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Vigil Being Held For Eight-Year-Old Boy Killed In Texas Shooting Attack; Another U.S.-Led Evacuation Convoy Arrives In Port Sudan; Sudan Extends Airspace Closure, Exempts Evacuation And Aid Flights; Cross Examination Of E. Jean Carroll Resumes Tomorrow; Disney Fights Back In A Lawsuit Against State of Florida; Hollywood Braces For Writers' Strike As Union Talks Stall; New Jersey Little League Cracks Down On Umpire Abuse From Parents. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired April 30, 2023 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:43]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

Tensions are running high in Texas as an accused killer has now been on the run for more than 40 hours. The FBI has joined the manhunt for 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa. He has been a fugitive since Friday night. That's when neighbors asked him to stop firing his rifle in his front yard because they were trying to get a baby to go to sleep. But police say Oropesa then entered their home and began shooting. An 8- year-old boy was among the five neighbors gunned down almost execution-style in the words of the local sheriff. A short time ago, that sheriff spoke to the press.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF GREG CAPERS, SAN JACINTO COUNTY, TEXAS: Five people died in my county, and that is where my heart is, in my county, protecting my people to the best of our ability. We have over 150 policemen here yesterday looking for this suspect. Today it's well over 200, and more officers from other agencies are coming in to help us find this suspect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Cleveland, Texas, for us.

Ed, tell us, I understand you're at a vigil right now for one of the victims. What can you tell us?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Jim, you can see the vigil behind me starting to break up this afternoon. It lasted about half an hour, and this is at the elementary school where the youngest victim attended class, was here on Friday. And when the students return here tomorrow, one of their classmates will not be with them. And that is 8-year-old Daniel Enrique Lazo Guzman.

His father was actually here as a series of local pastors got up and tried to comfort him and his family as best they can. But this story really sending shockwaves through the community here. But let me get you to the latest of what is going on with this investigation. The manhunt for 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa continues nearly 48 hours after authorities say he shot and killed five of his neighbors just outside of the small town of Cleveland, Texas, northeast of Houston.

That manhunt continues. The various law enforcement agencies and entities have come together with an $80,000 reward, hoping that that will cause some people to call in and give them the whereabouts of where this suspect might be. That is the most pressing concern at this moment. And we heard from law enforcement officials who are heading up this investigation just a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES SMITH, FBI HOUSTON SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Right now, we just don't know because if we did, we would have him in custody right now. We do not know where he is. We don't have any tips right now to where he may be. And that's why we've come up with this reward so that hopefully somebody out there can call us.

I pretty much can guarantee you he's contacted some of his friends. Right now we're just -- we're running into dead ends. Right now we have zero leads.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So some interesting details you heard there at the end of that sound bite from the law enforcement officials that he has been in contact at some point. It's not clear when exactly, Jim, because yesterday afternoon, law enforcement officials were saying that the trail on the suspect had gone cold, that they had found his cell phone and clothing discarded in some locations in this area.

But it's not clear at this point where he might be. They couldn't really answer if they believe he's still in this area. This suspect is a Mexican national, so obviously that raises some concerns that he might try to get back into Mexico. So between here and the U.S.-Mexico border, obviously a heightened sense of alert among law enforcement officials there as FBI officials have been disseminating the latest pictures that they have of the suspect.

FBI officials did tell me this afternoon that this suspect does have prior contact with law enforcement and a criminal background. We don't know the details of all that just yet. But they're saying that they believe he is armed and dangerous, and if anyone sees him, they should call the FBI tip line as quickly as possible -- Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Ed Lavandera, thank you very much for that report live from the scene of a vigil for that young victim in that shooting.

[18:05:01]

Just another sign of the mass gun violence that is taking place all over this country.

Ed, thank you very much. We appreciate it. The FBI also addressed the agency releasing an incorrect image in the

manhunt for Francisco Oropesa. The wrong photo was put out earlier today on FBI's social media accounts and it aired briefly on CNN in the 2:00 p.m. Eastern hour. When asked about the photo released by the FBI, the special agent in charge had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: In an investigation like this we're receiving information from a whole slew of agencies and the citizens. And it was a mistake on our side of it. We identified it. We acted quickly to remove that photo and we went back -- we looked at what we had, and now we're 100 percent confident we have the right photo out there. But it was a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Again, there is an $80,000 reward leading to any information about Francisco Oropesa's location.

We're also following an overnight shooting that left two teenagers dead and four others wounded. It happened earlier this morning in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Police say 19-year-old Cameron Everest Brand opened fire at a house party. An 18-year-old and a 16-year-old are dead as a result of that shooting. Brand is charged with homicide.

Joining me now to talk about this is CNN contributor Abene Clayton. She is the lead reporter on the "Guns and Lies in America Project" for "The Guardian."

Abene, once again we're talking about this issue, this horrible attack in Texas really started over something as simple as a noise complaint. It's the latest example of normal everyday occurrences escalating to gun violence. A teenager shot for ringing the wrong doorbell. 20-year- old woman killed for pulling into the wrong driveway. A 6-year-old girl and her father are shot after a basketball rolls into a neighbor's yard. And then what happened Friday night in Texas. It's just unbelievable.

What has transformed this nation into this sort of Wild West shoot- first mentality?

ABENE CLAYTON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's a pretty impossible question to answer because there are so many factors and so many things that have happened. Over the past couple of years, seeing these most recent incidents really takes me back to the beginning of the pandemic in mid-2020 when we started to see more neighbors getting into arguments that end up in shootings, freeway shootings, you know, road rage that ends fatally. So I think we're seeing a continuation of a lot of fear, paranoia, unaddressed mental health challenges, all combined with what we see as ever-growing access to firearms.

ACOSTA: And Abene, is this also a bit self-perpetuating in that these high-profile shootings make people fearful. Then they go buy guns, and then the anxiety can lead to some, you know, kind of a fear-driven response to a perceived threat, or is that just overanalyzing things? I mean, what do you think?

CLAYTON: No, I don't think you're overanalyzing at all. When I think about what happened to the 16-year-old who went to the wrong door, I think that was such a clear example of already paranoia, fear, this idea that after a high-profile mass shooting, people say, I'm not going to be a victim. If someone, you know, comes into the supermarket I'm in, if someone is at the mall where my family is, I'm going to be ready. And we also see that same mentality among especially older, more conservative white folks when it comes to black youth.

You know, they see the images, and his grandson said as much. You know, they see the images on FOX News of young black men and young black teens doing all sorts of stuff and assume that they're going to be victimized by that person. So I think that you are spot on, and it's not an over analysis of these things, but it also is unfortunate that we don't have enough expert voices, enough psychologists and people who can really tell us what leads to these things so we know exactly how to approach them with solutions.

ACOSTA: Abene, more states are adopting these so-called constitutional carry laws, meaning most people can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. I mean, that's the law in about, what, more than half the states in this country? I mean is it unreasonable to think that we will see even more crimes of passion, these sort of shoot first, ask questions later types of crimes as a result of all of this immediate access to a firearm?

CLAYTON: I think in addition to the access to a firearm, we're also seeing a destabilization of mental health resources, things that can prevent youth from getting involved in crime in the first place, and keep guns out of their hands. So I think in addition to, you know, the fact that more states in the U.S. have constitutional carry than have red flag laws or some sort of infrastructure to get guns away from people who are deemed to be a danger or themselves really puts us in a really bad position.

[18:10:13]

I certainly can't predict the future, but there's no -- you know, one plus one equals two. If we have more guns and less resources for people's mental health, less support for law enforcement, who are also afraid, you know, of all of the guns around, then I am just incredibly worried that we will see more of this violence that is triggered by, like you said, everyday interactions, general frustrations, anger, and fear that people feel but don't have to turn into irreparable harm.

And I think that access to firearms certainly has a role to play that we need to think about and have a more honest conversation about.

ACOSTA: Yes. And we seem to cover them almost every weekend here on this program. I mean they just seem to happen with that kind of a frequency.

All right, Abene Clayton, thanks so much for your time and those insights. We really appreciate it.

CLAYTON: Thank you for having me.

ACOSTA: In Sudan, the second U.S.-led convoy out of Khartoum has arrived in Port Sudan. From there the Americans will board ships bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Officials say the U.S. government supervised the evacuation of nearly 1,000 American citizens stuck in the conflict zone.

And CNN's Priscilla Alvarez joins us now from the White House.

Priscilla, what's the latest you're hearing on these evacuations? It sounds as though there may be more coming.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, this is the latest development in the ongoing effort to evacuate U.S. citizens from Sudan amid that ongoing fighting. The White House in particular has been under pressure to provide assistance to those U.S. citizens, and now, as you mentioned, we're learning about this second convoy that arrived in Port Sudan. The first convoy arrived yesterday.

Now the State Department has said that nearly 1,000 citizens from Sudan have been evacuated with cooperation from global allies, and they've also provided some detail as to the organization and protection of these convoys, which includes military surveillance, overwatch, coordination with other nations on flights and convoys, and diplomatic outreach with U.S. citizens in Sudan.

Now, the State Department also says that fewer than 5,000 citizens have sought guidance from the U.S. government. But as I mentioned, we have been hearing from relatives of these citizens, some of them who are dual citizens, who are trying to leave Sudan and have been urging the administration to provide that assistance, we are now learning of this second convoy and perhaps more to come -- Jim.

ACOSTA: All right. Priscilla Alvarez, we'll keep our eyes on it. Thank you very much.

Sudan's civilian aviation authorities extending the closure of Sudanese airspace for at least two more weeks. Evacuation and relief aid flights are exempt. Sudan's two warring parties have agreed to extend their humanitarian truce for 72 hours. However, numerous clashes broke out during the five previous ceasefires.

And CNN's Larry Madowo is at the Saudi naval port where evacuees are arriving.

Larry, I'm sure it's very busy there. What are you seeing?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Jim, we've spent the past 24 hours alongside the Saudi Navy. We came from here in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, went to Port Sudan, picked up about 52 people, and came all the way back here to Jeddah across the Red Sea. This has become almost a shuttle service because even though the factions keep agreeing to these ceasefires you talk about they violate them almost instantly. And that is why so many people, foreign and local Sudanese people, are trying to leave. This is what our trip is like.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MADOWO (voice-over): 2:00 a.m., and they're finally getting out of Sudan after many anxious days. Saudi soldiers check documents and let them through. A nightmare almost over.

(On-camera): Thousands of people have made that over 500-mile journey from the capital, Khartoum, to hear in Port Sudan. One person told us it took them 36 hours, but finally on a boat and eventually to a ship to Jeddah.

(Voice-over): A sad final goodbye to Sudan. Victims of the stormy waters in Africa's third largest nation.

HAMZA NAVID, PAKISTANI EVACUEE: It's very, very hard for me. And very hard and very painful for me because this is like a second home, my home.

MADOWO: CNN joined Saudi forces on an evacuation voyage from Jeddah to Port Sudan and back, bringing more people one step closer to safe shores. But the demand is high, and the military ships can only take so many people at a time. Our round trip was more than 24 hours but brought back only 52 people across the Red Sea.

Sudanese-American businessman Adil Bashir can finally sleep undisturbed for the first time in two weeks. He says his car dealership in Khartoum was trashed, burned, and some vehicles stolen. So he took the risky drive to Port Sudan.

ADIL BASHIR, SUDANESE-AMERICAN EVACUEE: A lot of human body, dead body on the street.

[18:15:03]

MADOWO (on-camera): You say you were detained by men in Rapid Support Forces uniform after you told them you're a U.S. citizen?

BASHIR: Maybe you are a U.S. citizen, you are a spy. I believe they want us to be like a human shield because there were 13 ahead of me.

MADOWO (voice-over): As more people escape from Sudan, another ceasefire was broken over the weekend with fighting in the country entering a third week. The Saudi port city of Jeddah has become the main landing point for thousands fleeing the conflict. The Saudis are throwing everything at this rescue operation.

GEN. TURKI AL-MALIKI, ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE: The assets, the capability, military, civilian in Saudi is taking the civilian from Sudan. So as long as it's safe, we'll keep doing our role.

MADOWO: This large commercial ship brought nearly 2,000 evacuees from Port Sudan. One of the largest arrivals in Jeddah so far. Hanari Akhmad and her Sudanese-American family were among those on the vessel received by U.S. embassy staff. They're relieved to be safe but heartbroken for those who couldn't get out.

HANADI AHMED, SUDANESE-AMERICAN EVACUEE: Very bad. It's very bad because all my family's there. My mom, my dad, and it's very difficult.

MADOWO (on-camera): You're scared for them?

AHMED: Yes.

MADOWO: I am so sorry.

AHMED: It's OK. I'm very lucky we are out.

MADOWO (voice-over): A few lucky dual nationals and foreigners can leave but most Sudanese people are trapped in a deadly conflict with no end in sight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MADOWO: The Saudis tell CNN that they have so far evacuated about 5,200 people from over 100 nationalities. Now, the U.S. is the first country to evacuate its diplomats and their families out of Sudan but almost dead last in evacuating private citizens, leading to a lot of criticism when countries like the U.K. and Ireland have completed that process, and now we understand that the first ship from Port Sudan carrying U.S. citizens will arrive here in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia tomorrow -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. And a lot of countries around the world are scrambling to do what you revealed there in that very excellent piece.

Larry Madowo, thanks so much for that report. We appreciate it.

The woman suing former President Donald Trump accusing him of rape is due back on the stand tomorrow morning. The new developments in the E. Jean Carroll trial coming up.

Plus, DeSantis versus Disney as the fight between the Florida governor and the House of Mouse gets even bigger.

And later on, you're going to want to watch this one. A New Jersey little league had a new rule for parents. Behave or become the umpire. Yes, that is the rule.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:21:55]

ACOSTA: E. Jean Carroll is in the middle of cross-examination from Donald Trump's lawyers in the civil rape case stemming from an alleged encounter in the mid-1990s. Carroll testified she was afraid of Trump at the time and only felt comfortable telling her story when other women began speaking up during the "Me Too" Movement.

Defense attorney Shan Wu joins us now. He's also a former federal prosecutor.

Now court resumes tomorrow, as you know, with more cross-examination of E. Jean Carroll. What have you made of this cross-examination so far, and what are you expecting moving forward? I mean, it was pretty aggressive.

SHAN WU, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Oh, yes.

ACOSTA: On their part.

WU: I don't think it's going that well for them. I used to prosecute sex crimes and it's a delicate balancing act when you have to confront a complainant that way. I expect more of the same. His style is pretty blustery and maybe he's playing for his client, Donald Trump.

Part of the problem for him is he's really raising these 1940s types of notions that unless a rape victim fights and screams, then they're basically not being sexually assaulted. He also has a little problem where he can't make up his mind. Is he really trying to argue that she consented, which she's saying it didn't happen versus she's making it up? Arguments like you didn't scream enough or that you were laughing, because she said she laughed to try and, you know, keep Trump off of her, that goes to whether you're consenting, not whether you're just making the whole thing up or not.

ACOSTA: It makes it sound like maybe it happened.

WU: Right, exactly. Yes. Yes.

ACOSTA: Maybe not what you want to do if you're the defense attorney.

WU: Right. Exactly. So I think he's got some problems on that front.

ACOSTA: And that's of course just one of many legal troubles for Donald Trump. We want to get to another one. Mike Pence testifying for more than five hours before the federal grand jury probing January 6th, and it's the first time a vice president has ever had to testify, that we know about, about the president he worked beside.

What do you think? Is this a major turning point? Do we think this is getting us closer to the end of this investigation because he got Mike Pence in the room and went through these questions?

WU: I think it's definitely getting them closer to it. I mean they could have done it without Pence.

ACOSTA: Yes.

WU: What's really significant to me is it's a little bit of return to normal. I mean this is what should happen when even someone like a former vice president is subpoenaed, is they show up and then there may be question by question issues with privilege or topic by topic, not this effort that Trump world has made, the wholesale wall off of people. This is how it normally proceeds, which is question by question.

And one thing to remember is if Pence does give them more information, then they still have to follow up on that. So it's significant, moving towards the end, but it's not as though, you know, he's the last piece in the puzzle.

ACOSTA: Yes. There might be other pieces for sure in all of this.

And I want to ask you about this. Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono unveiled a first-of-its-kind bill aimed at stopping judge shopping, which has been a term that we've seen in the news in recent weeks. Give us an insight into what judge shopping is and why we've been hearing about it, and whether or not maybe this kind of legislation might have an impact on this. What do you think about all this?

WU: Yes. So judge shopping only distinguish between state level and federal level. The state level, plaintiff's attorneys have sought for years to find a more favorable jurisdiction to judge shop.

[18:25:03]

ACOSTA: Happens a lot. Yes.

WU: Happens a lot, yes. So at the federal level, the big issue is the federal district court judges can issue a nationwide injunction, so that makes the judge shopping have much higher stakes. You know, I think the proposal is interesting. I'm not sure it will be that effective because it really shifts the judge shopping back to D.C. and I think the real problem is this politicization of the federal judiciary.

The Senate needs to do its job in the confirmation hearings. I mean, you need to really make them mean something, not just a game of I gotcha sort of thing. And this alone won't do it. Also there are some legal issues whether you put everything in D.C. for this kind of case. There's some legal issues with, is it really proper venue?

There's a reason why we have district courts in different parts of the country. The people in that part of the country have more interest in the case, rather than moving everything back to D.C. So interesting idea. I'm not sure how effective it will be.

ACOSTA: And it's certainly an issue that has come up in the whole abortion debate.

WU: Yes.

ACOSTA: We've seen that in recent years. Accusations of judge shopping going on there.

WU: Absolutely.

ACOSTA: All right. Shan Wu, thanks very much for your time. We appreciate it.

Is Ron DeSantis' battle with Disney helping or hurting his potential presidential run? We'll break it all down next here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:40]

ACOSTA: The feud between Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney escalated this past week with Disney filing a lawsuit against DeSantis on Wednesday, alleging the governor is waging a, quote, "targeted campaign of government retaliation" because Disney spoke out against what critics describe as DeSantis' so-called don't say gay law.

This is just the latest in a more than yearlong battle that has consumed DeSantis as he prepares to launch what is expected to be his 2024 presidential run.

And joining us to talk about is CNN political analyst Julian Zelizer and historian and professor at Princeton University, Steve Bousquet, opinion editor for the "Orlando Sun Sentinel."

Steve, you're in the thick of it. You know Ron DeSantis. You're one foot in Tallahassee, one foot in Orlando. Disney World is in your backyard. A hugely important industry there in Orlando. How is this playing -- I'm just curious, how is this playing with Florida voters? We've seen it maybe having an impact on DeSantis nationally, but what about in Florida?

STEVE BOUSQUET, OPINION EDITOR, SUN SENTINEL: I think it's slowly taking hold, Jim. It's beginning to -- it's going to hurt Ron DeSantis because you can't think of a corporate entity in Florida with a more wholesome image than Disney. In addition, you know, Ron DeSantis' M.O. in his four years as governor -- I've been watching him every day of his administration -- is to basically bully people into submission.

And he's been very effective at that. Here's a case where Disney, a big, powerful, respected institution is pushing back forcefully. And this lawsuit they filed in federal court in Tallahassee, you know, is partly on First Amendment grounds, and it's partly on the impairment of contracts. They've got contracts to run the entertainment universe down there in Orlando. And so finally, I think people who have had concerns about the way DeSantis is running the state are -- they're gratified to see somebody really push back strongly against this governor.

ACOSTA: And they certainly have done that.

You know, Julian, DeSantis took an international trip this past week, you know, trying to bolster his policy credentials as he prepares to run for president. We think he's going to run for president. But in a new interview in the U.K., DeSantis brushed off the Disney lawsuit, claiming the Tallahassee judge where the suit was filed is frequently overturned. And then earlier in Jerusalem, DeSantis was asked about the Disney feud, and here's his response. If we have we'll play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R), FLORIDA: The idea that somehow being pro- business means giving companies their own governments, that is not what a free market is all about. Last I checked they're upset because they're actually having to live by the same rules as everybody else. They don't want to have to pay the same taxes as everybody else. I don't think the suit has merit. I think it's political.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Julian, what's your sense of how he's handling this?

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's been pretty much a quagmire for him before he even announces his run. I think in terms of how people perceive him, he keeps shifting further and further to the right, looking more like a culture warrior than a coalition builder. It doesn't look like he's very successful, and he's met a match in his own home state, a match again that, yes, has this very wholesome image, but is also a powerhouse of the economy of Florida.

And finally, even with explanations like that, it looks like a governor who's really strong-arming a business because of what they said, and I think all of this is just not sitting well, and you see it in his poll numbers. You see how the former President Donald Trump's poll numbers are rising, and this is not how you start a presidential campaign.

ACOSTA: And, Steve, what is your sense of the lawsuit and whether or not it's going to be ultimately successful? I mean is that -- might this stop DeSantis in his tracks? Might it get him to rethink and back down? Is that in DeSantis' nature to back down, or do you think this is going to go to court, this is going to go to trial?

BOUSQUET: My hunch is it's going to court. And I think Disney has bottomless pockets when it comes to legal, you know, firepower. Of course this is going to cost the taxpayers of Florida dearly as I said in the column in "The Sun Sentinel" this weekend. But, again, there is so much that DeSantis has done that has ended up in the courts, and this is only the latest.

[18:35:03]

Yes, I think it's going to court. It's been assigned to a judge named Mark Walker, who, it's true, has ruled against the DeSantis administration and against his predecessor, Rick Scott, repeatedly, only to be overturned by the 11th Circuit in Atlanta. But this is a different breed of cat here. This is a First Amendment case, and as Disney argues in its court filings, the government cannot punish you for speaking your mind.

I think if Disney keeps the focus on the First Amendment issues, they might be on solid legal ground because what makes this interesting is there's a whole long paper trail of Ron DeSantis making statements that appear to be retaliatory in nature against Disney. And that's a violation of Disney's right to protected speech. So I think it's going to court --

ACOSTA: Yes. Like the thing where he said that --

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: Well, I was going to say like when DeSantis was putting out there the other day, well, perhaps we'll build a prison next to Disney or something like that.

And what do you think of that, Julian? Is that the kind of -- I mean is that going to help Ron DeSantis' case? It doesn't sound like the kind of thing that's going to help his case.

ZELIZER: No, it's not going to work. I mean if you're going to pick a fight with someone or an organization this large and you're not going to win it, it belittles you, and it makes you look kind of smaller politically. It's also just distracting. This is now consuming everything. I mean a few months ago, people were focused on his re- election success and the way he's expanded his coalition in Florida. And now it's Disney, Disney, Disney, except for some bad reviews for how things went overseas.

And look, in the end, if he's going to paint himself to be a fighter, he's going to have a pretty big opponent down the line with President Trump. So this might be a test case that's making the Trump people pretty happy.

ACOSTA: All right. Professor Julian Zelizer from Princeton, Steve Bousquet of the "Sun Sentinel," great stuff as always in your newspaper. Thanks so much for your time, gentlemen, both of you. Really appreciate it.

And we're getting closer to the deadline for a Hollywood writers' strike. If it happens, it could stall production of movies and TV shows. The latest on the talks to avoid it, next.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:41:28]

ACOSTA: The clock is ticking in Hollywood towards a possible writers' strike. The Writers Guild of America and Producers have until tomorrow night to reach a deal. If they can't agree, people who write those TV and movie scripts could walk out on Tuesday.

CNN's Chloe Melas has more on all this.

Chloe, what's the latest on these negotiations? Please, this better not affect my binge watching because that's just not going to be good.

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Jim, listen, I am telling you brace yourself because it actually might affect everyone watching right now. So over 11,000 people are a part of this writers' guild, and they have until midnight tomorrow to strike a deal. And if not, we might be right back where we were in 2000 and 2008 when they could not come to an agreement.

The writers want to get paid more money in the age of streaming, with seasons not being 22 episodes anymore. Remember back in the day we would watch these seasons like "The Sopranos" or "Friends" and the seasons would go on and on forever. Writers would be paid upfront. Now you're looking at seasons that have six episodes or eight episodes. Some writers coming out on social media saying that they can barely pay bills and feed their families and that they have to take other jobs.

And so they are asking for more money. And if not, we could be right back where we were more than a decade ago when there was a strike for 100 days. It cost the California economy $2 billion, and a lot of shows got canceled. And you'll see other actors and directors and people stand in alliance with these writers and also refusing to work in solidarity with them.

ACOSTA: And Chloe, this week saw the start of a major copyright trial against Ed Sheeran. You've been covering the trial, which I understand included a special courtroom concert from Sheeran himself? Is that accurate?

MELAS: I had a front row seat literally. And, you know, you can't have your phones in the courtroom. But it's the copyright infringement trial. It is Marvin Gaye's famous song going up against Ed Sheeran, and it's the Townsend family who co-write "Let's Get It On" is the song that we all know. And there is "Thinking Out Loud" that Ed Sheeran wrote decades and decades later.

And the Townsend family, Ed Townsend, who is no longer alive, and his family is suing Ed Sheeran saying that, you know, he wrote the song with Marvin Gaye and that Ed Sheeran's song sounds exactly like their dad's song. So I'm going to let you guys take a listen for yourself. We have a little mash-up of both songs, like a little snippet, and you guys can tell us what you think. Take a listen.

(MUSIC)

MELAS: All right. So, Jim, I listened to --

ACOSTA: I don't know.

MELAS: -- different musicologists who talk about melody and rhythm. And, you know, when you are getting into the nitty gritty, I played piano for 17 years, so it's not completely foreign to me to hear them talk about the music theory of it all. There is a case to be made, but then there's also a case to be made on the other side. And Ed Sheeran took the stand on Friday for just about an hour. So -- I mean on Thursday. So we're expecting him to get back on the stand tomorrow.

I will be in there. And he did have his guitar next to him and he strummed a few chords to try to prove his point. But, hey, this is nothing like that song, and I did not draw inspiration from it.

[18:45:01]

But there were only two people in that room, Ed Sheeran and his co- writer, when they wrote their song, right? So we may truly never know the inspiration for it, and it's going to come down to the jury.

ACOSTA: Yes, I don't want to sound like Judge Jim here, but I just don't -- I don't know if I hear it. I might -- more evidence might be needed in this case, at least for this particular judge. All right. Chloe Melas -- and I'm not a judge, by the way. But,

anyway, Chloe Melas, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

MELAS: Take your time. OK.

ACOSTA: All right. In the meantime, one city has a new plan to crack down on abusive parents at little league games. A look at how it works, next here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[18:50:06]

ACOSTA: A little league organization in New Jersey is stepping into stop what has become a major nuisance in that community. Umpire abuse. Two volunteer umps have already quit citing the relentless and harsh criticism from adults on the sidelines.

And Deptford Township Little League president Don Bozzuffi joins us now.

Don, great to talk to you, appreciate it. I'm sure this is a big issue in your community. I mean, this happens everywhere. Tell us about this new code of conduct rule meant to crack down on these rowdy fans and what do you think? Is it going to work?

DON BOZZUFFI, DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP LITTLE LEAGUE PRESIDENT: Well, we'll find out. If not, we'll tweak it until it does work. We've had dedicated volunteers quitting on us and I just said, that's enough. So we sent out a mass e-mail to all the parents saying from this moment on, effective immediately, those harassing or abusing umpires in the field will be ejected from the field and will be banned from coming back here until you agree to and complete three umpiring assignments.

ACOSTA: And what are you seeing from parents? I mean, what are some of these parents doing? Any stories, any anecdotes as to how some of these parents are maybe going a little overboard here?

BOZZUFFI: Well, they're just, they're just getting very rowdy. They don't like the calls, so they start screaming at him, telling them how bad he is, and saying some not nice words. And I've just had these guys come to me and say, I thought I had thick skin, but I don't. And I don't need this. And I understand. I umpire myself and I'm out there and I hear it, you know, not to that extent, but we don't know this to escalate.

And we have children out there. And we've got to teach them the right thing and we have to be good role models. And for the few of them out there that aren't being good role models and don't get it, we have to make them get it.

ACOSTA: Yes. Well, and it's about having fun. And I mean, you have to remind the parents, I guess, they're not at a Yankees' game. This is a little league game. But, you know, some parents are very passionate about their kids competing in sports. What do you think? I mean, I guess you probably watch this sort of thing for a while. Do you think this has always been the case, this kind of level of nastiness that we're seeing? Or is it getting worse now? Is there something going on that's making it worse?

BOZZUFFI: Well, I've been involved with Deptford Little League for 40 years. And back in the '80s, it was, you know, you had your fans in the stand that did it. And I think that rolls over to today. I just think it just gets a little bit more excessive now with what they say. They just feel entitled. It's, you know, it's 99 percent of the people that come to the games are great and they're giving positive reinforcement to these kids and cheering them on.

It's that few, that 1 percent that just don't get it. And they just want to abuse these umpires. And they're not volunteering to go out there. There's umpires coming to this field to volunteer to do something for their children. And they're in turn yelling out at them and lashing out, and it's just -- it's not acceptable. And it's not, it's not just little league baseball, it's all over. And, you know, we need to fix this problem, or at least try to until we get it right.

ACOSTA: Yes. Any feedback from the umps? Are they saying, OK, hey, thanks, maybe I'll keep going out there and calling some games?

BOZZUFFI: Well, the umpire -- all the local umpires are for it and everything I've read online, all the umpires are backing us because they know what it's like out there. And, you know, I've umped a lot of games, not as much in the past, because I like to monitor the fields when the games are being played, but I still hear it. And sometimes we'll walk up to them -- to the fans and say, come on, guys, will you just tone it down a bit. Because we know it could escalate. And once it escalates, it just -- it gets bad.

ACOSTA: Yes, you're right about that. It's all about the kids, though. You've got to be nice out there and teach these kids a good lesson. You know, they're not all going to go out there and be in the major leagues and that sort of thing. So let's give them some good life lessons along the way about sportsmanship and everything else, right?

BOZZUFFI: That's exactly right. And, you know, there is part of one of these life lessons is huge. And I know that these parents at home are demanding respect. And so then they come to the fields and these few parents are screaming and disrespecting the umpires. I know it's got to confuse these children.

ACOSTA: Absolutely.

BOZZUFFI: So, you know, at some point, we have to say, what are we doing here and these are not -- we're not out there with baseball players. We're out there with children.

ACOSTA: Well said. All right, well, Don Bozzuffi, thanks so much for your time. I hope this works. Keep us posted on your progress out there and thanks a lot for what you do for the kids. Thanks for your time.

BOZZUFFI: Absolutely. Good night.

ACOSTA: You got it. Appreciate it.

[18:55:02]

This weekend, Eva Longoria explores Veracruz, the birthplace of Mexico's key ingredients. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVA LONGORIA, HOST, SEARCHING FOR MEXICO: Wow. This blend of African, indigenous and Spanish influences extends from Veracruzano's cooking to the music of the fandango, which originally was a form of protest music. And I find the passion and rebellion it conveys contagious.

Well, let's face it. I'm not one to stand by and watch. This seductively feisty culture shouts resistance. The Veracruzano way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Looks like another great episode. The final episode of Eva Longoria's "SEARCHING FOR MEXICO" airs tonight at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

The manhunt in Texas intensifies for the gunman suspected of killing -- or shooting and killing five people. That's coming up in just a few moments.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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