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Vaccinated Americans Adjust To Life After Lockdowns; New Bodycam Videos Document Ronald Greene's Brutal Death; Interview With Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN); CNN: Greenberg Told Investigators Gaetz And At Least Two Other Men Had Sexual Contact With A 17-Year-Old Girl; Matt Gaetz Ex-Girlfriend Now Cooperating With Feds; Israel-Hamas Truce Appears To Be Holding Despite Clashes; Prince Harry Claims "The Firm" Tried To "Smear" Wife Meghan Markle. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired May 22, 2021 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:21]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: New disturbing footage details the final moments of Ronald Greene's life, the black man who brutally died in Louisiana State Police custody. Greene's mother joins us in just a moment.

Plus, as Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz battles a sex trafficking investigation, Federal investigators have a new witness talking, his ex-girlfriend.

And suicidal thoughts, drug and alcohol abuse and deep loss: Prince Harry bares his soul.

I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday and it's great to have you along with us.

Well, it looks like we are poised for liftoff as summer approaches, America is finally reopening; finally some good news on the COVID front. According to the C.D.C., 38 percent of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated against coronavirus. And we have more good news to share, the number of cases week over week is falling in at least 37 states.

Now after more than a year of life under lockdown, many people are returning to their schools and their workplaces, not to mention their long lost favorite hangouts.

And as Memorial Day approaches, signaling the unofficial start of summer, many of us can't wait to hit the road for vacation.

CNN's Natasha Chen is in Atlanta. So, tell me what you're seeing there in Atlanta -- Natasha.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, it is a beautiful Saturday afternoon. A lot of people out along the beltline, which is the path going through much of the city.

There are so many people, in fact, there were a couple of traffic jams there. Of course, in Georgia, it has been relatively open in the past few months, which is different from some states across the country that have been more restrictive and are just now starting to plan full reopening in the coming couple of months.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHEN (voice over): Sun's out masks off. All across America, more and more people are seeing each other's faces for the first time in a long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been a long time coming.

CHEN (voice over): More than 45 percent of people in the U.S. aged 12 or older are now fully vaccinated and three states -- Connecticut, Maine and Vermont have fully vaccinated at least half of their total population.

For the first time since March of 2020, San Francisco General Hospital reported zero COVID patients, the seven-day average of new cases in the U.S. is below 30,000 for the first time in almost a year.

With this progress comes relaxation of rules. New York venues are expanding capacity limits just in time for the Knicks to start their first playoff game with 15,000 seats already sold.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we've been waiting for New York, to bring the culture back, to bring the spirit back to New York.

CHEN (voice over): And California will drop capacity limits and social distancing requirements when the state fully reopens on June 15.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it is about time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I think we've been ready for a while.

CHEN (voice over): Entertainers are preparing for in-person events, even if there will be a few adjustments.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I've been vaccinated. I mean, obviously you would like for everybody to go and get vaccinated. Yes, I think it's going to be a little different, you know, because we used to reaching out, touching so many people. I think that'll be a little bit scarce, if not fist bump. But I mean, you know, we'll find other ways to feed off the energy of the crowd.

CHEN (voice over): But some people aren't ready to bounce back to pre- COVID habits.

Personal trainer, Dave Nassick is seeing a lasting shift in how he sees some of his clients.

DAVE NASSICK, PERSONAL TRAINER: They don't want to go back into the gym environment. You know, they feel more comfortable just being one- on-one in their own homes. So it's been actually good for me with my in-home business.

CHEN (voice over): On a sunny day in Atlanta, these stunt performers were practicing in a group after more than a year of training alone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honestly, I still kind of feel iffy about it. Like, I'm still sketched out about being out here. But -- but, yes, I can't like stay at home all the time.

CHEN (voice over): Health experts worry about what happens when hot weather drives people indoors this summer, especially in some states where vaccination rates are lower.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd still wear a mask at work, just because I work with public. So even though I'm fully vaccinated, I feel like, I don't know if they are or not. So I feel like it's still good to have it on --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your whole store got hit, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we -- my whole work caught it back in December, so that was great. It was a terrible experience having it.

CHEN (voice over): And he is not able to ask customers if they've been vaccinated. Even with an honor system that is far from foolproof, there is a sense the country has turned a corner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like a hopeful moment -- a very hopeful moment in a year, like the past couple of years, it's been like a lot of really bad news.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:05:09]

CHEN (on camera): And more hopeful news now, a study by Public Health England shows that two doses of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are highly effective against the variant first seen in India.

Dr. Anthony Fauci did say yesterday that he is preparing for the possibility that people getting vaccinated will need a booster shot, but health experts are unsure if and when that may happen -- Pamela.

BROWN: All right, Natasha Chen live for us in Atlanta. Thanks so much, Natasha.

Well, tonight, new videos obtained by CNN show the events that led to the death of Ronald Greene, a black man in police custody back in 2019, and we want to give you this warning, some of the images you're about to see are very disturbing.

[VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]

BROWN: Greene's family says police told them that he died in a car crash after a high speed chase. But the new videos tell a different story.

Troopers can be seen Tasing Greene and beating him as they drag him out of his car. The case is now the subject of a Federal Civil Rights investigation.

And joining me now is Ronald Greene's mother, Mona Hardin and Lee Merritt, an attorney representing Greene's family.

Thank you both for coming on. I know this is such an emotional time for you.

LEE MERRITT, ATTORNEY FOR THE GREENE FAMILY: Thank you for having us.

MONA HARDIN, MOTHER OF RONALD GREENE: Thank you.

BROWN: And it has been an emotional time, Mona, for you, ever since your son died two years ago. These videos are so difficult to watch. I can only imagine as a mother what that was like for you watching your son's death play out like that on video.

When you first saw the video, how did it make you feel?

HARDIN: I was in total shock. I know I'm still in shock. Just trying to -- I don't even know if absorbing it is bringing it into reality that this has happened to my son. Grief stricken isn't the word, it's horrific. It's so evil.

BROWN: Louisiana Patrol released a total of nine videos last night. This was only after the AP first obtained video of your son being Tased and suffering at the hands of police. Were you aware of this additional video evidence showing how your son was treated by police?

HARDIN: Yes, I was aware. I always knew when they showed it to us last year, September, I knew there was more to it. They didn't give it to us. I did ask at the time, where's the rest of it? And why are we looking at footage with no sound to it? That's how it all happened.

And the fact that this has played out the way it has as of yesterday, because there's so much noise behind it. The integrity behind it all, it is really questionable how and why.

BROWN: Yes, I mean, there are so many questions after your son's death two years ago. Just to be clear, so a year and a half ago, State officials showed you some video, but it didn't have sound. Can you walk us through what you saw then compared to what is being released now just to make sure we have a clear understanding.

HARDIN: What I did see then was a -- it wasn't the beginning. I did not see the beginning of it. I did see and it was under -- which I agree to the suggestion of my lawyers because of what they saw before me. What I did see was him being -- he was behind the driving -- the steering wheel, and the film footage was from the passenger door looking in. And he was attacked from there on. I saw that he wasn't going to leave, not alive.

BROWN: I'm sorry, say that last bit again, Mona.

HARDIN: What I saw was that he was not meant to leave alive. This -- he was going to be killed.

BROWN: You believe he was murdered.

HARDIN: Without a doubt.

BROWN: Tell us -- I want to bring you in, to get -- to help explain to us how you believe this new video will help get you justice for Mr. Greene and the discrepancy between what the police story was and what this new video shows.

MERRITT: Well, we've seen a pattern in this country, an unfortunate pattern, when law enforcement alone are the only persons with access to critical evidence like this kind of video and the processes to minimize the conduct, to keep it out of the eyes of the public and to protect the police officers.

However, when this video was made public, typically by camera footage or cell phone footage like in the case of George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery, but even when that video is even a video that -- the cell phone video is controlled by individuals, once it gets out into the hands of the public, that public pressure turns out to be very effective in holding and moving elected officials to hold police officers accountable. So that's what we're looking forward to in this case.

BROWN: So what do you think would have happened if the AP hadn't obtained this video initially showing Mr. Greene Tased and seemingly beaten and tortured by police?

MERRITT: I think what would have happened is what has happened. It has been two years and there's been a 50-hour suspension and no other punishment for any of the several officers involved or the supervisors who condoned the behavior.

But for this lead, that would have been the end of the Ronald Greene story that, you know, Trooper Kory York received a 50-hour suspension and went back right back to work. Lieutenant John Clary, who condoned the behavior and instructed the man to leave Mr. Greene on his belly in a prone position would have -- been would have gone without discipline, as he so far has, we're still waiting for accountability from him. And then Trooper Dakota deMoss would have gone unpunished as well.

That has been the story up into this point, but I believe that this family and our office is ready to fight to change that narrative.

BROWN: If you would, Mona, take us back to the beginning and tell us what police initially told you and what this journey has been like for you seeking justice, trying to find out the truth about your son's death.

HARDIN: What they initially told me that they had a long chase, Ronnie crashed his car to tree and he died there of head wounds. And as far as the journey of where this was going, it's really a bad nightmare. It's unreal. It's horrific how this has played out, how it is stretched out to one shut door, no answers, no nothing. False leads here and there or I'll call you and no one has ever called. I was told when we were there, we were there nine days that they would

make -- they would get ahold of us as soon as the investigation was over, and no one ever called. It was -- it was me calling them.

BROWN: That is unacceptable. I think that everyone can agree with that. Just very quickly, Mona, as you look at the big picture, you know, sadly, your son is not the only one who has died at the hands of police. We're approaching the one year anniversary of George Floyd's death. Do you believe that this is a case of a few bad apples in the police force? Or do you think that this is a systemic problem?

HARDIN: It is definitely a systemic problem because when you talk about a few bad apples, you're talking about a few. Systemic racism, the way it's been played out and how it's been for so many years, there is no other way you can pick this picture other than the fact that it's systemic racism.

There's no such thing as few bad apples when you go into two years. There's more than that because they've been helped and aided along the way.

BROWN: Okay, Mona Hardin, I'm so sorry about your loss and how difficult it has been for you to get basic answers about your son's death. I'm sorry.

And Lee Merritt, thank you for coming on. We'll continue to cover the story.

HARDIN: Appreciate it.

MERRITT: Thank you for having us.

BROWN: And a reminder, if you want insight into the role of race and culture, politics and more, sign up for CNN's Race Deconstructed Newsletter at cnn.co/racenewsletter.

Well, first, it was one of his closest friends and now, Matt Gaetz' ex-girlfriend is cooperating with the Feds as they investigate sex trafficking allegations. That's coming up later this hour.

Also ahead, Prince Harry blast the media and the Palace for trying to quote, "smear his wife, Meghan."

But first, Democratic Senator Tina Smith has some choice words for her colleagues across the aisle who are blocking a commission to probe the Capitol riot. She joins me live, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:18:19]

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): I've made the decision to oppose the House Democrats slanted and unbalanced proposal for another commission to study the events of January the 6th.

It is not at all clear what new facts or additional investigation yet another commission could actually lay on top of existing efforts by law enforcement and Congress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So after months of talks on a deal that seemed imminent, the bill to create a bipartisan independent commission to investigate the January 6th Capitol riot fueled by the big lie now appears to be all, but dead. Ten Senate Republicans would need to go against their own party to make it happen. But right now even the seven who voted to convict President Trump and his impeachment for inciting the insurrection are split.

My guest, Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota. Well, she is not impressed by the G.O.P.'s reluctance. She tweeted: "Sometimes in this job, you have to make tough decisions like for instance, should you investigate thousands of people trying to stop an election by storming the Capitol, or should you not?"

Senator Smith joins me now. Thank you so much for being here.

SEN. TINA SMITH (D-MN): Thank you, Pamela. It's really great to be with you.

BROWN: So I want to talk about this battle over the commission in just a moment, but first, let me get to this new controversy involving Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and it is something that her fellow House Republican Liz Cheney called quote, "evil lunacy." Watch as Greene compares the mask requirement in Congress to being a Jew in the Holocaust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): You know, we can look back at a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star and they were definitely treated like second class citizens so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi, Germany, and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[18:20:13]

BROWN: "Exactly the type of abuse," what is your reaction to that?

SMITH: Well, this person seems to be willing to do or say anything in order to get attention. The words that she is using here, what she is saying, the comparison that she is attempting to make is so deeply disrespectful, so deeply disconnected from history, and it is shocking to me that she would say this.

I think that it is just such a terrible example of how people, some people like Marjorie Taylor Greene will say anything to get attention and what we ought to be focusing on is how to bring ourselves back together, rather than using these ridiculous and deeply hurtful things like she is saying. BROWN: And one area where there was a thought that there could be both

sides coming together on was this bipartisan commission that was negotiated between Democrats and Republicans, and yet, you had 16 Republicans who initially supported a bill that was very similar to what was laid out in this bill back in -- right after the insurrection defect and vote against it.

Senator Richard Burr, a Republican who voted against -- who voted to impeach Donald Trump, but voted against this commission. He actually -- he said that basically, this bill wasn't fair, that this commission wasn't fair.

What do you say to people like him, to McConnell, who say, look, there are already congressional committees with jurisdiction looking into this; we don't need this commission. What would this new commission do that the committees can't?

SMITH: Well, I think that this is just ridiculous. I mean, truly, we had an armed insurrection, an attack on our Capitol. Lives were lost. Police officers' lives were lost -- and we need to get to the bottom of this. We need to understand exactly what has happened and we need to understand what role if any, the White House played, what role if any Members of Congress played in this attack -- worst attack on our Capitol since the Civil War.

To say that an independent commission which we used during the 9/11 attack on our country is not needed at this time, I just flatly don't understand.

And you've got to ask yourself, why is it that people don't want to have this commission? Why is it that some of my colleagues don't want this commission? I mean, certainly, we have committees in Congress that are investigating this and that is a good thing, but to have an independent commission that would have the respect of the whole country get to the bottom of this, I think is really important and I think it's a shame that people are afraid of what that commission might uncover.

BROWN: Right. And the majority, as we know, of Republicans voted against it, 35 in the House voted for it. Republicans have not -- in the Senate -- have not voted obviously with Democrats, but it appears to be dead on arrival there.

House Republicans defied Kevin McCarthy to vote for the Commission, the one that I mentioned, helping Democrats easily win passage in that chamber. But then I mentioned, those 16 House Republicans who cosponsored the bill turned and then voted no, and this opposition from McCarthy and McConnell seem to come at the last minute. What do you believe is behind that?

SMITH: Well, I can -- I mean, I can't look into their hearts and minds. But what I know, is what I know because I was there, and I sat on the Senate floor and I listened to several of my colleagues talk about how horrible the events of January 6th were and to hear them now, just backing away as if they just don't even want to deal with it. You cannot sweep this under the rug. In order to make sure that something like this never happens again, we

have to get to the bottom of it. You know, we have learned in our country that if you look away, if you pretend that something didn't happen, it's going to come back and get you again and we just cannot tolerate that.

BROWN: I want to play something for you that Congresswoman Stephanie Bice posted on Twitter. Now, I want to point out to our viewers that she is one of the House Republicans who voted yes on this commission. But let's listen to some of her rationale.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEPHANIE BICE (R-OK): First and foremost, I will not let this commission be a witch hunt by Nancy Pelosi. The purpose of the commission is not to go after former President Trump, but to find out why the Capitol Police and sergeant-at-arms were so unprepared.

There are important questions that must be answered about Nancy Pelosi's involvement in the decision to deny an activation request for the D.C. National Guard to protect the Capitol.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Just a fact check, there is no evidence supporting that she denied the decision to activate the National Guard at the time, but what is your reaction to what we just heard from that Member of Congress?

SMITH: Well, what I think is missing from her comments is that what Speaker Pelosi did as she put together these proposals for the commission is that she listened to the concerns of the Republicans in the House and she made -- she adapted.

[18:30:10]

SMITH: She made changes to ensure that this commission would be as -- would be completely nonpartisan, and I respect her for that. I think that that's what Americans want.

So again, I think this effort to rewrite history, to try to change the facts on the fly to benefit your political party is frankly, just exactly the opposite of what we need. I just think it's undemocratic.

BROWN: Before we let you go, Senator, I'm going to point out that this is Mental Health Awareness Month. We cover a fair amount of mental health stories on this show. I've been open about my own struggles. You've spoken openly about your battles with depression.

Tell us about your personal experience and what you plan to do in your position as a senator to help others who are struggling.

SMITH: Well, you know, I'd always been open with my experiences with depression when I was a young woman in college, and then, a little later when I was a young mother. But when I came to the Senate, I realized that there was value in

sharing that story more broadly because so many people struggle with some form of mental health challenge or mental illness at some point in their lives.

And sometimes people who are in positions of power and authority, like you or like me, are seen as being invincible, never having a problem or care in the world. And to share that I think helps people to understand that it is -- it happens to everybody in one way or another.

And that I hope, will give people strength to face whatever challenges they have in their own lives, and then of course, we've got to turn that knowledge and understanding into action, which is what my job is now in the Senate with the legislation that I'm pushing to expand access to mental healthcare for students in schools and to get more mental health providers out where they're so needed.

BROWN: And just reducing the stigma in general. I think this pandemic really shined a spotlight on this. I think a lot of people may have not realized they had mental health issues and then realized once they had to kind of sit at home, be alone that maybe they did.

As you mentioned, you had adapted. You are a mother. I've had it also, I had postpartum anxiety and I just think it's so important to peel back the layers, take away the sigma and talk about it openly.

So, Senator Tina Smith, I appreciate you talking about that on this show. We appreciate it.

SMITH: Thank you so much, Pamela.

BROWN: Well, it's not just his former close friend cooperating with Feds, now Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend is talking, too. Why that could be one of the most significant steps in the investigation. Up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:32:02]

BROWN: Well, another Domino falls in the federal investigation into Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. CNN has learned that his ex- girlfriend, who was a staffer on Capitol Hill, has agreed to cooperate with authorities. Well, she's the second witness the Feds have flipped after Gaetz's former close friend Joel Greenberg recently entered a plea deal with the Justice Department.

In exchange, Greenberg will cooperate in the probe involving allegations of sex trafficking and sex with a minor. Gaetz has repeatedly denied all these allegations.

CNN Senior Legal Analyst and former Federal Prosecutor Preet Bharara joins me now. Good to see you as always, Preet.

PREET BHARARA, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Good to see you. BROWN: So you have this ex-girlfriend of Gaetz. She has knowledge of

his activities in the summer of 2017 and is now cooperating with investigators. How significant is this?

BHARARA: Well, it's not good for Matt Gaetz. Anytime you have information, assuming it's correct, that someone is flipping against you and has information about your activities, material information, the prosecutors deemed significant enough that they want to enter into an arrangement with you. What I don't know and it's not clear from the reporting is whether she has any criminal exposure herself, that changes the circumstances somewhat.

But the other reason it's significant, depending on what information she has is the principal cooperating witness that you mentioned, Joel Greenberg, is a very, very unsavory character. He has lied before. He has lied about things that are very, very serious with respect to political opponents. He has pled guilty to that lie. He's pled guilty to other serious crimes, including sex trafficking of a minor.

And so the more additional witnesses who are less unsavory, you can have that there's a potential trial after a potential charge against Matt Gaetz, the better. And depending on how much the Congressman shared with his former girlfriend, illicit activities, other corroborating issues, I think could be really significant but we don't know the extent of course.

BROWN: So basically, you point out what Gaetz has said repeatedly that Greenberg is not credible that he has lied before. As you as we know, in our reporting, Greenberg has told investigators that Gaetz had sexual contact with the 17-year-old girl. Gaetz has repeatedly denied that.

But bottom line, what I hear you saying, Preet, is that Greenberg has serious credibility problems and that would be an issue for prosecutors trying to build the case. But if you have another key witness like an ex-girlfriend, who also has knowledge and can corroborate what Greenberg has told investigators, that could really move the needle significantly.

BHARARA: Yes. I mean, when you have a witness like Joel Greenberg, the immediate reaction of your average good faith juror is going to be not to like that person. And prosecutors have a lot of ways that they talk about that and they respond to that and rebut that by talking. We say things like or at least my old life, you don't have to like or love the witness, you just have to believe the witness.

And he is not only unlikable, given some of the conduct he's engaged in, he has a credibility problem.

[18:35:01]

So the more you can show that everything that he's saying that witnesses is saying that unsavory person laden with credibility problems is saying is corroborated by texts, is corroborated by bank records or Venmo records as the case may be or another witness who doesn't have any reason to lie, who's not trying to get out of jail early, who doesn't have any bone to pick up. Then you bolster your case.

So, yes, I think it's very significant. And the likelihood is that they're chasing after other people as well who will be credible witnesses and corroborate probably with the core of their cases the things that Joel Greenberg is saying.

BROWN: That makes sense. So I was told by a source that they were almost on, but then we were just told, the resources, that the timeline has been extended through the summer in terms of the investigation, which means they could have more witnesses to talk to. We know they've talked to new people just this past month.

It's interesting to watch the Congressman through all of this. Normally, if you're a high-profile person who is under investigation and that has come out, you kind of go under the radar. That has not been the case with Matt Gaetz. He's out on tour promoting the 2020 election lie. I was told by a source as of a couple of weeks ago, Preet, that he had not spoken to investigators. What does that tell you?

BHARARA: Well, it doesn't necessarily tell you anything definitive. But from all the reporting, it looks like they're building a case. They probably have, it just seems from everything we're hearing, one or more accounts that they can bring, that they're shoring up those accounts, that maybe there's other accounts they may bring.

And at that point, there's no reason and there's actually policy reasons not to talk to the target. Once you know you're going to charge someone, obviously, they have a right not to speak. He probably would be better off not speaking to investigators and is obviously better off not speaking aloud at all about any of this stuff.

But in the category of target that Matt Gaetz is in, significant figure, subset of which is even more special, elected official. He has a PR and reputational interest also in shrugging off the charges in gaining political momentum, and maybe trying to convince people in a potential jury pool that this is a witch hunt. The chant of witch hunt is something that we see all the time from the former President on down, going back decades and decades.

So he's doing what's best for him in the short-term and what may be a good short-term strategy for him politically usually ends up being a bad legal strategy long-term.

BROWN: All right. Preet Bharara, thanks so much.

BHARARA: Thank you.

BROWN: And coming up right here in the NEWSROOM, a fragile ceasefire holds but tensions continue to run high across the Middle East as both sides claim victory.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:41:54] BROWN: Quieter skies over Gaza today as an uneasy peace looks to be

taking hold between Israel and Hamas. Both sides claimed victory after 11 days of fighting that had left close to three people dead most - 300, rather, people dead, most of them Palestinians.

But all is not quiet, Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem ended with Israeli forces using stun grenades and rubber bullets against Palestinians. Israel says its officers were responding to a riot. The Palestinian Red Crescent reports 20 people were hurt.

Meanwhile, eight convoys are making their way into Gaza after a key border crossing reopened. The UN says it's sending more than $22 million in relief, including food, medical supplies and COVID vaccines.

Palestinian officials report about 70 children, 70 children have died in the conflict. CNN's Arwa Damon introduces us to just one of the many innocent kids caught in the crossfire.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (off camera): What's your name?

SARAH: Sarah.

DAMON: How old are you?

SARAH: Four.

DAMON: Do you go to school?

SARAH: Yes. Kindergarten.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice over): Sarah has injuries to her skull, lungs, arm and leg. But doctors say the worst are the multiple pieces of shrapnel lodged in her spine and spinal cord.

"She can't feel her legs," Sarah's aunt says. And doctors fear she may never again, especially not if she stays here.

The family says there was no advanced warning before the strike. They had no idea what was coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Susu was sitting on the floor suddenly the rocket hit above our apartment and the roof of the room fell on us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice over): Susu, that's what her older brother, Omad (ph) calls her.

"She needs an advanced neuro surgical center. We don't have those in Gaza. Doctor said there is hope that she will be able to stand on her feet," her father's Zahir (ph) says. He's begging for help.

He wants his little girl to have her life back, a life filled with a gleeful cries of joy. A life where she can stand on her own.

"She's struggling psychologically," her father says. She keeps asking me, "Why daddy? Why did they have to do this to me?"

Arwa Damon, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Well, a 29-year-old man wearing a yarmulke is attacked in Time Square in broad daylight. We want to warn you, this video is disturbing. It shows 29-year-old Joseph Borgen being punched, kicked and pepper sprayed by a mob of five or six men shouting anti-Semitic slurs.

[18:45:06]

It is just one in a string of recent accidents against Jewish people in America amid this latest flare up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here's Borgen talking about the attack with CNN's Don Lemon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BORGEN, ATTACK VICTIM: At the corner of my eye, I see someone chasing me from behind before I could even react. I was just surrounded by a crowd of people who, as you saw on the video, proceeded to beat me down and then after the fact pepper sprayed me.

As soon as they were on top of me, attacking me, I was literally fell to the ground just protecting my head, protecting my face, doing what I could to ensure that honestly, my main thought was to survive at that point. Make it out alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: The NYPD says it's arrested one suspect and is asking for the public's help funding for others. And the Anti-Defamation League reports a spike in anti-Semitic attacks in the week since the Mideast crisis began.

Well up next ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY: I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying in her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much, that's heartbreaking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Prince Harry on his late mom, his wife and his mission not to let history repeat itself.

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[18:51:02]

BROWN: We're turning now to a heart wrenching admission from Prince Harry who describes waking up to his wife Meghan crying in her pillow.

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PRINCE HARRY: My biggest regret is not making more of a stance earlier on in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism when I did. History was repeating itself. My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasn't white and now look what's happened. You want to talk about history repeating itself, they're not going to stop until she dies.

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BROWN: Prince Harry and his brother, William, are slamming the BBC as well after a report found one of their journalists use deceptive tactics to get an interview with their mother, Princess Diana. Here CNN's Max Foster.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was the bombshell interview that stunned the world.

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PRINCESS DIANA: Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it's a bit crowded.

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FOSTER (voice over): Princess Diana discussing the collapse of her marriage with Prince Charles nearly 26 years ago. And now Prince William and Prince Harry are slamming the BBC after an independent investigation, commissioned by the broadcaster revealed how journalists Martin Bashir secured the interview with their late mother.

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PRINCE WILLIAM: It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC's failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.

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FOSTER (voice over): The 127-page reports concluding Bashir used deceitful behavior and created fake bank statements to arrange the meeting with Diana. It also criticized the actions of the BBC saying that without justification, the BBC covered up its press logs such facts as it had been able to establish about how Mr. Bashir secured the interview.

The Duke of Cambridge also noting his concerns about how the BBC ignored alarm bells about Bashir's campaign to gain access to his mother.

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PRINCE WILLIAM: But what saddens me most is that if the BBC have properly investigated the complaints and concerns, first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she'd been deceived.

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FOSTER (voice over): Prince Harry spreading the blame not only to the BBC, but also to coverage of Diana by other outlets and publications of the time. Writing in a statement, he said, "To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That's the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these - and even worse - are still widespread today."

The Duke of Sussex who's had his own issues with tabloids, recently discussing his ongoing struggles with his mother's death and the steps he's taking to heal.

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PRINCE HARRY: I was so angry with what happened to her and the fact that there was no justice at all.

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FOSTER (voice over): Speaking to Oprah Winfrey for a new streaming series, the two created about mental health for Apple TV plus, Harry said he turned to alcohol as an escape.

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PRINCE HARRY: I was willing to drink. I was willing to take drugs. I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling. But I slowly became aware that, OK, I wasn't drinking Monday to Friday but I would probably drink a week's worth in one day on a Friday or a Saturday night.

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FOSTER (on camera): In the same program, Harry talked about comforting his wife, Meghan, who he said broke down and cried over 'the combined efforts of the firm and the media to smear her over allegations that she bullied members of staff'. Allegations that first appeared in The Times newspaper. Those bullying allegations are being investigated by an independent law firm maximum.

Max Foster, CNN, Hampshire, England.

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[18:55:02]

BROWN: And up next, on this Saturday, sweet with a satisfying crunch. How one candy company is cashing in on the cicada invasion.

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[18:59:41]

BROWN: Well, if you can't beat them, how about eating them instead? I just want to warn you if you're eating right now actually watching this segment, you're going to want to probably put that aside. It turns out those masses of insanely noisy cicadas that are just now waking from their 17-year slumber, well they can be a tasty snack too, allegedly.

[19:00:01]

I personally have not tried it, I never will.