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Plane with Russian Passengers Crashes Killing all On Board; Hillary Clinton Gives Speech in South Carolina; Hillary Clinton's Speech Interrupted by Black Lives Matter Protestors; U.S. to Deploy 50 Special Forces Ops to Syria; Lieutenant Found not Guilty in Killing of Teenager During Drug Sting; GOP Presidential Candidate Campaigns Meeting Regarding Upcoming Debates. Aired 10-11aa ET

Aired October 31, 2015 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:13] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN breaking news.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: You can see the devastation on the faces of families waiting on loved ones, just wanting more answers this morning hours after a Russian passenger jet crashed in Egypt killing all 224 people on board. We're following this breaking news this morning.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Alison Kosik in for Christi Paul.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world.

That plane took off around 6:00 a.m. local time, rising to 31,000 feet before losing contact with air traffic control.

KOSIK: The flight was headed from the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, Russia. Russian state TV reports that many of those who were on the plane were Russian tourists. And this morning grief stricken family members have been gathered at the airport at St. Petersburg waiting for any information about their loved ones.

BLACKWELL: Meanwhile, officials from around the world, they are expressing their support and grief for everyone involved. France saying they are investigating, sending agencies ready to aid if necessary, while td U.S. secretary of state sends America's sympathies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We want to extend our condolences to Russia and all of the families. We don't know any details about it, but obviously the initial reports represent tremendous tragedy and loss. And we extend our sympathies to the families and all those concerned.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLACKWELL: We're covering this story from around the globe this morning. Aviation correspondent Richard Quest live from London, also Ian Lee with us live from Cairo. I'm going to start with Ian. Ian, what are you hearing about recovery efforts this morning?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, we are hearing right now from the prime minister's office. We heard earlier that everyone on board from the Russians, saying that everybody on board had been killed in this accident. Now from the Egyptian prime minister's office saying 15 bodies have been recovered from the scene of the accident. Rescue crews on ground sifting through the wreckage, trying to find other bodies, also, trying to find those black boxes to really figure out what exactly happened here.

This plane taking off early morning hours and about 20 minutes into the flight, that's when it disappeared from radar, crashing into the central, northern central part of the Sinai Peninsula. This is a very mountainous region, which will make it difficult for this recovery effort. The prime minister here is on his way to the scene of the crash to help oversee this. We have heard from the Egyptian president as well saying all resources avail, or all resources will be made available to help in this recovery effort.

This crash, though, the site of the crash was discovered by two Egyptian fighter jets, and it was a while before rescue crews could actually get there and really go through this. This is a route that we see a lot of these charter jets, these jets delivering people going on holiday to Sharm el-Sheikh, a lot of them families going down there. And looking at the numbers, we are also hearing from the prime minister that 214 passengers were from Russia, three of them were from Ukraine, as well 138 were women, 62 were men, and 17 children, people returning from rushing to a holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh. We're still waiting through to hear what exactly brought down that plane.

KOSIK: Ian, what about reports that the pilot of this had radioed in about technical trouble and was looking to land at a different airport?

LEE: We have heard a lot of rumors this morning and in through the day, a lot of them sifting through them really trying to confirm them. That has been the difficulty. We have heard mixed reports from the Egyptian authorities. This report in particular, we heard that the pilot may have radioed in. We called Egypt's Civil Radio Administration, and they say right now they do not know if this pilot, if he did, in fact, call, or if he didn't.

There are still a lot of questions about the final minutes of this plane and if the pilot did, in fact, suspect that something was wrong before it went down. But it was cruising at over 30,000 feet when it started its dissent, hitting speeds up to 6,000 feet per minute.

[10:05:07] And so their question is how this plane was able to - how did they lose contact. And again, we have had a lot of rumors here in Cairo about what possibly took place. But right now what we do know is that the plane disappeared. They are searching for these black boxes. There were rumors -- people may have saw online that there were voices heard from the wreckage. That proved to be untrue. Everyone on board this plane was killed, and now it's a matter of body recovery, and some of those bodies are making their way here to Cairo.

BLACKWELL: The first 15 as you're reported have been recovered and are en route to Cairo.

Let's bring in Richard Quest. Richard, a lot of these questions will be answered upon discovery and analysis of those black boxes. As you have been investigating, the history of this airline and this aircraft over the last several hours, what have you learned?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, the airline Metrojet was rebranded, a rebranded airline of Kogalymavia, which is a Russian air carrier from Siberia. The airline itself has only had two previous incidents, and they seem to be fairly minor incidents. However, the aircraft itself, this particular A321, was involved in what's known as a tail strike in 2001 when it was owned or being released by a previous character. Apparently the damage was substantial. The plane was flying Beirut to Cairo. As it came into land in Cairo, the tail struck the runway and required repair.

Now, that might mean nothing. That might mean absolutely nothing. The 321 incidentally is prone to tail strikes, both on takeoff and landing, because it is a stretched version of the 320. It is one of the things 321 pilots are warned about is that because it is a longer aircraft, as you rotate you have to be careful of that.

But there will be people that will be remembering previous instants where tail strike repairs haven't been done properly and there have been failures, in one case, seven years later. This is just something that's out there. But otherwise the A321, an extremely reliable, extremely safe aircraft.

KOSIK: It is not just that. It is also very popular, isn't it, Richard, this airbus, class of 320 fleet? I understand one takes off every few seconds around the world.

QUEST: I think the number is about 6,000 of the 320 family. That goes from 318, 19, 20, through to the 21. And the only difference -- there is a commonality of cockpit. So one pilot can fly anyone in the range, and the only difference is it just gets longer and longer for more passengers.

And you will see the 320 in all the fleets of all the worlds of all the major airlines. Its direct competitor is the Boeing 327. Airbus is doing the 320 Neo. Boeing is doing the 737 max. But off the top of my head I'm pretty certain every major U.S. carrier has 320s in its fleet, and certainly in Europe the 320 is the backbone of the short- haul fleet now.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's bring in CNN aviation analyst, Les Abend. Les, for those who have been following this, and it seems like a spate of air accidents and incidents over the last 24 months, they know that this investigation will likely expand beyond the Russians and beyond the Egyptians. Who else likely will be involved here? LES ABEND, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, at this point, unless the

Egyptians request the NTSB, I don't know who else would be involved. There are parties to the investigation. The Egyptians follow the standards of the International Civil Aviation standards for that investigation. So they will be bringing in all the parties, meaning the aircraft manufacturer of the airbus, the engine manufacturer, and if there is a union with the pilots, that would be involved also. But all these folks will be parties to the investigation when the NTSB gets involved. It's hard to say at this point.

BLACKWELL: Les Abend, thank you so much. Thanks also to Ian Lee and Richard Quest. And we'll continue to follow the breaking news throughout the morning. Thank you all, gentlemen.

We've got live pictures this morning going to Charleston, South Carolina. We're going to put those up. Hillary Clinton set to take the stage pretty soon.

[10:10:00] But it is her appearance in Atlanta that is still making news. Black Lives Matter interrupted her speech there, and it went on for quite a while. We'll talk with two students who were at that event.

KOSIK: Also, six inches of rain an hour, six inches an hour of rain leading to deadly flooding overnight. This happened in Texas with more rain on the way.

Plus, fighting ISIS -- the U.S. prepares to send Special Forces to Syria as ISIS strikes back with a message to the U.S.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: Happening now, the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, set to take the stage in Charleston, South Carolina, as she kicks off her second day of campaigning in the palmetto state. You are looking at live pictures there. It follows an eventful day in Atlanta yesterday. Clinton had just started speaking at a historically black university, Clark Atlanta, when this happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Using the power -

(SHOUTING)

CROWD: Black lives matter! Black lives matter! Black lives matter!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: About a dozen protesters from the black lives matter movement chanting and cutting her off. This went on for about 15 minutes before they were escorted out. Joining me now, CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny live from Charleston, South Carolina, following the Democratic frontrunner today. Jeff, do you think he is going to talk about this, what happened yesterday? [10:15:00] JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good

morning, Alison. I do not expect her to talk about what happened yesterday. But boy, what a scene that was. She faces a much kinder and more welcoming reception here in Charleston, South Carolina, today. You can see the scene behind me. We are in a union hall, the International Longshoreman's union. They are endorsing here in her presidential bid. Of course a key South Carolina primary, the first primary in the south which will come after the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.

But that moment yesterday from Atlanta, the Black Lives Matter moment, it highlights one of the challenges that all Democratic candidates and some Republicans as well are facing in this campaign. This has become a central issue to people who are running for president. And she actually spoke out about this last night speaking to an NAACP event here in Charleston, South Carolina. She is calling for a change in the type of policing that is going on in this country. So criminal justice reform is one of the issues in this campaign.

But Hillary Clinton is forging ahead. She is trying to seize on what has really been a good couple of weeks in this campaign, the strongest couple of weeks she has had with Joe Biden deciding not to run. Now she is facing only her chief rival, Bernie Sanders.

And South Carolina is a key state for her. She has strong African- American support. Of course, that makes up a critical segment of this South Carolina primary electorate. So when she arrives in this union hall here in just a few minutes, she is going to rally them, and then she'll move on to a full week of fundraising next week as she continues to try and raise money.

But Alison, I can tell you that she is focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement. That is something that will be a challenge for her as she goes forward in this campaign.

KOSIK: We will look to you when she takes the stage. Jeff Zeleny, thanks.

BLACKWELL: Joining us now, two students at Clark Atlanta, Tiffany Mitchell, Aaron Chambers as well. You were both at the event. So what do you make of the protest and the way in which the Black Lives Matter movement members protested? I'll start with you.

TIFFANY MITCHELL, STUDENT AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY: I actually think it is unfortunate. Clark Atlanta University, don't get me wrong, is historic for being a form for social activism and intellectual discourse. However, I think it was a little misguided as Senator Clinton did address their concerned and she acknowledged that she agrees that black lives matter. So unfortunately, I don't think they embraced that or caught that or heard that. So they just kept continuing. It was just unfortunate that the rest of the students that were there to hear her did not have the opportunity.

BLACKWELL: Aaron, what is the appropriate response when that is happening or to the movement? AARON CHAMBERS, STUDENT AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY: To be completely

honest, I think Hillary Clinton handled that situation very well. I think a big point that everyone should make sure they notice is that when they were speaking, she was saying, I think if you give me an opportunity to speak, I may say some things that may come to your liking. I think in that particular moment she went over a lot of students because she still gave a lot of students what they wanted to hear. I think she responded so well. And I think that was a very commendable thing that she did.

BLACKWELL: There were so many people from the video we saw that were chanting, "Let her speak, let her speak," and eventually she had that opportunity.

I want to go to the larger question. She launched her African- Americans for Hillary. You, I learned over the break, are not committed Hillary Clinton supporters. But I wonder, are you going to see or are you expecting to see the level of passion, the degree of dedication for Hillary Clinton on HBCU campuses, historically black colleges and universities, and from the black community that we saw in 2008 and 2012 for Barack Obama.

MITCHELL: I don't know that we will see that level. I can't predict that. What I can say is when she did come to Clark Atlanta University and she spoke, she did change the perception of a lot of students. So from that standpoint I think that she may have won over some supporters based upon her platform that she communicated.

BLACKWELL: Is it possible that Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley can do better than some expect with young black voters?

CHAMBERS: That's difficult to say. It varies from person to person. But what I will say is students such as student at Clark Atlanta are huge on focusing on ideas that matter. If these candidates do make sure they do that, I think they will have a wonderful opportunity such as Hillary Clinton does. Like I said, it's difficult to say, but I look forward to seeing that. I look forward to seeing what they all do. In a year from now, I guess we will say.

BLACKWELL: What about the case she made beyond the protests. She talked about criminal justice reform is one of the elements, one of the major themes of her address yesterday. Did she win you over, did she impress you with this platform?

MITCHELL: I was glad that Hillary addressed that platform, and specifically also she addressed the Voting Rights Act. And I was very appreciative that she did that.

[10:20:03] So she definitely has my consideration. Again, we focus on ideas at Clark Atlanta. We pride ourselves in focusing on ideas that matter. So again, I would like to hear from all of the candidates and what they have to say.

BLACKWELL: Important also to say that Congressman John Lewis was there as well yesterday with the mayor of Atlanta who stood up for her during that protest. He of course since many elements of the Voting Rights Act were stripped has fought for that.

Is it possible that Republicans in this race can win over African- American students? And what would they do? You can't predict the future. What would they have to do? What should they say?

CHAMBERS: Honestly, my opinion, with Hillary Clinton's approach to African-Americans, I think that could be a huge distress for Republican candidates, because seeing what she did yesterday for a lot of students, and not all students agreed, of course, but for a lot of students seeing her come and speak about our issues and ideas that matter to us, I think that's very important. So of course I can't say how well they will do in terms of African-American voters, but I do know that the approach that Ms. Clinton took was a very great one to many students.

BLACKWELL: Are you open to it?

CHAMBERS: I'm open. I'm very open. I know as of now, I've always been a Democratic supporter. That can always change.

BLACKWELL: In a year, we'll see.

CHAMBERS: In a year, we'll see.

BLACKWELL: Aaron, Tiffany, thank you both.

MITCHELL: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Alison?

KOSIK: OK, Victor, the starting quarterback for one of the top football teams in the country suspended for DUI. Details on this developing story coming up.

Plus, another weekend of drenching rain in Texas causing big problems, flash flood warnings with more than 10 inches of rain in some areas. An update on rescue efforts for people swept away by the water.

Also, we continue to follow breaking news. Families learning the fate of their loved ones just hours after a Russian passenger jet crashes in Egypt. All 224 people on board are killed. Live updates on the investigation as we get them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:25:53] BLACKWELL: First responders are again searching for two people swept away by floodwaters. Two others are confirmed dead. You see here heavy rains have had much of the eastern half of the state under a flash flood watch. The airport in Austin was temporarily shut down by six inches of rain in just one hour. The rain is expected to move out by tonight.

KOSIK: In California, a high school teacher in Sacramento has been charged with willful child cruelty after cellphone video showed him tussling with a student during class. It is not clear what set off the altercation. A school resource officer arrested the teacher and removed him from the school in handcuffs. The student was not seriously hurt. The school district is investigating the incident as possibly alcohol related.

BLACKWELL: Happy Halloween from space. NASA says this skull-shaped asteroid will go by earth this morning. Now, it will miss earth by about 300,000 miles, so we've got some space. It's actually farther than the moon. But according to NASA it is the biggest known object to pass so close to earth until 2027.

KOSIK: The Washington Redskins Pierre Garcon is suing FanDuel. The wide receiver claims the fantasy sports site used his image without consent. The lawsuit comes after the federal government launched an investigation into FanDuel and rival fantasy gaming site Draft Kings earlier this month over concerns employees were using insider information to manipulate games.

BLACKWELL: We are staying on top of the breaking news, this Russian jet that crashed in Egypt killing all 224 people on board. Relatives are waiting for loved ones, information about them, in St. Petersburg, overcome with grief. What we are learning about the investigation coming up.

KOSIK: Plus, U.S. Special Forces heading to Syria. But why now after repeated promises by President Obama that no troops would be deployed there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:31:00] KOSIK: We have been following breaking news out of Egypt all morning. The Russian embassy is saying 224 are dead following the crash of a Russian passenger jet in the Sinai Peninsula. Right now devastated family members are gathering at the airport in St. Petersburg, Russia. That's where the flight was scheduled to land. They are waiting for any information about their loved ones.

Meantime, at the crash site, recovery efforts have begun. Egypt's prime minister says 15 bodies have been recovered and are in the process of being transferred to Cairo. Our Ian Lee is following this story from Cairo. Ian, what are you hearing?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The prime minister is on the ground. He is meeting military officials from the Egyptian military there. They are talking about this recovery effort. Those 15 bodies are on their way now to Cairo, to the morgue here.

One of the big things that recovery efforts are doing now is trying to identify the bodies. We have heard that everyone on board has been killed. This is a plane that took a dramatic fall from over 30,000 feet, hitting speeds of up to 6,000 feet per minute. And so it is going to be difficult identifying these bodies. It is in a very rugged part of the Sinai Peninsula, which is going to inhibit some of these recovery efforts.

Really, right now, emergency officials, personnel, are looking for these black boxes, trying to get an idea of what led to this plane coming down. And I have traveled over this part of Sinai a number of times. I can tell you just looking out the window, seeing the terrain, it is incredibly rugged, huge jagged, rocky peaks, which will make it difficult for them to recover and to really figure out what went wrong, piecing together this claim. We know after about 20 minutes into the flight that's when it disappeared from radar. But Egyptian officials until now have not released what they believe or say was the cause behind this tragic accident.

KOSIK: So heartbreaking. You think about these families coming back from the holiday at Sharm el-Sheikh. Many of these people just coming back and getting away from the cold and going back home and this happening now.

LEE: That's right. I've gone to Sharm many times. And you see these jets coming in from not just Russia but all over Europe, people coming in for a holiday, many of them families coming to spend a week at the beach.

And when you look at the people that are on board this flight, it was a mix of everyone. You had 138 women, you had 62 men, 17 children. It does look like people escaping the cold of northern Russia coming to Egypt for a vacation. And, tragically, their vacation ended in this way.

Egyptian authorities want to reassure people, they are going to want to reassure people that they are on top of this. They are working with the Russian authorities, saying that they are in close communication to really get to the bottom of this.

KOSIK: And hoping that the black boxes can provide some answers here. Ian Lee reporting live from Cairo, thanks.

BLACKWELL: New this morning shall the war on ISIS is intensifying. Secretary of State John Kerry says the U.S. will provide nearly $100 million in new assistance to the Syrian opposition. That brings the U.S. support towards the Syrian opposition to nearly $500 million. The assistance will support activists, first responders, and other needs of the Syrian people.

And this comes as the White House announces that U.S. troops will be going to Syria. There will be up to 50 special ops forces there on the ground.

[10:35:00] It is the most significant escalation of the American campaign against ISIS there in Syria to date. Meanwhile, Secretary Kerry just clarified what the role of those troops will be.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY: President Obama has made a very straightforward and simple decision entirely in keeping with his originally stated policy that we must defeat and destroy Dash. It is not a decision to enter into Syria's civil war. It is not an action or a choice focused on Assad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Dash a term used referencing ISIS. Let's talk more about this with retired army colonel, Peter Mansoor. Colonel, good to have you this morning.

COL. PETER MANSOOR, U.S. ARMY (RET): Good to be on, thank you.

So Secretary Kerry says this decision to provide troops is not a decision to enter this civil war. But how is it that this up to 50 Special Forces, ops, will be able to direct these rebels without getting involved in that civil war?

MANSOOR: The location where the Special Forces coordination teams will be operating in northeastern Syria really isn't a government stronghold. The Syrian-Arab coalition and the Kurdish forces that they are going to be advising are really focused on the battle around Raqqa and the operations against ISIS. So, in this sense, it is a happy meeting of the mission to destroy ISIS and the desire not to get involved in the civil war, which is raging really further to the west.

BLACKWELL: Listen to something we heard from White House Press Secretary John Earnest and then we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: These forces do not have a combat mission. This is not in any way an attempt to diminish the risk that they will face or the bravery they will need to summon to carry out these operations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Not a combat mission, but you take into context the death of a service member in Iraq after those servicemen and women are not in combat either, what's your reaction to that classification?

MANSOOR: I think a better way to put it is they don't have an offensive combat mission but they are in combat. They will be advising Kurdish and rebel forces in a headquarters, arranging logistics, helping them coordinate their operations. But they won't be necessarily on the front lines embedded with Kurdish or other elements fighting ISIS.

On a case by case basis, they still will accompany Special Forces on raids in Syria, and that's something the White House has made clear. But this 50-man coordination element really is intended to help at a higher level in coordinating logistics and so forth.

BLACKWELL: The number of servicemen who have been sent to Iraq to assist and advice has ballooned over the last 18 months or so. We are starting with fewer than 50 in Syria. Is it your expectation we will see these numbers grow exponentially in Syria as well?

MANSOOR: I think the numbers will have to grow if you want any kind of hope of destroying ISIS. We simply don't have enough force on the grown. There aren't enough resources being applied to help the indigenous combat forces do the job of destroying ISIS on the ground. So yes, I think this will number will grow in the months ahead, and potentially after there is a new administration that comes into office, because most of the presidential candidates have said that the war on ISIS needs to be ramped up.

BLACKWELL: All right, Colonel Peter Mansour, so appreciate your insight, sir.

MANSOOR: Thanks, good morning.

BLACKWELL: Thank you. Alison?

KOSIK: All right, Victor, there's New dash cam video out capturing the shooting death of a South Carolina teen by a police officer. We have got details on the investigation.

Plus, the GOP deciding to suspend its next presidential debate with NBC. What the network, what the candidates and Republican National Committee are doing to resolve the issues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:42:51] BLACKWELL: Well, it's a drug sting gone bad, a fatal ending for a South Carolina teenager last summer.

KOSIK: The police officer in the case has been cleared, but now dash- cam video shows the actual incident. Our Nick Valencia is covering this for us. Nick, why is the Justice Department involved in this one.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The family, what they saw in that dash cam video is not what the solicitor saw. They believe federal charges should be brought forward against Lieutenant Tiller here. And they're not alone. State Representative Todd Rutherford saying he is going to appeal to the attorney general to reopen the case. We want to warn you the video that you are about to see could be considered graphic by some.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: You can hear the tires screech as Lieutenant Mark Tiller pulls into the fast food parking lot. In less than a few seconds, gunfire. The two shots killed the driver, 19-year-old Zachary Hammond. He was unarmed. Investigators say he had drugs in his system and packaged cocaine in his pocket. Listen as Lieutenant Tiller describes why he opened fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He got ahold of me.

VALENCIA: The police dash cam video shows what Seneca, South Carolina police say, was a drug sting. The target, the passenger of the car, 25-year-old Tracy Morten. She was on a date with Hammond at the time of the shooting. Her sobs can be heard as an officer stands over Hammond. The video was released this week, days before Lieutenant Tiller is cleared of wrongdoing.

"After a careful consideration of the facts of the case," the solicitor writes in her ruling, "I have determined that no criminal charges should be filed against Lieutenant Mark Tiller at the state level." She continues, "This has been a very difficult case. No parent should ever have to bury their child."

ANGIE HAMMOND, MOTHER OF ZACHARY HAMMOND: We are more disappointed by an investigation that seemed more focused on attacking the victim, which was Zach, than investigating the shooter.

VALENCIA: At a press conference Thursday, Hammond's parents and attorney say the blame for the fatal shooting rests solely on Lieutenant Tiller.

ERIC BLAND, HAMMOND FAMILY ATTORNEY: You would need a set of glasses that doesn't even exist to say that Lieutenant Tiller was in danger of being struck by that automobile.

[10:45:01] VALENCIA: In an interview shortly after the shooting, the Seneca police chief defended his officer.

CHIEF JOHN COVINGTON, SENECA POLICE: You know when you sign up to be a police officer that that potential is there in your career, that you might have to use deadly force.

VALENCIA: Choking back tears, Hammonds mother says the video proves her son should not have been shot.

HAMMOND: Zach cared more about Tiller's life than Tiller cared about Zach's.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: Lieutenant Tiller's attorney says that his client acted in self-defense, saying the solicitor's decision defends the officer's position. Meanwhile, a civil case in court is still pending. Guys?

KOSIK: All right, Nick Valencia, thank you.

BLACKWELL: Thanks so much.

The GOP suspends its next debate with NBC. So-called "gotcha questions" at the root of the dispute between the party and the network. We'll talk to the communications director for Mike Huckabee's campaign to see what the candidates are looking for in this next presidential debate.

KOSIK: First, we want to show you another of this year's top ten CNN heroes. For the past 16 years Rochelle Ripley has dedicated her life to helping members of the Lakota Sioux tribe in South Dakota. The scenery is breathtaking, but the 9,000 people who live on the reservation face extreme levels of poverty and unemployment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROCHELLE RIPLEY, CNN HERO: There are really no businesses to speak of, no industry at all. And so they are very isolated. It is about 40-60 miles to the nearest grocery store. So that creates -- if you forget bread, you don't go back and get it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KOSIK: And Ripley's nonprofit has provided $9 million in help to the Lakota people. It's an amazing story of dedication and spirit. And you can watch it at CNNHeroes.com. Then check out all of this year's top ten and vote for your favorite to become CNN Hero of the Year. You can vote once a day at CNNheroes.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: On Sunday, advisers from several Republican candidates and campaigns are meeting in Washington, planning to wrest more control over the debate process from their own party. The Republican National Committee, the committee that sanctioned Wednesday's debate on CNBC, has not been invited.

Candidates were not happy with the tone, the timing, the content in many ways of that debate. But the RNC is suspending its partnership with NBC, CNBC's parent company, for a debate planned for February. Here now to discuss is Alice Stewart. She is the communications director for GOP candidate Mike Huckabee's campaign. Good to have you this morning.

ALICE STEWART, MIKE HUCKABEE'S CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Great to be here, Victor, thank you.

BLACKWELL: So tell us, what is the goal of this meeting? What specifically are you going into this meeting wanting to get out of these next two debates?

STEWART: The goal is for all the campaigns and the candidates to get together and really try to take ahold of the process. When we went into this last debate, there were countless hours spent on going over the rules and the format and the topics, and how we are going to go into this debate. At the end of the day, we felt like we were sucker punched.

CNBC is the business news network, and one of the leading business news networks. And behind the stage was your money, your politics, and your vote. And instead of talking about things like the Federal Reserve and things like the recent budget deal, we are talking about flying off the stage and comic book campaigns and fantasy football.

And Governor Huckabee expected and wanted to go on the stage and talk about serious issues like the problems with the recent Transpacific Trade deal, Obamacare. He wanted to talk about protecting Social Security for our seniors, which none of the other candidates wanted to do, and protecting Medicare. These are the issues that the candidates wanted to talk about. Unfortunately, they didn't get the opportunity.

BLACKWELL: Let me ask you about this. I know that you're going to this meeting. You didn't set up the meeting. You're invited like many other campaigns. But what about not inviting the RNC? Would you like them to be a part of this conversation?

STEWART: Well, the point of the meeting is for all the campaigns to get together and agree what's most beneficial in the upcoming debate for the campaigns and the candidates. And the RNC will certainly be a part of the final conversations.

But, look, I have been with presidential candidates at the top of the polls and at the bottom. And all of the candidates put their life and livelihood on the line, and they go into these debates to have an opportunity to show contrast with the other candidates and educate the voters on where they stand on the issues. And that hasn't been the case.

And so, if nothing else, the CNN debate has done something and the moderators have unified the candidates together to work together in what's most beneficial to them. Going into a debate is very time consuming and costly.

BLACKWELL: We have just a few seconds left, and I want to know, if some of the demands, if there is a list that's put together, a consensus out of this meeting, do you foresee that Government Huckabee would boycott a debate if the network doesn't agree to the demands or requirements?

STEWART: That's not even something that's on the table at this point. What governor Huckabee proposes, give every candidate the exact equal amount of time. If they want to use the entire time on the first question, so be it, and then they are done for the day. But Governor Huckabee wants equal time for all the candidates. He wants an equal number of questions. We had technical issues in this last debate that led him to not be able to hear very well. So we need to address all of these things, the topics, the timing, as you said, technical issues. But give everyone equal time, equal questions, and make it fair and substantive. And that's what all the candidates want, and they are united in that.

[10:55:13] BLACKWELL: Let's see what comes out of this meeting on Sunday. Alice Stewart, thank you so much.

STEWART: Thanks, Victor.

BLACKWELL: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: College football's top-ranked team is not playing, but Ohio State is still making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

KOSIK: Coy Wire has more on this morning's Bleacher Report from Auburn, Alabama. Hey, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alison, hi Victor. Yes, the Buckeyes quarterback was arrested early this morning on charges of operating a vehicle while impaired. J. T. Barrett, according to an Ohio State athletic spokesman, was cited by Columbus police at a campus area checkpoint. Here is the problem. Barrett is only 20 years old, so he shouldn't have even been drinking in the first place. He was driving while impaired, and he's the starting quarterback for college football's defending national championship team. He has now been suspended by head coach Urban Meyer from next week's game against Minnesota. And just as college football is heating up, three days before the college football's playoff committee releases their first rankings, number one Ohio State finds themselves dealing with controversy.

Speaking of heating up, guys, we are here at Auburn where about an hour from now, a sellout crowd will be filling up Jordan-Hare stadium behind me for an SEC slugfest.

[11:00:01] Twenty-first ranked Ole Miss will try to keep title hopes alive when they tussle with the Tigers who have beaten them in five straight matchups.