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Professor Accused of Killing Wife; Surf Fans Out of Control; Anthony Weiner Campaigns to Seniors

Aired July 29, 2013 - 11:30   ET

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

BLITHE RUNSDORF, NEIGHBOR: I mean, she was young. She was vibrant. She has a young daughter. We were just stunned.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we should make clear that lawyers for Ferrante do tell an affiliate of CNN that he intends to fight the charges and he's heartbroken over his wife's death.

But there's still a lot to chew over here that's why I want to bring in Judge Glenda Hatchett and criminal defense attorney Carrie Hackett in Atlanta.

There is a lot of strange stuff going on here. According to the criminal complaint, witnesses describe Ferrante's behavior as being odd even before his wife died. And I want to give you guys a few examples here. Number one, they both worked at the same hospital, a level one trauma center yet he requested that she be taken to a different hospital when she fell ill.

Number two, he talked about his wife in past tense while doctors were still treating her. And three, and this is really strange, he had her cremated without discussing this with her parents and no one in her family had ever been cremated before. And the fact that she was cremated, I think, will affect -- has already affected the investigation there.

So, Judge Hatchett, let me start with you here. This makes defending him, I imagine, for his attorneys complicated.

GLENDA HATCHETT, FORMER JUVENILE COURT JUDGE: Very complicated. I will tell you, John, I mean, I've read through -- you know, we've gotten the copy of the complaint. Carrie and I were talking about it. But I will tell you, this reads like a crime novel and you have to wonder with someone with his medical background -- researcher, professor at the university there -- why in the world he would do it, if he was going to do it this way. And it is very complicated.

But I'll you, the toxicology reports, according to this complaint, are very clear about the levels of cyanide in her system. His whole behavior leading up to this, I -- this is going to be very, very difficult, I think, to defend because he must have thought that he was brilliant enough to get away with it but they always think that they are smart enough.

BERMAN: You know, Carrie, Judge Hatchett does bring up a point there. Is it a possible defense to say this man is so smart, he's a neuroscientist, medical researcher, he would have known to be smarter than this if he was trying to kill her?

CARRIE HACKETT, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, that is a possible defense but I don't think it would be a very good defense because he purchased the cyanide two days before the killing. There was cyanide found in the home at the time that she was supposedly going into this seizure and about to die.

There are too many pieces and too much physical and circumstantial evidence here to make that a very good defense, I believe.

BERMAN: He purchased the cyanide. It was an overnight rush order for cyanide.

HACKETT: Right.

BERMAN: Which there is no evidence that he was using in any type of his medical research. And I think he put it on a university credit card.

HATCHETT: Well, no, actually, he put it on a different credit card, John, for that very reason because it wasn't tied to a particular account for any grant purposes and he specifically had it ordered on a different credit card and rushed. So I mean, if you're going to do this, I mean, you've left so many pieces of evidence in this trail that just tie him to this crime.

The cremation, not taking her to a level one trauma center. I mean, there are just some very bizarre pieces to this that he's going to have a hard time defending on.

HACKETT: I agree. And I also think that there is a pretty clear motive here.

HATCHETT: Yes.

HACKETT: We found essentially through this complaint that there are witnesses that would testify that Dr. Klein was planning to leave him, was planning to separate from him in the near future, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had an inkling of that at the time that he purchased the cyanide and planned this if he did, in fact, murder her.

BERMAN: That's right.

HATCHETT: And also wonder why she was trying to get pregnant, too, if she was leaving -- planning to leave him. I didn't understand that whole piece of lacing of this whole routine that she was going to start. It's a very bizarre matter. Very interesting case to watch.

BERMAN: And it is just beginning today with a court appearance in West Virginia to send him back to Pennsylvania.

Judge Glenda Hatchett and Carrie Hackett, thanks so much for being with us today. I appreciate it.

HACKETT: Thank you.

BERMAN: Checking on some other stories we're following right now.

The fate of Army Private Bradley Manning is now in the hands of a military judge. Manning is accused of aiding the enemy for giving U.S. secrets to WikiLeaks. The largest classified material in U.S. history, you'll remember. Today is the judge's third day of deliberation in that case.

Jury selection starts today for a woman once accused of working with her alleged lover and boss to murder her husband. But Andrea Sneiderman's case is no longer a murder trial. The prosecution dropped those charges on Friday. She will still face prison time if she's found guilty of perjury and lying to the police, among other charges.

Hemy Neuman was convicted of fatally shooting Rusty Sneiderman outside a daycare center in Decatur, Georgia, three years ago.

Chaos in the streets of Huntington Beach as surfing fans, surfing fans go on a rampage. Not RAD at all. Police fired tear gas to get them to clear up. We're going to have a live report to try to explain this mess. Coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Turning on a mob violence on the West Coast. Usually quiet Huntington Beach saw an eruption in the streets last night right after the end of a surfing event. This went on for hours overnight before police were finally able to get it under control.

CNN's Stephanie Elam joins me now live from Los Angeles.

Stephanie, that's a mess. How did it start?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a mess. And I'm still hoping that nobody was in those port-a-potties.

You're talking about eight days, John, eight days, that this surfing event was going on and yesterday things just got very rowdy. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM (voice-over): Complete chaos and near anarchy. As the U.S. Open of Surfing, a skate and surf event held in Huntington Beach, California, turned into madness after a large crowd gathered at the conclusion of the competition began rampaging through the streets of the Mellow Beach town, fighting, tipping port-a-potties.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It started with like a fight and then it just broke out. They were tipping port-a-potties and then the cops started to move in there. They were throwing tear gas at everyone. Everyone was, like, plugging their nose and coughing and like dodging into stores. And everyone was just running down main street.

ELAM: Damaging public property.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And all I'm trying to do was enjoy my life that I pay good money for.

ELAM: The Huntington Beach police, joined by responders from all over Orange County, were forced to shoot pepper balls at the rioters. Roaming the streets, attempting to cause disturbances all around them.

This morning, after eight arrests and a long evening of battling the chaotic crowds, police finally regained control, restoring some order to the palm tree-lined streets.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM: And Huntington Beach is the kind of town where people can walk around. There's cute little restaurants, there's some bars around there. It does attract with that beach community. And unbelievably, despite all the video you saw there, John, nobody was hurt.

BERMAN: Well, that's lucky. Still, it did go on for an awful long time before police were able to get it under control. The question is, why did it take so long?

ELAM: I think part of the issue was that they had to get help from elsewhere within Orange County. They had to get back up and reinforcement to control those crowds. I think it also just snuck up on them, just how quickly this was escalating. I think that was part of the issue, too.

BERMAN: All right. Stephanie Elam in Los Angeles, great to see you. Thank you so much.

What a mess there. Besides knocking down signs and knocking over those port-a-johns, rioters also broke into a bike shop there. And joining me now on the phone is Bert Etheridge. He is the owner of the Easy Rider Bike Shop.

And, Bert, tell us how your store is doing, how much damage did you suffer.

BERT ETHERIDGE, OWNER, EASY RIDE BIKE SHOP: Well, we suffered a front window, the gut taken out by the stop sign. I watched the stop sign being ripped down and I thought oh my god, that stop sign is going to come through our window and sure enough it did.

And as soon as that happened, the looters came in and took one bicycle and then I jumped up into the window to grab the other bicycle out of the looter's hand and then a lot of the locals that know us, they came in out of the crowd and started backing people off saying, hey, this is our shop, you guys back off. Knock it off. So they helped us out a lot, the locals did.

BERMAN: Well, it's nice that the local were there for that assistance. We're looking right now at some pictures you sent us of your shop, and you see the shattered glass there, people boarding up windows.

ETHERIDGE: Right. BERMAN: I mean, I have to imagine you've never seen anything like this before. What was it like to be in the store as it's spiraling out of control?

ETHERIDGE: Well, it was like you see this stuff in the movies then you don't think it's ever going to happen to you but when it does it's just -- it's like a total shock and you kind of go into that fight or flight mode and that's what we did. We just kind of stood up and stood up for our shop and pulled our merchandise back and backed people out of there and just kind of stood our ground.

BERMAN: Was it just property and goods and bikes, some things that people or after? Did you get a sense that anyone on the streets there was looking to hurt people?

ETHERIDGE: No, I think it was just some sort of infectious thing that came over people. And they got the sign down, once they got that sign down, it was like, what's the next thing to do? Hey, there's big windows there. Let's throw the sign through the window.

So no -- and we don't know for what reason. But just when people get into a mob, you know, act like that, that's what ends up happening.

BERMAN: Mass stupidity ends up happening, obviously.

Bert Etheridge, we are glad you're OK. We're sorry that your store did suffer damage but luckily it was not worse for you. Thanks so much, Bert.

ETHERIDGE: Yes, we're very thankful it wasn't worse.

BERMAN: All right. We have some live pictures we want to show you right now. Want to go to Philadelphia. There was a building collapse of some kind there. Affiliate KYW is reporting it's a row house. First responders are just now getting to the scene. We're just learning the details of this. We'll bring you more as soon as we find out, of course.

It was just several weeks ago there was another building collapse in Philadelphia. There were deaths in that. Sensitivity, obviously is very high. There you can see firefighters were believed to be some rescue crews, at least checking the scene out from a ladder above the building nearby.

We'll get some more information on this. As you can see we're reporting injuries reported in this building collapse. We understand it might be a row house. It certainly looks that way from these pictures. Stay with us for more details as soon as we get them.

Meanwhile, Amanda Berry out in public, thrilling crowds at a Cleveland concert. We're going to tell you all about this. It's a wonderful image you'll want to see. It's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: These pictures you're looking at are from moments ago in south Philadelphia. A building collapsed. And what we're told it's in an area where there are row houses in south Philly.

Our affiliate KYW is reporting that there were injuries there. It happened on the 400 block of Daily Street in south Philadelphia.

Again these pictures from just moments ago. We don't know how many injuries but we do know that Philadelphia Fire has been rushing to the scene there to get a sense of the situation. You can see up on the roof there nearby they are trying to peer in and get a first look there.

Sensitivities obviously very, very high in Philadelphia. It was in June, the beginning of June, where there was another building collapse there. A building, you remember, collapsed on to a thrift store killing six people. That just happening not even two months ago and now this apparent collapse among some row houses in south Philadelphia.

Again, the exact area is the 400 block of Daily Street. Here are some aerial pictures right now provided by our affiliate KYW. And they do say that firefighters have been dispatched to the area. And we've seen some images right there of people peering over from the buildings on the side there.

It's a pretty densely populated area there in south Philly. You do see right there some firefighters and what looks like a construction crew walking nearby there. I don't think they would be so close if they were in fear of imminent danger or a further collapse.

We're also told that the local gas and utilities have been asked to turn off the gas to that immediate area. That could be just as a precaution any time something like this happens you want to make sure there isn't a secondary incident or accident from a gas leak or something along those lines.

Again, this happening just a short while ago. These pictures of a building collapse in south Philadelphia in this row house area. We're getting more information and we will bring that to you the moment it is in to us.

Meanwhile, Ariel Castro's son is speaking out, appearing on NBC's "Today" show. Anthony Castro says he doesn't want anything to do with his father now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY CASTRO, ARIEL CASTRO'S SON: I think that if he really can't control his impulses and he really doesn't have any value for human life the way this case has shown, then behind bars is where he belongs for the rest of his life. Now I have the same first and last name. I look in the mirror and, you know, I see the resemblance and I think about what he did and how horrible it was and I just can't help sometimes just being overcome with that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Anthony Castro says his father was violent and he often cried himself to sleep after beatings.

Gina DeJesus is all smiles thanks to her new privacy -- privacy fence, that is. Her mother says that Gina can now go out in the yard without having to worry about the prying eye of photographers or anyone else. Gina says she plans to use this privacy to get a tan. She should have -- in fact she should have anything she wants there.

A defiant Anthony Weiner has a full campaign schedule in New York City today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE: Madam, it is very clear --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come down and shake your hands.

WEINER: Madam, it's very --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: But if this exchange from Friday is any indication he faces a rough road if he wants to become New York's next mayor, we'll have a live report coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: His poll numbers are plummeting and he's the butt of endless late-night jokes but Anthony Weiner refuses to get out of the race for mayor of New York City no matter how many people say he should. In fact he just finished up a campaign event in the city right now.

And our Rosa Flores was at the vent.

Rosa, tell us about this. Did you get an earful inside?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me tell you something. It is -- it has been a packed show here for Anthony Weiner. The Nan Shan Senior Center was packed with about 200 seniors.

And you and I know that Anthony Weiner has been trying to focus the conversation to his message. The message that he has for the middle class and today he was able to do that.

Now here's the irony, John, is that he was able to do it in Chinese with a translator. And I want to share something with you because all of the folks inside had their newspapers and check this out. Take a close look. This is in Chinese and I asked for a translation and of course the headline, whether it's in English or in Chinese, is that his campaign manager left but that Weiner is not quitting.

And that was his message today to about 200 senior citizens. His focus was on the middle class. He said that at the end of the day he's here because it's important for the people of New York especially for seniors. He says that one of the things that's extremely important is affordable housing, the safety for seniors as well, and that he wants to make sure that senior centers like these stay open.

And I had some conversations with folks who were there listening to Anthony speak and he says -- and they tell me that they are supportive at this point. Most of them. Here is what one woman had to say. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Will you be voting for him?

SU JONG, NEW YORK VOTER: Yes, yes. Because --

FLORES: You're supportive?

SU JONG: Yes, because I like him. You know, he's very nice. You know, before he's in Congress, ever since, he do a good job. But he did something wrong. Yes, we could give him a chance. That's good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Now everybody has been asking and wanting to know about his response to the Democratic leadership asking him to quit, to leave. We of course asked him that question right after his brief remarks to the people at the senior center. And here is what he said.

He said, you know, I am not going to take my talking points from pundits or Sunday shows. He's in the race and he does not plan to leave -- John.

BERMAN: He's made that abundantly clear. It was so interesting to hear from a voter right there, Rosa. One of the questions has been, is this a media creation? Does the media care more about Anthony Weiner's sexting issues than actual voters do?

Besides that woman you spoke to, did anyone inside there confront Anthony Weiner about these sexting stories?

FLORES: You know, the people were very nice. It was a very friendly crowd. This woman in particular and several that were at the table with her told me that they love Anthony Weiner, that they always supported him and like she said, that they plan to vote for him because they are focusing on what he does in the community.

This is according to them. But they do say it is an embarrassment. They don't like to hear about the sexting. And they wish that that was not even on the table because it would make their choice a lot easier.

BERMAN: All right. Rosa Flores for us.

Coming out of the Anthony Weiner, there are more polls coming out this afternoon. We'll get a much greater sense of exactly where his candidacy sit at this moment.

Rosa Flores, thanks so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Guilty, 937 times. That's what we heard last week from Ariel Castro, the man who kidnap and sexually abused three young women for a decade. He will now spend the rest of his life in prison while those who survived his torment can start living their own lives knowing that they will not have to recount that ordeal in court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give it up for Amanda Berry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Indeed. Give it up for Amanda Berry, the survivor, the one who made the saving 911 call to get them all out of that dungeon. She stepped out for a concert over the weekend. She didn't speak there but as you could see it was a wonderful image to see her there and she received a huge, huge round of applause. Wonderful to see.

Thanks for watching here. "AROUND THE WORLD" is next.