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Chains, Plastic Ties And Helmets; Crime Scene Evidence Shown In Court; Snowden Gets One Year Asylum In Russia; Baseball To Act Against A-Rod; U.S. Closing Embassies Over Security Fears; Living With Cystic Fibrosis

Aired August 01, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

BALDWIN: All right. Moments ago we just played you just a little bit of what Ariel Castro said speaking to this court in Cleveland. Monica Lindstrom, Midwin Charles rejoining me.

And just to you two legal ladies, Monica, beginning with you, just curious, when you see a defendant typically in court at the very end giving some kind of statement, how often does he or she sound apologetic, ramble, look back at victims' families? Was what we saw today typical or atypical?

LINDSTROM: It was both typical and atypical. It was atypical because we had someone that was such a heinous crime actually sounding like he knew what he was talking about. And he wasn't delusional or insane, at least not legally. So I find that very interesting. There was no evidence and none of his words showed that he didn't understand what was going on. He was trying to make excuses, but he knew what was going on.

BALDWIN: Midwin?

CHARLES: Well, what I find that it is typical only from the perspective of criminal defendants often cannot believe that they are in trouble, that they have been caught, or that they've done anything wrong. Many of them oftentimes are delusional. So in that regard, I am not surprised by his actions. But I think all of us looking at this can just say, oh, my goodness, this really is evil. I mean there is no other way to describe what this man has done.

BALDWIN: You just shake your head. And that's saying it politely.

Midwin and Monica, thank you both very much.

A detective with Cleveland Sex Crimes Unit gave stunning details about how Castro lured Michelle Knight into what would be her prison for more than a decade.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DET. ANDREW HARASIMCHUK, CLEVELAND POLICE SEX CRIMES UNIT: She was walking in attempt to find a social worker that's in charge of her son, because she wanted to speak with him. She was lost and she was in a store and she started to ask people for directions. At which time Ariel Castro approached her and said he knew where she was looking for and offered to help her. Michelle Knight knew Ariel Castro because she's friends with his daughter, Emily Castro. So she accepted the ride.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did Michelle relate to you what took place after she got in to Ariel Castro's car?

HARASIMCHUK: Yes. They began driving and they arrived at Ariel Castro's home. He asked her if she wanted to come inside to get a puppy for her son. So she agreed to go in to pick out a puppy for her son. Once inside the home, she did not see a puppy. She did see a dog, but there were no puppies. At this time, she is physically restrained by Ariel Castro with an extension cord. She's left that way for several hours.

Ariel Castro returns. He takes her down to the basement where she's physically restrained with a chain. Plastic ties are put on her wrists and a motorcycle helmet is placed on her head. It is at this time she is sexually assaulted. Michelle Knight was left alone, physically restrained in the dark basement overnight. During this interview, Michelle Knight described a pattern of being repeatedly sexually, physically and emotionally abused by Ariel Castro during her entire time of captivity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During this interview you're learning about the initial abduction as well as the crimes that were committed against her throughout her captivity?

HARASIMCHUK: That's correct. Michelle Knight relayed she had been pregnant on several occasions in the house. She knew this because she felt the same way that she was when she was pregnant with her son. Michelle relayed that Ariel Castro terminated her pregnancies. This was done by starving her, feeding her rotten food, kicking and punching her in the stomach, jumping up and down on her in the stomach and forcing her to perform physical exercises.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The result of that torture?

HARASIMCHUK: It resulted in the termination of her pregnancies.

UIDENTIFIED MALE: Did she also relate to you that he kicked her down the stairs in an effort to terminate those pregnancies?

HARASIMCHUK: Yes, she did.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Also today out of Cleveland for the very first time, we are seeing photos from inside that home including the basement. Look at this, where Castro held these three women. Special coverage continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Bottom of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Back to your breaking news coverage, special coverage of the Ariel Castro sentencing hearing in Cleveland. Castro, a convicted kidnapper and rapist struck a plea deal, pleading guilty last week to 937 counts including aggravated murder and kidnapping. We have told you how Castro held these three young women captive for more than a decade.

But now for the first time, we're seeing what it was like, chilling new pictures of the objects Castro used to keep these women captive, chains, a helmet, a pole, and an alarm, all shown in court just a short time ago. It was an FBI agent who sat there walking through the courtroom, some of these photos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW BURKE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: That's a chain. It's in the room that Amanda -- I'm sorry, Gina Dejesus and Michelle Knight shared.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 10X, what does this photo depict?

BURKE: That is a hole through the wall. I believe there were photos on the side of Gina and Michelle's room through theirs, running a power cord that's plugged in, in the other room and the chain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, for that small side room, the 7x11 room with the window nailed shut, was there any attempt to provide for ventilation in that small space?

BURKE: There was a small cut-out in the ceiling and a box fan in the attic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So the actual plaster was cut away, an opening made, and some electrical service providing a fan?

BURKE: Correct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next photo, please. Showing you state's 10Y. Do you recognize what's shown there?

BURKE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is it?

BURKE: Chains, locks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know generally where those were found?

BURKE: Those were found in the upstairs bedrooms. On the left side of the frame is a support pole. That's a pole that we've come to understand that the women were restrained to at various points. I know that to be a letter written by Ariel Castro.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will reference that as state's Exhibit 12. Now, does Mr. Castro talk about his conduct in that document?

BURKE: He does.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he describe himself through his own choice of words as I am a sexual predator?

BURKE: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: In his own words, I am a sexual predator. So writes Ariel Castro. Much more on this coming up including reaction from the local community.

But first, big news for NSA leaker Edward Snowden today, he is on the move. He left the Moscow airport this morning. Where is he headed? We're live in Moscow after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Edward Snowden can roam around Russia now for a year. The NSA leaker has permission to work, travel, and live freely. Snowden slipped out of Moscow's airport just today headed for a secret location after Russia's government has now granted him one year of temporary asylum. The White House spokesman says the U.S. is, and I'm quoting, "extremely disappointed with Russia's decision."

Then we saw this from Wikileaks on Twitter. Quote, "We would like to thank the Russian people and all those others who have helped to protect Mr. Snowden. We have won the battle, now the war." Phil Black is tracking this story for us in Moscow. Phil, did Russia give the United States any advance notice, any kind of courtesy call before Snowden slipped away from the airport?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The short answer is no, Brooke. The State Department says they received no advanced warning of this whatsoever. They're still seeking confirmation with the Russian government, but having said that, it will not have come as a complete surprise to them either. Throughout this long saga, U.S. officials have said that Russia has clearly been sending the signals, laying the groundwork, to eventually announce this decision they would be giving Snowden some form of asylum.

The language they've been using, the help they've been giving him. They said it was all pretty clear. Now they have confirmation of really what they've been trying to avoid. What they've really been pressuring Russia not to do, to give him this protection. Because what it essentially means is that it really rules out in the near to medium term any chance of getting Snowden back to the United States to face those charges that the U.S. administration so clearly wants him to face -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Phil Black, thank you so much, Phil.

Coming up next, baseball star Alex Rodriguez reportedly negotiating a deal for a suspension and not a lifetime ban for using banned substances. Will he ever play the game of baseball again? And what leverage does A-Rod have? That story in 2 minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK0

BALDWIN: Almost 25 years after the Pete Rose scandal, another living legend of baseball could face really the game's version of the death penalty, yes, A-Rod, the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez whose name appeared at least 16 times in the handwritten records of a Florida steroid dealer, 16 times. Not just that, but A-Rod reportedly tried to purchase the dealer's records to blunt a vast doping probe of himself and other players.

So with me now from New York is CNN's Rachel Nichols. Rachel, we now hear A-Rod's people are talking to baseball's people. Why?

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, when this first came to light, A-Rod and his representatives insisted there would be no deal. But there were people in the A-Rod camp who felt that baseball just wasn't going to be able to make the suspension stick. First, remember, no positive test. Second of all, baseball had been open about the fact that they had actually paid some of the witnesses in their investigation against Rodriguez.

However, in the past few days, baseball has been laying out its case against Rodriguez to the A-Rod camp. And guess what, the case, stronger than that camp thought. Yes, they have paid for some witness testimony. But that's backed up by reportedly voluminous amounts of records, physical evidence against A-Rod, and also not a coincidence, Brooke, those two words lifetime ban leaked to the media about a week ago, because that is putting enormous pressure on A-Rod all of the sudden.

You mentioned Pete Rose. We know that doesn't just deal with your playing time. It deals with how you're treated as a retired player. It's total excommunication from the game. Now all the sudden with maybe a stronger case than the camp originally thought and this threat of this lifetime ban, that's enough to bring A-Rod at least to the bargaining table and see what they might be able to work out.

BALDWIN: But then what about the timing of all of this? Because we heard about Ryan Braun a couple of weeks ago, why have baseball sort of scattered the punishments?

NICHOLS: The idea initially was to do this all at the same time. But with the Braun situation when they started laying out what was going on and what they had against Ryan Braun, his representatives and Braun said, you know what? Let's work out a deal, kind of a plea bargain if you will. Baseball initially was threatening maybe a 100-game suspension. By going down to 65 and having him say I won't appeal, I'm going to admit I had wrong doing. They basically reached this agreement at 65 games.

Baseball frankly wanted to get that out and done as soon as possible before he changed his mind, also that 65 games could happen before the end of the season. So he could start with a clean slate next season. That was attractive to him. With A-Rod and with some of these other players, they're talking about longer suspensions and they're not in as much of a rush to get it done by a certain date.

Really also they're working out with these players whether they can strike that plea bargain, strike that deal. Because if they don't come to some sort of an agreement and they just issue the suspension, they can certainly do that, but then the player has the right to appeal, and it becomes more messy.

It's a gamble if they're going to be able to keep their case. For everybody involved, much like with law enforcement, a plea bargain is preferable. They're just seeing if they can work that out.

BALDWIN: Fans just have to wait to see who's willing to bargain and who is not. Rachel Nichols, CNN sports. Rachel, thank you.

Coming up next, breaking news out of the Pentagon, we are just now hearing the U.S. will be closing a number of embassies around the world this weekend. Why? That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Got some breaking news coming into us here at CNN. The State Department has now issued a security warning for certain embassies around the world. Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon with this. Barbara, what are you learning?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, U.S. Marines who always guard embassies around the world will be extra cautious one can only expect since the State Department made this announcement a little while ago, that this Sunday, August 4th, a number of U.S. embassies and consulates around the world will be closed.

I want to read you what the State Department said. It said, pardon me, it said the department has been apprised of information that out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting our installation indicates we should institute these precautionary steps."

They are not yet saying what embassies, what consulates, in what countries. They are not saying precisely why. People have noted Sunday is coming towards the end of Ramadan, the holy month in the Islamic calendar. But they are warning that some embassies and consulates around the world will be closed. Americans traveling overseas on vacation certainly could logon, look at the embassy web page in the country they're visiting and find out the status of the embassy this Sunday -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK, so again, we don't really know -- it begins Sunday, August 4th. We don't know specifics as far as embassies. Do we know certain parts of the world or we don't even know that?

STARR: I've got to tell you, they're not saying. Again, looking at the web page of whatever embassy might interest you, usually they do post when they're going to be closed for the day and that'll be something for traveling Americans to look for.

BALDWIN: Barbara Starr, thank you very much.

Coming up, a day of emotion, anger, tears in this Cleveland courtroom. This was one of the survivors, Michelle Knight, speaking with her impact statement there. You don't want to miss this. Ariel Castro in this courtroom as well, what both had to say coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Chuck Fox is living with cystic fibrosis. It's an inherited chronic disease that affects his lungs and his digestive system. In this week's "Human Factor," CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta shares his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every day now, Chuck Fox is beating the odds.

CHUCK FOX, HAS CYSTIC FIBROSIS: When I was born, the average life expectancy for someone with cystic fibrosis was 18 years old. Currently they estimate it to be approximately 38 years old. So last year I passed that threshold. I'm still here.

GUPTA: Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and the digestive system. When he was born, Chuck's parents were determined to see him thrive. Even though doctors warned he may not survive.

FOX: I think they decided to raise me as the most resilient kid with CF around and just keep throwing me out there.

GUPTA: As a kid, there was a daily routine of medications and physical therapy, most of it administered by his mom. Now as an adult --

FOX: I have to wear this mechanical vest every day to just help keep my lungs clear and help me breathe. I get hooked up to that and it's basically like doing physical therapy for your chest and for your lungs, and various inhalers and nebulizers that I have to take while I do that.

GUPTA: And like his parents, Chuck didn't allow the scepticism he encountered discourage his dreams of becoming a doctor himself and having a family.

FOX: If anything it made me want to do it more and just prove that I could do it.

GUPTA: That's exactly what he did. Dr. Fox graduated from Harvard Medical School.

FOX: I know you've been through this before, but do you have any questions for me?

GUPTA: He's been a practicing gastrointerologist for eight years. He and his wife, Amy, they just celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary and they're proud parents of 11-year-old twins, Sidney and Ben.

FOX: In my wildest dreams when I was a kid, I couldn't have imagined that things could have been any better. I would say I'm the luckiest person I know.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting. (END VIDEOTAPE)