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Closing Arguments Underway in Church Massacre Trial; China Installs Weapons on Contested Islands; Trump's Chief of Staff Hints at Press Briefing Change; Formerly Conjoined Twins Going Home; Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired December 15, 2016 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00] JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Evil in the world, I don't think I have ever seen one than this one.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I would have to agree with you there. Still, the defense and the prosecution have rested. Closing arguments will take place. This is the case will go to the jury, presumably they will find Dylann Roof guilty because you have a videotape confession and ample evidence to convict him, right. So right now he's just trying to save his own life and he wants to represent himself but when you hear 911 calls like that, I just can't see what exactly Dylann Roof will say to convince jurors that he doesn't deserve death.

TOOBIN: Well, I think, you know, far be it from me to know what's in Dylann Roof's head. I mean, this is obviously a very sick and twisted person. Sick in the colloquial sense, not legally insane. But I think part of the reason he did all this was out of this sense of narcissism and grandiosity and the representing of himself which is, you know, terrible from a legal perspective, I think is indicative of the pathology that led him to do this terrible act.

You never know what might persuade one juror to vote for life as opposed to death, but, you know, it's hard to imagine -- if you believe in the death penalty, it's hard to imagine a case, you know, more justified in imposing it than this one.

COSTELLO: Now we know that some of the victims' family members forgave Dylann Roof. And I think he heard that some of them forgave him so might he bring that up in court?

TOOBIN: He might. Defendants, especially when they represent themselves, are entitled to a wide latitude them. I mean, they can pretty much throw in almost anything they want and you know, one of the certainly signature aspects of this whole horrible event has been the really remarkable behavior of the families of the victims. Some of them who have said they forgive and don't want to see -- some, not all, have said they don't want to see Roof executed.

You know, remember, this is a jury that is so-called death qualified. That's the legal term, which means that they have all said they are not morally opposed to the death penalty. They are willing to impose it in some circumstances. So once you have that group as jurors, I just find it hard to believe they will not impose the death penalty but it only takes one to make it a life sentence.

COSTELLO: So it is possible that Dylann Roof could question some of these victims' family members on the stand. And I just want to put up the pictures of these victims one more time and just remind people exactly what happened inside that church. These people were praying, they were having bible study. Dylann Roof sat through the bible study and then he stood up and began shooting. Each of these victims were shot multiple times. So now you have Dylann Roof questioning these victims' family members and asking them what?

TOOBIN: Well, I mean, you know, again, I don't want to put my head -- placed in the head of a madman. I don't know, you know, what he's thinking. You know, one of the -- and obviously, the whole -- everything about this case is disturbing and horrible. But another thing that has been true is that these family members have shown a great deal of strength so I don't worry that they will be, you know, traumatized in a way that they can't handle by being questioned by this lunatic.

I mean, even -- you know, as bad as it will be, these are tough people and so I think their strength has been one thing that has certainly come out -- come through during this whole -- during this whole process. And in the unlikely event that the jury does not impose the death penalty, he is facing another case basically under the same charges where he might get the death penalty in federal court. So, you know, the outcome of this case is preordained I think one way or the other.

So, you know, he is going to enjoy his narcissistic moment in the sun because he's crazy, again, not in a legal sense but, you know, I don't think anyone doubts how this is all going to end.

COSTELLO: Jeffrey Toobin, thanks so much.

TOOBIN: OK.

COSTELLO: This just in to CNN. The Tennessee school bus driver involved in that crash that killed six children last month will face a grand jury. 24-year-old Johnothy Walker, he was in court this morning, as officers testified about the crash. They say Walker was driving 50 to 52 miles per hour on a 30-mile-per-hour road.

[10:35:02] Walker is facing a slew of charges including reckless driving and vehicular homicide.

China makes a bold move and beefs up its military capabilities in contested waters. According to a new report, new satellite images reveal anti-aircraft and other weapons systems have now been installed on a group of artificial islands in the contested waters of the South China Sea. China has already built military length air strips, deployed missiles on the islands.

Let's bring in CNN's chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto. How concerned should we be?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think -- I think concerned, no question. And just let's connect the dots here for a second, Carol. You remember Donald Trump sent that tweet talking about -- questioning the One China policy, taking that call from the Taiwan president, upsetting diplomatic protocol, et cetera. Since that happened, three things have happened from China's side. You have this new information about weapons on those manmade islands. You have the Chinese fly nuclear-capable bombers all along the border of the South China Sea which they hadn't done to that extent before.

And you've also had votes in the U.N. Security Council where China sided with Russia on Syria, whereas in previous cases they'd abstain. Perhaps out of, I don't know, respect for the U.S. but still more in line with U.S. interests here. So you have three steps there that could be interpreted as China showing its strength as you have a new administration that is talking about upsetting the balance out there and it shows you together that there are levers of power. Right? There's leverage that China has.

And the South China Sea, now the concern about these islands, right, and I was able to fly over them in a spy plane, is that they are basically unsinkable aircraft carriers as the military will say. Far away, 600 miles from China's shore. They have landing strips that can accommodate every fighter plane and bomber in the Chinese Air Force. They have weapons installations now to defend them.

Those are important shows of power to the U.S., who said that these are international waters and is trying to demonstrate that by flying planes and sailing U.S. Navy ships down there. You put weapons on those islands, those U.S. planes and U.S. Navy ships are in greater danger.

COSTELLO: So since Donald Trump is talking tough on China, right, especially when it comes to trade deals, and the like, that's a reason why China might be kind of showing more muscle now?

SCIUTTO: I think it's very credible. It's very credible that that's it. And it's -- listen, some of these moves happened long before the Trump election. China has been building those islands for some time. There's been evidence of them putting weapons there and they have been flying their planes around the region but when you -- but more -- they've been a bit more aggressive with these recent moves. And that's just a reminder that as you go head-to-head with China, there are things that they take very seriously. One of them is certainly Taiwan and one of them as well, these islands in the South China Sea.

COSTELLO: All right. Jim Sciutto, reporting, thanks so much. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:41:20] COSTELLO: Oh, the winds of change are blowing in Washington and they are blowing hard. The White House Press Corps is not immune. Here's President-elect Trump's chief of staff, Reince Priebus, suggesting that something could shift when it comes to daily press briefings and more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REINCE PRIEBUS, INCOMING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: The point of all of this conversation is that the traditions, while some of them are great, I think it's time to revisit a lot of these things that have been done in the White House and I can assure you that change is going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Change is going to happen. So let's talk about that. With me now, CNN national correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, and Bill Carter, CNN media analyst.

Welcome to both of you.

So, Suzanne, I want to -- I want to start with you because you spent 10 years as a White House correspondent and Reince Priebus is talking about these press briefings with the president's spokesman. So just tell our viewers what those press briefings are meant to be for. Who they benefit?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. And these changes, Carol, because what Reince Priebus is talking about, it's not actually up to the Obama administration in terms of how this goes, but, you know, it's set in a way so that you have assigned seats for each of the correspondents for the networks. And I remember that CNN used to be in the second row behind Helen Thomas. And really, the first row is the coveted row, where you really get a chance up close to see the press secretary.

These kinds of decisions are made by the White House Press Association -- the Press Corps Association. And that is because under Democrats and Republicans really you don't want the administration to have the influence where say they don't like a question that you ask, they kick you to the back of the press room and you are never heard from again. That is kind of -- the kind of image and influence that you don't want to have as a part of this, the news gathering. And so that is really something that's determined independently of the White House and it's been that way from the very beginning.

COSTELLO: OK. So there's that. But I want to specifically focus on what these press briefings are for. Will there be fewer of them? Brian Stelter has joined us. Welcome, Brian. He's also our CNN media analyst and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES."

So, Brian, will there be fewer press briefings?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Sure seems like Reince Priebus and those aides would like to reconsider everything. I was at the White House yesterday when this news came out. There's a lot of concern both among actually reporters, as Suzanne was describing, also from Obama aides. Now it's easy on the way out to say how important it is to have the press there, but Josh Earnest, the outgoing White House press secretary, was very clear. He said he's concerned as an American about the prospect of not having daily briefings.

I think it's important, Carol, not to get ahead of this. We don't know exactly what the incoming Trump administration is planning or thinking on this count. Certainly the most likely choice for press secretary, Sean Spicer, is well-known among the press corps. Everybody, you know, who covers the Trump administration knows Sean Spicer.

So there is already a sign that they will perhaps be bringing in an expert to be doing the briefings. But there's a lot of question marks.

COSTELLO: Here's the thing. So a lot of question marks. And I want to bring it back to my original question. I'll pose this to you, Bill. So these press briefings are not just for the whiny press.

BILL CARTER, CNN MEDIA ANALYST: No. They're --

COSTELLO: They are to inform the American public of what's going on.

CARTER: The press is representing us. This is democracy. They are representing us. It's not like they are new. They go back to, like, Grover Cleveland. People have always done them. I think there's a little trolling going on here. I mean, the press has been a target for this guy for a long time. They -- he's called us scum and the, you know, lowest form of life, whatever, and there's not a lot of respect for the press.

I think there's a lot of I think trying to put apprehension in the relationship. What's he going to do?

[10:45:01] It can't be that he's going to close off the press entirely, I don't think. That will cause an even greater rift. But I do think he wants to keep the press nervous and on their toes and this is a way of saying it's going to change, it's not going to be like it used to be, et cetera.

COSTELLO: But, well, Suzanne, that's what I was getting at. You know, you think of the press on their toes and makes us nervous or anything, but at the end of the day, we share information with the public, we hold truth to power, right? And that's what these press briefings are all about.

MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely. But to the point about the transition here and how it's done, it's been done in many different ways. I mean, it was under President Clinton and Bush that we actually had what was called an off-camera gaggle. We would all go to the press secretary's office, and 40 of us would cram to his office with our tape recorders to get the news of the day early in the day, so you would have something to work with throughout the day, then you would have an on-camera briefing afterwards. So it was really two parts.

The Obama administration decided to eliminate that and that's why in some ways, you see a press briefing on camera that lasts for more than an hour, sometimes an hour and a half on some days. Josh Earnest making a point, however, to answer or at least try to answer all the reporters' questions that are in that room.

And Carol, I mean, just think about it, the White House press briefing room used to be a swimming pool under Roosevelt and it was the emergence of TV cameras that they said look, there needs to be a work space for the press there in the West Wing, and that is how that came about. But it was Laura Bush who actually came and looked at it and said gosh, this is a mess, decided to renovate it so temporarily we were working out of another space across the street from the White House, and President Bush joked and said welcome back in.

So there really is -- there's nothing that's guaranteed here. It is something that is very fluid and changes from administration to administration.

COSTELLO: So why couldn't you, Brian, just have your press briefing via Twitter?

STELTER: I have a feeling that Donald Trump might want to try that some days. Supposed to have a press conference today. Instead he's tweeting. The answer is when you have a briefing, when you are in front of a lot of reporters, it actually is good for both sides. Earnest was making the point that when he knows he has to face a bunch of reporters, all of whom have different questions, it actually creates more pressure on the administration to have real answers or at least try to come up with answers, at least try to come up with explanations.

So it creates pressure that is good for both sides. Good for the public and good for the administration. Right now, in that briefing room, we have everybody from Breitbart to BuzzFeed to CNN. And that kind of diversity is also a good thing to hear lots of kinds of questions, including adversarial questions.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. So, Bill, I want you to look into your crystal ball.

CARTER: Yes.

COSTELLO: What do you think is going to happen?

CARTER: I think it will be really fractious. I think they may try to do things that way with a little bit of Twitter. I'm not sure you can answer every question in 140 characters. Probably a little more complicated than that, sometimes. I do think there will be an attempt to change it. There will be changes around the edges. But I've got to believe there will be some sort of confrontational question and answer period. There's too much information the White House has to give out.

COSTELLO: We'll see. Bill, Brian, Suzanne, thanks to all of you. I'll be right -- we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:51:55] COSTELLO: Two months to the day after a marathon 27-hour surgery, formerly conjoined twin boys Jadon and Anias McDonald finally leave the hospital separately. The doctor attributes their remarkable recovery to their parents. Now they are preparing for the next chapter, rehab. Here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLE MCDONALD, MOTHER: You are going to have to drive the van with Aza in it and then I'll ride in one ambulance and we'll have someone else ride in the other one.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a day the McDonalds had been waiting for -- discharge.

CHRISTIAN MCDONALD, FATHER: There's your brother Jadon.

GUPTA: Jadon and Anias, born connected at the head, were finally separated in a marathon 27-hour operation. While doctors are pleased with the recovery, they have battled infections, fevers, and seizures, to get here.

(On camera): For the past two months, this has been Jadon and Anias McDonald's home. Craniopagus twin who were separated two months ago to the day. They're now going to move on to a rehab facility, but I wanted to go say hi to them one last time at this hospital.

I love this.

N. MCDONALD: I know.

GUPTA: Look at this.

N. MCDONALD: I don't -- people think

(CROSSTALK)

C. MCDONALD: They -- they always touch. Yesterday during the -- as soon as they were in the wagon downstairs, I looked over and they had their arms locked. And then I looked over again, they were holding hands. They have a great bond.

GUPTA: He loves the camera, too, doesn't he?

N. MCDONALD: He does.

C. MCDONALD: This kid here was born for the cameras.

N. MCDONALD: He sure was.

GUPTA: I'm really happy for you guys. Really, really happy.

N. MCDONALD: Isn't this the best?

C. MCDONALD: Thank you.

GUPTA: You're going to -- you're going to be OK saying good-bye to all these folks, Nicole?

N. MCDONALD: We've all come to an agreement that it's not good-bye, it's just see you later.

GUPTA: When the boys were first born, mom and dad, Nicole and Christian, would wheel them around the hospital in a little red wagon. Why? It was the only thing that would fit them top to bottom. Well, they're now going to be leaving the hospital again in a red wagon. But this time, they're going to be side by side.

(Voice-over): They have spent 174 days in this hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, yes.

GUPTA: For the McDonald twins, it's good-bye, but on to a new beginning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.

A huge disappointment for NBA fans in Memphis. The defending champion Cleveland Cavs were in town last night. But LeBron James and two of his star teammates stayed home. Id coming to a serious problem for the league?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:58:30] COSTELLO: Imagine you're living in Memphis, you paid hundreds of dollars to see King James play ball, but not only does he play, he doesn't even come to the game.

Andy Scholes, I would be a little upset.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I certainly would, too, Carol. You know, the Cavs only play in Memphis once a year. So this was arguably the Grizzlies' biggest home game of the season. Now for the Cavs it was the second half of a back-to-back so their head coach Tyronn Lue decided he was going to rest LeBron, Tiger Irving and Kevin Love. Those three didn't even make the trip to Memphis, so fans they're clearly upset about spending hundreds of dollars to not see LeBron play.

There were some creative signs. Look at this, LeBron, thanks for ruining my Christmas. Another said, Michael Jordan would have been here. At least all those angry fans, though, in Memphis got to see a win. And the Grizzlies beat the short-handed Cavs 93-85.

The NBA and its players union reaching a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. The seven-year deal guarantees labor peace through 2023-2024 season. And with the new CBA, the league average salary is expected to jump from the $5 million a year range to nearly $9 million annually. Great time to be an NBA player.

Finally Seahawks' Richard Sherman not happy about playing on three days' rest but he'll be out there tonight as Seattle hosts the L.A. Rams. This is the first game for the Rams since firing Jeff Fisher. Kickoff is about 8:25 Eastern.

Surprisingly, Carol, the Rams have beaten the Seahawks three times in a row. I bet that streak ends tonight.

COSTELLO: I wish players would shave off those ugly beards. It's just me, though, Andy. I'm glad you're clean-shaven.

SCHOLES: I love those -- what are you talking about? I rock the beard.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello. "AT THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND BOLDUAN" starts now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking news.

END