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Police Release Bodycam Video Of Response To Bank Attack; Democratic Lawmaker Reinstated By Nashville Council; Anti-Abortion Doctor Ask Appeals Court To Uphold Suspension Of Abortion Drug Approval; Taiwan Foreign Minister: China Getting "Ready To Launch A War"; Israel Bans Non-Muslims From Volatile Holy Site; Netanyahu Struggles To Control His Government. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 12, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:32]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM. Ambush. Newly released body cam video shows the moment officers come face to face with the Louisville mass killer.

Two weeks after the deadly school shooting in Nashville and the protests and lawmaker expulsions. Tennessee's Republican governor announces plans to strengthen gun laws.

Plus, jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's health is said to be deteriorating and his team is raising concerns. He may have been poisoned yet again.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for being with us. Well, police in Louisville, Kentucky have released dramatic body cam video showing their officers quick response to Monday's deadly mass shooting at a bank. That 25-year-old gunman, an employee of that bank opened fire, killing five people and wounding eight others. Police say it also appears he was waiting for their officers to arrive. These two officers were shot and wounded after arriving at the scene that day.

The newly released video shows the tense moments between them and the gunman just moments before he's killed. CNN's Omar Jimenez walks us through the video and explains how the events unfolded. And a warning some of the footage is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop. Stop right here. Back up, back up, back up.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The video starts as officers pull up to the scene. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop right there. Open the trunk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

JIMENEZ: Body camera video from Officer Nicholas Wilt shows him approached the bank with a pistol. His partner and training officer Veteran Cory Galloway is wearing a camera too. He grabs his long gun from the trunk. And moments later engages the shooter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer.

JIMENEZ: His partner, Officer Wilt is shot and down in front of the bank. Galloway tells arriving officers to look for a better angle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The shooter has an angle on that officer. We need to get out there. I don't know where he's at. The glass is blocking him.

JIMENEZ: And then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I got him down. I think he's down. Yes. Suspect down. Get the officer.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's down. Get the officer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: All that played out just behind me here. The window shattered on that video are now boarded up as a community here tries to heal. The vigil is planned for Wednesday to give some of that community that opportunity to find a way forward. Police leadership have said they're proud of how their officers responded but also that the most heroic things we do are shrouded in people's tragedies. And based on what we've seen, this is no exception.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Louisville, Kentucky.

CHURCH: Steve Moore is a retired FBI supervisory special agent and a CNN law enforcement contributor. He joins me now live from Los Angeles. Thanks for being with us.

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.

CHURCH: So, we just saw that newly released body cam video showing the moment police officers came face to face with a suspect in the Louisville bank mass shooting. What was your response when you saw the footage and how do you think those officers handled the situation?

MOORE: Well, you can probably see it on my face. I -- it's almost triggering. It's just shocking -- and what these officers went through because this is the nightmare scenario.

[02:05:07]

Somebody goes in, they shoot the people they want. And then they set up a vantage point from which they can engage the police before the police know they're being engaged. And that's the -- that's the terrifying possibility.

CHURCH: Yes. And that -- that's the situation because we saw with the window that was there, the glare made it impossible for those officers to know where that shooter was. And if there was anyone else in the line of fire. So, it made it even more difficult situation for them, didn't it?

MOORE: It did. And here's the really hard thing that the public really needs to understand. Part of active shooter response is to make the active shooter stop shooting unarmed civilians and turn their attention to the police. Because the police have guns and training. Guns and training aren't going to protect you necessarily for -- from an ambush. But those officers who were wounded were wounded because the gunman wasn't shooting people in the bank anymore.

CHURCH: Yes. And it -- I mean, it makes you think of --, we saw the video from the Uvalde School shooting. So different. Such a contrast there where we saw officers retreating when the shooter shot in their direction. This was very different, wasn't it?

MOORE: It was. And the Nashville response was also -- because you know every single one of these officers who responded saw what happened in Uvalde. And just simmered about how angry they were. And these officers went straight in and unfortunately, they went into a -- an ambush. But again, the -- they got the person shooting at them, not unarmed civilians, and they didn't stop what they were doing.

They tried to get what we call an alternate breach or an alternate angle on the bank saying, you know, come around the other side. So, basically, while they might be pinned down, the shooter couldn't pin down two groups at once. So, their tactics were excellent under the worst possible conditions.

CHURCH: And two weeks after the deadly school shooting, you just refer to in Nashville, Tennessee's Republican governor plans to strengthen gun laws in that state. How significant is this coming at a time when most polls indicate Americans do want to see these common-sense gun controls put in place to stop these mass shootings happening again and again?

MOORE: It's certainly a step in the right direction, Rosemary. But here's the sad truth right now. There are more than 20 million A.R.- 15s in civilian ownership in the United States right now. So, even if we could wave a magic wand and have them -- have manufacturer of civilian A.R.-15 stopped and sale stopped they're still out there. And I think while we're working on the long-term solution, the short-term solution is going to be trying to get places and places or business.

Schools especially, hardened just a little bit. Delay the shooter three minutes until the police can get there. That's what we need to be doing. It has to be on a level of post 9/11 protection of airports.

CHURCH: Yes. I mean, we're all trying to find the smartest solution to gun reform in this country. What needs to be done at the point of purchase to prevent easy access of guns, particularly to those suffering from mental illness?

MOORE: If we don't have red flag laws, if we don't have something that will tell the -- tell the people who are selling these things that this person is not a good risk to have it, then if we're not even trying, we're fools. The issue here is that while it will protect a lot of things, you know, they said the shooter last time in Nashville bought the gun legally. Well, not really. They hid mental illness in buying the gun.

I think we need to increase these laws to at least in the short term, stop there from getting into the hands of people who want to murder innocent people.

CHURCH: But would a psychological test make any difference do you think at the point of purchase?

MOORE: I doubt it.

CHURCH: I mean, to take time. Not just at that point but to take time. So, it takes hours perhaps days rather than -- I mean, it takes two or three hours to purchase a gun and be approved.

MOORE: Yes, yes. The problem -- we need to find some way to delay situations where somebody like this is able to just go out and purchase it immediately.

[02:10:07]

Train with it and then go into the bank with it.

CHURCH: Yes.

MOORE: And I don't have all the answers right now. But we have to do something for the long term. And we have to combine that with short term. And frankly, you know, you've got people like this guy at the bank probably looked like a good risk for this. I mean, he's got -- he's got a white-collar job. He works in a professional organization. They had no idea he had just been told he was going to get fired.

We're going to have to rethink this entire -- this -- the entire way we own guns here.

CHURCH: Yes. Let's hope they find the political will to do that. Steve Moore, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

MOORE: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, Tennessee's Republican governor is urging state lawmakers to pass new gun control measures just over two weeks after the deadly mass shooting at a Nashville Elementary School which left three nine-year-olds and three adults did. Governor Bill Lee wants what he calls an order of protection to keep weapons away from anyone who may be a danger to themselves or others.

And he's vowing to sign an executive order to strengthen the state's background checks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BILL LEE (R-TN): I think that we have an obligation. And I certainly do to remind people that we should set aside politics and prod and accomplish something that the people of Tennessee want us to get accomplished. It is possible and it is important that we find a way to remove individuals who are a threat to themselves or to our society to remove them from access to weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: It's unclear if the Republican dominated legislature will take up the governor's gun control push.

Last week the State House expelled two black Democrats for loudly demanding more firearm restrictions or as Republicans put it bringing disorder and dishonor to the chamber. One of the ousted lawmakers, Justin Jones was reappointed by the Nashville Metro Council on Monday. The school shooting happened in his district.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STATE REP. JUSTIN JONES (D) TENNESSEE: I think that it's a clear example of Frederick Douglas's wisdom that power concedes nothing without a demand. That we have an NRA-endorsed governor finally taking action on gun laws because of these young people marching and continuing to exert pressure on the governor. I actually met with him this afternoon, along with other members of the National delegation.

And I really see a change of heart and I'm hopeful for the days ahead that we can pass on common sense gun laws to protect our kids and our students and our community as a whole.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The other expelled legislator, Justin Pearson will learn his fate in the coming hours when the Shelby County Commissioners vote on whether to reinstate him.

A group of anti-abortion doctors that sue to ban a common abortion medication is urging a U.S. appeals court to uphold a ruling that would take the drug off the market. Just hours ago, the group filed its response to request from the U.S. Justice Department and the maker of the drug Mifepristone asking that a Texas judge's decision to suspend Mifepristone's long held FDA approval will be allowed to take effect on Friday.

The group says that the drug is not safe and that the FDA did not adequately assess its risks when it approved the drug 23 years ago. The appeals court wants the Justice Department and drugmaker Danco Laboratories to respond by mid-day Wednesday. Well, just ahead. Ukrainian soldiers purportedly beheaded. Horrific images and videos of the war in Ukraine are circulating on social media. We will have a live report.

And Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's health is reportedly on the decline behind bars. Why his team thinks it's possible he may have been poisoned again.

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[02:17:52]

CHURCH: Two videos have emerged on social media purporting to show beheadings of Ukrainian soldiers. The videos are of two separate incidents filmed at different times, but they only surfaced within the past week. In response to the videos, a top advisor to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted, there will be an accountability for everything.

And for more on this story, we go to Clare Sebastian who joins us live in London. So, Clare, what more are you learning about these disturbing videos?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary. As you say, they seem to be related to two separate incidents filmed at different times. The first one which appears or could have been filmed relatively recently shows the bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers who do not have their heads, whose heads have been cut off next to a military vehicle. There are voices in Russian saying that they were killed in their heads cut off, laughter.

Social media suggest it was filmed near Bakhmut. And that we can't confirm that. So, that's the first video. The second video might have been shot more towards the summertime given the level of sort of plant life on the ground. And that heavily blurred, that one surfaced on Twitter may show a Russian fighter in the act of beheading a Ukrainian soldier. So that particularly disturbing but again, we cannot confirm the location or authenticity of that video.

Having said that, while these videos are shocking, we have heard accounts of the brutality in the Russian forces in particular as it relates to Wagner mercenaries. Recent defection of a -- of a former commander revealed some account. There was also a video that surfaced of the bludgeoning to death by a defector with a sledgehammer video that was praised by the Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.

So, this may and again, we have not been able to confirm the location or veracity of these videos build up with that picture of that kind of brutality. And of course, the incredibly high cost of that ongoing battle for Bakhmut, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Clare, I want to look at another. The issue the health of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. It appears to be getting markedly worse.

[02:20:07] In a Twitter post Tuesday, his spokesperson said Navalny has had severe stomach issues and has lost eight kilograms or about 17 pounds over the past two weeks. And according to that tweet, Navalny is not receiving any treatment inside the prison. And Navalny was poisoned, of course, with the internationally banned nerve agents novichok back in August of 2020. And his team says it's entirely possible that he's being poisoned again.

So, Clare, what more do we know about Navalny's health at this time?

SEBASTIAN: Yes, Rosemary. His health has been in the spotlight for some time. We know for example, that in early February, his lawyer said that he was moved to a harsher solitary confinement for a maximum period of six months. His supporters and family have said that has been taking an immense toll on his health. His daughter telling CNN recently that the Russian government, she believed was slowly torturing and killing her father.

There was even an open letter in January from 500 or so medical professionals in Russia, urging the government to allow him access to civilian doctors. So, this has been in the spotlight for a long time. And his supporters, as you say, his spokesperson saying that they couldn't rule out that he has been poisoned by something that is making his health deteriorate slowly. So, not that kind of immediate reaction that we saw when he was poisoned later emerged with novichok but something that leads to a more slow deterioration.

The lead investigator for Bellingcat, Christo Grozev who was instrumental in revealing the Russian government links to that poisoning with novichok in 2020. He had this to say about whether that could be plausible. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTO GROZEV, LEAD RUSSIA INVESTIGATOR, BELLINGCAT: We cannot exclude that there's motivation for that. I mean, we know that Navalny was definitely poisoned with novichok by none other than the state of Russia. We know that he went back to Russia against the wishes of Putin because Putin really wanted him out. He made everything possible to prevent his return. And of course, now with -- from within jail, Navalny continues to essentially really killed Putin in the war effort by being a very vocal opponent of the war. So, of course, there's the motivation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Grozev also pointing out that well, typically, if this was and of course, we don't know, something that was ordered by the Russian government, that would typically come from the top. But given the splintering that we're seeing in the Russian power structure at the moment and the unfettered access in recent times of the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin to prison, he also couldn't rule out that there are other possibilities there, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Clare Sebastian joining us live from London. Many thanks. A key anniversary. A legislature in limbo and the U.S. president returning to his Irish roots, we will have a live report from Belfast.

Plus, given their recent military drills around the island Taiwan's Foreign Minister believes Beijing may be preparing for war. More on his exclusive interview with CNN just ahead.

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[02:26:59]

CHURCH: The U.S. president is beginning an historic visit to Northern Ireland 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement ended decades of sectarian bloodshed. Joe Biden touched down in Belfast on Tuesday and will later head to Ireland, his ancestral home. Upon landing, there were salutes and there was British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The two leaders will hold talks in the coming hours.

President Biden will also meet with all five parties that make up Northern Ireland's power sharing agreement.

And CNN's Kevin Liptak is covering all of this for us. He joins us live from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Good to see you, Kevin. So, the President's trip, it's a mixed bag, isn't it? Of diplomacy, politics, and of course exploring his ancestry. So, what's on the agenda today and of course, for the rest of the week?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. Well, today, it's really all about the Good Friday Agreement that U.S. brokered peace accord that brought an end to the troubles 25 years ago. President Biden is here to really tout the legacy of that agreement. It's the involvement of American President Bill Clinton, the Senator George Mitchell, who is the Special Envoy, really trying to mark a moment in the history of Northern Ireland and the legacy of peace that that agreement secured.

Of course, the President is only here for about 15 hours. And he did say as he was departing that his goal while he was on the ground was to "keep the peace." And I do think that tells you a lot. You know, the peace is an uneasy one here in Northern Ireland. You have seen some sectarian violence flare up. Even in the last several days, the terror threat level here has been elevated around the President's visit.

And security is of course, very tight here in Belfast around the President's hotel. The political situation is also sort of tenuous here in Northern Ireland. The devolved government that was a product of the Good Friday Agreement has been paralyzed over this dispute over Brexit trade rules. And the President, while he's on the ground here will meet with the leaders of the five political parties that comprise that power sharing government to try and cajole them back into sort of getting their work done.

He will also meet separately with the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. I think both President Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would have hoped that the government wouldn't be back working -- in working condition for the President's visit. But because it's not, he will not address lawmakers at Stormont. Instead, he will address students at Ulster University. And I think that's highly symbolic. Really talking to a younger generation here.

University students who may not have even been born in 1998 who have no direct memory of the troubles. Really working to focus sort of on the future of this region. The economic future, the potential for, you know, economic development here that is really going to be the centerpiece of his address in Northern Ireland. But from there, it's onward to the Republic of Ireland and later today, he will have the first of two stops in an ancestral hometown in County Louth.

[02:30:00]

That's where his great-great-great, great grandfather Owen Finnegan. He was a shoemaker, eventually he left for the United States but that's sort of where the President's origin, Irish origin stories begin. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right, I appreciate it. Kevin Liptak joining us live from Belfast, many thanks. Well, Taiwan's Foreign Minister has condemned China's simulated strikes around the island over the weekend. Speaking exclusively to CNN, Joseph Wu said it seems Beijing may be preparing to quote launch a war against Taiwan. So, let's go to Hong Kong with CNN's Anna Coren is standing by. So, Anna, what more are you learning about this?

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, certainly very strong that language Rosemary, from Taiwan has a foreign minister who, you know, deeply concerned about China's military drills around the island. And as you say, he thinks that Beijing could be preparing for war. These three-day military exercises which finished on Monday, were in response to Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen, meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and other U.S. lawmakers in California last week, on her way back from a trip to Central America.

China had warned that they would quote resolutely fight back if they met. So, really Taiwan shouldn't be surprised by China's reaction. Beijing said the exercises which included simulated targeted strikes and sealing off Taiwan with its aircraft carrier, the Shandong was necessary to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. But let's now have a listen to what Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH WU, TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER: I look at military exercises and also their rhetoric. This seems to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan. The Taiwanese Government looks at the Chinese military trip as something that cannot be accepted. And we condemn that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Rosemary, earlier today, China's Taiwan Affairs Spokesperson accused the DPP which is the party of Taiwan's president of bribing some members of U.S. Congress to oppose Taiwan reunification with China. He went on to say that colluding with external forces seeking Taiwan independence is quote, the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Now, we are expected to hear from Taiwan's Defense Ministry shortly Rosemary. It's also worth noting that China is also not happy about the joint military exercises between the U.S. and the Philippines which began yesterday occurring at the top of the Archipelago very close to Taiwan, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, Anna Coren joining us live from Hong Kong, many thanks. Israel's Prime Minister is walking a fine line between running the country and keeping his fragile coalition together. But some are wondering whether he or his extremist ministers are really the ones in control. Will investigate.

[02:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: After a week of escalating tensions that have erupted in violence. Israel is moving to bring calm to one of the world's holiest sites. Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government is banning all non-Muslims from the sacred area, Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call Haram al Sharif, until the end of Ramadan, that is in about 10 days. The Muslim holiday has coincided this year with the Jewish holiday of Passover making conditions they're particularly volatile. The area includes the al-Aqsa Mosque which Israeli police raided twice last week. Mr. Netanyahu's Far-Right security minister is objecting to the closure and that comes as no surprise, it's yet another indicator of the Prime Minister's problems controlling his own government.

CNN's Hadas Gold shows us why this time around Mr. Netanyahu is facing a particularly tough time maintaining his authority.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): When Benjamin Netanyahu entered office for his third stint in December, he did so only with the support of Far-Right parties. Once considered the fringe of Israeli politics but when asked by CNN Jake Tapper about their influence in his government, he brushed them off.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER: I've governing -- I've got my two hands on the wheel and believe me, it's going to be a good direction.

GOLD (voiceover): Even if Netanyahu's hands are on the wheel. People like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are making it a bumpy ride.

AMIT SEGAL, CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, CHANNEL 12 NEWS: I think Netanyahu got his hands on the steering wheel, but he has Ben-Gvir and Smotrich with their leg on the gas. Netanyahu is the Prime Minister no doubt but he's not the leader of this government.

GOLD (voiceover): Now, overseeing the Israeli police, who's multiple raids into the al-Aqsa Mosque last week after Palestinians barricaded themselves inside, helped spark rocket fire from Lebanon and Gaza. Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, calling on Netanyahu to strip Ben- Gvir of his police powers over the holy sites.

YAIR LAPID, HEAD OF YESH ATID (through translator): The Temple Mount during Ramadan is the most explosive place in the world. It is not possible that it is being dealt with by clown on TikTok that has lost the confidence of the police and the forces on the ground.

GOLD (voiceover): On Monday, Ben-Gvir marching alongside thousands of Israeli settlers to an outpost still deemed illegal under this government. As Palestinians clashed with Israeli security nearby. Last month, protests against Netanyahu's massive judicial overhaul plan exploded into the biggest general strike in Israeli history. For hours, Netanyahu was nowhere to be seen, just to tweet urging protesters to behave responsibly. Instead, the news of a pause to the legislation came in the form of a statement from Ben-Gvir, who seemed to be the final stumbling block before the pullback could be announced. Guaranteed a new National Guard under his ministry in exchange for agreeing to the pause. Although, he promised his supporters that the overhaul will still happen.

[02:40:19]

EHUD BARAK, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: So, that's a lunatic's effect of Netanyahu, which shows to what extent he cannot make a sincere judgement.

GOLD (voiceover): Now even Netanyahu is own former top lieutenants are questioning his judgement.

EFRAIM HALEVY, FORMER MOSSAD HEAD: I believe that the Benjamin Netanyahu of today is not the Benjamin Netanyahu that I knew when he appointed the head of Mossad. And I agree for this, but I cannot accept that he could -- should continue and lead the country.

GOLD (voiceover): As Israel quickly approaches its 75th Independence Day, Netanyahu driving the country into unknown territory. Hadas Gold, CNN Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: I'm Rosemary Church, for our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is next. And for those of you here in North America. I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a minute. Do stay with us.

[02:45:00]

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CHURCH: A fire at a recycling plant scene here with plumes of toxic smoke is expected to burn for days in the U.S. state of Indiana. Officials say a semi-truck trailer full of unknown plastics caught fire, which then spread to other plastics and eventually the nearby building. The building's owner had been previously warned about the unsafe facility. Those living within half a mile of the plant were ordered to evacuate their homes. Highly classified Pentagon documents leaked on social media casts serious doubt on Ukraine's ability to end the war against Russia anytime soon. They see weaknesses in Ukraine's weaponry and air defenses could lead to a stalemate for months to come.

CNN's Oren Liebermann reports on the investigation into who leaked the documents and why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Top U.S. officials trying to get ahead of the damage caused by a leak of highly sensitive documents.

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: I will tell you that we take this very seriously and we will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it.

LIEBERMANN (voiceover): Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, promising results from an investigation just getting underway. While Secretary of State Antony Blinken, worked to reassure foreign nations.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We have engaged with allies and partners at high levels over the past -- the past days. Including to reassure them about our own commitment to safeguarding, intelligence and of course, our commitment to our security partnerships.

LIEBERMANN (voiceover): The Department of Justice is handling the criminal investigation of the leaks, while DOD is part of a broader look into how the leaks have impacted national security. The leaks have reached across the globe, revealing us spying on adversaries including Russia and China but also on U.S. allies and partners among them Israel, South Korea and many more. Some of the documents reviewed by CNN, offer sensitive details on Ukraine's military capabilities or lack thereof.

Including critical shortages of air defenses and overall casualty assessments. After more than a year of war. Ukrainian officials downplayed the significance of the leaks saying some of the information wasn't secret at all. But a source close to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the military has already changed some of its plans because of the leaks. In a new set of leaked documents obtained by the Washington Post, the U.S. learned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was considering providing 40,000 rockets to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

But to do so quietly to avoid problems with the West. Since Egypt is one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid. CNN has not seen the documents and cannot confirm their authenticity. The Egyptian state media called the report and informational absurdity while the Kremlin called it another hoax and the U.S. says, they've seen no signs of Egypt providing lethal aid to Russia. But it underscores the far-reaching consequences of the leaks.

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): I want a briefing on the logistics right on how this information got out there. But we also need to get briefings on the substance.

LIEBERMANN (voiceover): The leaked documents appear to be part of a daily intelligence briefing prepared for the Pentagon's Senior Leaders, official said the documents can be accessed by hundreds if not thousands of people across the government with the proper security clearance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIEBERMANN (on camera): It's not just a question of the number of people who had access to information like this, but how it's disseminated either through tablets rigged to have top secret information on them. Also, printed out as we've seen through the documents, and simply forwarded via emails. Either in whole or in excerpts depending on the classification level. Some of that creates an electronic track that can be looked after and investigated, but not all of it. And that adds to the complications in investigating something like this and trying to figure out the motive behind it. Oren Liebermann, CNN at the Pentagon.

CHURCH: The Manhattan District Attorney who filed criminal charges against Donald Trump is firing back at one of the former President's closest allies. Alvin Bragg is suing Congressman Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who has promised an investigation into Bragg. Bragg calls the Republican investigation "An unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York state criminal prosecution and investigation." He also says, "Chairman Jordan and the committee are participating in a campaign of intimidation, retaliation and obstruction." Bragg is asking a federal court to block testimony before Jordan's committee by a former senior prosecutor in his office. Plus, possible testimony by Bragg himself.

[02:50:09]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Alvin Bragg, in his brief today says there has never been an instance where a local elected D.A. has had to go in front of Congress and talk about their investigation. So, the effort by Jim Jordan is unprecedented and Bragg's response here of taking the affirmative step of going into federal court and saying, I want you to block this, I want to stop this right now is also unprecedented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Jim Jordan responded on Twitter saying, "First they indict a president for no crime. Then, they sue to block congressional oversight, when we ask questions about the federal funds, they say they used to do it." A Delaware judge has ruled Dominion voting systems may not bring up the January 6 attack during its upcoming defamation trial against Fox News. The judge said bringing up the insurrection would be too prejudicial, and that this lawsuit is not about whether Fox influenced the storming of the U.S. Capitol. The judge who said he has been receiving death threats also, restricted some evidence Fox wanted for its defense. The Right-Wing network is being sued for promoting false claims about Dominion machines rigging the 2020 presidential election. Fox calls the lawsuit a meritless assault on press freedoms. Our CNN Oliver Darcy explains the network is in hot water.

OLIVER DARCY, CNN SENIOR MEDIA REPORTER: Outside this legal victory, it was not great in court for Fox News. The judge at one point became notably frustrated with the network for not being forthcoming, fully transparent about Rupert Murdoch's role at the company. For years, Fox lawyers have maintained that Rupert Murdoch doesn't have an official role at Fox News. He's the chairman of Fox Corporation, but that the lawyers had said he didn't have an official role at Fox News. It was only disclosed recently that he is actually an officer at the company. And the judge not very happy about this, making it clear in court he said at one point, you have a credibility problem to the fox legal team and so, not good for them heading into this trial.

CHURCH: Jury selection gets underway on Thursday and the trial is set to start next week, unless a settlement is reached dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages. The mother of a 6-year-old student who shot his first-grade teacher in January is now facing charges. And Virginia prosecutors say a grand jury may bring additional charges against others in the case. CNN's Brian Todd has the latest on the incident.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): A shocking assault inside a first-grade classroom. Teacher Abby Zwerner, shot in the hand and chest by her 6-year-old student. Now, that student's mother criminally charged by prosecutors in Newport News, Virginia. 26-year-old Deja Taylor faces charges of felony child neglect and recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child. That's a misdemeanor.

MISTY MARRIS, DEFENSE AND TRIAL ATTORNEY: It's very unusual for a parent to be prosecuted for the acts of their children.

TODD (voiceover): Taylor's attorney sent CNN a statement saying in part, "Deja has cooperated from the first day of the incident. She has no criminal record. We will make our best efforts so that these proceedings will be more collaborative than most." The Commonwealth's attorney previously told CNN. Taylor's 6-year-old son will not be charged in this case. Experts say there are several reasons why the boy wouldn't be charged.

MARIO LORELLO, FORMER JUVENILE PROSECUTOR: One would be whether or not he's competent to stand trial. Two would be the law really presumes that children that are that young, aren't able to really form criminal intent.

TODD (voiceover): Abby Zwerner's attorneys last week filed a $40.00 million lawsuit against the Newport News school district. Alleging that administrators at Richneck elementary school had been aware that the child was violent at home, that he had choked a teacher during the previous school year when he was in kindergarten. And that school staffers especially then assistant principal, Ebony Parker, ignored several warnings on the day of the shooting that the boy had brought a gun to school. CNN could not reach Parker for comment. As for the parent's responsibility.

MARRIS: This case is going to come down to, where was the gun stored? How was the gun stored? And how did a 6-year-old gain access to it?

TODD (voiceover): Deja Taylor's lawyer told CNN that the boy's parents claimed they kept the gun at their home secured with a safety. And kept it on the top shelf of the mother's bedroom closet. The parents had previously issued a statement saying quote, "Our son suffers from an acute disability and was under a care plan at the school that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day." The parents said the week of the shooting was the first week they were not in class with him, and quote, "We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives." In an interview with NBC, Zwerner talked about that horrifying moment in her classroom.

ABIGAIL ZWERNER, TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEARS-OLD STUDENT: And I just -- will never forget the look on his face that he gave me, while he pointed the gun directly at me. That's something that I will never forget. It's changed me, it's changed my life.

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TODD (on camera): Deja Taylor's attorney tells CNN she'll be turning herself in this week. The Commonwealth's attorney who indicted her is indicating that more charges possibly against others could be brought. He says his office has asked the court to impanel a special grand jury, to investigate any quote security issues that may have contributed to this shooting. Brian Todd, CNN Washington.

CHURCH: Thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church, I will be back with more CNN NEWSROOM, in just a moment. Hope you can stay with us.

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