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New Jersey Mall Reopens after Shooting; Christie's Advice to President Obama; Cyber Fugitives Added to Most Wanted List; Kidnapping Victim Details Years of Abuse
Aired November 06, 2013 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me this morning.
Happening right now on Capitol Hill, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is now facing a second round of questioning on Capitol Hill. She's testifying for the Senate Finance committee about the failings of the Obamacare website. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch had this to say a short time ago.
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SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: There is a long track record of broken promises and untruthful answers to both this committee and the American people with respect to how this law should work or would work and the impact it would have. Now, I hope that that will stop today. No more caveats, no more excuses, no more spin. Just give us the truth.
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COSTELLO: We will continue to monitor these hearings and bring you updates later.
Two days after a shooting, the Westfield shopping mall in New Jersey is re-opening. Hundreds of people turned out last night for a vigil for the only casualty of the shooting, the gunman himself, who took his own life. We're now getting a clearer picture of what led 20- year-old Richard Shoop to fire off a half dozen gunshots inside the mall.
CNN's Alexandra Field has more for you.
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ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A cell phone video captures the mayhem inside the Garden State Plaza Mall as hundreds of shoppers ran for their lives after shots rang out on Monday night. Everyone escaped unharmed except for the gunman, 20-year-old, Richard Shoop, who took his own life. The suspect's brother is expressing the family's grief.
KEVIN SHOOP, BROTHER OF RICHARD SHOOP: This is something that none of us saw coming. So we're not sure exactly what caused him to do this and we're -- I mean we're all devastated.
FIELD: As police continue to comb surveillance video for clues those closest to Shoop are wondering why he went on this suicide mission.
JORDAN CONAHAN, FRIEND OF RICHARD SHOOP: He texted me Sunday night saying, "I need to talk to you. It's very important." And I was asleep already.
FIELD: That was the last time Jordan Conahan heard from his best friend.
Around the same time, Shoop was sending similar messages to Bonnie Benedict. Monday at 1:35 a.m., he writes, "Hey I need to tell you something really important. Call me." Then, "I'm going away for a really long time. Do you want to have my car?" By 12:15 Monday afternoon there's this, "I'm either going to go away for a long time, die, or make a run for it." And at 5:55 in the evening, Bonnie gets one last message. "Sorry". Bonnie says she saw Shoop Monday morning but never responded to the text that came later that day.
BONNIE BENEDICT, FRIEND OF RICHARD SHOOP: He was just like really lonely, and I feel like maybe that was his cry out for help.
FIELD: Benedict and Conahan say Shoop also told them he was in trouble with the law. Police say Shoop was a known drug user. Authorities say Shoop randomly fired at least six shots inside the mall with a gun he had stolen from his brother.
SHOOP: He just sadly decided to make an act of -- an act of I guess self -- self-indulgence by taking his own life publicly.
FIELD: Police say Shoop entered the mall dressed in black and wearing a motorcycle helmet. They believe he was motivated by suicide or dying at the hands of police. In the days before his death, Shoop's closest friends say he just didn't seem himself.
CONAHAN: He was again real paranoid about everything. He thought cops were following him.
FIELD: On Monday afternoon, he also sent Bonnie this message. "Cops have been watching my house for the past four days now. I only have maybe one more day before they come for me." His friends now wish they had somehow reached out to him.
CONAHAN: The signs were there yes that it makes sense. It's just someone that you just never, ever in a million years would think to be want to do this. You know he was always so happy and positive.
FIELD: Alexandra Field, CNN, Teaneck, New Jersey.
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COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Chris Christie's advice to President Obama -- "Admit your mistakes."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY: I absolutely believe that when you tell people the truth, even if they disagree with it, or you admit you made a mistake, we're pretty forgiving people in this country.
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COSTELLO: We'll have CNN's exclusive interview with the New Jersey governor.
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COSTELLO: Four more years of Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey, unless, of course, he decides to run for president. The Republican may just do that after winning 60 percent of the vote in that state, a solidly blue state.
CNN's Jake Tapper got exclusive access to ride along with Christie on his campaign tour bus. He asked the governor what advice he would give to President Obama.
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CHRISTIE: Here is what my suggestion would be to him. Don't be so cute. And when you make a mistake, admit it. Now listen, if it was a mistake in 2009, if he was mistaken in 2009 and 2010 on his understanding of how the law would operate, then just admit it to people. Say, 'You know what? I said it, I was wrong. I'm sorry and we're going to try to fix this and make it better.'
I think people would give any leader in that circumstance a lot of credit for just, you know, owning up to it. Instead of now trying to -- and don't lawyer it. People don't like lawyers. I'm a lawyer, they don't like them. You know and don't lawyer it.
And when I saw that this morning I saw this morning for the first time and I thought he's lawyering it. That's Barack Obama the lawyer, not the leader. People want leaders, not lawyers.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: And so you think he should just I misspoke in 2009 or I misunderstood in 2009?
CHRISTIE: Yes. Yes, I mean if it -- you know listen I'm assuming that's the case.
TAPPER: Right.
CHRISTIE: Because it's pretty clear that what he said is not true. And I think if what happened was he had a certain understanding of what the law would do and it turns out he was wrong, just admit you were wrong.
I absolutely believe that when you tell people the truth, even if they disagree with it, or you admit you made a mistake, we're a pretty forgiving people in this country. And I think people would say, OK, then fix it, Mr. President. Then he's got to follow through and fix it.
TAPPER: The starlight (ph) you're having an interesting endorsement.
CHRISTIE: Yes.
TAPPER: It was an endorsement.
CHRISTIE: Yes, oh yes.
TAPPER: And one of the nicer -- said you're one of the most gifted political politicians of your time. What do you want to achieve in the second term? They faulted you for not achieving as much as they had hoped. What do you want to achieve in your second term?
CHRISTIE: Well, I think first I want to get income taxes reduced in the state. That's one of the few things that I laid out as an agenda item in the first term that we didn't get done. Secondly, there are some more things on property taxes in terms of allowing for shared services and civil service reform; to allow localities to manage better to be able to control their cost.
Third, education reform -- I want to have an opportunity scholarship act in this state like they have in Florida where kids in failing school districts have an opportunity to leave that school district and go to private or parochial school. I also like to see us do more on teacher tenure reform than we've done already. We've a lot but I would like to do a little more on that. Also try to institute merit pay across the state because that's just important for our future.
TAPPER: A lot on education? It seems like a lot on education?
CHRISTIE: Yes. Yes I think it's really important. Listen, I know -- you know, in this race, we have 200 failing schools in New Jersey. Just failing by the Department of Education and my opponent in this race said that's not a bad percentage. And I said, that sounds like somebody who has never sent their kids to one of those schools.
So to me until we get that number down to a very small statistically insignificant number, then we're failing those kids. And when you're governor, what you realize all of those kids are your kids. And so you that's why they are so much in my (inaudible).
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COSTELLO: Coming up today at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper, a one-on-one interview with soon to be former mayor, Michael Bloomberg.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM, they're Internet masterminds, some of the most notorious hackers and scammers in the entire world. And now the FBI wants your help in finding them.
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COSTELLO: Checking our top stories at 48 minutes past the hour. Later this afternoon, President Obama hits the road to promote his troubled health care reform program. He'll fly to Dallas to thank volunteers who helped potential enrollees in North Texas. His visit will come just hours after his Health and Human Services secretary finishes testifying on Capitol Hill.
Suspended Miami Dolphins lineman Richie Incognito is breaking his silence after being accused of bullying his former teammate, Jonathan Martin. CNN affiliate WSVN caught up with Incognito outside a doctor's office on Tuesday to ask how he was doing.
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RICHIE INCOGNITO, NFL PLAYER: You know what; I'm just trying to weather the storm right now. And this will pass.
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COSTELLO: Incognito was also asked about expletive-filled voicemails and text messages he allegedly sent to teammate Jonathan Martin. He declined to respond to those questions.
Starbucks says it will hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years. The company also plans to open five stores on or near military bases. Those stores will share profits with local communities. Starbucks' CEO says that's a small gesture. All vets and their spouses will get a free tall coffee on Veterans Day.
Some of the most notorious identity thieves, hackers and scammers in the entire world, the FBI has added five knew fugitives to the cyber's most wanted list. CNN's justice reporter Evan Perez is live in Washington. I didn't even know there was such a thing, Evan.
EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, Carol this is something that's worked for the FBI before on the regular most wanted list to find gangsters and murderers and people who have been evading the law. So they've decided that this is something that they can use to try to attract the public's attention to people who are wanted for cyber crimes.
This is a growing category of crimes, as you know. And the FBI has been trying to crack down on it. And they're trying to figure out where some of these people are. They know that there's got to be people out here who know where these guys are.
A couple of them in particular are very interesting. One is called Carlos Perez Melara. He's from El Salvador, and he is believed to have been behind some spyware that people would get, you know, pretending to be a greeting card. And it could be used to spy on people and get their key strokes, wee what websites they were using.
This was all unauthorized and the FBI says it's a violation of the law. Now they've got a $50,000 reward for Melara. And he is -- again, this is spyware that looked like it was something to catch your cheating lover is what the spyware was called. Another person on this list is Andrey Taame. He's a Syrian national and he was behind some malware that the FBI says infected four million computers around the world including 500,000 victims here in the United States. Again this is stuff that would take control of people's computers, Carol, and the FBI says these are people that they want to try to find.
COSTELLO: Hopefully their list will help. CNN justice reporter, Evan Perez, thanks so much.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM --
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MICHELLE KNIGHT, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: He sits me down on the floor and he says, this is where you're going to stay until I can trust you. Now, if I do it too tight and you don't make it, that means you wasn't meant to stay here. That means God wanted to take you.
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COSTELLO: Michelle Knight takes us inside her personal hell detailing years of abuse and brutal beatings at the hands of Ariel Castro.
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COSTELLO: Michelle Knight was held captive at the house of horrors for more than a decade. She was just 21 when she was kidnapped, the first of three women taken by Ariel Castro. Now Knight is speaking out to Dr. Phil about the years of brutal abuse she suffered. It includes savage beatings she endured when she realized she was pregnant.
Martin Savidge is here with more. Good morning.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. You know, we have heard the details. I've read the police reports. But when you hear it recounted in Michelle's own words, it is extremely powerful. Listen.
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SAVIDGE (voice over): The interview is so powerful, it's uncomfortable. Michelle Knight's words don't just tell us they take us inside the torture rooms of a Cleveland home.
MICHELLE KNIGHT, KIDNAPPING VICTIM: I hated him.
SAVIDGE: Knight is the first victim to talk in detail in the aftermath of a multiple kidnapping case that has horrified and spellbound the nation. Speaking to TV psychologist Dr. Phil --
KNIGHT: He already had it set up to where he could tie me to the -- I think it's like a clothes line.
SAVIDGE: Knight was kidnapped by Ariel Castro in August of 2002 and wouldn't go free for 11 years.
KNIGHT: He ties me up to a pole with chains wrapped around it. The chains were so big. And he wraps it around my neck. He sits me down on the floor. And he says this is where you're going to stay until I can trust you. Now, if I do it too tight and you don't make it, that means you wasn't meant to stay here. That means God wanted to take you.
SAVIDGE: She was chained, starved and left naked in a frigid, dark basement for days. Then came the sexual abuse. When she eventually became pregnant, Knight described how Castro beat her into a miscarriage.
KNIGHT: I was standing up and he punched me with a barbell. He took the round part and he went like this. And he made it go up so it would hit the lower area of my stomach. I fell to the floor.
SAVIDGE: Knight says Castro would show leniency, once giving her a puppy, a comfort that ended when the dog snapped at him and he killed it before her very eyes.
KNIGHT: He picked him up and turned his neck. All I heard was a yelp and he was gone.
SAVIDGE: The torture went on and on. Then one day Knight says she realized she was no longer alone, meeting a girl who had gone missing whom she recognized from the news, Amanda Berry.
KNIGHT: Sometimes she would cry and I would tell her everything would be OK. And that one day we'll get home. We just have to, you know, wait it out.
SAVIDGE: It was just the beginning.
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COSTELLO: That's just so hard to hear. You wonder how the other survivors in this case are reacting to Michelle Knight's decision to go so very public with this.
SAVIDGE: And I would love to know that as well. We're talking about Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus. They haven't said anything. They haven't commented on it and Michelle has been very careful not to talk or in any way try to represent their experiences.
Those two -- those two young girls are working on a book. That book is currently being shopped by a very powerful book dealer in Washington D.C. who has represented the likes of the Clintons. So I think many people will be waiting to see how that comes out. But they chose a book, their way of expressing things. Michelle has chosen to speak out.
COSTELLO: And you would suspect after that book is published, perhaps they'll appear on television shows too, you know.
SAVIDGE: Maybe right here. COSTELLO: Yes. Maybe so. Martin Savidge, thanks so much.
SAVIDGE: You're welcome. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.
"LEGAL VIEW" with Ashleigh Banfield starts now.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN HOST: Late night nail-biters and outright landslides. Are 2013's hottest racers a precursor for 2014? And is one in particular a practice run for 2016?
Also ahead, so he is finally admitting to it, to smoking crack. But the mayor of North America's fourth largest city is not just refusing to resign, he's insisting, he'll run for re-election.
And her story -- the horrors that she endured in that house in Cleveland will simply break your heart; more this hour from Michelle Knight about overcoming a decade of torment and outright torture.
Hello, everyone. I'm Ashleigh Banfield. It is Wednesday, November the 6th and welcome to "LEGAL VIEW". For a bunch of off- year races that went pretty much as expected, it sure feels like some political forces have shifted. The three most prominent winners from yesterday's state and local elections are two Democrats and a Republican.
