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Ronald Green's Family Joins March to Louisiana Capitol; "Dreamland" Tells Story of Tulsa Massacre, Airs Monday at 9PM; TSA Conduction 1,300 Investigations into Mask Violations; "Friends" Reunion Special Now Streaming on HBO Max. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 27, 2021 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Well just a few minutes, the family of Ronald Greene, along with civil rights and social justice activists will begin a march from the Louisiana state capitol to the governor's mansion. They're calling for the state troopers involved in Ronald Greene's death, and the deadly arrest to be fired and criminally charged.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Bodycam video shows troopers tasing, beating and dragging Greene by the ankles. But the video was not made public for two years. And his family initially was told that Greene died in a car crash. CNN's Nick Valencia joins us live now from Baton Rouge. Nick, I know that the family just met with the governor moments ago. What have they told you about it?

[15:35:00]

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Alisyn. That meeting lasted about 45 minutes according to the family attorney. It just wrapped up a few moments ago. And I asked the family attorney to describe the mood. He said it was tense but respectful. And nothing of really substance according to the family came of that meeting. According to Ron Hailey, they asked for substantive demands but were only told to be open to new information.

The governor's office -- we reached out to them. They are expecting to release a statement here momentarily. But the family earlier today at a press conference they were hopeful. They said that they met earlier with the district attorney and in their words it could be a matter of days perhaps weeks before we see arrests in this case of the officers involved in Ronald Greene's death.

It has been exactly 747 days since Ronald Greene died after an encounter with police. Police said it was a struggle of resisting arrest. The family, they called this investigation a facade going so far as to call it a cover-up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONA HARDIN, RONALD GREENE'S MOTHER: It hurts the hell out of me to even say my son was murdered. I just want to a thank everyone here, the legal team I have, and everyone that it takes to organize this -- this facade, this cover-up of murder. It's so disrespectful to the state of Louisiana to continue this, to run this through, hoping that eventually it will lose traction for some reason or other it'll just die away, which is not going to happen. Because this is for my son.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA (on camera): Lee Merit one of the family's attorneys went on to say that this is a state that does not have a taste for justice. The family says they're not here for sympathy. They're not here for a kumbaya. They're here to demand consequences for the death of Ronald Green. That rally expected to get under way here in about an hour -- Alisyn, Victor.

CAMEROTA: Yes, they want action, they don't want lip service. We'll see what happens next. Nick, thank you very much.

So coming up next, 100 years since the Tulsa massacre that devastated a thriving black community. Progress is finally being made to honor the hundreds of people killed that day. We'll speak to one of their descendants who is also an Oklahoma State Rep.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: It is a horrible chapter of history that too many Americans do not know about. A century ago the Greenwood neighbor in Tulsa, Oklahoma was the wealthiest black neighborhood in the country. A haven of black owned businesses and beautiful homes.

BLACKWELL: And on May 31st Greenwood was obliterated when a white mob attacked. There was wholesale destruction, murder, the CNN new film, Dreamland, The Burning of Black Wall Street tells the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Tulsa Tribune published a series of inflammatory articles that really fomented hostility in the white community against the black community. Tulsa was a powder keg or a tinder box, needing only something to set the community alight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: With us now, we have Oklahoma State Representative Regina Goodwin. She represents Tulsa. She's also a descendant of some of the victims of the massacre. Representative Goodwin, it's great to have you here. And as many as 300 people may have died. No one knows the exact number. And no one was ever held accountable. And so now all these years later, what would justice look like?

STATE REP. REGINA GOODWIN (D-OK): So all these years later, as a hundred years ago when my great grandmother Colleen Marie filed a reparations lawsuit and she was rejected outright. It would look the same. It would look like people being compensates for what was taken.

And right now we've got Lessie Benningfield Randle at106. We've got Mrs. Viola Fletcher at 107. We've got Mr. Hughes Van Ellis at a 100. What looks like for them is cash in their hand so they might be comfortable in their lives. They suffered directly. And for all those that are trying to figure out where we start? I can give you three names where you can start. So justice looks like many things. Whether it has to do with economic development. Whether it has to do with scholarships. Whether it has to do with land and the distribution of that land. So that buildings might be built and businesses made. So there are a number of ways that there can be reparations, restitution, reclamation.

BLACKWELL: You know, you mentioned Ms. Fletcher who we heard from. She testified before Congress, 107 years old telling the story of that community and of that day. And so valuable that was. Will you tell us what made this community so special? What live was like for black citizens in Greenwood at that time?

GOODWIN: Yes, absolutely. I think first of all it was a mindset. And people had come to this area with the intent of growing and quite frankly being safe from racism. And a number of black townships in this territory were developed because people understood that while some folks did not see them as fully human they saw themselves as wholly and fully worthy of the best that live has to offer. So they came this area and my great greater was one, Mr. Sango, who had invited him to this area, and it was about building. It was about growth. It was about being independent and being creative in that. Miss Viola Ford Fletcher said perhaps God had allowed her to live 107 years just so she could see this day to still say, you owe me. We're still here.

CAMEROTA: It's just so sickening really when you think about what was stolen that day. And so what is Greenwood like now?

[15:45:00]

GOODWIN: And so unfortunately, what it's like now is just a half a block of what had been some 35 square blocks. Again, as you talked about the wealth that was there, the number of millionaires that were there. You had black men that owned their own planes and flew their own planes. And what it looks like now is the area that people fly over. It is the area where you've got an expressway that cuts through the heart of the community as it has happened in a number of other communities.

And you don't see the thriving black businesses. You see gentrification. You see businesses that are largely white-owned and you see what you would see in any other neighborhood unfortunately. So we continue to press on that there might be real growth and businesses established and we cannot -- we cannot apologize for what wanting in our community what so many other folks have in theirs.

BLACKWELL: All right, State Rep. Regina Goodwin, thank you so much for spending some time to tell the story that not enough people know and remind us of the names. Go ahead, I see you want to say something. Tell us.

GOODWIN: Oh, well look, if I say nothing, the three names you've got Miss Lessie Benningfield Randle at 106. Miss Viola Ford Fletcher at 107. You've got Mr. Hughes Van Ellis. These are true treasures and they remind us of who we are and how far we having to go. But I tell you, as long as we got life we can get it right. So we just ask folks to do the right thing. And yes, we could talk about this for quite a while. Yes I always have something to say on this issue. I want to thank you all for having me.

BLACKWELL: Regina Goodwin, State Representative thank you so much for being with us to tell this story.

CAMEROTA: Again, the CNN film, "Dreamland, The Burning of Black Wall Street" premiers Monday night at 9 p.m. Eastern. Everybody needs to watch this.

BLACKWELL: Indeed, indeed. All right up next, the FAA reports dozens of cases of people assaulting flight crews, just as we are expecting the pandemic travel to hit a record this weekend. We'll speak to the head of the nation's Flight Attendant's Union.

CAMEROTA: Plus our favorite "Friends" have reunited. It was long awaited. This shows memorable characters one of whom joins us live. And we'll show you some clips from the big reunion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:00]

BLACKWELL: Airports are busy today. People are starting to travel for the Memorial Day weekend. Across the country an estimated 2.5 million people expected to board a flight in another test of the CDC mask mandate that's still in place for mass transit.

Now the FAA says that its received 1,900 reports of passengers violating that mandate since January. And there have been more than 60 incidents involving TSA employees and flight crews being physically assaulted including this past weekend. When a Southwest Airlines flight attendant lost two of her teeth.

Sara Nelson is the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants. Sara, thank you for being with us. I know that your group, others, are asking for more protections for the flight crew. What are those specifically that you're looking for?

SARA NELSON, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: Well look, we have to be really, really clear with the travelling public that masks are required in the airports and on the airplanes. And I know people have had a tough time keeping up with the policies depending upon where you are, whether it's inside, outside, or what state you're in. But on mass transit, you must wear a mask. And so we've actually had 25 incidents of -- 25,000 incidents of

unruly passengers, 2,500 reports of unruly passengers where passengers are facing fines and potentially jail time. 1,900 of those have to do with wearing masks. So you've got to wear those masks. What we need to be reporting out to people, is that if you are not, FAA has zero tolerance policy. You're going to be facing those fines or jail time. And we need to be very clear with public everywhere. Because this -- these actions onboard the aircraft, what may start out as little actions, can become really big problems really quickly. And we're stuck in a metal tube where we can't call for help or people cannot walk away. So we've all got to treat each other with respect.

BLACKWELL: Yes, an argument at a grocery store is bad enough. Put that at 38,000 feet in the middle of the sky, then it's even worse. Let me come to you about what we heard from the CEO of Delta today, Ed Bastian, with one of my colleague, about vaccines being required for passengers. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED BASTIAN, CEO, DELTA AIRLINES: I don't see us ever mandating in the U.S. travel system. Vaccinations as a requirement. Maybe internationally though.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Would you like to see the requirement of vaccinations for passengers on these planes?

NELSON: Look, we're probably not going to have a choice, just like Ed Bastian said there, if we want to travel internationally. And so, it's very likely that if you want to travel, you're going to have to be vaccinated. In the U.S. it's unlikely. There are some exceptions where people cannot get vaccinated. Let's be really clear, we have people, everyone from a day old to 92-years-old. And children can't vaccinated yet. So not every single person that gets on a plane actually has access to a vaccine today. And until we have equal access and the ability to do this in a way that is not interfering with people's civil rights, then we just can't mandate that here in the United States.

BLACKWELL: So we talked a lot about some of the angst that people are feeling as they go back to crowded grocery stores, shopping areas. Are your members feeling the anxiety as we see this increase in air travel starting this weekend?

NELSON: Well I'll tell you, you know, one reason that we do this job -- and I've been doing this job for 25 years. And people come on our airplanes for all kinds of reasons. They come on in times of grief. Times of celebration, for big business deal. We don't yet have the business travelers back. Or we have unaccompanied children who are flying on our planes. And air travel is all about connecting people and bringing people together.

[15:55:00] Typically people come to the door of our aircraft with the spirit that we're all in this together and that we want to have a safe, uneventful flight. And it's usually the exception of someone who is acting out. What has been happening every single day on the job is that conflict has been bubbling up. And that typically happens in life. That shows up on our airplanes. It's more than it's ever been before -- 20 times more. In the first five months of this year than we typically see in an entire year.

So this is really taxing on the flight attendants who are going to work every day. Who have to deescalate and try to manage this. It's really demoralizing. Actually we have people who are quitting the job that they love because of it.

BLACKWELL: Sara Nelson, it's a busy weekend for you and all your members. Good luck out there. Thanks so much for your time.

NELSON: All right, let's respect each other and come fly with us. Get back to wear a mask and listen to your flight attendants. Thanks.

BLACKWELL: All right, thank you.

CAMEROTA: OK, Victor. It's the moment all "Friends" super fans have been waiting for. The "Friends" reunion special is now streaming on HBO Max. All the beloved cast members are back together along with some of the favorite supporting characters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.

CROWD: Oh, my god.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Chandler's girlfriend Janice makes another one of her great entrances in the reunion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.

I can't believe you didn't say, me!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That was awesome.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CAMEROTA: OK, Maggie Wheeler joins us now live from L.A. congratulations on the special. Great to see you, Maggie.

MAGGIE WHEELER, ACTRESS, PLAYED "JANICE" ON "FRIENDS": Thank you so much. It's great to see you too.

CAMEROTA: OK, what was it like to have the gang all back together?

WHEELER: Well, it was a spectacular night, I have to say. It was just -- it felt so good to be there. It was really charged in this magnificent way. It was an incredible night.

BLACKWELL: Maggie, was the line written that way, to be delivered like that, or is that something you come up with?

WHEELER: No, I came up with it. I mean really, the -- I came up with the character in the audition. She didn't say oh, my god in the audition. She said, oh, my god when they wrote it in the script. I think it was just a great natural evolution once Janice existed those brilliant writers started filling things in. They just made it even better.

CAMEROTA: Maggie, I was so surprised to hear how infrequently the cast all got together. After the grand finale when the show ended, I think they all only been together one other time I read. I mean, why? Why aren't the friends having dinner parties every night?

WHEELER: Well, I think living 3,000 miles apart in certain cases probably has something to do with it. But you know, now the miles make no difference. We can all be on zoom.

BLACKWELL: Maggie, tell us, from your perspective, why has this show resonated with a new generation of fans now? Because it certainly has.

WHEELER: You know, the show lives on forever. I don't know why. I mean, I know of do know why. The chemistry is just undeniable. The comedy is undeniable. And it's incredible to see each streaming flat form, new generation finds it. And falls in love it with. I'm so excited that it's been in this way.

CAMEROTA: Who are you most happy to see and be reunited with at the reunion?

WHEELER: Oh, my god. I was really happen you to see everybody, quite honestly. Walking out on that stage and being the surprise with my entrance, I have to say, I was off stage in the back kind of watching from the side and I thought I might have been in David Schwimmer's eye line and I thought I should probably sneak back behind that tree and not let him see me. But, you know, when I walked out on that stage and they all jumped up and said hello to me, that was an extraordinary moment, being able to say hi and hug everybody in real time and in real life. It was really special.

BLACKWELL: So you were a surprise for them. Are the other surprises on this reunion special for all of us? Don't give them away. But are they?

WHEELER: There's one after another, after another. I mean really, it was so exciting. I can't say for those that haven't watched it, I can't say. I woke up this morning, turned it on before I even got out of bed and watched the whole thing, and I was weeping by the end. So I'm really excited for everyone to see it.

CAMEROTA: You're not alone. I mean this -- because I have teenagers, I have relived "Friends" through my teenagers who watch it throughout the pandemic. And it holds up, you know? It's still such a great funny show. OK, we have to go. For one last time, can you give us the Janice laugh?

WHEELER: I can.

Oh, my god! Wait until you see the reunion.

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Maggie Wheeler, thank you. Great to see you as always.

WHEELER: Thank you. It's so good to see you.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Maggie. Looking forward to watching that.

"The Lead" with Jake Tapper starts right now.

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