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Lamar Odom Fighting for His Life; Obama's Afghanistan Decision; Deadly Traffic Stop; Ex-Hostage: "Jihadi John" Made Me Tango; Mets Take on Cubs in MLB Playoffs. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired October 16, 2015 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00] METTA WORLD PEACE, ODOM'S FORMER TEAMMATE: Work out.
GARY CHARLES, ODOM'S FRIEND: Lamar is probably one of the greatest and nicest young man I ever met in my life. And so he would give you the shirt off his back. If he was around good people, then he would do good things. But if he was around the other element, he would just go with the flow. That's just who he was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Paul Vercammen is outside the hospital in Las Vegas with more.
Good morning, Paul.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the Odom and Kardashian families have tried to keep things under wraps here, not wanting a lot of information to get out. The last that we've heard is Lamar Odom's still on a ventilator and still not talking. And, in fact, Khloe Kardashian went so far as through her rep to tell Dennis Hof, he's the owner of that brothel, to stop speaking to the media. But while we were both on Nancy Grace, Dennis Hof unloaded and revealed this bombshell that Lamar Odom spent a lot of money in what could best be described as the brothel binge. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENNIS HOF, LOVE RANCH OWNER: He spent $75,000 and that was his number. What he wanted was two girls, 24 hours a day, to take care of any of his needs from food, anything in the bedroom. I'll be here a minimum of four day, maximum of five days. I'll give you 75,000. The girls agreed to it. He put it on a credit card.
NANCY GRACE, HLN ANCHOR: He put -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERCAMMEN: And also we talked with Lamar Odom's grandmother, 89-year- old Florence Odom, over the phone and she talked about what a nice young grandson he was. What a fine young man he had become. And she said perhaps the spotlight, perhaps that show had gotten to him, Carol. COSTELLO: Paul Vercammen reporting live from Las Vegas. Thank you.
And good morning, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.
If the war in Afghanistan seems like it will never end, you have reason to believe that now. Despite President Obama's opposition to an endless war, that's exactly what Afghanistan may become. The president has decided to delay the U.S. troop withdrawal from that country and that sparked immediate reaction among the Republican whose hope to secede him in the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The reality is that the complete withdrawal of our troops from Iraq destabilized that country and he now is recognizing that Afghanistan is becoming potentially a haven for ISIS.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He understands the security environment's deteriorating. He also is trying to keep a campaign promise of ending wars and he split the baby, so to speak, and it's the worst possible outcome.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And while Jeb Bush issued a statement acknowledging he was glad the president reversed his plan, he said, quote, "if President Obama is truly committed to fighting terrorism and securing a stable Afghanistan, he shouldn't shortchange what our military commanders have said they need to complete the mission."
John Kasich, he had a different reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's a wise decision to say we're just not going to go running out of there and lose all the things that we have invested over the years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: With me now, Matthew Miller, chief policy officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserves.
Welcome, sir.
MATTHEW MILLER, CHIEF POLICY OFFICER, IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Thanks for being here. You recently completed a 10 month tour in Afghanistan. Is President Obama right to prolong the withdrawal of U.S. troops?
MILLER: Well, Carol, what we see is that the civilian population in this country has kind of moved on from Afghanistan. They've moved on from Iraq. And what we hope will happen with the president's announcement is that he will call attention back to the fact that we are still a nation at war and that now is a time to unite behind our military men and women who have raised their right hand to protect and defend the United States.
COSTELLO: What's it like for you, as an active service member, to go back to Afghanistan these days?
MILLER: Well, Carol, as you said, I have been back for about a year from Afghanistan, but it was a - the Afghan people are great and gracious people. But in what our focus in is, is trying to make sure that the active duty military person, once they come home and they are on the ground with their families, that we have a safety net, we have a V.A., a Veterans Administration, that is there for them, that provides the care for them, meets the needs for PTSD, meets the needs of female veterans, protects the GI Bill and is a V.A. that is reformed.
COSTELLO: I absolutely agree with that, but I'm wondering, if you're a soldier, or an active duty member and you're told you have to go back to Afghanistan these days, you don't quite know what your mission is, how does that feel?
MILLER: Well, Carol, as your initial segment pointed out, you know, there's - there's sides that are - that are partisan on the left and right. For a military member, there is - the only left and right that they have is the man or woman next to them. And their only concern is doing their job. Making sure that when the light goes on that they're able to perform to the best of their ability and that the platoon leader, platoon sergeant, things like that, they're there to make sure that people come home. And that's all that they're concerned with, just doing the job and coming home.
[09:35:29] COSTELLO: The U.S. has spent years training the Afghan military. It costs taxpayers $65 million. Why do we continue to fail in that area?
MILLER: Well, Carol, I would say that that's - that's a larger question you would have to ask the - the president would have to ask the folks on the ground. But, again, our main focus is making sure that troops have what they need, making sure that when they come home that they're protected and that -
COSTELLO: But, sir, these troops, they work alongside the Afghan military.
MILLER: Well, you're correct. But again, the bottom line for them is making sure that they perform their job. If their job is to train the Afghan military, that they do it to the best of their ability.
COSTELLO: And I think that's admirable, but a part of me says that must be frustrating.
MILLER: Well, Carol, you know, the men and women in uniform, it's been a time-honored tradition to talk about, you know, things that - that their national leaders have done. But, again, when the light turns on, all that goes aside. There is no partisanship, there's no concern of policy. The only concern there is, is the person to their left or their right and making sure that - that folks come home and when they do that we have a safety net for them.
COSTELLO: All right, Matthew Miller, chief policy officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Thanks for being here.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM -
MILLER: Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: You're welcome.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM, disturbing new video captures a traffic stop that left an unarmed teenager dead. So what happened?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:41:23] COSTELLO: CNN has obtained video of a disturbing traffic stop death. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OFFICER: Get your hands behind your back. You're under arrest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't do that.
OFFICER: Get your hands behind your back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer, what are you doing?
OFFICER: Get your hands behind your back. You're under -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer. Ow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: A prosecutor ruled this police officer was justified shooting this unarmed teenage seven times after that altercation. And now the 17-year-old's family is suing, arguing the officer used excessive force when he killed their son who was pulled over for flashing his headlights. CNN's Jean Casarez is here with more.
Good morning.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
You know, this is very hard to watch, this video. It really, really is. And the body cam on the police officer recorded six minutes from the time that he pulled over Deven, the victim. Now, we do want to tell you, it keeps escalating and escalation and escalating. Watch this and see what you think.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) OFFICER: OK, your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance, please. I pulled you over because you flashed me. I didn't even have my brights on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes you did, sir.
CASAREZ: Watch this police body camera video. Seventeen-year-old Deven Guilford on his way to his girlfriend's house back in February. Sergeant Jonathan Frost pulling him over for flashing his high beams.
OFFICER: Driver's license, registration, proof of insurance, please. I did not have them on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did not (INAUDIBLE).
OFFICER: Driver's license, registration, proof of insurance, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do I even know you're an officer?
CASAREZ: Sergeant Frost asks several times for Guilford's license. He refuses, questioning why he was stopped.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Am I being obtained?
OFFICER: Yes, you are.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For what crime?
OFFICER: You flashed me with your high beams.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had your brights on, sir.
CASAREZ: Guilford begins recording their interaction on his cell phone.
OFFICER: You can get with the program and start to comply with this traffic stop or you're going to be taken to jail.
CASAREZ: The officer calls for backup as the situation escalates.
OFFICER: You do not have your driver's license on your person, correct?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do.
OFFICER: Where is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do not have to see it. I cannot see - you had your brights on, sir. I'm not lying to you. I was just doing that to be polite. I didn't want you to flash someone and have someone go off the road and crash, you know?
OFFICER: Do you realize that if you had complied with this traffic stop it would have gone a whole different way for you.
CASAREZ: The officer sees Guilford try to make a phone call and orders him out of the car.
OFFICER: Out of the car or you're going to get tased. Everything's being recorded, son. I've got no problem with that. Get out of the car. Get down on the ground now.
Down on the ground now!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh, stop yelling at me.
OFFICER: Down on the ground! Right here, facing me, down on the ground now!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you mean?
OFFICER: Get on your belly, right now!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what American -
OFFICER: Put your phone down and put your arms out to your side, now!
CASAREZ: Sergeant Frost kicks Guilford's cell phone away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you - I don't have a weapon. Hey.
OFFICER: Get your - you can't -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
OFFICER: Get your hands behind your back. You're under arrest.
CASAREZ: Just about 90 seconds before backup arrive, Sergeants Frost tases Guilford, but he's too close for it to work properly. Roughly 14 seconds later you hear gunshots.
Sergeant Frost says Guilford attacked him, hitting him repeatedly with his fist. Take a look at this slow-mo, frame by frame. You can make the scuffle out just a little more clearly.
OFFICER: Central Point Z72. I shot one. Priority backup. Send EMS, I'm bleeding.
CASAREZ: This body cam video captures Sergeant Frost at the scene, transported to the hospital with these injuries.
[09:45:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looks like a small abrasion at the back of the head.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASAREZ: And the officer was cleared of all wrong doing. The prosecutor concluding that Frost was acting in self-defense. That he reasonably believed at that moment that he could be killed or seriously bodily injured.
Now there was damage to the body camera. It was strewn all around the area there. And the medical examiners finding that Guilford's wounds were all from the front, which they say indicated a struggle.
The family now filing a federal and civil lawsuit alleging the officer used excessive force, violated their son's constitutional rights and wrongfully caused his death.
And Carol, one note to all of this. In the prosecutor's report, it says that Deven's father said that Deven had, in the last few weeks, just become so focused on the internet on officers shooting people that they have pulled over and his father tried to sit him down and tell him they're not all bad. But he was fixated on that, according to the prosecutor.
COSTELLO: You could tell he would not put his cell phone away. The other question I had, he was pulled over for flashing his bright lights. I didn't realize that was illegal.
CESAREZ: I think it's state by state. It's contested issue. But according to the prosecutor's report, Michigan law and the driver's handbook you read before you take the exam, says it's illegal to flash your bright lights at an oncoming car if you are within 500 feet of that car.
COSTELLO: Because it could be dangerous and make the other driver --
CESAREZ: Right. But even if it's illegal, the officer would be able -- he could contest it in court.
COSTELLO: Gotcha. Gotcha. Just really disturbing.
Jean, I'm sure you'll continue to follow this story. Thanks so much.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM, call it dancing with the devil. A former hostage speaks out on the bizarre behavior of the masked ISIS killer known as "Jihadi John."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:51:11] COSTELLO: Didn't think ISIS could get any more bizarre and sadistic? Think again. One of the terror group's former hostages says he wasn't only beaten and tortured by the terror group, but he was forced to dance the tango. His dance partner, the notorious killer known as "Jihadi John."
CNN's Brian Todd has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is ISIS's best-known killer, presiding over the beheadings of Americans James Foley and other Western hostages. He may have killed some himself, and with each video, he's trash-talked his enemies.
"JIHADI JOHN," MASKED ISIS MILITANT: Obama, you have started your aero (ph) bombardment (INAUDIBLE) which keeps on striking our people so it's only right we continue to strike the necks of your people. TODD: Now a new and bizarre account of the cruelty handed out by
"Jihadi John," the masked ISIS militant identified by Western officers as British national Mohammed Emwazi.
Daniel Rye, a 26-year-old Danish photographer held by ISIS are for more than a year, he says, one day, quote, "He picked me up and I had to dance the tango, John and I."
MICHAEL WEISS, CO-AUTHOR, "ISIS: INSIDE THE ARMY OF TERROR": It's not really that surprising that he would have this kind of almost "Clockwork Orange" sense of sinister humor about torturing and abasing one of his hostages. A lot of the ISIS trolls on Twitter were laughing about this. They think it's hilarious.
TODD: In an interview with Danish TV, Rye said when "Jihadi John" was tangoing with him, he kept his eyes on the ground. Looking "Jihadi John" in the eyes, he said, would bring a beating. He says he was beaten anyway after the dance. Then Rye says, quote, "They finished by threatening to cut my nose off with pliers and things like that, where I was thinking what the f."
AKI PERITZ, FORMER CIA ANLYST: The guys who run this organization are -- A lot of these guys who control their hostages, they're sadists.
TODD: Rye says he was held alongside James Foley. Rye was released in June of last year, several weeks before Foley's execution. Rye's family reportedly paid ISIS a large ransom, which the U.S. government had previously discouraged the families of American hostages from doing.
WEISS: The survivors of American victims of ISIS, James Foley's family, Steven Sotloff's family, there's a great deal of resentment that they harbor toward the Obama administration for simply not talking to ISIS, either directly or indirectly, as many European countries have done.
TODD: President Obama has since changed U.S. policy, agreeing to communicate with terrorist hostage-takers, but still no payments. As for "Jihadi John," neither U.S. or British officials will say where they believe he might be.
PERITZ: He's an absolute high value target. We know that the British government is actually looking to strike him in a big way because he's done so much damage to U.S. and U.K. relations. He's also done some terrible things to their own citizens.
TODD (on camera): "Jihadi John" hasn't been seen in a hostage video since January of this year and his fate remains a mystery. There were uncorroborated reports that he might have fled from ISIS, that his value to the group might have diminished after his identity was revealed. But one analyst says his lack of visibility recently might be simply because ISIS might be running out of Western hostages to murder.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[09:54:24] COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, fantasy sports websites are exploding just about everywhere right now, but in one key state playing them is now against the law.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: (INAUDIBLE) to the plate. And he struck him out!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Oh, yes, can you believe it? It's going to be the Mets and the Cubs. I feel like I'm living in an alternate universe and wondering still to this day what happened to my Detroit Tigers.
Andy Scholes, this is just amazing.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, Carol, who would have thunk it at the start of the year, the Mets and the Cubs would be playing for a chance at the World Series? And you know very well that these two fan bases are two of the most tortured fan bases in all of baseball.
The Mets haven't won a World Series since 1986. The Cubs haven't won in 107 years. So one of these teams is going to get a shot at playing in the World Series.
And you know what? For the Mets, they owe a big thank you to their second baseman, Daniel Murphy, for his performance last night. He basically single-handedly beat the Dodgers. Check this out. In the fourth inning, Murphy was on first base and he runs all the way to third on this walk because the Dodgers simply weren't paying attention. He would score on a sac fly to tie the game at 2. Then in the very next inning he comes to the plate and he's going to hit a home run off of Zack Greinke to win that game, 3 to 2.
So now the Mets moving on, playing the Cubs in the National League Championship Series. That series gets started on Saturday. Tonight, Carol, the ALCS gets going. You have the Royals and the Blue Jays.
COSTELLO: I know. Even that's kind of weird, right? The Royals and the Blue Jays. Who would ahead thought? Wow, I'll be watching, though, because that's pretty of awesome. I'm rooting for the Royals. Why not?
Let's talk about fantasy baseball, shall we?
