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CNN International: South Carolina Jury Finds Alex Murdaugh Guilty of Murder; U.S. Severe Storms Pummel Parts of Southern U.S.; Hate in America; FBI: Michigan Man Posted Threats to Kill Jewish Elected Officials; Biden to Meet with German Chancellor Today; G-20 Meeting Ends Without Joint Declaration. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired March 03, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. Bianca off today. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guilty verdict, verdict guilty. Verdict guilty. Verdict guilty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our criminal justice system worked tonight. It gave a voice to Maggie and Paul Murdaugh who were brutally mowed down and murdered.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We didn't hear anything until plywood crashed through our window. All we heard was a giant crash.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The FBI foiling an alleged plot to kill Jewish government officials in Michigan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.

FOSTER: It is Friday, March 3, 9:00 a.m. here in London, 4:00 a.m. in South Carolina. Where in the coming hours Alex Murdaugh will find out whether he'll spend the rest of his life in prison. Late on Thursday a jury found him the disgraced former attorney guilty of murder in the killings of his wife and son. Murdaugh will not face the death penalty. And a sentencing hearing a few hours from now. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek life in prison without the possibility of parole instead. After the verdict was reached, the lead prosecutor celebrated the jury's decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CREIGHTON WATERS, LEAD PROSECUTOR: Justice was done today. It doesn't matter who your family is. It doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have. It doesn't matter what you think, how prominent you are, if you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, then justice will be done in South Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, CNN's Randi Kaye is there in Walterboro and has this report for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Almost six weeks of trial and 61 witnesses for the state in their main case, and then 14 witnesses for the defense, it was certainly quite a trial here in Walterboro, South Carolina. So much testimony, but certainly a couple things stood out, both coming from Paul Murdaugh's cellphone. One was the kennel video which put his father, Alex Murdaugh at the time of the murders at those dog kennels on the property known as Moselle.

For many, many months Alex Murdaugh said that he was not there earlier in the night with his family and only found them there dead at the kennels and that's when he called 911. But at least 10 witnesses say they heard his voice on the video and finally he took the stand and admitted being there.

There was also the video -- the Snapchat video that Paul Murdaugh sent to friends on Snapchat at 7:56 p.m. and that showed him wearing -- showed Alex Murdaugh wearing long pants and a blue shirt. Later when he saw investigators, he was wearing shorts and a white t-shirt. So of course, the state said that he had washed up and changed clothes after allegedly killing his family at the time. Now we know that the jury has found him guilty of both of those murders.

Randi Kaye, CNN Walterboro, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Earlier CNN spoke with a criminal defense attorney Sara Azari in Los Angeles. She discussed the speedy conviction handed down by the jury.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA AZARI, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They convicted him with conviction. You know, I think that early on, these jurors had made up their mind and to me, look, the jury has spoken. I've had my heartbroken by jurors many times over the years the last two decades. But, you know, I really did not expect this. I did not expect a guilty verdict. I did not expect such a quick verdict. Obviously, quick usually means guilty.

I definitely thought that there would at least be hung jury, only because, yes, we've had this big lie, but there was also some explanation for it. There was also a context for it, because while he was lying about being at the kennels, he was also insisting on data that was exculpatory to him. He was asking the agents to get that.

So, I really thought there was going to be some what of a struggle in this jury room, and, you know, I think they could not get past the lie.

[04:05:00]

And also, frankly, I question how much of this was a jury of his own peers, you know? This is a small town. Everybody knew the Murdaughs. A lot of jurors were dismissed early on because of their acquaintance and knowledge of this family and his power and privilege.

And I am not questioning any jury misconduct. But, you know, I just don't think that, given the state of the evidence that this was the expected result.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, CNN will have more on this story later in the hour and across the day. Do stay with us.

A triple threat of tornadoes, winds and rain meanwhile marching across the United States. Those are tornado sirens you can hear there. This is Texas where at least five tornadoes had been reported. Wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour were reported in parts of the state on Thursday. More than 180 flights departing Texas were canceled. The storm sent parts of buildings flying and knocked out power lines -- or power to more than 260,000 homes and businesses across Texas. That number is now down to 140,000.

A tornado also tore through Alabama. The National Weather Service in Huntsville said peak winds reached about 110 miles per hour. One resident explains how it came through fast and furious.

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MEREDITH STIFF, MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA RESIDENT: We started to hear the wind and the rain hitting the outside of the house. And so, I jumped up and grabbed my son and ran to the bathroom. And my husband grabbed our dog and ran into the other bathroom. And in a matter of 20 seconds, it was gone. It sounded like a freight train -- just like roar -- going by the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, no one was injured in the tornado thankfully, but it tore off roofs and ripped cars apart. This is just one of at least 90 storm reports on Thursday. The storm system now moving eastward with the main threat being damaging high wind gusts and isolated tornadoes. And on the northern side of the storm, winter weather alerts are posted for Chicago and Detroit for Friday afternoon. CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has the latest.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it has been a very busy past 24 hours. Again, a significant amount of preliminary storm reports so far. The vast majority of them in states like Oklahoma as well as Texas. And that includes tornadoes, damaging winds and the potential for large hail. And that threat is going to continue as we push through the remainder

of the day Friday. But we just notice the threat area begins to shift farther to the east. Now you are talking focal points like Cincinnati, Nashville, even down toward Atlanta, Georgia and Mobile, Alabama. But the threats remain the same.

So here is a look at the focus for the storm in the early portion of the day Friday. This system will gradually make its way off to the northeast. As it pushes into the Great Lakes and northeastern portion of the country, you've got a lot of colder air in place. So, a lot of that rain is going to transition back over into a rain/snow mix and in some cases even some ice and snow filtering back in. Overall, the heaviest rain is going to be along the Mississippi River Valley, not out of the question to have two, three, even four inches total. And heaviest snow is really going to be across portions of New England where even in excess of a foot is likely across some of those areas.

Widespread flash flooding however is still possible. States like Arkansas, areas of southeast Missouri, and along the Ohio River Valley as well. You're talking a very tremendous amount of rain in a short period of time.

Another very widespread concern is actually going to be the wind. And the key thing here, is that it's not just while the storms are occurring. Even after that line of storms moves through, a lot of these states are going to continue with some pretty significant wind gusts up around 50, maybe even as high as 60 miles per hour. Yes, even after the storms exit the region. For estate like Georgia for example, the wind advisories will linger all the way until 7:00 p.m. in the evening on Friday. But the main focus again for Friday is still going to be that lingering low pressure system.

FOSTER: States of emergency have been declared in 13 California counties after a brutal winter storm. Officials say more than 100 inches of snow has fallen in some areas causing avalanches and blocking roads and highways. Now authorities are warning it could be days before they can reach some communities in those mountainous areas.

More than 42,000 homes and businesses are without power in the state. Officials say that they are unaware of any deaths linked to the storm so far.

U.S. authorities are urging major freight rail companies to move quickly to ensure the safety of their train cars after investigators looking into the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio found melted equipment may have led to the release of toxic chemicals.

[04:10:00]

Officials say defective aluminum parts on three tank cars may have caused the pressure relief valves to fail. Since the derailment in early February, some residents have reported rashes, nausea and breathing difficulties.

CNN has obtained an image of an electric explosive device that a man in Pennsylvania is accused of trying to bring on to a plane. Officials say the device contains a powder consistent with commercial grade fireworks along with a fuse and other components. According to court documents, it was in a suitcase that Marc Muffley checked in at LaHaye Valley international Airport on Monday for a flight to Orlando. But TSA agents caught the explosives. And Muffley was later arrested in Lansford, Pennsylvania. A judge ordered him to remain in custody on Thursday as he faces two federal charges.

Also in the U.S., a new incident is adding to growing concerns about threats to government officials and worries over antisemitic violence. The FBI says a Michigan man threatened on social media to kill Jewish members of the state's government. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed she was one of the people targeted. Our Polo Sandoval has more.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The FBI foiling an alleged plot to kill Jewish government officials in Michigan. A federal complaint filed in eastern Michigan naming Jack Eugene Carpenter III as the defendant. Sources telling CNN he was arrested just a day after allegedly posting disturbing anti-Semitic threats online using the handle tempered reason.

A law enforcement source telling CNN, among those specifically targeted by Carpenter, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

I was a target of the heavily armed defendant in this matter, she wrote on Twitter.

Court documents laying out the details on February 18th, the FBI in Detroit was alerted by the bureau's national threat operations center of the post reading: I'm heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is Jewish in the Michigan government.

Carpenter's account also showing a bizarre declaration of sovereignty to a new country named New Israel at Carpenter's property in rural Michigan, according to the criminal complaint.

That address revealing Carpenter had three 9-millimeter handguns registered in Michigan, one of which had been stolen from his girlfriend according to the complaint. That criminal complaint shedding light on Carpenter's background who had an unserved personal protection order against him from early February and had been arrested in December of last year for assault.

That unhinged plot just the latest in several threats and attacks on lawmakers and officials in the United States as well as increasing anti-Semitic attacks.

OREN SEGAL, VICE PRESIDENT, ADL CENTER ON EXTREMISM: Whether it's in Michigan or other parts of the country, we are seeing the confluence of antigovernment, COVID, and other conspiracy theories combined with anti-Semitism, and we see how this is animating people to action. It's not only operating in spaces online, but in the fantasies and imaginations of people who are willing to then take action.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the targeting of a kidnapping plot in 2020, the Anti-Defamation League reporting anti- Semitic attacks reached a record high in the U.S. in 2021, up 34 percent from the year before.

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN FORMER DEPUTY FBI DIRECTOR: This is right in the wheelhouse of what the FBI and Director Wray have told us they think is the most dangerous, the most concerning threat that they face on the counterterrorist side. He's heavily armed, he might be, you know, mentally unstable, but nevertheless has decided to act out his animus, his grievance towards Jewish leaders in Michigan.

SANDOVAL (voice-over): Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Carpenter is being represented by a public defender, and CNN has reached out to his attorney for comment.

Still ahead, Ukrainian troops are on the move and they could be getting vital military assistance very soon. The war in Ukraine will be the focus when U.S. President Joe Biden meets with the German chancellor today.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he raised the issue of detained American Paul Whelan with Russian's foreign minister on Thursday, but now Moscow says that's a lie. Whelan was not the only topic that Blinken says he brought up with Lavrov. The latest is just ahead in live reports from New Delhi and Hong Kong.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The U.S. is expected to announce another round for military aid to Ukraine in the coming hours as President Biden hosts the German Chancellor at the White House. The new package of military assistance is said to be mostly munitions for weapon systems Kyiv already has such as the HIMARS rocket system. This comes as the two leaders are under pressure from Ukraine's president to provide more powerful weapons. Today's meeting is expected to focus primarily on the war in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian commander says his reconnaissance unit has been told to leave Bakhmut. Russian forces have been pushing further into the eastern city in the past 24 hours. Ukrainian troops have been building new defense lines west of the city. A Ukrainian special forces soldier in Bakhmut tells CNN a Russian missile has blown up a vital supply bridge leaving a large crater. For more on all of this bring it together, CNN's Scott McLean with me. All eyes on Washington today because these are two key players behind Ukraine.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and look, if you can believe it, this is actually the first time that the German chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Washington since the full-scale invasion began and a heck of a lot has changed in a year. You will remember the Germans were extremely hesitant to send large packages of equipment and weaponry to Ukraine. They were even hesitant at first before the invasion began to actually Cancel the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia and now it seems that things have shifted in a big way.

But what Olaf Scholz and Joe Biden have in common, is that while they are trying to make sure Ukraine has everything that they need, it seems that there are limits to what they are willing to provide and it seems that those limits at least at the moment are fighter jets. And Olaf Scholz has been very clear about the fact that he doesn't want to sort of engage in this game of one upmanship between the Western allies and send bigger and better weapons all the time.

[04:20:00]

And it seems that this aid package that the U.S. is now saying that they'll announce today is going to be sort of more of the same, more of the basics that the Ukrainians really need. Ammunition for artillery systems, for the HIMARS artillery rocket systems, things like that. And that's important because the reality is that Ukraine is burning through ammunition -- according to the NATO Secretary-General who said recently, at a rate that is many times higher than the rate of production.

And so the Ukrainians will need this, they are also in extremely tough in Bakhmut as you mentioned, they just lost overnight a very key supply line -- one of the main routes in and out of the town that has been a real strong hold since the outset of the war. And we're also learning that drone recognizance unit has been told to pull back. And so, the Ukrainians they say that they're going to be fighting in Bakhmut, they say that they will hold it as long as they can. But they're not going to hold it, you know, until the very end if the human cost is too, too high. And so, the reality is that they're going to have tanks in a few months, but they're going to need ammunition to keep the fight going wherever that is, whether that's in Bakhmut or further back along the front lines.

FOSTER: Scott McLean, thank you.

Support for Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda as the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets key allies in North America next week. She goes Ottawa on Monday for talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She'll also address Canada's Parliament. Von der Leyen then has to Washington to meet U.S. President Joe Biden next Friday. Besides discussing Ukraine, climate change and securing supply chains for clean technology are also on the schedule.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on his way back to Washington after a contentious G-20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi. No joint communique came out of the meeting after Beijing and Moscow objected to language on the war in Ukraine. Blinken shook up the conference on Thursday by meeting briefly with Lavrov on the sidelines, their first face-to-face in more than a year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Lastly, I spoke briefly with Russian's Foreign Minister Lavrov on the margins of our G-20 meeting today. I urged Russia to reverse its irresponsible decision and return to implementing the new START Treaty which places verifiable limits on the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Russian Federation. Mutual compliance is in the interests of both our countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Blinken also said he raise the issue of detained American Paul Whelan in his conversation with Lavrov, saying the U.S. made a serious proposal to obtain his release. Now the Russian foreign ministry is calling that a lie saying Whelan's name never came up.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is standing by for us in Hong Kong. But let's bring in Vedika Sud in New Delhi. So, they can't even have a conversation informally on the sidelines without it blowing up afterwards.

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely, Max, you said it. And you know what the interesting thought is that Blinken came out on Thursday evening in the press conference and like he just played out his statement. He spoke of the three issued that he raised with Lavrov, the third being that he said his words to Lavrov were end this war on aggression and talk to, you know, the stakeholders. So, that's what Blinken had to say.

But Moscow's version is a bit different. Lavrov pointed out they said that it's a total lie that there was a discussion on the sidelines on Paul Whelan, there was no talk of it. They did admit to a discussion between the two. According to the U.S. it lasted about ten minutes. But according to Moscow, there were no negotiations.

Now unfortunately for India that sees itself as leader of the global south of developing and emerging countries, they were hoping for consensus on a lot of issues. There's been an impact of this war of course, which we all know of. The, you know, price rise in terms of energy and food, and that's something they wanted to focus on. But unfortunately, this entire G-20 talk of these ministers -- foreign ministers -- was hijacked by the war of words between the U.S. and Russia. And it did continue even Friday morning. Here's an example of what I'm trying to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Nobody was giving at them about anything except finances and economic policies which G-20 was formed for. These days but if it's not something which the West is doing believing this -- that it's right, when Russia has after many years of warnings, started to defend itself, there is nothing except Ukraine which is of interest for G-20. It's a shame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUD: So there Lavrov says that the entire G-20 talks has been hijacked by the issue of Ukraine. Blinken on Friday morning went on to say -- and I'm going to quote him here -- was a focus on Ukraine because of the message to would-be aggressors everywhere.

[04:25:00]

So that was hardly any outcome, no joint statement really coming out from the G-20 talks of the foreign ministers. This is of course a precursor to the big G-20 summit in September where the leaders will be converging here and New Delhi, in India for talks. But if this is something to go by, any indication whatsoever, the sharp divide between the West and Russia is only widening -- Max.

FOSTER: Yes, that is a big one, isn't it. Vedika, thank you very much indeed.

The Secretary of State also raised the issue of China potentially supplying Russia with lethal aid which the U.S. believes it is considering. Kristie Lu Stout has more from Hong Kong. China saying there's no evidence of this obviously.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and we also heard comment from the ministry of foreign affairs this afternoon, a spokesperson acknowledging that there were, quote, different views at the G-20 summit in India. But we heard much stronger comments from the Qin Gan, who is the foreign minister of China. He says that China opposes pressuring tactics and double standards. This after the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken once again warned China of consequences if they provide lethal supports to Russia. And this is an issue that he brought up last week during his meeting with Wang Yi, China's top diplomat at the Munich security conference. And in New Delhi America's top diplomat issued the warning once again. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLINKEN: Were China to engage in material lethal support for Russia's aggression or were to engage in the systemic evasion of sanctions to help Russia, that would be a serious problem for our countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Now Secretary Blinken did not meet with China's foreign minister at the G-20. And he also once again warned of consequences but did not say what those consequences would be. China's foreign minister Qin Gan responded during his talks with his Russian counterpart at the G-20.

And he said this, quote, Beijing supports a political resolution to the crisis in Ukraine and opposes any actions that amount to adding fuel to the fire, obstructing peace talks, double standards and as well as sanctions and pressuring tactics. Unquote.

The diplomatic rift continues to deepen between China and the U.S. with the U.S. saying again and again China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia. Beijing continues to deny those claims and then accuses the U.S. of pouring lethal weapons into Ukraine. China also continues to claim it is neutral despite that no limits alliance with Russia. On Friday of course there was the peace planned position paper with 12 points that was released which had no mention of the fate of occupied Ukrainian territory. And that plan was endorsed by a key Putin ally Lukashenko who visited Beijing this week. But that plan was also widely criticized by Western leaders who accuse China of already siding with Russia. So, Max, very little wonder that at the end of this G-20 meeting in New Delhi, there was no consensus statement. China and Russia they refuse to condemn Russia's invasion. Back to you.

FOSTER: OK. Kristie in Hong Kong, thank you so much.

And now it's a big weekend for U.S. Republicans who are gathering at dueling events. What that says about the state of the party.

Also, a big question for Fox News after revelations under oath that it lied to its viewers. Now who will take the fall.

And the top three candidates in Nigeria's presidential election have all declared victory. Now the matter is going to the courts. The latest just ahead.