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Discussion with Attorney for Uvalde Victim Families; Hearings Starting Tonight on January 6th Attack; Discussion on Roe Versus Wade; Police Shooting in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Pride Whopper in Austria; Two People Trapped in Chocolate in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired June 09, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

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[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Lawmakers in Texas began their investigation today into the Uvalde school shooting in which left 21 people dead, 19 of them children. Their goal is to get to the bottom of how a gunman was able to open fire inside Robb Elementary School, and why law enforcement waited for so long to take action. Earlier the school district superintendent made his first public comments since the shooting, he refused to answer questions about his district's Police Chief Pete Arrendondo.

QUESTION: Can you confirm Mr. Arrendondo is still the District of Police and if so, have you communicated with him at all?

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DR. HAL HARRELL, UVALDE CISD SUPERINTENDENT: That's a personnel question. I'm not going to be able to (inaudible) to that in a public forum.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: With me now is Thomas Henry, he's representing some of the victims' families. Thomas, thanks for being with me. You represent the family of 10-year-old Jose Flores, Jr. who was killed, also the teacher, Irma Garcias, Garcia rather and her husband Joe but also four children who were shot, who survived. One shot in the leg, another in the shoulder, one in the face, another shot in the back, leg and shoulder. Those survivors how are they doing now?

MR. THOMAS HENRY, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILIES OF UVALDE SHOOTING VICTIMS: You know, they're not doing very well Victor. They've all had surgeries. They've been through amount. This just happened a few days ago. So to say that things are going well with (inaudible). Things have been very difficult for the families and they've been through a tremendous amount of trauma.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Totally understandable that they're -- they're still struggling physically and otherwise after this -- this trauma. Let me ask you about this investigation from the Texas House. Small committee, three people, most of the testimony is going to happen in private, behind closed doors. What's your degree of confidence in -- in this committee's work?

HENRY: Well, you know, I think that when you have a committee that is looking at issues as extreme as what we've experienced in Texas with Uvalde, with Southerland Springs. I think it's time to open up the doors and know what kinds of questions are being asked, what kind of information they're receiving. I think that Texas is a -- a pro-gun state and I think that there's a huge issue there with politicians wanting to ensure that, you know, guns are sold in the manner and method that they've been for a long time in Texas. And I think when you start closing doors to the public about what's happening, what information they've received? I think we can begin to question the transparency of any information coming out of a confidential proceeding.

BLACKWELL: So your expectation is that the results out of this -- this committee hearing, this committee's work will be influenced by that political slant of wanting to protect the 2nd Amendment, wanting to, I guess, take off the table any additional gun reform law.

HENRY: Well, I mean, there's been other mass shootings around the country and in Texas, and nothing changed. So I could only assume that with the stance that exists in Texas, you know, regarding the 2nd Amendment that not much would change. So I think it's important that there's complete transparency, open hearings.

[15:35:09]

So that the public can learn -- learn and listen to how guns have been acquired. How they've been misused? So that the public can begin to decide what kind of leaders we really want in place for policy and for the making of new laws.

BLACKWELL: Have you been able to get any important answers since taking on these clients?

HENRY: No, when we've taken on these clients what we did was we filed a lawsuit against the estate of the shooter. We immediately sent out evidence, preservation letters to government entities and to private companies, social media companies, gaming companies and so we're at the beginning of collecting our own evidence because we want to be able to determine our client's rights with regard to other companies, private companies and government entities with regard to these deaths and injuries.

BLACKWELL: You say that right now you're focused on the estate of the shooter. What's your expectation of where this -- this lawsuit, this case will go? Will you focus on law enforcement, the school district, the chief of the school district of police?

HENRY: We are going to focus on many entities from law enforcement, to the school, to the design of the door, to the design of the school, to social media, to communication systems, to the gaming systems, to the purchase of the gun. You know, at this point, I don't know if anyone's confirmed whether or not the gun was legally purchased. We want to make that determination. You know, we learn from Southerland Springs that that gun that was purchased should never have been purchased. So there's going to be a lot of areas we look at from this lawsuit.

BLACKWELL: Thomas Henry, representing the families of those victims. Thank you so much.

HENRY: Thank you.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Well President Biden just addressed tonight's Primetime hearing on the January 6th Capitol attack. We'll tell you what he just said. Next.

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[15:41:43]

CAMEROTA: President Biden just spoke about the January 6th hearings that begin tonight.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it was a clear flagrant violation of the Constitution. I think these guys who wanted (ph) to break the law, try to turn around a result of an election and there's a lot of questions who's responsible. Who's involved? I'm not going to make a judgment on that, but I want to know -- that I want you to know there's probably going to be a lot of American's are going to be seeing for the first time some of the detail that -- that occurred.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: With us now CNN Political Director David Chalian in New York here with us. Good to have you.

MR. DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hi guys.

BLACKWELL: So obviously the committee's hoping for a big audience. What's at stake here?

CHALIAN: Well, what's at stake is history --

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CHALIAN: -- that's first and foremost because I think the committee is trying to put forth the definitive narrative here of what occurred in the lead up to the 6th, on the 6th, and by the way, the continued threat to our democracy that still exists today. What I thought you heard interestingly from the president when he said, "I'm not going to make any judgment about who is to blame here.", that was him trying to, like, not step in it as he has in the past where he sort of leaned into saying he wanted to the Department of Justice to prosecute people who defied subpoenas of the committee. Here he clearly was trying to give Merrick Garland and his attorney general his space and not -- and not try to step in that again. But, you know, I think that the president made clear on the anniversary of January 6th, which may be his best speech of his presidency I would say, most compelling. He obviously, this is a topic he does think about and is focused on and you can hear in that he's eager to have the American people see this complete picture.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about the gun safety negotiations that are going on in the Senate. Both sides have expressed optimism that something might get done. I've been fooled before. So is there -- is something different this time? Is something really going to get done?

CHALIAN: Well, something is definitely different this time in the sense that there are still actual conversations ongoing. I don't know if something's different Alisyn that it's going to end up with something that actually passes and is signed into law. If it does, we know it's going to be very narrow. That there's just not bipartisan agreement on some of the bigger ticket items, but what I think is so interesting and different right now is that the leadership from the president to Mitch McConnell, to Chuck Schumer. They're giving these talks space so that, even if it's narrow, that perhaps something can develop. Here's the problem, time. I just think that with each passing day that something doesn't get done, the danger that it doesn't ultimately get done grows.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Cornyn has said there is a deadline for this. Let's talk about McConnell and what President Biden said about him last night on Jimmy Kimmel, said that in these negotiations that he trusts the Senate minority leader. Let's play it.

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JOE BIDEN: I've always had a straight relationship with -- with the majority -- with the Republican leader Mitch McConnell. You know, he's a guy that when he says something, he means it. I disagree with a lot of what he says, but he means it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Yes, but he's not saying one thing in public. CNN's reporting that in private he is open to raising the age to buy semi- automatic rifle from 18 to 21, but the president says that he trusts McConnell. That, as he said earlier, that he's a rational Republican here. Is -- is this strategy? Does he believe it? What do you think here?

CHALIAN: I think this is part of giving everyone space, but we know, you know, Mitt Romney just came out today and said he favors raising that age limit.

[15:45:10]

What Mitch McConnell is not doing, even in private, is getting ahead of his conference. Right? He is the leader of the Republicans in the Senate and he is going to constantly be assessing where his Republican conference is, and right now that is not -- it's not even a majority position but it's not, I don't know, I think it's probably a super majority position in the conference right now not to raise the age limit. So I don't think you're going to see Mitch McConnell go out on a limb and argue for that publicly. I think the president there is just trying to, again, bolster a little bit to say there is still space and room here to try and accomplish something.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about Roe versus Wade. Polls have always shown that the American public want to preserve it. They don't want it overturned, but now there's this new Geyser Family Foundation poll that shows that it would -- if it were to be overturned it would not be a big motivator in terms of the midterms. It would be 54, sorry 57 percent of respondents say it would make no difference. How's -- how do you swear that --

CHALAIN: Well, what's driving that Alisyn is that 73 percent of Republicans in that poll say it would make no difference. OK. But 55 percent of Democrats say they would be more motivated to turn out. So when you look at, yes, a majority of respondents say it will not make a difference but that is largely driven by the overwhelming sense that it would not make a difference for Republicans, a majority of Democrats in that poll say it would make a difference. So that may, you know, alter the balance of -- as all things that matters in elections who actually shows up to vote, and that does seem to be an issue that will motivate Democrats if indeed that's the way the court rules.

BLACKWELL: Important distinction there. David Chalian, good to have you.

CHALIAN: Good to see you.

CAMEROTA: A Grand Rapids police officer is charged with the murder of -- in the death of the 26-year-old black man Patrick Lyoya. What we're learning, next.

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[15:50:00] CAMEROTA: The Grand Rapids police officer accused in the death of Patrick Lyoya is now facing one count of 2nd degree murder for the fatal shooting of the 26-year-old black man after a traffic stop last April. The killing sparked protests across the country. An autopsy show that Lyoya died from a gunshot to the back of the head. CNN's Ryan Young has the latest for us. Ryan, what do we know about how prosecutors reached this decision?

MR. RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know there was an investigation for the last few months, and we know just in the last eight days the Michigan State Patrol wrapped up their investigation and gave it to prosecutors. Look, this decision just came out in the last 30 minutes or so, want to show everyone that video though because it's something that we should remind folks. This was a traffic stop that started and then at some point it became a struggle between the officer and Patrick and was over the taser. The officer tries to deploy it, when he tries to deploy it, it doesn't have an effect on Patrick at all. Then there's a struggle and at some point it looks like the officer gave some sort of control, a mount position on top of Patrick and then you hear him say let go of the taser. Let go of the taser and then a shot is fired. Now the prosecutor said basically, look, they believe this is 2nd degree murder. In fact, let's take a listen to that prosecutor just a few moments ago.

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MR. CHRISTOPHER BECKER, KENT COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: I made the decision to charge Christopher Schurr with one count of 2nd degree murder. Second degree murder is a felony offense. It is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. As it stands now, this merely an allegation and that is with any defendant. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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YOUNG: Now Victor and Alisyn, we now have the statement from Ben Crump who is representing the family. We'll put that up on the screen. It says "this decision is a crucial step in the right direction. Officer Schurr must be held accountable for his decision to pursue an unarmed Patrick, ultimately shooting him in the back of the head killing him for nothing more than a traffic stop." So texting back and forth with Ben, obviously the family finding out this news just a short time ago, but also the prosecutor took some time to have this document translated into Swahili so the family could fully understand what he was saying. You understand so much pressure in that community, but basically 2nd degree murder at this point and as soon as we get more information about the charges. That officer's already turned himself in, see if he gets bond. We'll pass that along to you guys.

BLACKWELL: All right, Ryan. Thank you.

CAMEROTA: So the January 6th committee reveals their findings tonight on TV. We have a preview of who will testify and what might be unveiled ahead.

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[15:55:00]

CAMEROTA: OK. There's a crazy story happening right now in Pennsylvania.

BLACKWELL: It's really crazy.

CAMEROTA: There's a rescue underway. Two people are trapped in a chocolate tank at the Mars, M&M Factory in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.

BLACKWELL: So a county official says no injuries have been reported.

CAMEROTA: OK.

BLACKWELL: Five crews have eliminated pulling them straight out of the tank. Live pictures here. They apparently have to cut a hole in the side of the tank to get them out. According to local news reports, they're waist high in chocolate.

CAMEROTA: OK. BLACKWELL: I'm showing a lot of restraint right here.

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: There's so much you could say.

BLACKWELL: It's not clear how they fell in.

CAMEROTA: OK. If they're not seriously injured that's a dream come true.

BLACKWELL: Yes, and we'll revisit this tomorrow.

CAMEROTA: We'll revisit it. OK. We'll -- we'll reserve judgment. Another important food story for you. It's pride month and Burger King is marking the occasion. The fast-food chain announced that if you happen to visit one of it's franchises in Austria, you can order a pride Whopper which is served with two equal buns.

BLACKWELL: Yes. That means two tops and two bottoms on your Whopper.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

BLACKWELL: If you want to signal your support for equal love and equal rights. Thoughts on this one?

CAMEROTA: Sounds delicious.

BLACKWELL: Sounds frustrating.

CAMEROTA: Why? What are -- what are your issues for the pride Whopper?

BLACKWELL: I don't know. Google it. I can't, I'm just. You know. It's just not how it, you know, works.

CAMEROTA: Really? How does it work?

BLACKWELL: I -- I'm not going to tell you here in the middle of the afternoon, but listen I understand what they're trying to do.

CAMEROTA: Why are you making this sound dirty? This looks like a delicious sandwich option.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Have it your way. So there's that.

CAMEROTA: They are flame broiled.

BLACKWELL: Yes. All right. The Lead with Jake Tapper.

CAMEROTA: They're taking it earlier. They're getting out of this early.

BLACKWELL: Yes. They are getting us off television. Lead with Jake Tapper starts right now.

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