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Once Endorsed By Trump, Mo Brooks Stumps With Ted Cruz; Biden: Putin Is Trying To Eliminate Ukraine's Identity; Southern Baptist Convention Leaders Mishandled Sex Abuse Claims For Decades; Woman Accused Of Killing Cyclist Linked To Possible Love Triangle; Depp Not Expected To Be Called As A Witness By Heard's Team. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 23, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The former president saying that brooks had gone woke because he implied that they needed to focus, instead of the 2020 elections, on future elections like 2022.

In reality it's probably because back then Mo Brooks campaign was tanking. It's doing quite the opposite though in these weeks leading up to this election.

He was surging in the polls, and it likely has to do with the fact that the formerly now top two candidates Mike Durant and Katie Brit were attacking each other for the past 60 days.

We're looking at some polls now that Mo Brooks potentially in second place, meaning that he could force a runoff behind leader Katie Brit. Brooks said to our Gabby Orr this weekend, quote, just call me a modern day Lazarus.

The campaign is moving very strongly in the right direction right when it should.

I just walked out of a rally, if you will, with Senator Ted Cruz and Mo Brooks. And this evening, Alisyn,

Senator Rand Paul is going to host a telethon sort of town hall for Mo Brooks. Who said that he's going to just keep campaigning.

And he believes they can force it to where nobody hits that 50 +1 threshold, which Alabama requires for someone to be the winner and that is pushing into a runoff percent number.

Again, I asked him today if he thought that it was some sort of -- something that meant something.

That he was doing better without President Trump's endorsement. He wouldn't go there. Didn't say anything about that.

He said instead he felt like it was because people in Alabama knew him and that they'd time to get to know the other two people now running against him. ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: You're right, Dianne, it is all

fascinating. Thank you very much for the reporting. And remember to stay with CNN for "Election Night In America". Our special coverage begins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.

OK, now to Ukraine. A Ukraine court found a Russian soldier guilty in the first war crimes trial since the invasion began. The chief prosecutor says this is just the beginning. We have more next.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The U.N. says more than 6.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded three months ago. The U.N. also says that 8 million Ukrainians have been dislocated inside the country.

President Biden said today he believes Russia is trying to erase Ukraine's very identity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're showing bombings of school, no military purpose. School, hospitals, day care centers, all the things -- museums. Blowing up all the museums.

I believe what Putin is attempting to do is eliminate the identity of Ukraine. The identity. He can't occupy it, but he can try to destroy its identity.

And the reason I bothered to mention that is he has to pay, and Russia has to pay a long-term price for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Michael Bociurkiw is the former spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He's also a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Michael, great to see you.

I mean, this is different than I think what we or even analysts talked about at the beginning of the war. Which was oh, it's a land grab for the Donbas.

Putin wants a land bridge. I mean, erasing Ukraine's national identity, that's a mission of a different order.

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, FORMER SPOKESMAN, ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE: Yes, good to be with you, Alisyn. Listen, this is something the Soviet Union and now Russia has been attempting for decades to eradicate Ukrainian culture.

They've spent so much -- so many years and so much effort for example to liquidate the Ukrainian Catholic Church decades ago. There is the '32, '33 forced famine in Ukraine where millions of Ukrainians died.

And now we're also seeing, as President Biden alluded, the destruction of Ukrainian cultural monuments, schools, churches. There's something like 200 large Ukrainian monuments that have been destroyed or heavily damaged by the Russians.

And that's in addition, Alisyn, to all of those monuments that have had to be hidden away or shrouded. So, it's a big, big blow to the Ukrainian psyche having this happen. Because they're basically, seeing history repeat itself.

CAMEROTA: Well, it is, but from where we sit -- and maybe this is the wrong impression -- the Ukrainian national spirit isn't going anywhere.

And so, what does that mean for the end game, for the exist for Vladimir Putin? He can't erase Ukraine's pride.

BOCIURKIW: Absolutely, and don't forget you have enormous diaspora that is very, very active in promoting Ukrainian culture. I think Mr. Putin realizes there's not an easy offramp anymore.

So, like you and I have discussed so many sometimes, his efforts will be focused on the carpet bombing, the use of the long range weapons to really flatten cities like Mariupol. And what happens in the process. People are displaced.

These cultural monuments, these school, museums are destroyed. So, it's a very, very brutal, inhumane way to go about his task.

And again, we've also said in the past that he's not going to stop with Ukraine if he feels that there's weakness from the U.S. and from the Western allies.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about how there've been instances of Russians stealing Ukrainian grain. And I think that there is actually -- there's actually some satellite imagery that suggests that this is how they're getting it out of Ukraine. What are your thoughts on that?

BOCIURKIW: Horrible, horrible, horrible. Again, this brings back memories of '32, '33 when that forced famine happened, where grain was destroyed. People were denied access to food.

[15:40:00]

I think what has to happen today, Alisyn, not tomorrow but today, is a blockade of the Russian boats that are blocking the ports in Ukraine.

Because as we now see, now we know very well that this is now becoming a world war, because the impact of this war is not simply limited to Ukraine anymore.

The World Food Program can't scream loudly enough about the impact this is going to have, starvation in Africa and elsewhere. So, the allies really need to act quickly on this.

And by the way, there's also work for Poland to be done. When I left with the CNN crew a few days ago out of Ukraine, Alisyn, there was a lineup of 24 kilometer of trucks trying to leave Ukraine into Poland. Why? Because the Polish have instituted very stringent custom checks.

And imagine what this is going to the whole supply chain.

CAMEROTA: One more thing, Michael. About that guilty verdict of the first Russian soldier for war crimes in Ukraine. Obviously, this is intended to send a message to other Russian soldiers -- think about what you're doing.

But can they get that message? We know how communications have been, you know, blacked out into Russia. Will they see this guilty verdict?

BOCIURKIW: I don't think so. The chap that was convict is from one of the remote areas of Russia, as are most of the soldiers that Russia is sending to Ukraine. From very deprived areas of Russia.

So, they don't have easy access to the media. I think what we will see happen, sadly, is that Russia will not tolerate this conviction.

It's holding, as you know, well over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers right now and they will try to bargain him back and others back as well.

So that's a very delicate topic right now and Ukraine is, how are these men going to be released from Russian control?

And what will the Russians ask for return? Again, my fear is that they'll ask for people like him, but also to hold on to the land that they've already grabbed.

CAMEROTA: OK, Michael Bociurkiw thank you for your insight. Great to talk to you.

So, a stunning report just out finds that Southern Baptist Convention leaders mishandled allegation of sexual abuse for two decades. How the church is now responding.

[15:45:00]

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CAMEROTA: A bombshell new report reveals how leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention mishandled allegations of sexual abuse in the church for years.

The third party firm found that, quote, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that Southern Baptist Convention could take no action, even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation.

Carlos Suarez is with me now. So, Carlos, tell us about this report.

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, that 288 page investigation found a list of abusers, emails discrediting victims and found a sexual assault allegation against a former president as credible. Let's go on and get you to those findings first.

The report cover a 20-year period beginning in 2000. The victims are labeled as, quote, opportunistic and having a hidden agenda.

Now while senior leader refused to take action, the total number of abusers reached 703. The investigation found nine people in active ministry.

The report also details how former SBC President Johnny Hunt sexually assaulted another pastor's wife in 2010. Investigators said they talk to the couple and, quote, three other credible witnesses.

In a statement, Hunt denied the allegations, saying in part, quote, I have never abused anybody.

SBC also released this statement saying, quote, to the members of survivor community we are grieved by the findings of this investigational.

We are committed to doing all we can to prevent future instances of sexual abuse in churches, to improve our response and our care and to remove reporting roadblocks.

Now senior leaders they are set to meet on Tuesday to go over that report, which includes a number of recommendations, including the creation of a database to track offenders -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Carlos Suarez, thank you for that.

Meanwhile, a Texas woman is wanted for the murder of an elite cyclist who had previously dated her boyfriend. Kaitlin Marie Armstrong is accused of shooting 25-year-old Moriah Wilson earlier this month.

Court documents describe how the victim and suspect both had romantic relationships with the same man, and police are investigating jealousy as a possible motive. CNN's Ed Lavandera is following the story. Ed, what more do we know?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that search for Kaitlin Armstrong, who is 34-years-old, continues today, Alisyn. And this comes just days after authorities in Austin, Texas, issued an arrest warrant for murder. They continue to search for her.

[15:50:00]

But this stems from a May 11th shooting where Moriah Wilson was according to a police affidavit, murdered, shot several times in the bathroom of a friend's home in Austin.

And within a day, Austin authorities were able to track down Kaitlin Armstrong at her boyfriend's residence. She was taken into custody and presented with several key pieces of evidence.

One of which is a surveillance video from the neighborhood there that shows Armstrong's car pulling up next to the home where Wilson was murdered.

Now, there's some questions as to when exactly when the relationships ended and began with Moriah Wilson and this other cyclist named Colin Strickland, who is also the long-term boyfriend of Kaitlin Armstrong.

In a statement, Strickland is saying that he is reeling and grieving for Mo Wilson's death and from the facts that have emerged during the investigation, that he cannot begin to imagine the pain felt by Mo's family and her close friends.

There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.

Police have also said that they have a source that contacted investigators to say that when Kaitlin Armstrong found out about this relationship, that Strickland says only lasted a brief period last fall, that she was angered and wanted to kill Wilson.

Police have described Armstrong in their interview with her as very quiet and guarded when she was presented with this information.

The family of Mo Wilson also has put out a statement saying, while we will not elaborate about the ongoing investigation, we do feel it's important to clarify that at the time of her death, those closest to her clearly understood directly from Moriah that she was not in a Romantic relationship with anyone.

So, all of these details swirling as investigators are still searching for Kaitlin Armstrong. They say she's not been seen for many days and that after her interview with police, she deleted all of her social media accounts as well -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Very strange, Ed, and the public should obviously be able to help find her. We've put her picture up. Hopefully police can get answers soon. Ed Lavandera, thank you.

This could be the final week in the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. A source tells CNN that Depp is no longer expected to be called as a witness by Heard's attorneys.

But we've just learned from Depp's legal team that they are expected to call supermodel Kate Moss to the stand. CNN's Jean Casarez is following all of this for us. So, Jean, what's happening today?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Amber Heard's case in chief is still going on. The court is taking a short break.

There is a witness on the stand right now to talk about money damages. Because remember, this is a civil case. So, the op-ed, did it hurt Depp's career because it was false and it stopped him in his track from making movies?

This expert for Amber Heard is saying no, he caused any damage to his career by himself.

But earlier in the day, there was an orthopedic surgeon that took the stand. Because a big issue is Depp's fingertip was severed completely off during the filming of "Pirates 5," and it was when he and Amber were at the home they were staying at while he was working for Disney. And he testified that she hurled some vodka bottles at him. One hit

the top of the bar. He was sitting at the bar, and boom, it just took that and severed that fingertip off.

Well, the orthopedic surgeon looked at the x-rays, he testified for Amber Heard that Johnny Depp's testimony is not credible. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. RICHARD MOORE, EXPERT WITNESS FOR DEFENSE: It's not consistent with what we see in the described injury pattern or in the clinical photographs. And there are several elements.

There's the description was of the hand being flat on the bar and the bottle crushing the finger from the top.

But looking at the images, there's really no significant injury to the dorsal of the finger and to create that type of injury with that type of a crush injury, we would anticipate both injury to the fingernail and other parts of the finger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: Now, Heard's testimony is that Depp actually took a phone and ripped it out of the wall, and that's how he severed his finger, but there's no picture of a phone. We have not seen a phone in this trial.

So, there's no evidence to corroborate that. But as far as Kate Moss, we now know that Johnny Depp's team is going to call her to the stand. Why? Because Amber Heard opened the door in her testimony.

She's not supposed to testify, but she said, I hit him because I thought he was going to push my sister down the stairs just like he did with Kate Moss. So now Kate Moss is going to testify for Johnny Depp.

CAMEROTA: It's all so ugly, really, honestly. Jean Casarez, thank you very much for the update.

Well, the U.S. embassy is reopened in Kyiv, and sources tell CNN that the Biden administration is considering sending special forces to help guard it. More on that next.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: One Texas mother learned an important lesson about leaving her phone in the hands of her 2-year-old son.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELSEY GOLDEN, MOTHER OF TWO-YEAR-OLD WHO ORDERED 32 CHEESEBURGERS: I heard a door knock and I came out and it turns out they were at our house, and she was like 31 burgers. I was like, oh, wow, no I didn't order these, but I did. My son did. I

was kind of in shock whenever I realized, no, it did come from my phone. So, I thought maybe it was a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Nope. The total Bill came to more than $90. Thanks in part to Barrett's very generous 25 percent tip for the driver.

And "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.