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Russia Plan Now on Paper; Hollywood Silent on Syria; Supposed Person of Interest in Rape Case Wants Apology; J.J. Abrams Works With Returning Vets; Newlywed Accused of Pushing Husband Off Cliff Appears in Court; Income Gap Widens
Aired September 11, 2013 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Bottom of the hour, I'm Brooke Baldwin, back to the crisis at hand when it comes to Syria.
Two days after Russia proposed it, reportedly, the plan for Syria to hand over control of its chemical weapons is now on paper. This is at least according to this Russian news service.
Presumably, Secretary of State John Kerry will see the details for himself tomorrow when he travels to and meets with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Switzerland.
And now the world watches. We watch to see whether Russia and Syria live up to their word, or live up to their reputations after critics warn this cooperation could really just be a delay tactic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TIM KAINE (D), VIRGINIA: So the offer that is on the table and the action that has happened since Monday is very serious and very significant, very encouraging, and Madam President, it could be a game-changer in this discussion.
Now I said it's serious. What we still need to determine is whether it's sincere.
JEN PSAKI, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: We're going into this eyes wide open, and the secretary when he spoke with the foreign minister just two days ago made clear we're not going to play games here.
But we are -- it is worth spending the next two days, more is need. Talking about this, seeing if we can come to a point of a credible proposal. And that's an opportunity we did not have last week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: You watched the president last night in his primetime address. He says he will allow time for diplomacy to work, but he is still threatening a military strike in Syria to help guarantee Syria and Russia follow through on this proposed plan. And while the debate continues over what the U.S. should do, there appears to be one specific group that has for the most part been noticeably silent on the subject of Syria.
What's that group? Hollywood.
Here's CNN's Marc Istook.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED ASNER, ACTOR: I am disappointed in our president.
MARC ISTOOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ed Asner isn't mincing words about the president's push for military action against Syria.
ASNER: I think it's crap.
ISTOOK: Mike Farrell agrees. After once campaigning on Obama's behalf, the former "MASH" star tells CNN when it comes to Syria, he thinks the president is wrong.
MIKE FARRELL, FORMER CAST MEMBER, "MASH": We're perceived by too many people in the world as the world's policemen, and I don't think that's the right position for us to be taking.
ISTOOK: Madonna has weighed in, too, sending out an Instagram image that made her position clear, U.S., stay out of Syria, but Madonna, Farrell, and Asner are the exception in Hollywood.
Most political stars are remaining conspicuously quiet about the plan. Asner said on this issue, Hollywood is afraid to rock the boat.
You think it's because they're afraid to criticize the president?
ASNER: That's right. They don't want to jeopardize Obama's presidency.
ISTOOK: Actors have responded to Syria through comedy. Alyssa Milano released a video on Funny Or Die, a spoof sex tape that starts off sultry and switches over to an unsexy primer on the Syrian conflict.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Conflict in the Middle East -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's why we here at the Americans for Whatever Barack Obama Wants --
ISTOOK: And this spoof Kickstarter videos from the comedians at Second City in Chicago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: World War III is not going to be like those other Republican wars.
ISTOOK: But for Asner, military action is not laughing matter. He said it's time for Hollywood to take a stand.
ASMER: It's important for the Obama supporters to realize that the man is not performing as fully as he should, and I think a strike against Syria is a way to cover up for past mistakes.
ISTOOK: For other celebrities, the president's red line is a little more gray.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER, ACTRESS: It just feels like a no-win situation. It feels like there is no real right answer.
LIONEL RICHIE, SINGER: It's tough. I mean, to say, everybody march to war, we're a little bit cautious now.
ROBERT DE NIRO, ACTOR: Very tricky, I don't know. But I know he'll make a decision and whatever decision he makes, I go with it.
ISTOOK: Marc Istook, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Coming up, a self-proclaimed hardworking dad is labeled by police, quote/unquote, "as a personal of interest" for a crime he says he didn't commit.
This story got us thinking. What happens to a person of interest after someone else becomes a suspect in their crime through DNA?
We're "On the Case."
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BALDWIN: So, a suspect in a string of rapes that absolutely terrified women in Dallas has now been arrested in Louisiana.
Police say DNA evidence linked Van Dralan Dixson to four of the nine attacks reported in the Fair Park area since June.
Dixson was arrested at a motel near downtown Baton Rouge. He will be sent back to Dallas for questioning while police wait for DNA results in these five remaining rapes.
But this is the twist I wanted to talk to you about because it involved this other man. His name is Alan Mason. Police named Mason, this person of interest, in the serial rape case last week. The police chief even sent out this tweet announcing it.
Mason, by the way, is sitting in jail on a charge that has nothing to do with the rapes or any violent crime whatsoever. He says being named a person of interest in a serial rape case has ruined his life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALAN MASON, NAMED "PERSON OF INTEREST" BY POLICE: It really affected my life. I'm 29-years-old.
I built, you know, my reputation based off of integrity and doing what's right, and for him to just take that away overnight, that's really -- I don't have any words to explain it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Mason wants police to apologize and clear his name. Dallas police say he is still a person of interest, at least until the results of the DNA tests are in.
Mason's story got us wondering. What happens if you are named a person of interest in a crime and you're totally innocent? What kind of recourse do you have?
Let's talk about that with criminal defense attorney Danny Cevallos. And, Danny, first things first, just language-wise, can you please explain the difference to me between a person of interest and an actual suspect?
DANNY CEVALLOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: A person of interest is just that. Somebody the police want to talk to and who may have information. It doesn't go that extra step of naming them as a suspect, in other words, that they think this is the person that committed the crime or they believe is reasonably likely to have committed the crime.
And there's an important distinction there. Being named a person of interest doesn't mean that you are a suspect, so that goes a long way to defeating any defamation claim this individual may have.
BALDWIN: So, OK, let's say you're a person of interest, in this case, Mr. Mason, and police will ultimately find out there is zero connection between him and these rapes, for example.
What kind of recourse does he have?
CEVALLOS: First, let's talk about defamation. He would have to prove that -- if he's allowed to even bring that, and I'll address that in a second -- if he's allowed to bring defamation, he would have to prove this somehow monetarily damaged his reputation.
One big hurdle is he's already in jail anyway, so if there was any implication he has committed crimes, that might help to defeat that defamation claim.
But, secondly, and most importantly, police officers, unless they go out of the scope of their duty, are almost always immune. It's what we call sovereign immunity. In other words, you can't sue the king. Similarly, you can't sue the government in most cases unless they let you.
And the general rule is, as long as the police officer didn't act outside the scope of his duty, statements that he makes in the course of his duties as a public official will leave him immune from lawsuits like defamation.
BALDWIN: OK, and who knows, even if you are ever a person of interest and cleared, if it really ultimately ever clears you.
Danny Cevallos, thank you very much, "On the Case" with us today.
In the 12 years since 9/11, more than 2 million U.S. service members have deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Hollywood director J.J. Abrams, you know his work, "Mission Impossible 3," "Star Trek," "Lost," the list goes on and on, well, so now J.J. Abrams has another mission, helping vets find purpose when they come home.
This is today's "Impact Your World."
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J.J. ABRAMS, DIRECTOR: Hi, I'm J.J. Abrams and we can make an impact helping veterans acclimate back into society.
It's incredibly important that we are welcoming them when they're done with their service, looking to them not as charity cases. This is about people who can teach us.
The Mission Continues is a nonprofit that helps veterans returning from service find their purpose. Whether you're a vet or not, I think it's one of the dreams in life, to find the thing that you know you can do and that you love.
And what you learn when you're in the service, there's organizational skills, there's skills of leadership, so to come back to communities that are desperately in need of that kind of voice, it seems like communities need it. The vets need it.
It's important that we take advantage of that and find them the training and find them the jobs and the opportunity to continue to serve even though they're not in the service.
Join the movement, "Impact Your World," CNN.com/impact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Today, here, as we talk so much about 9/11, today also marks one year since that attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi.
We're now getting word today of whole new explosion. It's rocked the city.
Jake Tapper joins me next.
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BALDWIN: A car bomb today exploding in Benghazi. One person was injured in the blast.
This was outside a foreign ministry building, but this comes on a significant date because it was one year ago today an assault on the U.S. consulate there killed four Americans.
"THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper, coming up next, and, Jake, I know you're talking about Benghazi today.
We know that the president vowed to get to the bottom of what exactly happened a year ago, and I feel like here we are, 365 days later, and we still need answered. JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, "THE LEAD": That's right.
And there have been sealed arrest warrants, criminal complaints against the alleged perpetrators of the Benghazi attacks, but as far as we go, no action in terms of arrests or even questioning any of those individuals.
It is the one-year anniversary, as you say. Four individuals, including the ambassador, Chris Stevens, were killed, in the attacks.
We'll be talking in my show at 4:00 to Patricia Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, one of the four who was killed, who has long expressed frustration she doesn't have answers as to why there wasn't enough security, why people didn't come, why troops weren't sent to help her son, and we'll be talking to her about that.
And also she'll be testifying later this month at a congressional hearing by the government reform and oversight committee and we'll ask what she's going to say.
BALDWIN: I remember in interviews in the past, she was incredibly frustrated. Still doesn't have answers about her own son.
We will be tuned in. Jake Tapper, 4:00 here, 10 minutes from now for "THE LEAD," thank you so much, sir.
TAPPER: Thanks, Brooke.
BALDWIN: And from bride to widow in eight days, now she is also a suspected killer.
Still ahead, the woman accused of shoving her new husband off a cliff, she is in court right now.
We will tell you what just happened.
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BALDWIN: Happening right now, a newlywed accused of shoving her husband off a cliff is back in court in Missoula, Montana. Twenty-two- year-old Jordan Linn Graham is appearing before a judge at a detention hearing.
You see, Graham was arrested Monday, two months after she allegedly pushed Cody Lee Johnson to his death. This was apparently during this argument, July 7th, at Glacier National Park. These two had been married for all of a week.
And do you remember the line from "Alice in Wonderland," the line from the rabbit, "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get?"
A whole lot of us feel that way when it comes to money, and a new study explains exactly why. It shows a gap between the rich and the poor and America is the widest it has been since just before the Great Depression.
Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with that, and, again, you think the rich just keep on getting richer.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And if you talk about last year, Brooke, yeah, the rich did get richer. You look at the One Percent, they pulled in about 19 percent of the country's household income last year. That's the biggest amount of the pie since 1928.
Got to be fair here. The One Percent also lost their shirts during the recession. Look how much the incomes of the One Percent tumbled, 36 percent during the recession.
Compare that to everyone else, meaning the 99 Percent. Their income fell only 12 percent.
But if you look at what's been gained back since then, yeah, the One Percent, they're close to full recover while the 99 Percent have barely begun to move forward.
Here is the big reason why. One Percent are heavily invested in stocks. They lost it all during the recession, but now stocks are close to record highs.
Also, home prices are up, so the other side is dealing with stagnant wages, high unemployment, while the One Percent are counting their money again.
Brooke?
BALDWIN: This isn't something that, you know, proof, happened. This gap has been widening for years.
KOSIK: And that's a really good point. Yeah, the divide has been growing. In fact, it has been growing for 30 years.
It's happening because our economy really has changed a lot. You look at technology. It's replacing workers. You look at jobs. Many jobs have moved overseas.
Also, unions have a little bit to do with it. There are fewer unions out there to fight for higher wages.
But if you have a view of the One Percent, who are just those people kind of sitting around and living off mom and dad's money, that's the wrong view. The group that did this study says that the One Percent are working. They're known as the working elite. They're top executives and entrepreneurs.
One other thing to consider, when we talk about the One Percent, these are people who make at least $394,000, so you have to realize they're not all making Bill Gates kind of money.
Brooke?
BALDWIN: Alison Kosik, thank you.
KOSIK: Sure. BALDWIN: Coming up next, got to share this video because you can see this couple, they are just riding along on a motorcycle and then, wham, here you go, slammed from behind.
But the story is who was driving the car causing the crash. That's next.
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BALDWIN: Want to show you this dramatic police dash-cam video here because you're going to see it from the perspective of this Ohio state trooper.
I know. It makes me cringe every time I see this, the trooper not paying attention to the road here last month, rams into the rear of a motorcycle carrying a man and his wife.
Prosecutors say a grand jury is currently reviewing the case to determine whether or not charges should be filed.
The couple, they're OK, but they're recovering from some severe injuries and they say their helmets absolutely saved their lives.
Stay with CNN tonight. We have an exciting lineup for you beginning with this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: CNN tonight, at 7:00 "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT," 9/11 remembered as House homeland security chair Michael McCaul sizes up national security in 2013.
At 8:00 on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," the president makes his case on Syria. Now what's the White House's next move?
Then at 9:00 on "PIERS MORGAN LIVE," a primetime, exclusive interview with Diana Nyad as she answers here critics on record-breaking Cuba- to-Florida swim.
It's all on CNN tonight, starting with "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" at 7:00, "ANDERSON COOPER 360" at 8:00, and "PIERS MORGAN LIVE" at 9:00, tonight on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I'm Brooke Baldwin. I will see you right back here this time tomorrow.
In the meantime, we got to Washington. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
