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Daunte Wright's Girl Friend Takes Witness Stand; New Employment Claims Drop to 52-Year Low; Number 10 Allegedly Partied During 2020 Lockdown; Allegations U.K. Government Broke COVID Restrictions. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired December 10, 2021 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: CNN NEWSROOM. Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.

A major setback for the former president in his move to keep the January 6 committee from getting his White House records. A federal appeals court ruling that Trump has, quote, no legal reason to withhold the documents by claiming executive privilege.

Plus, a jury in Chicago finding actor Jussie Smollett guilty of five or six counts of lying to police when he falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist as well as anti-gay attack. The judge will decide if he'll face time behind bars or get probation. "EARLY START," of course, will have more on those two stories in about 25 minutes or so.

Now, emotions were high during a trial in Minnesota that involved the killing of a black man by police. 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot by former officer Kim Potter near Minneapolis in April. But Potter claimed she killed Daunte Wright by mistake using by her gun when she meant to use a taser. She's now facing manslaughter charges. On Thursday Wright's girlfriend who was with him during the entire incident took the stand. Our Josh Campbell reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Emotional testimony, Thursday, from Daunte Wright's girlfriend in the manslaughter trial of former police officer, Kim Potter. Potter says she mistook her gun for her taser when she shot and killed Wright during a routine traffic stop. Wright's girlfriend was in the car at the time.

ALAYNA ALBRECHT-PAYTON, DAUNTE WRIGHT'S GIRLFRIEND: He was really scared, and I would never see him like that before. I just remember like hearing like hearing the boom bang of the gun, and then I remember just looking up.

[04:35:00]

CAMPBELL (voice-over): Wright's girlfriend telling the court, what happened after the shooting. ALBRECHT-PAYTON: I took my belt off, and I grabbed like whatever was in the car. I don't remember, it was a sweater, a towel, or blanket, or something. I just didn't know what to do. So, I just put my hands over his chest, and I just tried to hold it. I was just screaming his name. I can replay that image in my head daily.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): After Wright was shot, he sped away from the scene, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest. Moments later, police dashcam video shows Wright's car striking another in a violent crash. His girlfriend called out to police on the scene.

POLICE OFFICER: 219, the driver is not breathing.

ALBRECHT-PAYTON: I was trying to push on his chest and call his name. And he wasn't answering me, he was just gasping. Just take breaths of air.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): She tells the prosecutor about a FaceTime call with Wright's mother, while she was still on the car.

ERIN ELDRIDGE, MINNESOTA ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: You said you pointed the camera at him.

ALBRECHT-PAYTON: Yes. No, mom should have to see their son dead on the ground.

CAMPBELL (voice-over) and: The officer who witnessed the crash testifying that he didn't know Wright had been shot and ordered him to exit the vehicle.

POLICE OFFICER: Put your hands up, get out of the car, yes, you.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): The police, getting Wright's girlfriend out of the car, then cuffing her, and leading her away.

POLICE OFFICER: You're not under arrest. Put your hands behind your back.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): After securing the scene, officers say they began rendering medical aid to Wright. An officer testifying police tried to revive him.

OFFICER ALAN DOUGLAS-SALVOSA, BROOKLYN CENTER POLICE DEPARTMENT: Assessing his injuries, trying to find out how to best to treat his injuries, and save his life, sir.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): New police body camera footage, introduced Thursday, shows numerous other officers, soon, arriving to a scene of utter confusion.

POLICE OFFICER: Gunshots fired.

POLICE OFFICER: What's that?

POLICE OFFICER: Gunshots fired.

POLICE OFFICER: Gunshots fired.

POLICE OFFICER: Oh, he did?

POLICE OFFICER: So, there were shots fired on there?

POLICE OFFICER: I don't know. I didn't hear that. There was a traffic stop, they had one with a warrant. As they're -- as I'm pulling up this way, the car takes off, hits the Subaru, and crashes here.

He has a gunshot wound, I didn't fire, I had no idea, but obviously, he was shot somewhere between there and here.

CAMPBELL (voice-over): While on the stand, Wright's girlfriend detailed her injuries, resulting from the crash.

ALBRECHT-PAYTON: My jaw, I remember walking, and my blood was just spilling from my mouth.

CAMPBELL: Now Kimberly Potter has pleaded not guilty to charges of first and second-degree manslaughter. At the end of court on Thursday, her attorney asking the judge for a mistrial, taking issue with some of the evidence provided by the prosecution. The judge denying that request. This trial will continue.

Another compelling day of testimony. And one thing is clear, by calling these witnesses, Daunte Wright's girlfriend as well as another motorist who was in a vehicle that was struck, as Daunte Wright was driving away suffering from a gunshot wound. Prosecutors are showing the jury that multiple people were impacted by this former officer's fateful decision to pull her service weapon instead of her taser.

Josh Campbell, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Now, the Labor Department says new weekly unemployment claims have dropped to 184,000. That's a fraction of what they were a year ago. If you look at that, and the lowest number in 52 years. The nation still has about 11 million job openings which employers are struggling to fill. In another piece of good economic news -- we'll take that -- average U.S. gas prices have sunk to $3.34 a gallon, the lowest price in three weeks. Some experts say spending less money at the pump could ease inflationary pressure, of course, in the economy.

Well, many people worry that economic recovery in the U.S. could take a hit from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. But CNN global economic analyst Rana Foroohar says not necessarily. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANA FOROOHAR, CNN GLOBAL ECONOMIC ANALYST: You never want to say never when it comes to COVID. But I think if we don't hear anything more worrisome about the new variant, then, yes, I would agree with that. I mean, the fact that you're seeing Pfizer come out and say, you know, if you've got three shots, you've got pretty good protection, that's great news. That's exactly what the market wanted to hear. It has always been all about the virus. Now, you know, we have this

staying at home thing down. We're going to have to be doing a little bit more of it probably. Certainly, overseas they will. But we know how to do it now. So, unless we hear something else that blows the story out of the water, I think it is going to be a good year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: At least a better year. Also U.S. companies are getting a grip on supply chain problems which should, of course, help the economic recovery.

Now for the first time ever, a union will represent some Starbucks employees in the United States. And they are thrilled, pure elation after staffers in a store in Buffalo New York, they won the right to union with a 19-8 vote. Another store nearby rejected the union. But the tally at a third store remains undecided.

[04:40:00]

Starbucks urged employees to vote against unionization, touting such benefits as health care for part-time workers, and college tuition reimbursement. But pro union workers hope it leads to better pay and more of a voice in how the stores are run.

And coming up right here on the show, ghosts of Christmas past are haunting Prime Minister Boris Johnson. But he's trying to focus on Christmas future and the Omicron outbreak. That's ahead. We'll take you live to 10 Downing Street.

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SOARES: Now, dozens are dead after an awful traffic crash in southern Mexico. At least 54 people were killed Thursday when a tractor-trailer crammed with people collided with a truck and overturned. Most of the victims believed to be migrants, more than 100 more were injured. Emergency officials told local media the dead include men, women, as well as children. It happened in Chiapas state which borders Guatemala. Mexico's Foreign Minister confirmed that foreign nationals were among those killed.

Now, here in the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure amid a series, really, of allegations. Government investigations are underway into staff Christmas parties held during the country-wide lockdown last year. Though London metropolitan police say they aren't investigating due to a lack of evidence. As Johnson coincidentally just announced new COVID lockdown measures to stem the spread of the Omicron variant.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister's Conservative Party was just slapped with a fine for failing to accurately report a donation used to refurbish Johnson's Downing Street apartment.

Let's go to CNN's Salma Abdelaziz outside 10 Downing Street here in London. Good morning, Salma. I mean, the Conservatives, as you well know, are known here Teflon Torres. [04:45:00]

But can the Prime Minister withstand the latest scandals, and critically, Salma, can he face a rebellion from within his own party here?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: That's really the question, Isa. Like him or dislike him, the Prime Minister has the reputation of having nine lives. The question is has he used them all up.

What's going to take place now is an internal investigation led by his cabinet secretary, two of the events in question took place right behind me here, 10 Downing Street. One at the end of November, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson allegedly gave an impromptu speech during a Christmas party. The second on December 18. That's the notorious incident that has sent shock waves across this country after a leaked video showed members of Downing Street staff laughing, joking sarcastically talking about attending allegedly this Christmas party on December 18th. And a few days later, dealing with a mock press conference around it.

As you mentioned, met police saying for now they are not investigating anything, but they are in touch with the cabinet secretary. And if any information comes to light, he would pass it on to the met police for further inquiry.

But beyond this investigation, Isa, it's very difficult to imagine that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is winning in the court of public opinion. And that's because it's very difficult for any member of the public to believe that parties, plural, could have been taking place at the Prime Minister's residence in his home and office during lockdown by his staff, and he would somehow have no knowledge.

So, what we're going to see next is the Prime Minister really fight for his survival. Crucially, he'll be doing this within his party, the Conservative Party. Can they continue to back him through yet another scandal? What his worst fear is here, Isa, is a vote of no confidence. That wouldn't happen overnight. It would require mutiny within his party. But real questions being asked now about his moral authority, about his ability to lead through a pandemic -- Isa.

SOARES: And on that point, Salma, I mean, what are you hearing from those within his own party, within the back benches here? Are they starting to voice their disapproval for his behavior here?

ABDELAZIZ: Absolutely, Isa, they absolutely are. You have a few things at play here. You have the fines that the Conservative Party is facing for allegedly not disclosing donations, fines that are being issued for refurbishment of the Downing Street flat. You have that playing out.

You also have MPs who are angry about new COVID restrictions in place to deal with the Omicron variant. So, you're already dealing with rebellion there. And then finally, of course, anger from MPs who I'm sure right now who are hearing from their own constituents, hearing from their own people, their own group's complaints. How can a Prime Minister who is being alleged of not following the rules set the rules for the country? Very difficult pill for people to swallow.

It's really hard for me to emphasize how angry and frustrated people are across this country. And it's going to be up to those MPs to either absorb that anger or figure out how to address it -- Isa.

SOARES: War-torn constituents no doubt, spitting feathers, that the different rules for those at 10 Downing Street to those up and down the country. Salma Abdelaziz for us at 10 Downing Street, thanks very much, Salma. Good to see you.

But there was some good news for the Prime Minister on Thursday. A bundle of good news, you can say. He and his wife Carrie announced the birth of a healthy baby girl. This is the couple's second child. The son Wilfred was born in April last year. Earlier this year Mrs. Johnson said she had a miscarriage before announcing she was pregnant again. Congratulations to them.

Coming up in the next hour, judges in London's court of appeal are expected to rule whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the United States. Now, the U.S. government says Assange committed espionage when WikiLeaks published secret military documents a decade ago. And is appealing in earlier court decision not to send Assange to the U.S. to stand trial. The judge at that time, said there was a high-risk Assange would take his life if sent to the United States. Assange has been incarcerated at London's Belmarsh Prison since April 2019 and is not expected to attend today's ruling. Regardless of how the judges rule, Assange's fate will most likely have been decided by the UK's Supreme Court. And we shall find out roughly in about half an hour to 45 minutes.

Coming up right here on CNN NEWSROOM, snow in December has been tough to come by. But it's finally arriving. But the same system bringing the white stuff can also bring dangerous storms to the south. We'll explain, next.

[04:50:00]

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SOARES: And some sad news in the world of the NFL. Former star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was found dead in his home outside Atlanta on Thursday. Nicknamed Bay Bay, Thomas played ten seasons in the NFL. Mostly the Denver Broncos where he was a Super Bowl champion. He retired from the league earlier this year.

The Broncos issued this statement, saying, we are devastated and completely heartbroken. Demaryius' humility, warmth and kindness will always be remembered.

Authorities believe he had a medical issue. Demaryius Thomas was just 33 years old.

Now, a large winter storm is bringing welcome snow to the Rockies, but it also threatens to spawn tornadoes in the South. Derek Van Dam has the details and the timing for you. Good morning, Derek. DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that's right, Isa. This is a

very dynamic and multifaceted storm system for early to mid-December. We have the potential for severe weather on the warm side of this storm. That would be the southerly portion of the storm. But on the northerly path of the storm system, enough cold air behind it to change over our precipitation to snowfall with a large swath of snow anticipated across the Intermountain West through the Central Plains and the upper Midwest as well.

In fact, we have over 10 million Americans under some sort of winter weather alerts, with winter storm warnings for much of southern Minnesota into Wisconsin as well as the southern portions of the upper peninsula of Michigan. So, we've got the potential here for 6 inches or more of snow locally, higher amounts especially where the low- pressure center actually pivots. You can see that with the evolution of our forecast future radar. There it is across northern Iowa into Wisconsin as well as Minnesota. That is the area where we're anticipating the heaviest amounts of snowfall.

[04:55:00]

So that interstate 90 could see some significant travel delays today through the early parts of the weekend. The other facet to this storm system is the potential for severe weather as our warm air mass collides with it advancing cold front. The Storm Prediction Center has an enhanced risk of severe storms developing later today and into the overnight period. You can see that shading of orange. Anywhere from southern Indiana, Illinois into portions of Kentucky as well as Tennessee. Some of these larger metropolitans include Memphis, Nashville as well as St. Louis. This is the area where they have indicated the greatest risk of tornadoes. Some of them could be nocturnal tornadoes. So, actually, occurring overnight when many people are sleeping so that could be very dangerous.

This is not typically the most active period for tornadoes. We only have on average 23 tornadoes per the storm prediction center for the month of December. So, we will likely see several of those tornadoes occur within the next 24 hours. Isa, back to you.

SOARES: Thanks very much, Derek.

And before we go, you bagel and cheesecake lovers, better list tone this. There appears to be a shortage of cream cheese in the United States. Port congestion and labor shortages have smeared havoc on the supply chain, and Kraft Heinz says demand for cream cheese is up. The situation is so bad. New York's famous Julius Cheesecake had to pause production and a New Jersey facility because it didn't have enough of a key ingredient. Panic in the United States.

And that does it for us here on CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Isa Soares in London. Our coverage continues on "EARLY START" with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett. Have a wonderful weekend. I shall see you on Monday. Bye-bye.

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