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Russian Security Auditors Arrive In Egypt; Protests, Hunger Strike, And Boycotts Abound On Mizzou Campus; Investigation Into Six- Year-Old's Shooting Death During A Police Pursuit Widens; Ben Carson Criticizes Media For Digging Into Claims About His Past; Hundreds Gather For Memorial Service At St. Issac's Cathedral For Russian Plane Crash Victims. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired November 08, 2015 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The police were flooded with calls and people posting video of this strange light all over social media. U.S. military official say not to worry. It was just a missile test and the rocket was not armed.

We have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM. And it all starts right now.

Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. A Louisiana town is reeling as friends and family prepare to say good-bye to a 6- year-old boy killed during a heroine police pursuit. Jerry Mardis was shot five times in the head and chest as his father's vehicle was being chased by two officers Tuesday night in the town of Marksville. One of his teachers remembers him fondly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was just an innocent little boy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He always was an angel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The two officers are behind bars charged in the young boy's murder. CNN just learned the father's condition was upgraded from critical to serious. Still many questions remain to how it happened and how a 6-year-old was innocently gunned down.

CNN's Nick Valencia joining me now from Marksville, Louisiana.

So Nick, what more are you learning?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two very big questions in this community is why the marshals would have chased that father into that dead end? And why they would have used lethal force?

We have been looking into the history of these police officers. And according to local media reports here in the area at least one of those officers has had a history of a past run-in with the criminal justice system. Back in 2011, 32-year-old Derrick Stafford, he is one of those

officers charge with the murder of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis, was indict on two counts of aggravated rape. One incident stemming back from September 2004, another incident in 2011. Those cases were eventually dismissed without prejudice. Meaning charges could still very well come forward. In our research of both history of the officers, we have not found any time or event where they've been convicted of a crime. They are, of course, are still in police custody and will have their first court appearance later this week, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Nick, at the same time, you spoke with at least one person who knows these officer and is quite shocked.

VALENCIA: It was quite shocking to hear this manager describe these two officers who have been accuse of second degree murder as good citizen, as good people. He in fact described them as his brothers, Fredericka. Take a listen to what he had to say earlier when I spoke to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHI AWADLY, GAS STATION MANAGER: I know Derrick and Norris like my brothers.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tell me - Tell us about them because we don't know anything about them.

AWADLY: They are good people, man. They're nothing bad, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: Much of the focus in this community however has been on 6- year-old Jeremy Mardis. There was a viewing for him earlier today held in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We expect a funeral to happen sometime tomorrow as well in Hattiesburg. But so many people torn apart. You heard the teacher there, special needs teacher, just a little while ago mentioned him being an angel. I spoke to his teacher at the site of that memorial, the site of the shooting scene, I should say, she was just crushed around heartbroken. And so many people in this community of 5,000, they just don't want Marksville to be known for what happened to this 6-year-old boy. But so many people just can't help talk about this horrific, horrific tragedy that happened on Tuesday night, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, horrible indeed. Thank you so much, Nick Valencia.

Let's talk more about this. Joining me now CNN law enforcement analyst Cedric Alexander. He is also the former police chief of DeKalb County, Georgia. Good to see you.

CEDRIC ALEXANDER, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good seeing you.

WHITFIELD: All right. So this 6-year-old little boy, we understand that he was in the front seat. We understand he is autistic. He was with his dad. Still unclear according to, you know, police the circumstances leading up to this but we did hear from the police chief who said this is a hard situation to grasp.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We took some of the body cameras footage. Let me tell you something, I'm not going to talk about it but I'm going to tell you this. It is the most disturbing thing I've seen. I will leave it at that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. He is the head of the Louisiana state police. So, help us understand, what might be the circumstances that would lead to something like this happening, this little boy in the front seat. There was a police chase. Is there a feeling that police had no idea this child was in the front seat? Again, we don't even know why the man was being pursued in the first place and why police felt there was a threat. Isn't that usually the reasoning behind when an officer would open fire?

ALEXANDER: That would usually be the case. But this is a very unusual case. And at this point certainly there's a lot more information that certainly need to be require and probably will be over the next number of days and weeks to come. But what's very unusual about this and what we know right now, if you listen to the Louisiana state colonel there, when he makes the statement that he won't get into what that video finding was and how disturbing it was --

[15:05:01] WHITFIELD: So there was a body cam.

ALEXANDER: Absolutely. There was body cams. There was technology there on the scene. That and in of itself, its statement that he made himself is very concerning. Because clearly you could see from his body language, from his voice, from his inflexion, from him being there, something here is very much wrong.

WHITFIELD: And it says a lot, too, that the arrest came so quickly of officers.

ALEXANDER: Absolutely. So they probably have a lot of compelling evidence that would suggest that these officers may have been involved in something that really got way beyond them somehow. What the circumstances are we don't know. But what we have is a 6-year-old youngster who has been killed result of whatever this is that was witnessed in that video.

WHITFIELD: What's most upsetting or disturbing to you, again, not knowing all the facts surrounding the pursuit, what led to the opening of gunfire here, but everyone's kind of gut reaction here, particularly hearing about a 6-year-old killed, now we understand to be the youngest of the criminal involved shooting of the year, the guttural reaction is, oh, my gosh, how in the world this happen? What's your reaction? ALEXANDER: That's my reaction as well. You know, the death of this

6-year-old in this familiar incident in and of itself. But what's also very concerning for me that from what we know, from what we're reading coming out of that community, there was no weapon found at the scene that belonged to the subject in question. There were no shots fired by him as well either. So where did the threat come from with these officers? And that's what we got to hear. And I think at some point we will hear that. Because at the end of this you have got a 6- year-old child that was killed. And somebody's going to have to explain that to everybody here.

WHITFIELD: Why wouldn't we hear that already? Even from the head of this state police who was willing to already say this is the worst thing I've ever seen, but then why would we not hear about the threat or the lack thereof when this head of the police department who is already willing to say that this is horrible, it's the worst I've ever seen, it means he already knows enough to say that. And that it would lead to the arrest of two. So why wouldn't we hear a little bit of detail about the threat or lack thereof?

ALEXANDER: Because what you want to be very cautious of, this is the beginning of an investigation. And as a law enforcement leader you want to be sure not to say too much that would jeopardize the integrity of that investigation.

WHITFIELD: Even though two were arrested.

ALEXANDER: Even though two were arrested. So what we have to do in a very calculated way, we have to let the community know. Here is what we know. We have an arrest and made 6-year-old child who has been shot and killed, this is going to needs to be explained to the community and to a judicial system as well too. But we got to do it in a sophisticated orderly manner.

And plus, you also have to have to remember that chief or that superintendent, whoever is leading this investigation, also have to work in accordance with the DA's office in that community and other judicial processes as well, too. But what you will find over the next number of days as the investigation continues, hopefully more and more will be released. So that we will have more information to pass on to the community.

WHITFIELD: And then I wonder in a case like this which affects so many in that community and really across the nation, everybody one is touched in this story. What in your view, how in your view does this impact the relationship between the police in that community and the people that they serve when everyone feels like that's their 6-year- old little kid, autistic kid, who was just killed in this shoot that still has an awful lot of unanswered questions?

ALEXANDER: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: What is that going to be like for police officers in the community that is serving that community?

ALEXANDER: Well, not just in that community but across this country, as well too. Because in light of everything that is going on around police and community, it's certainly creates that pause again and we're finding ours constantly there. But in this community in particular, in Louisiana, not knowing what the relationships were between that community and those part-time marshals is going to be of interest as well, too. Because I think that at the end of all of this, the more that we learn about what occurred, it gives us all some sense of understanding. But it is going to be very, very difficult for us to be comfortable with the fact, even if this event, whatever may happen, that a 6-year-old child died and there is no evidence that we know of at this moment, that's been reported, that these officers were shot at or their lives were threatened in any kind of way. But at this point if you look Atlanta the surface, it looked very reckless in nature from what we see right now.

WHITFIELD: All right. Cedric Alexander, good to see you. Thank you very much.

ALEXANDER: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, U.S. officials are more confident than ever now that that Russian jet was brought down by a bomb. But Egyptian officials say not so fast. The latest on the investigation and new questions about security at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:13:16] WHITFIELD: Russian security auditors just arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt where the doomed Russian plane departed one week ago. And they are reportedly beginning their work tomorrow. They says airport officials refute reporting by the "Associated Press" that there were security lapses by the airport. U.S. officials tell CNN that they are 99.9 percent certain a bomb brought down the jet. That theory is largely centered around intercepts of ISIS chatter before and after the crash.

This morning Reuters is quoting an unnamed member of the investigation as saying the noise heard on the plane's cockpit voice recorder was likely an explosion caused by a bomb. But the head of the investigation in Egypt is denying that report.

Let's get to CNN's Nima Elbagir. She is in Sharm el-Sheikh.

So Nima, what more is coming out of this investigation?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredericka.

Well, there does seem to be a growing sense that this was an act of terror. All the nations closely involved in this, nationally down with the UK statements and we've had statements of increasing certain Tuesday on behalf of the U.S. and then of course president Putin suspending all flights between Sharm el-Sheikh and Russia and now sending in the Russian security auditors.

But throughout this, Egypt has maintained that there really isn't as yet enough evidence. In fact, the spokesman for the civil aviation authority told us that not only do they not believe that as yet it is possible to tell exactly what brought down this plane, but they are still confident that their security measures were and remain more than adequate.

He tells us that luggage, for instance, is screened three separate times. One at entrance, one at -- once at check-in, and once at departure. And they are confident, he says, that there would be no way a passenger could bribe any handler to get the case on the planes. Yet, there does seem to be a sense of standoff between a sense of consolidation of broad base of opinion among the variety of countries and then staunched denial, Fredricka.

[15:15:25] WHITFIELD: So, interesting, Nima. So they say no passenger may have been able to infiltrate, but are they willing to talk, investigators willing to talk about the possible notion that someone who worked at the airport may have had duo purpose and may be responsible in any kind of smuggling of an explosive or something like that on a plane?

ELBAGIR: Well that is absolutely the phrasing that jumped out to me as well, the fact that they use the word passenger, that no passenger could have access. So when we went back to them and said, well, are you questioning any of the staff at the airport about this? They would not confirm or deny. They said they were looking into all possibilities in this investigation. They weren't going to get into any details. But for now, they continue to be pushing that pretty hard. They're saying these are allegations, that they are false and that the generalizations are unacceptable, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: And initially wasn't it being reported that while passengers, British, or even Russian passengers that were in Sharm el- Sheikh, there were planes that they would be able to board to go back home, return home, but without luggage, that luggage would be on a different carrier? So is now the issue luggage has to stay behind in Sharm el-Sheikh and there are many passengers who say they don't want to be separated from their luggage at all?

ELBAGIR: Well, now they are pulling out a lot of the stopping in terms of getting cargo flights to move quicker. They are intensifying all of these flights. But that doesn't seem to be enough to assuage the concerns of the passengers. A lot of them are just unwilling to part with their luggage, especially as they're being told they only can take on two pieces of pretty small cabin baggage. It is just a sense of insecurity in general, I think, that's permeating a lot of these passengers' responses.

The Egyptians are saying they're moving it as quickly as possible. Today alone 55 flights from Russia are scheduled to come in and out picking up passengers and taking their luggage out behind them. But that isn't even beginning to dent that broad base of standard Russian passengers, 11,000 left? There are still over 50,000 to go, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: OK, big numbers.

All right Nima Elbagir, thank you so much in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Let's talk more about this then with Paul Ginsberg. He is forensic audio expert.

So Paul, a lot of back and forth now about this noise heard in the last second of that cockpit voice recording. And interview of some, it was an explosion. In the view of others, you just can't tell. So how do they go about definitively determining what that was?

PAUL GINSBERG, FORENSIC AUDIO EXPERT: OK. Well, of course this is just one little piece of evidence. And I think it's very important to take it in the totality of the other pieces of evidence. For instance, when the liner is reconstructed to see whether the projectiles and the pitting on different parts of the airliner are consistent with a bomb or with some sort of a malfunction. One second of recording is very difficult to extrapolate. And once we use this piece of information, I think it's going to be interesting because the value of this one second of recording is that we will be able to eliminate certain different scenarios such as a malfunction or a pilot error or something of that nature.

WHITFIELD: Meaning, if I could stop you there, just meaning just to help elaborate on that point you're making because it's a beautiful point. But you are saying if there is a lack of dialogue between pilots or any radioing of we have got a problem or trying to, you know, trying to fix a problem, that would be recorded and that may lead to something. But if that isn't there, that makes it that much more complicated?

GINSBERG: That's right. Exactly. It shows that up until that last second, everything was fine, which is evidence also by the data recorder recording everything about the engines, the wings, the flap, and all that. And as one of my heroes, Sherlock Holmes always said, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. So I think we're pointing toward a bomb at this point.

WHITFIELD: And that something else you said earlier that if I could ask you to elaborate further. You said, you know, until the plane could be reconstructed, well, the Pan Am flight 103 over - Lockerbie, it was a very long time because when you are talking about very small pieces of debris. This is not a matter of weeks where you can reconstruct this kind of crash site. We are talking way down the line. But don't investigators want to know well before that point whether this was an explosion. And, if so, how did it get on the plane, what part of the plane was it in? So is there another way of reaching the kind of conclusion that you talked about without having to reconstruct this plane?

[15:20:24] GINSBERG: Well, yes. There will be some preliminary findings based upon what's found on the passengers, what's found on the different pieces of debris that is chemical traces of one kind or another which may lead to a conclusion that this was a bomb. And if, in fact, it was, where in the plane it was located.

WHITFIELD: All right. Paul Ginsberg, thank you so much. Very compelling information there. We appreciate your expertise.

GINSBERG: My pleasure. WHITFIELD: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:24:47] WHITFIELD: All right. Peaceful protests, a hunger strike, and now dozen of players on the University of Missouri football team are planning to boycott all future games until the school's president resigns. They say Tim Wolfe's been negligent in responding to racist incidents on campus including a swastika drawn out of human feces on a dorm wall.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is following the developing story.

So Polo, this isn't the first act of protests. But what is going on at the university right now?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, I can tell you that there really has been a series of incidents and complaints that have now brought us to this situation here where not necessarily just a football team, but also so many other players are coming together trying to put pressure on the Missouri university system to act and to really resolve several issues.

In fact, one of the players, Jonathan Butler, currently in the middle of a hunger strike, he is a grad student at this campus. He submitted a letter online at which he outlines several incidents of racism, sexism, and also homophobia in the last 90 days of that campus. It includes the student body president being called the "n" word. Also Planned Parenthood services being stripped from students. And then you mentioned that the very disturbing detail of the swastika drawn on a university dorm.

But what's interesting here, Fred, is ultimately a lot of this is being, the complaints are being directed at the university president, Tim Wolfe, who has been responding to these complaints. I want to bring up the very first -- one of the first statements that he has actually posted online here recently. The first one here in which he actually recognizes that racism is a problem on that campus. It says quote "racism does exist at our university. It is a long-standing, systemic problem which daily affects our family of students, faculty, and staff. I am sorry this is the case. I truly want all members of our university community to feel included, valued, and safe as well."

I should mention that really a lot of this frustration is also being -- it's coming from an incident October 10th, Fred. This is when the school president was actually taking part in a parade. Several members of the concerned student 1950 activist organization there at the campus actually blocked the president's vehicle and the president did not necessarily get out of that car and actually have a conversation with them. And that's why President Wolfe is now reacting to -- responding to that, apologizing in this next statement that I want to read for you. It's a little lengthy but very important here so you can get a better understanding of what's happening there in Missouri.

He says quote "I regret my reaction the MU homecoming parade when the concerned student 1950 group approached my car. I am sorry and my apology is long overdue. My behavior seemed like I did not care. That was not my intention. I was caught off guard in that moment. None the less, had I gotten out of the car to acknowledge the students and talked with them, perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today," which by the way, also referring to a majority of those high school -- rather, the college football team actually refusing to play and to practice.

And lastly, Fred, I do need to include this because just a few moments ago President Wolfe putting out yet another statement just a few minutes ago here that I'm reading in which he's actually saying that it is clear that changes need to happen within the Missouri university system. As a result, he's actually working with several representatives at the university to try to make this change happen through a systemic diversity and inclusion strategy plan. He is giving school officials until April 2015 to come up with that plan and actually put it into effect. But I have to tell you, Fred, after speaking to one of the members of that organization concerned student 1950, they are confident that this is not the solution, they want Wolfe gone.

WHITFIELD: Wow. OK. Clearly, this story still has a lot of movement in it. Polo Sandoval, keep us posted.

SANDOVAL: You bet.

WHITFIELD: All right. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:58] WHITFIELD: All right. Hello, everyone. And welcome. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the president of the United States will be meeting this week. And I think Netanyahu will be arriving tomorrow. He is looking to mend his relationship with the United States after his controversial address to Congress where he lobbied against the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu says he plans to discuss defense aid with president Obama. U.S. officials say no final deal on aid is likely.

All right. Our other top story that we are updating right now.

In Louisiana, the investigation is widening into the tragic death of a 6-year-old boy killed during a harrowing police pursuit. Jeremy Mardis was shot five times in the head and chest as his father's vehicle was being chased by two officers Tuesday night in the town of Marksville. While the circumstances behind the shooting are still not known, the reaction from the head of the Louisiana state police is very telling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. MICHAEL EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE: We took some of the body cameras footage. Let me tell you something, I'm not going to talk about it but I'm going to tell you this. It is the most disturbing thing I've seen. I will leave it at that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Most disturbing thing that the colonel has seen. And this little boy, a 6-year-old, we have sense learned he was autistic. He was in the front seat with his dad. Still unclear when the father was behind the wheel and driving, why two police officers were in pursuit of him. Still unclear why the two police officers did unload and fire at the vehicle. The little boy was hit at least five times. The father as we understand is still being hospitalized. His condition has been upgraded from critical to serious. There are people in that community who are expressing their concern. They had their prayers for the family. This is one woman who knew that little boy Jeremy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just brought this cute bear, puppy dog, and our wreath from the autism network. When a child in our community, you know, needs something, we're there for them.

VALENCIA: You guys are there for them. What goes through your heart and your mind when you look at this for Jeremy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just know he's watching over everybody. He always was an angel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: He was an angel from people there in the community who are just heartbroken the 6-year-old boy was caught in this crossfire while in the vehicle with his dad. We understand that he is the youngest person to be killed in a police-involved shooting this year. We know that two police officers have been arrested. The two officers involved.

We also know, we heard this from the colonel of the state police a few days ago, these are the two police officers now facing charges resulting in the death of the little boy. We heard from the colonel who had said that there was one of the officers on the scene who also had a body cam.

Let's talk more now with the colonel from the Louisiana state police, Michael Edmonson is actually with us now out of Marksville, Louisiana, as you're going the see in this shot. He is also still being wired up and miced up so that we can have this conversation. Still so many questions.

Colonel, thank you so much for being with us. So many questions about what happened here. And we realize that the investigation is ongoing. Two officers who are now facing charges that resulted in the death of this 6-year-old, but you were clearly very disturbed by what happened. You were willing to already say, you know, in front of cameras that this was one of the most disturbing things that you have ever said. What is it you were willing to say, that but you're still very tight lipped about other circumstances about this investigation at that time? [15:36:12] EDMONSON: Well, you're exactly right. You know, as a

father, I've been a police officer for 35 years. But as a father, much less as a state police, it was a disturbing, disturbing video that I watched. And that really helped move us forward. But I think what's most important, too, is very compelling. Because here is the deal. I've got a deal, in fact, what is important to me is what caused those police officers to pursue Mr. Few, what caused them to open fire at that traffic stop, itself, because here's the deal. All that aside, you know, Jeremy Mardis, 6-year-old, is dead. And we need to find out why. Why did that many gunfire take place? Mr. Few didn't have a gun. He didn't return fire. There was no warrant. So that's important to us.

But I've got to deal in facts. It's a lot of rumors going around. I've got to deal in facts as to what actually caused that. That's what's important to me. But when I saw that tape I knew that we had to move forward on this.

But again, and I told my officers, nothing is more important than the integrity of this case. You know, the public allows us to wear this badge right here. And they expect us, they demand us that we do the right thing. So we have got to deal with facts. We have got to deal with applicable state laws and we've got to deal with exactly what we can find out.

Forensics tells us a lot of things. The evidence there at the scene, the 911 calls, interviews. All the type of protocols that come with the investigation. That's all important. But what was compelling of that tape right there is we have got to get to the fact that that little boy died. I mean, there was rumors that he was riding around standing up. I saw that tape. He was buckled up in that vehicle. And he died right there in that seat. And you know what? He didn't deserve to die like that. We need to find out why.

WHITFIELD: And Colonel, clearly, very disturbing. You saw the videotape from the body camera. You just described a very disturbing but still unclear, the why they pursued the father and why they opened fire. But then not knowing those things, there was a very quick arrest of those two officers and charging them in the deaths of this child. That is very unusual.

Why was that step taken? What the different about this case than, say, other police-involved shootings when an arrest of an officer either doesn't come at all or comes very, you know, many days or even weeks after an investigation is able to be completed? What's different here?

EDMONSON: I think what's important here is the facts were there. The compellingness of that tape was simply there. The forensics at the scene itself was simply there. The information we received on all accounts, it was important for us to bring that evidence, to bring that evidence to a judge. Put it down on a piece of paper, let him see that video, and then have him sign that arrest warrant. I think that's important there.

And when we know those types of things and, you know what, we should move quickly. When you know those things. And when we can take that information, we can take that evidence and we can apply it to fact, you have got to move forward on something like that. You should never sit on it. So the decision was made to let the judge look at that, to see that information and once we saw it was quite clear and quite compelling, those arrests were made.

This case is far from over. It's still moving parts. Still stuff out there that we need to follow-up on. Could there be more arrests? That's always a possibility. Could it take us somewhere else? Absolutely. But, you know what? This community right here, my grandmother was born and raised here. My blood is in this community. So let me tell you something. I want to make sure we get closure here. This is a good community. This is good people. They don't deserve this. But you know what? We've got to put some closure to this. We've got to close this case. So how quickly we move is based on the evidence and based on facts. It was clearly there. And that's what put us where we are today.

[15:40:01] WHITFIELD: And Colonel, you just said there were things you don't know, things that you still do not know. But what are the things after looking at the tape, after seeing the crime scene, you just said we know certain things. We know those things. What were those things?

EDMONSON: Well, we certainly know, we believe from what we saw, from the footage and our investigation, is those shots should not have been fired, not at that particular time. So others things have come together that put us where we are today. We don't believe there was a warrant that precipitated that stop. So we need to put that -- put together what we do know and find out why. But we're comfortable where we are right now. We are ready to go into the courtroom tomorrow, 72-hour hearing, and present any evidence that might be there. Of course, the case report where it stands right now, the arrest warrant itself. That will be up to the judge to look at. They will set some type of bond. That will take place tomorrow. So we will see what happens at that particular point. We know that.

But here's what's most important, it's not over. There's still moving parts, still stuff we're following up on. Clearly, clearly what we do know right now is those two charges that are on both of those individuals, we had enough information at that point, enough evidence to place those charges and the judge signed it.

WHITFIELD: And I think you've expressed quite clearly how it impacts you as the head of that police department and even as a father. But is there a way in which you can describe what this has perhaps done or is doing to a community, close-knit community. You just mentioned your family members still there. This is a very small, close-knit community where police officers are friends with people who serve there. But what has that incident done to that relationship and between police there and the community that it serves?

EDMONSON: Look, I just talked to the chief smith just a little while ago. I know him. He's a good man. He's got a good department. I've had to arrest my own officers before. That's just the unfortunate side of it. But I think the integrity of this badge -- look, the public, they allow us to privilege to wear this badge. It's not a right. So certainly when that badge is tarnished, we've got to move quickly. That's my belief as superintendent. You've got to move quick on something like that. And that's what we've done here.

But this is a good community. That's a good police department. They will get through this. They will grow from this. And we just all got to get better at what we do. And I think that -- we show the public we do stuff like that that. But, you know, we're not just trying to take care of our own. We're trying to take care of our situation. We look beyond who it is, we look at what happened, and those that did those things have got to be held accountable no matter who they are.

WHITFIELD: Colonel Michael Edmonson, thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.

EDMONSON: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:46:24] WHITFIELD: All right. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is not letting up op his claim that the media is out to get him by digging into his past. After speaking at huge political rallies in Puerto Rico today, he talked with the press and remained defiant regarding questions about his account of his violent temper during childhood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You're asking me about something that occurred 50 years ago. Are you expect me to have the detail on that? Forget about it. It's not going happen. But let's talk about some things that really are important today. See, that -- if I can get people to focus on what's important today, it will be worth all of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN national correspondent Sunlen Serfaty is traveling with the Carson campaign and has more from Puerto Rico.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, Ben Carson is really disputing the notion that this intense period of media scrutiny is getting under his skin. This is despite repeated and aggressive push back from him throughout the weekend. Something he repeated here again today in Puerto Rico at times giving an angry and mocking critique of the media. And I asked him earlier today why then, why should he not produce this evidence that in large part the lack of evidence is really causing many of these questions to be continued to be asked about these accounts. Here's how he responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARSON: The burden of proof is not going to be on me to corroborate everything that I've ever talked about in my life because once I start down that road, every single day from now until the end of the election you're going to be spending your time doing that and we have much more important things to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: Ben Carson has also taken to his Facebook page in a series of posts last night and into this morning really going point by point in all the areas he thinks is wrong with the media's coverage of his past. That's in addition, Fred, to asking for campaign contributions. Campaign touting they raised $3.5 million specifically off of this controversy this week alone - Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sunlen, thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:52:43] WHITFIELD: Russian security auditors just arrived at Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt, where the deemed Russian plane departed a week ago and they will reportedly begin their work tomorrow. This, as airport officials refute reporting by the "Associated Press" that there were security lapses at the airport. U.S. official tells CNN, however, that they are 99.9 percent certain a bomb brought down that jet. The theory is largely centered around intercepts of ISIS chatter before and after the crash.

This morning, Reuters is quoting an unnamed member of the investigation as saying the noise heard on the plane's cockpit voice recorder was likely an explosion caused by a bomb. But the head of the investigation in Egypt is denying that report.

And the remain of the crash victims continue to be identified and flown back to Russia, hundreds gathered for memorial service at St. Isaac's cathedral in St. Petersburg. The ceremony was broadcast on national television. A somber moment when the cathedral bells told 224 times in memory of each person killed.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amidst the rich splendor of Russia's Christian orthodox tradition, mourners, young and old, came to show their respect. Came together in the face of calamity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's horrible tragedy for all Russian people, for family of those people.

ROBERTSON: Bells tolled for each of the victims, 224 times. For 10- month-old (INAUDIBLE), for her parents, Alexie and Taniana, for Leonard and Alexandra, whose friends believed they came engage in Sharm el-Sheikh. The 32-year-old Daria Shiller (ph), whose body has yet to be found. For Tima Miller, 33-year-old businessman, and so many more. The congregation dwarfed in the Cavernous cathedral, still grappling

with the enormity of the growing likelihood terrorism brought the plane down.

[15:55:07] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This machine. This machine in the air. And no terrorist.

ROBERTSON: This longtime St. Petersburg resident, not so sure.

I think it will be proved at some point it was a terrorist attack, she tells us. So, of course, I'm worried. We are all worried.

Whatever the truth, few here think it will impact the government offensive in Syria.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the government will follow the line that they have chosen already.

ROBERTSON: That it was hundreds, not thousands here, surprising given this is the country's deadliest ever air disaster and apparent direct targeting of its citizens by overseas terrorists. A potential game changer.

It's such a moment in this nation's history. Its leaders are conspicuous by their absence. President Putin is not here. Leadership for this day, at least, is being left to God.

A temporary glitch, a pause, perhaps, in the continuum of Russian politics as its leaders ponder their next move.

Nic Robertson, CNN, St. Petersburg, Russia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)