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Fencing Reinstalled Ahead of Rally Supporting Capitol Rioters; TSA Ramps Up Security Ahead of Pro-Insurrectionist Rally; SC Lawyer in Botched Murder, Insurance Scheme Turns Himself In; Criminal Probe Opened into 2018 Death of Murdaugh Housekeeper; Police: Missing YouTuber & Boyfriend in "Altercation" Last Month; Del Rio Mayor: At Least 8,500 Migrants Under Texas Bridge; DHS Upheaval Comes as Migrant Policy Tensions Boil Over; White House Working to Resettle 60,000-Plus Afghan Refugees in U.S. by October; Satellite Images Reveal North Korea Expanding Facility Used to Enrich Uranium for Nuclear Weapons. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 16, 2021 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Capitol Police taking no chances ahead of Saturday's rally in support of those charged in the January insurrection, fencing is back up around the nation's capital. Capitol Police have requested the National Guard be on standby.

CNN crime and justice correspondent, Shimon Prokupecz, join us now.

Shimon, what have you heard about Saturday's rally, the expectations and other security measures surrounding it?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME & JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: For officials, certainly, they expect about 700 or several hundred people to appear at the rally.

There's also some concern in days leading up to the rally. Being here on the capitol, you have seen some stepped up security. The fencing obviously has gone up.

But they haven't stopped access into the capitol yet. We've seen people walking into the capitol. But I suspect by tomorrow it's going to be a very different story.

We're also just outside the Supreme Court where it also looks like they're going to be putting up fencing. You see that there right now. That is expected to go up later.

And then just about an hour ago or so, we saw dozens of police officers, law enforcement officials, meeting here outside the capitol kind of going over the plan.

Allowing some of the officers who are not from the Washington D.C., area to familiarize themselves with the area. They were giving them a tour, a briefing.

Certainly, you know security here has been stepped up. The Washington D.C., police are going to be -- they're going to have officers in. They said they're going to be on call. They're going to have officers standing by. And obviously Capitol Hill police.

As you said, the National Guard. Exactly what role they're going to play, we don't know.

But definitely that's going to be stepped up security everywhere across Washington D.C.

Because it's not only the concern here at the capitol. Obviously, there's a major concern here. But it's other parts of Washington D.C., that officials are concerned about, leading up to Saturday, just two days away.

We're going to continue to see an uptick of policing and law enforcement activity around the district -- Ana?

CABRERA: It will be interesting to see how many turn out, given there's also been some pushback online among those who were planning to go to, say, maybe we shouldn't go, maybe there's something that's -- maybe this is a setup in some way.

Even though there's no evidence of that. It makes you wonder if they're going to show up.

Shimon Prokupecz, thank you.

Now, the Transportation Security Administration is ramping up security ahead of Saturday's protests. They are going to leave nothing for chance here.

CNN aviation correspondent, Pete Muntean, is at Reagan National Airport.

Pete, explain how the TSA is preparing for this.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, the TSA says it is always on high alert. But passengers will be seeing more security officers and K-9s at airports leading up to Saturday's planned Justice for January 6th rally.

What's so interesting is this is similar to the position the agency took just after the original attack on the capitol when it stepped up screening at Reagan National Airport and at Dulles and at BWI.

The TSA says in a statement it "recognizes this as a period of high awareness and it will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in the D.C. region to address our security posture for the weekend."

Remember, January 6th changed aviation security everywhere. That is when the federal government adopted a zero-tolerance approach against unruly passengers. That problem really bubbled up originally after January 6th. And 4,000

reports by flight crews since the beginning of the year.

And TSA administrator, David Pekoske, tells me in an exclusive interview that it is still a big concern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PEKOSKE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: It's a big concern of mine. I know it's a big concern of every traveler out there. Nobody wants to be at 30,000-plus feet and have somebody create an inflight disturbance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Airlines also say they are keeping an eye on this.

American Airlines says that, after the January 6th attack, it moved crews from its hotels in downtown D.C. to other locations.

It also suspended alcohol service on flights to and from D.C. It's an airline-wide policy right now.

American says it has not made any changes just yet, but it is still monitoring this -- Ana?

CABRERA: Pete Muntean, thank you.

[13:34:01]

The South Carolina lawyer accused of staging a hit on himself is now officially under arrest. The latest in this bizarre fraud case, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: A prominent South Carolina attorney accused in a bizarre murder-for-hire plot has just turned himself into police.

Police say Alex Murdaugh was both the mastermind and target of the roadside shooting he survived. This happened over the Labor Day weekend.

The whole thing a hoax, apparently, aimed at securing a big life insurance payout for Murdaugh's son, according to court documents.

CNN's Martin Savidge is outside the jail in Hampton County, South Carolina.

Martin, I understand Murdaugh turned himself in late this morning?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. It was about 11:15 this morning. He was already, it appears to be, in the custody of state law enforcement.

They pulled up in an SUV. They went behind a security gate. Then, shortly after that, you began seeing people get out of that SUV, including Alex Murdaugh, and they went directly into the building. We anticipate now there's processing that will take place. There will

probably a mug shot released momentarily.

We also anticipate there will be some kind of hearing in which the charges of conspiring to commit insurance fraud will be read against him. It's possible he could be out on bond before the day is done -- Ana?

[13:40:06]

CABRERA: So, first, he has family members who are murdered. Then there's this --

SAVIDGE: Right.

CABRERA: -- bizarre situation that we learned was a murder-for-hire plot that he was involved with and he was going to be the target of it.

And now we're learning police have opened an investigation into the death of the family's long-time housekeeper three years ago. What's the story there?

SAVIDGE: Gloria Satterfield is her name. In 2018, she suffered what was described as a trip and fall on the property. She died as a result of that.

And so what happened was a lawsuit that was brought by her surviving sons. And it was Alex Murdaugh that sort of guided the whole process, even though the lawsuit was against Alex Murdaugh.

And that's one of the problems that law enforcement is said to be looking into is this whole issue.

The attorney that represents the Satterfield family spoke out about the conflicts. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC BLAND, ATTORNEY TO SATTERFIELD FAMILY ESTATE: But don't kid yourself, this is a Murdaugh office. They control the civil court system down there. They control the criminal court system.

They know all the jurors because they've -- they've woven themselves into the fabric of the town. This is a very, very powerful family that you do not see in many jurisdictions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: The coroner also has questions about the Satterfield death. At the time, it was listed as natural causes, when she tripped and fell. That's not natural. So the coroner has also asked for the state law enforcement to look into that issue as well -- Ana?

CABRERA: Martin Savidge, thanks. A new twist in the case of missing YouTuber, Gabby Petito. There's now

body camera footage of police responding to an alleged physical altercation between Petito and her boyfriend just weeks before they disappeared.

Police still haven't been able to question that boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, since he returned home from the couple's cross-country trip alone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD R. GARRISON, CHIEF, NORTH PORT, FL, POLICE DEPARTMENT: Two people went on a trip, one person returned. And that person that returned isn't providing us any information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: That was from a press conference just last hour.

CNN correspondent, Polo Sandoval, is following this story.

Polo, did the police address the new body camera video at today's news conference?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, that was the police chief in North Port, Florida, that we just heard from, which is actually where the couple lives.

He said it's too soon to say if that police encounter from August 12th in Morab City, Utah, actually played a role in Gabby Petito's disappearance.

It is important, though, as that police body camera video that was shot that day actually shows Gabby a month before her family reported her missing, which was this past Saturday.

Police saying the 22-year-old set out to travel across the west coast with her fiance in her van. The two reportedly experienced that August altercation, which led to a traffic stop. It was documented.

If you read, Ana, from the police report, which I did this morning, it described Petito as being in a, quote, "confused, an emotional, and in a manic state," according to that officer.

We want to show our viewers a few seconds of what was a very lengthy body cam video that shows that initial contact between the officers and the couple on the side of the road that day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GABBY PETITO, MISSING YOUTUBER: We've just been fighting this morning. Some personal issues. He wouldn't let me in the car before.

UNIDENTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Why wouldn't you let her in the car?

(CROSSTALK)

PETITO: He told me to calm down. Yes. But I am perfectly calm.

Sometimes I have OCD, and sometimes I can get really frustrated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: You see the officer eventually hands over the keys to the van.

The officer eventually determines that this was not a domestic assault but rather, what he described in his police report as a, quote, "mental health crisis."

No charges were filed that day. And he advises both go their own separate ways for the night to cool off basically.

And as the police officers right now and investigators try to piece together exactly what happened and where she is, here's what we know at this point.

There's the August 12th altercation you saw. Then in late August, her family says they talked with her a final time and believed she was in Wyoming at the time.

On August 25th, Petito posts on social media one last time. And then, Laundrie, her fiance, allegedly makes it back to Florida on September 1st.

And that brings us back to this past Saturday when her family reported she was missing.

Investigators say they have not received much cooperation from the Laundrie right now.

But an attorney representing the family, saying in a statement earlier this week, that they are, at this point, remaining in the background at this juncture and have no further comment under advice of their council right now.

The chief certainly saying with confidence, Ana, that they know where exactly where he is as they continue to treat this as a missing persons case.

CABRERA: Polo Sandoval, we know you're going to continue to dig. Thank you.

[13:44:56]

Calls for Homeland Security to get involved as thousands and thousands of migrants wait under a Texas bridge to be taken into custody. What happens next?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:50:02] CABRERA: The U.S. today facing dueling immigration crises. As the nation prepares to resettle tens of thousands of Afghan refugees, stunning images are now emerging from the southern border. Thousands of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, under a bridge waiting to be taken into custody.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us.

Priscilla, first, this crisis at the border, the mayor of Del Rio wants the government to step in and help border agents there. Are they going to?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol says, yes, they are going to increase manpower there. They are working with the Department of Homeland Security and with agencies on the ground to provide assistance.

But, Ana, this just goes to show the ongoing challenge for CBP. They are not equipped to process and handle this many migrants coming to the U.S./Mexico border, particularly in Del Rio. This is a sector that is fairly isolated and has limited capabilities.

But CBP says that they are offering water, towels, portable toilets while they process the people who are waiting under this bridge.

But, again, this is an ongoing issue they're working to resolve.

CABRERA: It has been an ongoing issue for months now. The administration has been facing record levels of migrants crossing the border.

Priscilla, you have new reporting on some infighting happening inside the Department of Homeland Security right now. What are you learning?

ALVAREZ: Look, tensions within administrations are not necessarily new.

But what we know about what is going on in Department of Homeland Security is that there's disagreement among different factions, moderates, progressives, on the issue of immigration and management of the U.S./Mexico border.

That can leave little room for solutions and decision making.

Now, a Homeland Security spokesperson told me in a statement, quote, "We encourage candid and fulsome debate. And we pride ourselves on inviting and considering different points of view," end quote.

But it is paralysis and tiredness, that's what sources tell me, within the department.

We know this week that two senior officials announced their resignations, both in different positions and offering different reasons for their departure.

So it is unclear if these tensions played a role in those decisions. But in the interim, this is a department that is facing ongoing challenges.

CABRERA: Quickly, Priscilla, the Biden administration is planning to resettle 60,000 Afghan refugees inside the U.S. in the coming weeks. Do we know where they are going yet?

ALVAREZ: They are going to eight military bases, and they are trickling in.

So we anticipate that, at these eight military bases, 65,000 refugees are expected to come by the end of September and then 30,000 over the course of the next 12 months.

Refugee resettlement agencies are also at these bases working with the government to ultimately determine where these evacuees will head.

Some of them have U.S. ties, others do not. That all plays into the determination.

But a herculean effort, Ana, for the administration.

CABRERA: Thanks so much for your reporting, Priscilla Alvarez. Good to see you.

Any moment now, the president expected to speak on the economy.

Also this. CNN obtained new satellite images revealing a lot about North Korea's nuclear plans. What they're doing and how the U.S. is responding, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:57:57]

CABRERA: Just in, brand-new satellite images showing North Korea is expanding a key facility used to enrich uranium, the very fuel used in nuclear weapons.

Let's go straight to CNN national security correspondent, Alex Marquardt.

Alex, tell us about these pictures.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN NATURAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, experts believe in looking at these pictures that they indicate that North Korea plans to increase its production of weapons-grade nuclear material.

That's according to the Newberry Institute, which analyzed these images.

What they show - there's a series you are seeing right there on the screen -- is a steady expansion of a part of the nuclear research facility complex. Now, an expert at Middlebury, who spoke with my colleague, Zack Cohen,

says this indicates that this plant could increase its enrichment capacity by as much as 25 percent.

That area that you are looking at there is around 1,000 square meters. It could hold as many as 1,000 additional centrifuges.

Now, U.S. officials agree that this could signal that North Korea does plan to expand this production of weapons-grade uranium, which could be used for North Korean nuclear weapons.

This, of course, is extremely worrying. And it comes on the heels of a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which says that for the first time since 2018 they are seeing a nuclear reactor at this facility back up and running.

So you combine that with the missile test that we've seen over the course of the past few days from North Korea, this is a very worrying situation that the Biden administration now has to deal with -- Ana?

CABRERA: OK, Alex Marquardt, thank you for the update.

And that does it for us today. Thanks so much for being here. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Follow me on Twitter, @AnaCabrera.

Victor Blackwell and Alisyn Camerota take over right now.

[13:59:57]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Hello. Thank you for being with us. I'm Victor Blackwell.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: And I'm Alisyn Camerota.

Soon, President Biden will make his latest case for that $3.5 trillion economic agenda.

Here is the president now.