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Parent Of Six-Year-Old Accused Of Shooting Teacher Charged With Neglect; Ireland Celebrates Deep Ties To Several U.S. Presidents; Paul Whelan Calls Home For First Time In Two Weeks; Rare Fungal Infection Emerges In Michigan. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired April 11, 2023 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The mother of the six-year-old, has been charged with felony child neglect and with recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child, and that is a misdemeanor charge. Her lawyer says she will turn herself in later this week. Last month, the commonwealth's attorney told us Taylor's six-year-old son who shot teacher Abby Zwerner in that first-grade classroom on January 6th, that he will not be charged in this case.
James Ellenson, Deja Taylor's attorney sent CNN a statement saying in part, quote, Deja has cooperated from the first day of the incident. She has no criminal record. She is 26 years old. She has one child. Most criminal prosecutions are adversarial in nature, but we will make our best efforts so that these proceedings will be more collaborative than most.
Now James Ellenson had previously told us that the boy's parents had claimed that they kept that gun at their home secured. That the gun was secured with the safety and kept on the top shelf of the mother's bedroom closet. But Erica and Bianna, there you have the latest charges for Deja Taylor here.
ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: And Brian, is there a sense that anybody else could face charges here?
TODD: There is. The commonwealth's attorney says it wants to convene a special grand jury to continue the investigation. Lawyers for the teacher Abby Zwerner say they believe the school district violated state laws, possibly by ignoring warnings that he had a gun on the day of the shooting.
A lawsuit filed last week by Zwerner claims that the six-year-old had been violent at home. That he had choked a teacher during the previous school year when he was in kindergarten. But also in kindergarten, he had touched a female classmate inappropriately on the school playground. And that school administrators were aware of all of this well before the shooting. So, Erica Bianna, the lawyers for the teacher, really do believe that the administrators of the school district and specifically of that school violated Virginia state law so charges could be forthcoming for them.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: Any more details, Brian, into the lawsuit that was filed by that teacher?
TODD: Well it really is kind of a litany of warnings that were ignored, specifically blaming the person who was then the assistant principal of Richneck Elementary School -- her name is Ebony Parker -- for ignoring several warnings by teachers and others that that child had a gun, that he brought a gun, that had been seen with it, that he threatened others.
CNN has reached out -- tried to reach out to Ebony Parker. We were never able to make contact with her to get her response to these accusations.
HILL: Brian Todd, appreciate the update. Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: And still to come. President Biden on his way to Northern Ireland to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. We'll go live to Belfast, up next.
[15:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Well, in the next hour President Biden will land in Belfast in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which mostly ended decades of sectarian violence. He'll then head to Ireland, where among other things, he will visit his ancestral hometown and also visit with some distant relatives.
Donie O'Sullivan joining us now live from Belfast. As we know Biden won in a long line of U.S. presidents who can point to some Irish ancestry, which always makes for an interesting conversation with folks ahead of the president's visit. What are people telling you?
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, but JFK really started the tradition about 60 years ago when he came and visited Ireland in search for his Irish roots. Since then, we've seen the likes of Reagan and even Obama come here to trace their roots. But the Irish sometimes celebrate their president -- U.S. presidents in unusual ways. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm currently at probably theme most highly regarded landmark in Ireland.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Barack Obama Plaza.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): It's become a viral favorite on TikTok. On the side of an Irish motorway, a rest stop named after President Barack Obama.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello, Ireland! My name is Barack Obama of the Moneygall Obamas.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Barack Obama Plaza was built here in the tiny village of Moneygall where Obama's ancestors immigrated from in the 19th Century.
OBAMA: You don't always dress up this much.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Obama visited the village in 2011.
O'SULLIVAN: That makes you guys --
HENRY HEALY, DISTANT COUSIN OF BARACK OBAMA: Eighth cousins, yes.
O'SULLIVAN: What's your nickname?
HEALY: He gave me the nickname Henry VIII.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Henry Healy is Obama's distant cousin and is now a manager at the Barack Obama Plaza.
O'SULLIVAN: I think it definitely raises some eyebrows in the United States when they hear there is a rest stop at the side of a highway named after an American president.
HEALY: It does you some shock and awe. The cardboard cutouts that we have here are phenomenally popular.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thousands cheer with the enthusiasm that only Irishmen can muster.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Ireland's love affair with U.S. presidents began when President John F. Kennedy visited his ancestral home here in New Ross, County Wexford, in 1963.
O'SULLIVAN: And you were sitting in the front row.
MARK MINIHAN, ATTENDED JOHN F. KENNEDY'S 1963 SPEECH IN IRELAND: I was about to say, I'd say maybe 10, 15 yards out there.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Mark Minihan's dad was mayor of New Ross at the time and was to introduce Kennedy to the crowd.
ANDREW MINIHAN, FORMER NEW ROSS MAYOR: Can you hear me now? Can you hear me?
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Some of the microphones stopped working just as JFK arrived.
M. MINIHAN: Microphones broke down just before he started, so he was even more uptight.
O'SULLIVAN: The microphones broke down?
[15:40:00]
M. MINIHAN: The things broke down when President Kennedy was only over and coming along the street here.
A. MINIHAN: We're in right trouble now.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): The technical glitch was eventually resolved, and the speech ended up going ahead.
A. MINIHAN: It took 115 years to make this trip.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): A trip which included a visit here.
O'SULLIVAN: So, this is the original farmyard the president -- the president's great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, left from.
M. MINIHAN: He actually left through that gate, the same gate --
O'SULLIVAN: Wow.
M. MINIHAN: -- during the famine when he went off to Boston.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Like many Irish Americans, Kennedy's great- grandfather immigrated to the United States during the Irish potato famine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he decided to come back to Europe and show that he was proud of his peasant roots.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Kennedy began a tradition of presidential visits to Ireland. Reagan visited in 1984.
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So many Irish men and women from every walk of life played a role in creating the dream of America.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): The interiors of this pub in Reagan's ancestral village of Ballyporeen were eventually shipped to California to the Reagan Presidential Library.
Now, perhaps the most Irish of Irish American presidents is about to visit the country, and his cousins, the Blewitts, here in Ballina, County Mayo, are getting ready.
O'SULLIVAN: Tell us how you're related to the president, first of all.
JOE BLEWITT, IRISH RELATIVE OF JOE BIDEN: So, my dad is his third cousin. So, his great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt, left Ballina in the 1860s, and he went to move to Scranton.
O'SULLIVAN: Girls, how does it feel to be related to the president?
LAUREN BLEWITT, IRISH RELATIVE OF JOE BIDEN: It's very exciting.
EMILY BLEWITT, IRISH RELATIVE OF JOE BIDEN: Yes.
L. BLEWITT: He's president.
O'SULLIVAN: Have you met him before?
E. BLEWITT: Yes.
L. BLEWITT: We've met him twice.
E. BLEWITT: We've met him twice.
O'SULLIVAN: What did he say to you?
E. BLEWITT: He was just -- he was just eating our chips and when -- when the fancy meals came out, he just wanted the chips and chicken nuggets. So --
O'SULLIVAN: He was stealing your chicken nuggets?
L. BLEWITT AND L. BLEWITT: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Biden's ancestors, the Blewitts and the Finnegans, immigrated from counties Mayo and Louth.
O'SULLIVAN: Your dad and Joe Biden are third cousins?
LAURITA BLEWITT, IRISH RELATIVE OF JOE BIDEN: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: But you seem to be the favorite cousin.
L. BLEWITT: I don't know why, but -- well, maybe it's just my personality.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hi, everybody.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Biden has visited Ireland in the past, and Laurita Blewitt has made multiple trips to the White House. But this would be the first time they will welcome him to Ireland as president.
L. BLEWITT: We've struck up a great friendship since the first day that we met. You know, his family were steeped in Irish traditions. You know, he talks about it all the time. He tells great stories of growing up and basically growing up in an Irish household, even though, you know, obviously, they were very much American.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): From accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom --
BIDEN: You know, I can't let it come and go by without quoting an Irish poet.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): -- to accepting the Democratic Party's nomination for president --
BIDEN: The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote --
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): -- Biden always seems to have a line of Irish poetry to hand.
BIDEN: But then, once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.
J. BLEWITT: And he's just so proud of his Irish roots. Like, he's really proud of the Irish roots. And yes, we've had the other presidents. But this president is more important I think to Ireland than the rest of them. (END VIDEOTAPE)
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): And President Biden aboard air force one due to arrive here in Belfast any minute now tomorrow he will be speaking about that Good Friday Agreement on its 25th anniversary. Of course, it achieved peace here in Northern Ireland, but an uneasy peace. There is still a lot of tensions and a lot of issues and challenges to overcome here. And then he will make his way south to the Republic of Ireland. Whereas you saw there. Emily and Lauren Blewitt, his two very young cousins, will be hoping to hang on to their chicken nuggets.
HILL: You know what? Keep those chicken nuggets and fries close when the president gets near. So, Donie, I loved that. And Bianna and I were talking in the break about how we love how you've been out speaking to people. But I think you know one of the important questions today is, yes, Joe Biden is connected to Ireland. And yes, they're excited to see him. But is there more excitement when Donie O'Sullivan comes home? I think it might be yes.
O'SULLIVAN: I don't think so. Not even -- not even my own mom and dad to happy to see me these days when I go back.
GOLODRYGA: Donie, I loved that piece. The only thing missing was your mom and dad.
HILL: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: They make every single piece that you produce, I just love them. And next time you're joining us, please make sure that they're there with you. The campaign for Donie's parents continues.
O'SULLIVAN: I'll do my best. I'll pass on my regards. I'll pass on my regards.
GOLODRYGA: Thank you, my friend.
HILL: Thanks, Donie.
GOLODRYGA: We're going to turn now to Russia, where former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been detained since December 2018 was finally able to call home for the first time in nearly two weeks. CNN's Jake Tapper is covering this story today on "THE LEAD." And so, Jake, you're actually speaking with Paul's brother, David.
[15:45:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. Paul Whelan as viewers no doubt remember, was arrested by Russian authorities in December 2018. He's a former marine. He's been held in custody ever since, on what are widely believed to be trumped up charges of espionage. And you know, this is one of these cases that is heartbreaking, if for no other reason than other individuals, including Trevor Reed, and the WNBA player whose name is escaping me at this very moment,
GOLODRYGA: Brittney Griner. HILL: Brittney Griner.
TAPPER: Brittney Griner. I'm sorry. I'm getting old. Brittney Griner have been able to get out of Russia and Paul Whelan has not been able to get out of Russia. So, we're going to be talking to Paul's brother David today about the "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich. Who is similarly being brought before the Russian justice system under what are widely believed to be trumped up espionage charges. And we're going to talk about the range of emotions they might be going through.
And also, of course, how Paul is doing. He's now -- he's in a Russian penal colony, and he's been in Russian custody since December 2018 that's more than 1,500 days.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, there have been a lot of concerns about his health. And Jake, it's so important that we continue to talk about Paul, just as we continue to talk about Evan being detained there in Russia as well. And thank you so much. We look forward to that interview.
TAPPER: Thanks so much, guys good to see you.
HILL: And just ahead an outbreak of a rare fungal infection to tell you about. What it is and how health officials and are rushing to find the cause of it. That's next.
[15:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Health officials in northern Michigan are investigating the outbreak of a rare fungal infection.
GOLODRYGA: So far, nearly 100 confirmed or probable cases have been identified in two counties possibly linked to a single paper mill. CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard joins us now with more. That's quite frightening, Jacqueline. Have health authorities found the cause?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Not quite yet Erica and Bianna. The health authorities are currently investigating what could be causing this and the fungal disease that we're talking about here is called Blastomycosis. And so far about 93 confirmed or probable cases have been identified, but authorities are still trying to find out what is causing this outbreak. Now they are looking into a possible connection with the Billerud Paper Mill in Escanaba, Michigan.
And the operations vice president at the mill had this to say in a news release, quote, although the source of the infection has not been established, we continue to take this matter very seriously and are following recommendations from health and government officials and implementing numerous proactive steps to protect the health and safety of our employees, contractors and visitors.
But again, Bianna and Erica, this investigation is still ongoing.
HILL: So, what more do we know about this, the infection itself, Blastomycosis? How do you get it? If they're working to protect the health, does it spread easily?
HOWARD: So, it doesn't spread from person to person. To become infected, you have to inhale the fungal spores that caused this illness. And the symptoms are cough -- sometimes people cough up blood, fever, chest pain, having difficulty breathing. Also, night sweats and weight loss. And we do know that the fungus that causes this infection thrives in moist soil, decaying wood, decaying leaves, and so that source of where the fungus thrives, I'm sure is a major part of this on-going investigation. So hopefully we'll hear more from health authorities in northern Michigan about what exactly is driving this outbreak -- Bianna and Erica.
GOLODRYGA: Yikes, hopefully they can contain it soon as well. Jacqueline Howard, thank you.
And still to come, award winning and legendary cartoonist Al Jaffee has died. A look at his legendary career. That's up next.
[15:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Chicago will host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. The city edged out the other two finalists here, Atlanta and New York City for that coveted spot.
GOLODRYGA: The windy city has hosted the Democratic national convention 11 times, most recently in 1996. The event will be held in August of 2024.
And the Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee one month earlier in July.
HILL: A small porcelain bowl fetching a pretty penny at an auction over the weekend. It's all for more than $25 million. Sotheby's describes the antique bowl as, quote, highly important.
GOLODRYGA: That's quite a pricey bowl there, Erica. According to experts, it comes from a rare group of ceramics decorated at Beijing's imperial workshops in the 18th century, and it features paintings of two swallows, an apricot tree and a willow.
And as one container sells for millions, a company well known for its containers could go out of business. In a regulatory filing last week -- say it ain't so -- Tupperware said there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue and adds that the company will not have enough cash to fund operations if it doesn't secure enough money.
HILL: So right now, the brand says among the options is exploring our potential layoffs or working with financial advisors. Tupperware has struggled in recent years. Analysts point to a sharp decline in sellers and also an inability to connect with younger consumers. Also, probably a fair amount of competition out there these days.
GOLODRYGA: Yes, there is. We grew up with Tupperware, though, right? And before we go, the world of cartooning is mourning a legend, Al
Jaffee, Mad Magazine's award winning and legendary cartoonist has died. He was 102 years old. Jaffee holds the Guinness world record for the longest career as a comic artist, beginning with his first publication in Joker comics in 1942. He only retired from Mad three years ago in 2020 at the tender age of 99. He contributed to the magazine for more than 50 years. On learning of Jaffee's death, Mad's art director called him a national treasure.
Another reminder, Erica, to just keep working. Do what you love as long as you can. He worked until the age of 99, that is incredible.
[16:00:00]
HILL: It really is. Does that mean the two of us are going to be sitting here until we're 99?
GOLODRYGA: I'm not saying that, but you know, we should always keep working. Keep your brain working as well.
All right, "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
