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Ebola Patient's Liberian Neighbors Speak Out; Possibility of Additional Ebola Screenings at Airports; Supreme Court will not Act on Same Sex Marriage Cases; Mother of Hannah Graham Begs for her Daughter's Return

Aired October 06, 2014 - 09:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And would they work?

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COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, back to Liberia. CNN crews on the ground and on the front lines tracking Ebola. We'll take you inside the house Eric Duncan was renting and what we're finding inside.

Plus, plane hunt 2.0. Crews back in the Indian Ocean, restarting the massive search for that downed Malaysian airliner. Find out why investigators took so much time off and what they're doing differently now.

And, clipped. Big changes at one of the Southeast's biggest grocery stores.

Let's talk live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Good morning and thank you so much for joining me. I'm Carol Costello.

The NBC cameraman who contracted Ebola while working in Liberia is now a step closer to treatment. Moments ago, Ashoka Mukpo landed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska. He will now be taken to Nebraska Medical Center where he'll be treated in isolation in the biocontainment unit. Mukpo was diagnosed on Thursday and he left Liberia yesterday on a specially equipped plane.

In the meantime, in Liberia, the home where Thomas Eric Duncan lived, well, it remains locked up and boarded, exactly how he left it before taking that fateful flight to the United States more than two weeks ago. Duncan's home sits in a neighborhood devastated by the deadly disease as local officials race to stop the diseases' spread. Nima Elbagir spoke to some of Duncan's neighbors. She joins me now from the capital city of Monrovia.

Good morning, Nima.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, we are finally starting to get some sort of sense of how this could have spiraled so out of control. Take a look at this, Carol.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELBAGIR: This is the house where Thomas Eric Duncan was renting rooms. The rest of his neighbors have now all been put under quarantine. They can't go out. But we can come in to them as long as we keep our distance.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): Duncan was renting rooms from the family of Marcaline (ph) Williams. Williams' aunt, Anna Dier (ph), told us she was in her seventh month of pregnancy when she collapsed. Her family and neighbors rushed to help. Duncan amongst them. Now, both of Williams' parents, her aunt says, have tested positive for Ebola, and Duncan is accused of having left Liberia knowingly taking the virus with him.

ELBAGIR (on camera): This door behind me is the room that Thomas Eric Duncan was renting here in this compound. It is the focal point of so much of the fear and paranoia that's ricocheting around the world. And that room, through that door, is exactly how he left it the day he board that plane heading to the United States.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): Teta (ph) Williams is 12. Last week she rushed to her dying sister's aid, alongside Duncan. None of them could have imagined the consequences, she says, especially not Duncan, as he boarded his plane.

ELBAGIR (on camera): Did he know she died of Ebola?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

ELBAGIR: Nobody knew.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nobody.

ELBAGIR (voice-over): The leader of the local Ebola task force has more questions for Teta Williams. His is an unenviable task.

ELBAGIR (on camera): Are you trying to trace all of the people that were in contact with Marcaline (ph)? How many do you have already?

PEWU WOLOBAH, EBOLA TASK FORCE: Right now we have (INAUDIBLE).

ELBAGIR: Almost 100 people.

WOLOBAH: (INAUDIBLE).

ELBAGIR (voice-over): As America struggles to contain the fear of Duncan's diagnosis in Dallas, here they're struggling to come to terms with the mounting death toll. Already nine others who came into contact with Williams are dead or dying.

Nine-year-old Mercy (ph) is being looked after by her 17-year-old brother Harris. Their mother also was among the first at Williams' side. Days later, she herself was rushed to the hospital. Mercy doesn't know this yet, but after we leave, one of the neighbors is going to take her aside and explain that her mother is never coming back home. WOLOBAH: We have been carrying on this awareness over and over. We

tell the people, no matter how much you love your person, it is the health authority (INAUDIBLE) responsible to pick up the sick.

ELBAGIR: It's a lesson they've learned here the hard way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: It really does just bring home that no matter what the intentions, no matter what measures are put in place, unless the death and the disease and the heart break are controlled here at the - at ground zero, there really is no way for anyone anywhere in the world to truly believe they're safe, Carol.

COSTELLO: Nima, I'm just curious, what do Duncan's neighbors feel about possible charges being filed against him in West Africa?

ELBAGIR: Well, they just seem really taken back by that because you heard Teta Williams there talking about it. Everybody rushed forward. It is just such a basic human instinct, isn't it? You see a pregnant woman lying on the ground. You run to her. And I think that's what's been so heartbreaking. Everyone involved seems to have had the best of intentions. And there was no indication, at least to us, that Duncan knew before he got on that flight that he'd been in contact with someone with Ebola.

And that's what's so insidious about this disease. You could have it but until you are symptomatic, until you have a fever, until you're vomiting or showing any of the other symptoms, there is no way of knowing that you have it. And he could have gone through that airport, even with those increased screening measures, and not registered a temperature until he'd been in the United States for a while. And that's just - that is the huge challenge ahead of those struggling to control this disease, Carol.

COSTELLO: Nima Elbagir live from Liberia this morning, thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, lawmakers and others join the push for increased screenings at U.S. airports to prevent an Ebola outbreak in this country. Now CDC officials say they agree. But the specifics, well, they have yet to be revealed. We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: With a second Ebola patient now on U.S. soil, there are growing calls to ramp up security measure at the nation's airports. Now one lawmaker, New York Senator Chuck Schumer, is adding his voice to the debate and offering his own plan to fight Ebola.

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SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: We're asking for two things be done at U.S. airports for those who come from the Ebola hot spots when they arrive. One, take their temperature, two, be more -- much more extensive screening and list of questions that might detect if they had contact with people who have Ebola. (END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN aviation and government regulation correspondent Rene Marsh joins me now from Dulles Airport in Washington, where Thomas Eric Duncan first entered the United States.

Does Senator Schumer have a point?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVT. REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Carol, the calls are getting very loud for the federal government to get more aggressive with its screening process. And Senator Schumer laying it out very plainly there, he wants to see passengers coming from those Ebola hot spots essentially getting their temperatures taken when they arrive right here on U.S. soil. Many people are saying that they think that the current process, which is in place, is a bit too passive. We know what happens now is, if an individual shows obvious signs of being sick, that is when the red flags is raised by customs and border patrol officers. But in Senator Schumer's words, he says that is not enough.

We also know that passengers, at this point, they simply fill out a declaration form. We have an example of what that looks like. And we know that's a traditional form which asks if you're bringing back any items from out of the country. But Schumer says that is not enough either. He wants a detailed, in-depth questionnaire that forces passengers to essentially lay out what kind of contact they had when they were overseas.

But we should point out, we know nothing is foolproof. We know even if temperatures were -- are taken, we know that the incubation period for this is two to 21 days. So it may not be detected.

Finally, Carol, we know that the CDC is meeting with the president today. The question remains now, will they announce that they are indeed stepping up the process here at U.S. airports?

Carol.

COSTELLO: OK. So let's talk more about that. Rene Marsh, thanks to you. I appreciate it.

I want to bring in Mary Schiavo. She's a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general for the Department of Transportation.

Welcome, Mary.

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, so first question is simple, is that a good idea to take people's temperature when they pass through U.S. customs?

SCHIAVO: Well it seems to be the only thing we can get. If we took a lesson from several African countries, 13 African nations have banned travel to and from the Ebola hot spots. And ten airlines, including four British Airways, Air France, Emirate, and Korean Airlines, and then the rest are African carriers, have banned travel, as well. Because the United States is not willing to do that, which is the most practical, common sense, and easiest way to do it, taking temperatures seems to be the best we can get out of our government.

COSTELLO: Who would take the temperatures?

SCHIAVO: That's the best question of all. Because technically, you know, airlines are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, but the Federal Aviation Administration has no power to engage in public health endeavors. That's not aviation safety and security, so that would have to be left to the CDC and the FAA has already said it's up to CDC. And then local health officials, because the CDC doesn't have the personnel. So you would have to call in to state and county health departments to carry out these screenings or get local hospitals and health care workers to do it.

COSTELLO: So let's say they go ahead and do this and CDC officials, or some sort of health official in customs takes people's temperatures, if they're coming from West Africa. Might it open up a whole other can of worms? Because where do you draw the line? Let's take the Enterovirus, which has killed two kids in the United States. Should all children be checked for the Enterovirus if they fly to some other country?

SCHIAVO: Well you know, that's the added problem is, where do you draw the line? No of course, people are overlooking the obvious, which is you can examine people's passports to determine where they've been. And right now, the two carriers that seem to be carrying most of the connecting flights are Royal Air In Morocco and Brussels Airlines. So, most of the flights that will be boarding and coming on and connecting on to U.S. flights will be coming off of those carriers. And remember, we have at least 450 airports, if you break them down to the busiest 40 airports.

So, yes, the temperature taking is - remember, that's a backstop because they aren't willing to do what several nations have already done. Just simply ban flights. And that does not exclude humanitarian aid or medical workers. The African nations themselves that have banned flights, the neighboring countries, exclude healthcare workers and humanitarian aid. So that wouldn't be affected. That's the most logical thing, is to ban it. Short of that, we will be having these health screenings, I assume, because we can't just leave Americans with nothing.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what transpires today after the White House and CDC officials meet. Mary Schiavo, thank you so much.

Alright, I have breaking news to tell you about from the U.S. Supreme Court. Evidently, the justices are not going to act on any same sex- marriage cases, at least the rest of the year. So what does that mean? Let's head to the man who knows the Supreme Court intimately. CNN's Jeffrey Toobin. Why did justices make this decision, Jeffrey?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, they don't explain their reasons for not taking cases. They simply do it without comment. But, they are, I guess, waiting for more appellate courts to address the issue of whether there is a constitutional right to same- sex marriage. So far, every appellate court has said there is a right to same sex marriage. There's no conflict in the courts. So, the justices feel like, apparently, they don't need to address the issue yet. So the issue will continue to be decided on a state-by-state basis, at least for another year.

COSTELLO: Could that mean the U.S. Supreme Court will never consider such cases?

TOOBIN: No. It does not mean that at all. In fact, I think most people, including me, believe they will address it at some point. But, this means that there will continue to be state-by-state litigation, at least for another year. And many states where the issue had been on hold, pending the Supreme Court's decision, will now presumably start to allow same-sex marriages. All the states in the west that are covered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, presumably, will now start allowing same-sex marriages. So, in fact, more states will be allowed to proceed with same-sex marriages, because of today's decision, but there will not be a 50-state resolution during this Supreme Court term, which ends in June.

COSTELLO: Alright, Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's senior legal analyst. Thanks so much. I appreciate it. I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: The parents of Hannah Graham just want to know where their daughter is. The University of Virginia student was last seen on September 13, in an area of Charlottesville, known as the Downtown Mall. Police did arrest the last person they say was seen with Graham, Jesse Matthew, Jr. He is now charged with abduction with the intent to defile. Now, Graham's family has released a video begging for any help to find their daughter. Jean Casarez is following the story for us. This is just gut-wrenching to watch.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it is. But the immensity of the search, you know, it's the largest one in the history of Virginia and right now they're in their briefing to decide where they're going to search today. And it's professional searchers that are out. 110 were out this weekend. 2,400 hours logged this weekend in the search for Hannah. While that was going on, her parents -- and it took courage -- they publicly spoke out again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUE GRAHAM, HANNAH GRAHAM'S MOTHER: Please, please, please help end this nightmare for all of us.

CASAREZ: In this desperate plea for help, Hannah Graham's parents appeal to anyone with information about their missing daughter, to come forward. After days of extensive searching and more than 3,000 tips, there are so far no additional clues in the 18-year-old UVA student's disappearance.

GRAHAM: Despite all of your efforts, Hannah is still missing. Somebody listening to me today either knows where Hannah is or knows someone who has that information. We appeal to you to come forward and tell us where Hannah can be found.

CASAREZ: Police believe 32-year-old Jesse Matthew was the last person with Hannah before she vanished from a Charlottesville mall on September 13. Arrested and charged with abduction with intent to defile, Matthew sits behind bars. Law enforcement sources tell CNN that DNA evidence also ties him to the 2009 disappearance of a different woman, 20-year-old Morgan Harrington, but no charges have been filed in that case. The attorney representing Jesse Matthew did not return CNN's calls for comment. The Virginia Tech student's body was found ten miles from where she was last seen.

GRAHAM: John has already said that this is every parents' worst nightmare. That is true, but it is also a nightmare for our son, James, for Hannah's grandparents, and other members of our family, as well as for all of Hannah's many friends here in Charlottesville and beyond.

CASAREZ: The Grahams say they are hoping that someone will come forward with information and claim the $100,000 reward leading to Hannah's return.

GRAHAM: Please help us to bring Hannah home. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: You know, I've got to tell you, we went to the emergency dispatch center where the 911 operators are taking the calls, the tips, and right before we had gotten there, Hannah's parents went there, unannounced, just walked into the room and said we want to thank you and we are overwhelmed that you care so much about our daughter. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. And I've got to tell you about a private plane that went up this weekend, from the Woolpert company out of Ohio, it is an engineering geothermal firm. And they actually sent out a private plane with very high definition photography. We don't know where they shot. It takes 20 hours to develop those pictures, but that was just another asset that was donated by this company in the search for Hannah.

COSTELLO: A lot of good-hearted people in the world. Jean, thank you very much. Hannah Graham's disappearance and the problem of sexual assault on campuses nationwide has prompted some to victim blame. That's astonishing to me. Laura Ingram, conservative radio host and ABC contributor, posted this question on her Facebook page, do you think girls dress in a way that invites trouble? Those who are actually experts on sexual assault say that question is not only ridiculous but dangerous. It prompted me to write an op-ed for CNN.com.

Two thoughts for from that op-ed for you this morning. The first, from a long-time prosecutor, Linda Fairstein, quote, sexual assault is the only crime in the book where the offender repeatedly blames the victim. I've had men who attacked five-year-old girls who have said, she climbed on my lap and she was very sexy and I thought she was inviting me to touch her. And this from Liz Roberts, the Deputy CEO at Safe Horizon, that's a rape crisis center, quote, we as a culture like the blame the victim because it makes us feel safe. We have a subconscious belief that if women just did all the right

things, like dressing modestly, then we would never be raped. Well sadly, that's just not true. So enough with questions like, do you think girls dress in a way that invites trouble? They only give rapists what they're looking for, an excuse for violence. I would love your thoughts on this, tweet me @CarolCNN with the #talkback and I'll be hosting a live Facebook chat at noon Eastern. The address is Facebook.com/CarolCNN and thank you in advance. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

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