going to allow those who were wounded get treatment. Do you buy that? Do you believe that's true? SAYED: Can you repeat the question about that?

BALDWIN: We're hearing -- we're hearing there are reports that there are talks behind the scenes that perhaps the Assad regime will allow those who are wounded receive treatments, perhaps get help outside of where they are.

SAYED: No, absolutely.

BALDWIN: You don't -- you don't --

SAYED: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: Given the brutality of this regime --

SAYED: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. All the doctors I know, they are working in the medical field and trying to help the people under the fire, under the tank fire, the heavy weapon fire. They are all in dangerous -- they in danger. They can't -- they can't move from town to town. Their names like -- they are treating them like criminals. They don't want the injured people to -- and I was in government hospital and anybody injured in the demonstrations, the Assad army and Assad forces come and take them to unknown destination. And I witnessed that.

BALDWIN: I want to play something just for our viewers. Doctor, just stand by for me. One of our colleagues, Arwa Damon, she just returned from reporting within Syria and she filed a report on this makeshift medical facility. And I just want our viewers to see what doctors in Syria are fighting against there. But just a warning, this is graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Babami (ph), a neighborhood that's endured constant shelling, where civilians are killed and wounded every day. A 30-year-old man lies on the brink of death after shrapnel hit him in the head.

DAMON (on camera): He had brain matter that actually came out of the wound last night.

DAMON (voice-over): "I couldn't really do anything for him," Dr. Muhammad (ph) says. "I just stitched him up to keep the brain matter in and inserted a tube. It's actually a nasal tube to suction the blood."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A nasal tube for this man's head. Arwa also tells us, though, that that man we saw there did later die. And she spoke with another doctor, you know, who through tears, you know, basically told her, without this help, you know, people will continue to die. Is that corroborate with what you experienced? What did you see? What types of injuries did you see?

SAYED: It's typical for what I have seen. All what we have, all the instruments, all the medical equipment that we have is very simple. We can do nothing about the injured people. And we can't take them, as I said, to the government hospitals. And all what we can do is just (INAUDIBLE) the bleeding -- whoever is bleeding. We just press on it and wait. We don't have blood. We don't have normal saline. We don't have any equipment. And especially in other cities like Homs, Baba Amr (ph) and Hama (ph) and Dara (ph), they don't have any of these essential medical aids.

BALDWIN: Do you --

SAYED: I truly believe that.

BALDWIN: Do you -- and I understand, you know, you told one of our producers that you were fired at by members of the Assad security forces. That's what you're saying. I know you had to leave because of the violence. Do you, though, sitting there in Chicago, sir, do you feel helpless? Is there anything you can do? Is there anything we can do?

SAYED: Actually, I was in big peaceful demonstration. It was like 300,000 people in Idlib. And I was in the front of that demonstration. And they opened fire. And the guards bombed. And it was very horrific. The bullets, the live bullets, were just coming through us. And like for around four to five persons get -- died at that time. And we opened a lot of medical centers with, as I said, simple equipment. So -- and a lot of injured people.

Going out from Syria, like being inside Syria was suicide for me. It's just a matter of time to be a number on the TV. And I couldn't -- I couldn't stay there.

And can we do something about that? I guess I want everybody to know what's happening in Syria. In this world, we can't just watch and feel bad for a few minutes. We just take actions to stop the crimes. And (INAUDIBLE) should be ablight (ph) in Syria. We are part of the nation. And are part of the nation. And Assad regime can still killing us just because asking for freedom and justice.

This is all what people want. And they are only holding the roses and their kids just to show how peaceful they are and how civilized they are. Can we do something about that? Sure we can. We can take actions, like all (ph) of the army, they want to get rid of this regime, but they can't because they have airplanes, they have everything. They can't let the soldiers just go out and not shoot and the demonstrators.

BALDWIN: Sure.

SAYED: So I hope the big countries and all the civilian world can help and take action to stop killing in Syria and deliver the human humanitarian aids to the people there.

BALDWIN: The aid, the help that --

SAYED: The board (ph) -- BALDWIN: Right, that's precisely what Arwa and Ivan, two of our correspondents within the country have said, so many Syrians say to them, why aren't people helping.

Dr. Amer Sayed, thank you so much for your firsthand account there, now safely in Chicago. Thank you so much.

SAYED: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And now a nine-year-old girl allegedly run to death by her own grandmother and stepmother. Police say the little girl was being punished for eating a candy bar. That story after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In Alabama, a case there has even the most hardened investigators saying we can do better. A nine-year-old girl is dead all because she accepted a candy bar she wasn't supposed to eat and lied about it to her grandmother. The sheriff says third grader Savannah Hardin's punishment killed her. He says she was forced to run outside this home on Friday until she couldn't run anymore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF TODD ENTREKIN, ETOWAH COUNTY, ALABAMA: A nine-year-old child is actually run to death, in this day and time.

JAMMIE HARP, ETOWAH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: From what we can tell, the taking of a candy bar turned into an all-day marathon, so to speak, type physical PT type exercise until the point in time where she just collapsed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Savannah ran around the house for three hours. She collapsed and that's when her stepmother finally called 911, but Savannah couldn't be saved. Authorities say she had run the equivalent of a marathon without a single drink of water. She was severely dehydrated and the people who were supposed to be watching out for Savannah, her grandmother and her stepmother, are now charged with murder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS REID, ASST ETOWAH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It's one of the most serious cases we can ever have when we have children. And we have far too many of those in this circuit. We've had too many children die because parents and stepparents and people who are responsible for them don't do what they should do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Meantime, Savannah's father works overseas. You know how many flights he took to get home to see her, eight. Eight flights to say good-bye to his little girl before taking her off a ventilator on Monday. Natalie Barton is spokeswoman for the Etowah County Alabama Sheriff's Department. And, Natalie, I just have to go back to this. We have a nine-year-old girl who's dead and this seriously is all over a candy bar?

NATALIE BARTON, ETOWACH CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT. SPOKESWOMAN (via telephone): Yes, ma'am, it's alleged that she was punished for eating a chocolate candy bar that her grandmother said she should not have eaten.

BALDWIN: So she's told to run. Do you know if her grandmother, her stepmother was physically pushing her this entire time to run? Were they yelling at her? Do you know?

BARTON: Right now it is alleged that the grandmother was out in the yard with Savannah and she was encouraging her with the words "move it, move it, move it." Much like a drill sergeant.

BALDWIN: Encouraging. I understand that a neighbor saw her running. Do you know, Natalie, were others concerned? Did others see her? Did they say anything? Did they call you?

BARTON: There are some witnesses in this case who saw Savannah outside in the yard running. But in the initial reaction, who thinks that it's punishment when you see a nine-year-old out in the front yard running. It was a beautiful day here that day. She was probably just simply outside playing, according to them. They didn't start putting two and two together until they saw the medics arrive at the house.

BALDWIN: Have you gotten other complaints in the past about this particular family regarding children, or is this a first?

BARTON: No, ma'am, this is the first to our knowledge.

BALDWIN: OK. And Natalie Barton for us, Etowah County in Alabama. Thank you so much.

And now the president of the United States speaking at the University of Miami. Here he is.

(BEGIN LIVE SPEECH COVERAGE)