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Document That Trump Is Heard Discussing On Tape Has Not Been Located By His Lawyers; Prosecutors Subpoenaed Trump For Audio Related To Classified Documents; Investigation To Pence Classified Document, Justice Department Will Not Press Charges; Debt Ceiling Legislation Will Soon Be Signed By Biden; Biden's Oval Office Speech Signals Partisan Cooperation In Averting "Economic Collapse"; Investors Applauded Congress's Passage Of Debt Ceiling Deal And Celebrated Cheerful Jobs Report; Unemployment Rate In United States Rose To 3.7% Despite The Economy Creating 339k New Jobs In May; For Senator Ernst's "Roast And Ride" Event, GOP 2024 Candidates Travel To Iowa; Next Week, Field Of GOP 2024 Candidates Will Expand; Interview With "Wall Street Journal" White House Reporter Catherine Lucey; Death Toll Nears 300 In India Train Crash; Van Der Sloot Extradition Process Underway; Mexico Police Find 45 Bags Containing Body Parts; New Video Shows Iowa Building Collapse; Interview With Tenant Of Collapsed Building Toriana Hill; Tropical Storm Arlene Downgraded To Tropical Depression; Amid Horse Deaths, Churchill Downs Discontinues Racing; Horse Dies Following Race-Related Injury At Belmont Park; European Space Agency Transmits First-Ever Images From Mars. Aired 10:00-11a ET

Aired June 03, 2023 - 10:00:00   ET

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

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[10:00:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: Good morning to you. It is Saturday, June 3rd. I'm Victor Blackwell.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Rahel Solomon, in today for Amara Walker. And you are in the "CNN Newsroom."

Up first, he's heard on a recording discussing a classified document in his possession, but attorneys for Former President Trump say they have not found the document in question.

BLACKWELL: At CNN first reported, Trump acknowledged on the recording that he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran. Now, the Justice Department issued a subpoena, but Trump's lawyers have not located the document. So, what does this mean for the Justice Department investigation?

CNN Politics Reporter Jeremey Herb joins us now, live from Washington. So, update us now on where things stand.

JEREMEY HERB, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, that's right, Victor. So, the -- Former President Trump, he received the subpoena in March, both for the Pentagon document and any other documents related to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley and Iran. And while Trump's lawyers were able to locate some responsive documents to the subpoena, they could not find that classified document itself.

Now, let's back up here to the summer of 2021. That's when this all begins because the former president was heard on an audio tape obtained by the special counsel talking about this document and the chairman of the joint chiefs. He also acknowledged in this audio recording that this document in question was classified.

Now, throughout last year, the government received classified documents from Trump at several points, including the August search of Mar-a-Lago. But prosecutors and court papers said they could not be sure whether or not the former president had actually turned over all classified documents in his possession.

Now, you fast forward to March of this year and that's when Trump communications aide Margo Martin receives a subpoena and testifies before the grand jury. Now, Martin was in this meeting and she -- Martin was in this meeting and she was the one who told -- who'd had -- was asked questions about it. And at that point, that's when the former president received the subpoena. Victor and Rahel.

SOLOMON: And Jeremy, just switching gears a bit. The Justice Department has also closed its investigation of the mishandling of documents by Former Vice President Pence. Bring us up to speed. What did officials decide?

HERB: Yes, in that case the former vice president's attorney received a letter from the Justice Department saying that no charges would be brought in the investigation of classified documents found at the former vice president's home.

Now, what the vice president's aides tell us is they were not surprised by this development because the way the former vice president handled this was in stark contrast to Former President Trump and that's because after Pence discovered these documents in January, he immediately notified the Archives, which then had him turn over the documents that he had, about a dozen documents at all -- in all, over to the FBI.

Now, of course, this announcement that the former vice president is not facing a criminal investigation, it comes ahead of his announcement that he's expected to run for president next week. Rahel.

BLACKWELL: I'll take it from here. Jeremy Herb for us with the reporting, thank you so much.

President Joe Biden, he is expected to sign the debt limit bill today, that will mark the end of a high-stakes political drama.

SOLOMON: Indeed. The U.S. faced the risk of defaulting on its debt for the first time in history. The Congress approved the measure this week after months of uncertainty.

BLACKWELL: Last night, for the first time, President Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office describing the disaster that's been averted. CNN White House Reporter Jasmine Wright is with us now. This was a big moment for the White House, despite it being at 7:00 p.m. on a Friday in the summer. This was important for the president to take this victory lap.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, that's right, because that's exactly what he did. He took a major victory lap in the Oval Office last night, really detailing to the American public just how his own White House negotiators and Republicans really found compromise to avert a potential catastrophe.

Now, President Biden giving that speech last night in the Oval Office, it was basically a 180-degree turn in his strategy over the last few weeks. We have seen him be really wary to address specifics about these high-stakes negotiations happening in the backdrop of everything else in D.C., really not trying to jeopardize Republican support.

And also, when the deal was agreed to in principle on Sunday, we saw really him being, not exactly claiming it as a win for the last few days, not trying to jeopardize Republican support that was needed when that -- when both were taking place over the last few weeks.

[10:05:00]

But of course, now the bill has passed and it's heading to President Biden's desk, we know as of last night it was on the way. He said yesterday that he was expecting to sign it today.

Now, in the Oval Office he did a couple of things that addressed there. First of all, he talked in depth about what was in the bill but also what was not in the bill. How his Democratic negotiators staved off -- putting Democratic policies on the chopping block, something that Republicans really wanted.

Saying exactly what his priorities were, why they were there, and really how he accomplished them in those deals. Also, President Biden talked really in-depth about bipartisanship, saying how really it was essential in these negotiations, really trying to lay down a new narrative for the future. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: I know bipartisanship is hard and unity is hard, but we can never stop trying. Because in moments like this one, the ones we just faced, where the American economy and the world economy is at risk of collapsing, there's no other way. No matter how tough our politics get, we need to see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans. Treat each other with dignity and respect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WRIGHT: So, now, that last bit that the president had to say is going to be important. Now, the economic calamity is no longer hanging over the White House's shoulder going forward, this is really going to be a part of the frame and the narrative that the White House tries to push as it enters 2024 campaign season. Officials feel that President Biden has shown that he is an

experienced politician that can really make this essential type of deals in a bipartisan manner, while compromising potentially on policy. He's not compromising on his principles.

So, that's going to be a through line as we hear more from the president over the course of the weeks heading into 2024. But here last night, what we saw is him really get the last word after weeks and weeks of debate. Victor, Rahel.

BLACKWELL: Jasmine Wright for us at the White House, thanks so much.

The U.S. markets, some strong growth there, Friday, as Wall Street cheered the debt ceiling bill and the latest monthly jobs report which showed the U.S. economy added an astonishing 339,000 jobs in May.

SOLOMON: And it was astonishing. All three major averages ending the week higher with the Dow jumping 700 points, Friday, to post its best one-day gain since January. Now, despite job gains surging more than expected, traders see a growing chance that the Federal Reserve will actually pause interest rates later this month.

CNN's Christine Romans has more now on the strong jobs report.

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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CHIEF CORRESPONDENT AND CNN ANCHOR, EARLY START: The U.S. job market showing few signs of slowing down just yet, another month of historically strong job creation. And April and March were also revised higher bringing this year's job gains to 1.6 million. For context, hiring is now outpacing pre-pandemic levels, just shy of 2 million jobs were added in all of 2019.

Now, the hiring in the month was broad-based, in offices, labs, tech centers, hospitals, nursing homes, bars, restaurants, construction sites, and government offices. The jobless rate jumped three-10th of one percent to 3.7 percent, that's the highest since October but it's in this historically low 3.4 to 3.7 percent range.

Now, economists say, the jobless rate rose partly because more Americans permanently lost their jobs and more people entered the workforce. A milestone of sorts for women, the share of women age 25 to 54 in the job market hit an all-time high.

Two possible reasons. Hybrid work gives more women flexibility to return to the workforce. Also, high inflation might be making it a necessity for more women to work. In a potential worrying sign, the black unemployment rate jumped from a record low of 4.7 percent in April to 5.6 percent in May.

Annual wage growth slowed to a still strong 4.3 percent. It's cooling, but after 14 months now of rate hikes, the labor market is remarkably resilient here. Since the federal reserve began raising interest rates 14 months ago to cool the economy and slow down the jobs market and inflation, the economy has added an astonishing 5.1 million jobs. In New York, I'm Christine Romans. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: And turning now to the race for the White House, nearly the entire field of 2024 Republican candidates and likely contenders are in Iowa this morning to participate in Senator Joni Ernst's annual "Roast and Ride" event.

BLACKWELL: Yes, today's get together will offer an early window into how the candidates can, or really if they can appeal personally to potential voters and build support for the campaigns.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny is there in Des Moines this morning. Jeff.

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JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: The growing field of Republican presidential candidates heading to Iowa on Saturday for a first major appearance on the same stage. Most of the candidates, with the exception of Former President Donald Trump, will be making their case to Iowa Republican voters and activists at a gathering called the "Roast and Ride" that Senator Joni Ernst, the Republican from Iowa's annual event.

[10:10:00]

She's a known motorcycle rider so she's invited presidential candidates to come either ride with her or deliver speeches here as the presidential campaign really accelerates and gets underway. Now, this comes after a week of campaigning from Former President Donald Trump in the state, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and others.

And it is the Florida governor, that key rival of the former president, who's coming back to Iowa on Saturday. Underscoring how important this first in the nation caucus state is to his efforts here.

The thinking is if he can slow or stop Former President Donald Trump, he can indeed go on to have a strong performance in the presidential nominating contest. Of course, that is months and seasons away.

But for now, at least, as summer approaches, the field of Republican candidates, which will grow by three next week with Former Vice President Mike Pence jumping in, Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and the North Dakota governor Doug Burgum all entering the race.

The field is getting crowded which, mathematically speaking, likely benefits Donald Trump because it divides that never Trump-lane of the party. So, the campaigning in earnest here this weekend. Jeff Zeleny, CNN Des Moines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Jeff, thank you.

And joining me now is Catherine Lucey, she's a White House reporter for the "Wall Street Journal." Catherine, good morning. Thanks for being with us today.

CATHERINE LUCEY, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Great to be here.

SOLOMON: So, I want to start there with campaign 2024, as we just heard in Jeff's piece, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stepping up his attack on Former President Trump as the field expects to get more and more crowded this week. I wonder, is DeSantis doing enough to distinguish himself or is he still just trying to out-Trump Trump?

LUCEY: You know, it's interesting and it's, obviously, very early days. I think DeSantis is still introducing himself to a lot of voters, even in these early states. When you talk to voters, a lot of people still want to know more about him. So, part of what is happening is he is trying to sell himself in these states.

And he has, in a lot of ways, have been offering himself as, you know, sort of, Trumpism without Trump. Trying to argue he is standing up for conservative principles without the same kinds of, you know, drama. He has also been talking as he's been out there about the idea that he could serve for eight years, whereas Trump could only serve four and so he would have more time to do things. And he's taken some pretty clear shots at Trump's style. Talking about how governing should be (INAUDIBLE).

So, he's trying to draw some distinctions. But Trump is very much out there trying to counter this. I mean, what's really interesting about Iowa right now is that Trump has been out there doing retail politics himself. Meeting with people in small groups, going to restaurants, doing the kind of Q&A sessions that he did not do in 2016.

He really just came in and did big rallies in that election. He didn't do this kind of politicking. So, Trump is really leaving nothing to chance here. He's really trying to make sure he's covering his bases.

SOLOMON: Yes. Well, Catherine, speaking of drama, I want to switch gears a bit to the debt limit drama. The White House last night, President Biden in the Oval Office essentially saying, look, no one got everything they wanted in this bill but the American people got what they needed. How much of this ultimately does become a real win for Biden heading into the campaign and how much of this does he get credit for?

LUCEY: I mean, certainly he wants to frame it as a win. I think, as you said, the fact that he was in the Oval is really notable. That's the first time we've seen him give a speech from there. His team really wanted to emphasize the gravity of the moment and what they thought was a, you know -- how significant they thought it was they got a deal in the face of, as he described, economic collapse.

So, they want to frame this as a win in terms of sticking up for the policies that he cares about, but also that he was able to reach a deal with Republicans and that it won bipartisan support. I mean, you know that Biden ran as somebody who had a long track record of working across the aisle in Washington, and that has been a selling point for him that he's been trying to make. The other thing, of course, as you think about 2024, is that it's now, you know, clear as the path for him to just talk more broadly about the achievements that he sees from his first, you know, two plus years in office.

So, his team thinks that, yes, he can talk about how he got this deal and he got this deal done, but also more broadly about the economic lens, about the, you know, strong jobs numbers this week and try and make a, sort of, bigger case to the American public.

SOLOMON: Well, that's a great point because I -- you know, we just talked about the jobs number, yet another surprising jobs number to the upside, stronger than most economists were expecting.

And yet when you look at polls, President Biden still doesn't get the credit for the economy, still doesn't get credit for the strong job numbers. So, what would have to happen in terms of a change in messaging so that would work to his benefit?

LUCEY: Well, you're absolutely right. There is a disconnect there. I think the -- and obviously, the jobs number was stronger than expected. You know, the White House is really touting that as another example of how his policies are working. But when you talk to voters and when you look at polls, a lot of people don't feel that kind of economic confidence.

[10:15:00]

Inflation has hit a lot of people very hard, there is a lot of economic uncertainty out there. And so, he is going to have to continue to try and talk to people about what is happening. But I think some of this also is do people start feeling more confident about jobs, about their families, about their family finances and how that unfolds really in the next year.

SOLOMON: Yes, and a lot of that will depend on the path of inflation moving forward, you know. Catherine Lucey, we'll have to leave it here, but thank you.

LUCEY: Absolutely, (INAUDIBLE).

SOLOMON: Yes. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: We have some new developments on the story out of India, nearly 300 people are dead after a train crash. The country's prime minister has just arrived at the site and we'll tell you what we know about the recovery efforts happening right now.

Also, Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in Natalee Holloway's disappearance will soon be back in the U.S., but maybe not for long. We'll explain.

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[10:20:00] SOLOMON: Welcome back. And now, to a story we've been following all morning long. The death toll nearing 300 in India after a freight train and two passenger trains collided. It's one of the worst rail disasters in the country's history.

BLACKWELL: Yes, authorities say, more than 280 people were killed, more than 1,000 injured in the crash, this is in Eastern India. Rescue crews are searching the wreckage now for survivors, but the hope of finding someone alive, that's fading.

SOLOMON: Yes, CNN International Correspondent Marc Stewart joins us now with an update. So, Marc, what is the latest?

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me just set the scene for you, Rahel and Victor. It is just about 8:00 at night right now in Delhi, India which is about 800 miles east of this disaster scene. So, nearly 24 hours since this unfolded.

The concern right now is that people are trapped under these very heavy rail cars, that's been a point that's been made. In fact, one of the leading officials on the scene expressed concern, basically, saying it's very unlikely that anyone else will be rescued and found alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART (voiceover): Desperate people struggle to free themselves inside the wreckage of an upturned carriage. Passengers push themselves away from the bodies of those who were killed instantly when two passenger trains and a freight train collided in India's east on Friday.

In the dead of night, rescuers worked franticly to save as many lives as possible, searching through the ripped coaches littered across train tracks, pulling out survivors from twisted train compartments that lay torn open in the dark.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When I came out of the train bogie, I saw someone had lost a hand, someone had lost a leg, while someone's face was distorted.

STEWART (voiceover): Frantic scenes at the hospital where the race to save lives continues with a steady stream of those that lived to see another day. And many, who in this hour of need, lined up to donate blood. Daylight exposed the extent of the disaster, mangled train cars and body bags lining the tracks.

The horror of India's deadliest rail accident in more than a decade. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi surveyed the scene, offering what comfort he could to the scores of injured.

NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): A terrible accident occurred yesterday evening. I am feeling unbearable pain.

STEWART (voiceover): Rescue teams continued to sweep for survivors. The investigation into just how this horror was allowed to happen is only just beginning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART (on camera): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been on the scene. He has been walking around, and obviously trying to get a better idea as to exactly what happened. And that comfort is going to be needed, because not only are their families who have lost loved ones, but there are also survivors who are dealing with some very strong emotional scars as they tried to escape from the train cars.

BLACKWELL: Marc Stewart, that cell phone video is really heartbreaking, people trying to just get out any way they can. Thank you so much for bringing us the story.

The transfer process has begun for the prime suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, she was last seen in 2005 in Aruba. Her remains were never found and no one was ever charged.

SOLOMON: But now, Joran van der Sloot is facing charges for fraud and allegedly extorting her family. His currently serving time for a different murder in Peru.

CNN's Isabel Rosales joins us now. So, Isabel, how will this transfer process play out?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Joran van der Sloot right now is in the process of being moved from a maximum-security prison in Southern Peru over to a different prison in the capital City of Lima. So, this marks the official start of him eventually ending up in the hands of U.S. officials.

But the timing of when precisely he will be on U.S. soil, that is not known at this moment. That transfer, however, was approved by the highest levels of the Peruvian government, the Supreme Court signed off on it, and so too did the president of Peru.

As you, guys, mentioned, the Dutch national has been in Peruvian prison serving out 28 years of a sentence for the murder of a Peruvian student. After he has gone through the legal proceedings here in the U.S., he must return back to Peru to serve the remainder of that sentence.

So, van der Sloot is the prime suspect in the -- of the 2005 disappearance of an Alabama teenager named Natalee Holloway. Holloway was last seen alive with van der Sloot and two other men. They were arrested multiple times but then released due to a lack of evidence in that. Her body, remains, they have not been found. In 2012, an Alabama judge officially declared her dead.

Van der Sloot is facing an indictment here in the U.S. on charges of extortion and wire fraud.

[10:25:00]

And that has to do with an alleged plot against the Holloway family, specifically, for extorting them, officials say for selling information as to where the remains of Holloway were. He apparently told a representative of the family, hey, it's in Aruba. It's in the foundations of this home, but that information turned out to be false.

BLACKWELL: All right.

SOLOMON: Isabel, thank you.

ROSALE: Thank you.

SOLOMON: All right. Coming up for us, a grisly discovery in Mexico, that's after authorities find dozens of bags filled with human remains. Now, officials working to figure out the identities. The latest on the investigation when we come back.

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BLACKWELL: All right. Top stories we're following for you now, at least eight people are injured, two of them critically in Connecticut, after a seven-story residential building under construction in New Haven partially collapsed Friday. Fire officials say, part of the second floor crumbled while concrete was being poured and it pulled faster than it could spread it. Three people were trapped in the debris.

[10:30:00]

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RICK FONTANA, DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, NEW HAVEN: Those persons that were trapped had to be lifted out by the rescue company and the truck companies and engine companies because of the level that they fell from and through. One of the problems that you have with wet concrete is having to do the searches before it hardens. So, the accountability count --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: All those victims are construction workers.

SOLOMON: Also, the secret service placing tougher penalties on agents. This after an investigation found that some were distracted and on their personal cell phones, missing the intruder at the home of the National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, this happened back in April. Those agents and their supervisors will likely face disciplinary action, including up to 21 days of suspension and the loss of their federal security clearance.

BLACKWELL: Ford is warning owners of Lincoln SUVs to park their vehicles outside and away from buildings because they could potentially catch fire. Ford officials say, the problem stems from a battery monitoring sensor that could get damaged when parts around it are serviced, causing a short-circuit and overheating.

Now, model years 2015 through 2019, these are the ones that are affected, and owners are being advised to take their SUVs to a dealer and have a fuse installed. It's free of cost. Now, to this really gruesome discovery in Mexico. Authorities have found 45 bags containing body parts.

SOLOMON: Right. Authorities say that the bodies match the characteristics of missing workers from a call center.

CNN Correspondent Patrick Oppmann has the details.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA-BASED CORRESPONDENT: Rahel and Victor, family members of seven missing people who worked at a call center in Mexico have been calling on officials to investigate their disappearance, but now it appears their worst fears have come true.

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OPPMANN (voiceover): The bodies were found in bags, discarded in a ravine. Grisly murders that have shocked even Mexicans weary of years of rampant violence often connected to drug cartels. Investigators say, at least 45 bags were found containing human remains outside Guadalajara, Mexico. Some of the bags had broken open.

LUIS JOAQUIN MENDEZ RUIZ, ATTORNEY GENERAL, JAISCO (through translator): All the bags that we found are closed and obviously taped, packed. We found some segments on the precipice ravine that we believe that when they were placed or thrown there, some bags must have torn and that's how we found some segments. In a preliminary manner, we can say that there are female and male bodies, but we need to wait for the institute to confirm.

OPPMANN (voiceover): Officials say, the bodies appear to match the physical characteristics of some of the seven missing employees of a call center in Guadalajara, but it isn't unclear how many victims there are.

CROWD: (Speaking in a foreign language).

OPPMANN (voiceover): Missing since late May, their family members have demanded police investigate their disappearances.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in a foreign language).

CROWD: (Speaking in a foreign language).

OPPMANN (voiceover): We want them alive and well, say family members, as they marched in the streets before the discovery of the bodies. Calling on Mexican officials to do more. The families say, the relatives went to work like any normal day, but then their phones went dark.

GABRIELA HERNANDEZ, GIRLFRIEND OF MISSING MAN (through translator): At 2:50 p.m., my messages and calls didn't go through. It was only voicemail and the phone was off. After that, there was no more communication with him.

OPPMANN (voiceover): Mexican officials say, their investigation has uncovered alleged criminal activity at the call center but they have not said if there are any suspects behind the killings.

ROSA ICELA RODRIGUEZ, SECRETARY OF SECURITY AND CITIZEN PROTECTION (through translator): The first indicators are it involves people carrying out some, kind of, real estate fraud and some, kind of, telephone extortions.

OPPMANN (voiceover): The sad reality is, disappearances and brutal mass killings happen all too often in Mexico, where tens of thousands of people, according to human rights groups, are believed to have been murdered and buried in unmarked graves.

Just in Jalisco state where this latest massacre took place, 1,500 bodies have been found since 2019, according to prosecutors there. And throughout Mexico, more than 110,000 people are missing. And while this latest grisly massacre has generated more headlines and outrage than is usually the case. There are no guarantees family members will receive justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OPPMANN (on camera): Mexico's President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has rejected calls to take on the cartels directly. Saying that the drug war of years past failed and what the country needs is hugs, not shootouts. But critics of his say that this kind of horrific violence, bodies being found in a ravine, just shows that the policy has failed. Rahel, Victor.

SOLOMON: All right. Patrick, thank you.

Still ahead, CNN obtains new video showing the moments before a deadly building collapse in Iowa. What we're learning about the 9-1-1 call that was placed asking officials to look into the building before it collapsed. We have details coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:35:00]

SOLOMON: The details this morning on the Iowa apartment building collapse where three people remain missing. According to a 9-1-1 call obtained by the "Quad-City Times", Davenport authorities received a warning call about the six-story building the day before it collapsed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BEHNCKE, DOWNTOWN DAVENPORT PARTNERSHIP: It's something that might need checked out. I work for the Downtown Davenport Partnership. One of my guys is working. He was cleaning up in the back parking lot and said that the wall is bulging out. It's been under repair and they -- someone is there working on it and told him to get out of the way because it's not looking good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: And CNN has also obtained new surveillance video of the building just moments before the structure began to fall. CNN's Adrienne Broaddus has details.

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Rahel, good morning. The surveillance video CNN obtained is from the roof of a nearby building and it shows what happened in the nine minutes leading up to the collapse. I want you to take a look.

[10:40:00]

Here, you can see that there are at least five support braces, and pay attention to the one closest to the camera, it gradually bends minutes leading up to the collapse. About two minutes before the collapse, a large chunk of bricks falls from under the second-floor window. Also, a lower portion of the wall crumbles. Now, we're not saying that because that support brace was gradually bending, we're not saying that's what led to the collapse.

Meanwhile, at least three people are still missing and possibly buried under the rubble. While investigators say their next step is to move toward recovery. One of the family members of Brandon Colvin (ph), his 18-year-old son is supposed to graduate today. He told me, he doesn't know if he's going to be able to go. He just wants to hear the voice of his father. Victor and Rahel.

BLACKWELL: Adrienne, thank you. Now, for days since the collapse, people there in Davenport has been protesting outside the building. They're demanding city officials explain how something like this could have happened.

Here with me now, is Toriana Hill. She lived in the building. Her apartment was on the sixth floor. Toriana, thank you for being with me. Thank you for your time. Let me start here with just at the beginning of -- right before the collapse, you were there in your apartment with your son and then the dog started barking. Tell me the story.

TORIANA HILL, WAS ON THE 6TH FLOOR WHEN APARTMENT COLLAPSED: Yes. I was cooking dinner, my son was sleeping, and I had -- my dog started barking. And I asked her why she was barking, and then I heard, like, the building start shaking and it was just -- it was a weird feeling. And so, the -- nothing of it because it was the simple fact that we had construction going on around the building all week.

And so, I started hearing screams. That's when I knew that something serious had happened. And then I went to my window and I asked my neighbor who was on the fifth floor, why was he screaming? And he screamed at me and told me to get my baby out of the building. I went into the hallway.

All the lights were completely off. It was pitch black. I walked around the corner to try to get to the fire escape, and the ceiling had already caved in. So, I snatched up my baby and I run down the back stairs. And that -- and when I got out to the alley on the side of the building, the police had greeted me to the door.

BLACKWELL: So, you made it out of the building. We just showed that the video there and we heard the 9-1-1 call, that someone calling in saying that the wall was bulging. We've learned through local reports that there were reports from residents of some problems there. Had you noticed anything suspicious about the structure before the collapse?

HILL: Yes, sir. There were bricks falling off the wall, the back wall, the red wall, there were bricks falling off that wall for months.

BLACKWELL: And did you report that to anyone? Do you know if your neighbors reported it?

All right. We're having a bit of a technical problem here. Hopefully if we get her back in the next couple of seconds, because I do want to hear the rest of this story, maybe we can bring her back but unfortunately, we have lost Toriana Hill.

SOLOMON: And really --

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SOLOMON: -- scary stuff to hear. The moment that she's being told to get out of the building with her baby. As I understand it, she left the dog behind.

BLACKWELL: Yes, yes. But I hope we can get her back up. As she told one of our producers, the dog made it out, too.

SOLOMON: Wow. OK.

BLACKWELL: Because there was a rescue effort to get the pets out of the building and there from the site. So, the dog did survive as well. From what I'm told, also, by our producers, she's there at a shelter.

SOLOMON: Right. Yes.

BLACKWELL: Because, you know, the building is condemned now, she can't go back into it. But we thank Toriana Hill for telling us as much of the story as technology would allow. Stay with us. We'll take a break. We'll be right back.

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[10:45:00]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. Parts of South Florida could see some rain and flooding this morning, this as tropical depression Arlene weakens and moves south through the Gulf of Mexico.

BLACKWELL: Arlene became the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Friday.

CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is with us now from the weather center. Where's the storm now?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. So, the storm is still pretty much and roughly in the same location and has been for much of the morning, right there in that central Gulf of Mexico dipping down to the south and est.

And even though that storm itself has weakened, now back down to a tropical depression, you can see a lot of those outflow winds still here firing up a lot of shower and thunderstorm activity across areas of South Florida. So, keep that in mind as you go throughout the day.

The storm may be far away from Florida but it's still bringing in some impacts. Not just with the rain, but a lot of this area here as that storm moves south and east, likely going to create some very high surf, bringing in the threat for rip currents, as well as the potential for some very heavy rain.

That's why you've got these flood watches in effect for several counties across areas of South Florida. Not just because of the new rain today, but they've had a lot of rain in the last few days too. So, it's the cumulative effect.

Now, this is the first named storm of the season. NOAA's official forecast calls for 12 to 17 total name storms this season. Five to nine of those expected to be hurricanes. One to four of those expected to be major hurricanes. Colorado state also calling for roughly an average season this year.

[10:50:00]

The key thing about that is they've upped their numbers since just a few months ago. And part of the reason for that is how warm the water is, not only in the Gulf of Mexico, but much of the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. Extremely warm, especially for this time of year. And that typically leads to the formation of more of these storms because that warm water is fuel for the storms.

However, to counteract this, we are anticipating El Nino this summer. And typically, because of El Nino that jet stream shifts a little bit farther south, increasing wind shear. And wind shear is not an ingredient that you want to have for hurricane formation.

So, typically speaking in this El Nino years, you typically see fewer storms or weaker storms, especially in this particular region here. The question is, guys, is whether or not those above normal sea surface temperatures can counteract what El Nino would normally inhibit for the storms this upcoming season.

BLACKWELL: All right. We've got to get ready for it. Buy your supplies now. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much.

So, the Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Kentucky, is announcing that it will suspend races after the deaths of 12 horses in a month's time.

SOLOMON: Carolyn Manno joins us from New York with more. So, Carolyn, bring us up to speed on what's behind the decision here.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you both. Well, a lot of people know this track as the home of the famed Kentucky Derby, but it's been under tremendous scrutiny because of these deaths.

For now, the solution is to just to temporarily pause all racing operations, that's going to begin on Wednesday. And Churchill Downs says that it's going to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the safety and surface protocols because a lot of people are pointing to the track's surface.

This is in response to those dozen horses that passed away in this month alone. And the racetrack says that it's a problem because the internal review and investigations from the regulatory organizations haven't found a single factor that could really be identified as a potential cause for all of this.

And they also haven't discovered a pattern that links all of these deaths together. So, it's something of a mystery still. But the races are going to stay suspended through the remainder of the spring meet in July and hopefully they will find some answers.

Elsewhere in the sport, more bad news as a six-year-old horse died on Thursday at New York's Belmont Park ahead of next week's Triple Crown finale. Chaysenbryn was the name of the horse. Injured his front leg after bumping into another horse.

He was euthanized on the track, which is the unfortunate reality of the sport and is often the case when horses get injured on the track. The track will host the Belmont Stakes, that the third leg of the Triple Crown, a week from today, but the sport is still reeling from this news.

And finally, the Stanley Cup final is set. It begins tonight with the Vegas Golden Knights hosting the Florida Panthers. No matter how it turns out, it's going to be historic for the winner. It will be the first championship for either one of these teams.

The Golden Knights were founded just six years ago. They reached the final in their very first season. They were the best in the west this season, no doubt about it. Their offense has continued to be incredible this post-season.

So, the Panthers, looking like a team of destiny as well in these playoffs. They came back from being down three, one to beat the Boston Bruins in the first round after the Bruins had just completed the best season in NHL history. So, a lot to look forward to. The Golden Knights have home ice to start when the puck drops tonight at 8:00 eastern on our sister channel, TNT. It's going to be a good one, guys.

BLACKWELL: All right. Carolyn, thank you so much.

The European space agency is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Mars Express orbiter.

SOLOMON: And part of that, included hosting a live picture show from Mars.

CNN's Tom Foreman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The European Space Agency billed this as the first-ever live transmission of images from Mars. Live is a relative term here. These were taken about every 48, 58 seconds, still photos, then they were transmitted back in over 187 million miles. That took 16, 17 minutes per picture. So, not live like we would know it. And it was taken from an orbiter going around the planet, it wasn't something on the surface.

So, in some ways, underwhelming, but in other ways really interesting because this was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mars Express orbiter, which has been up there going around the planet, helping us understand what surface conditions are like. What the geology is like. It's helped the research into the ideas of water and ice on Mars, and the general geology of Mars.

And when you put that together with all the other exploration of Mars that has been done by other probes and satellites, some from NASA, things that have landed on the surface and looked around, it's deepening our knowledge.

Deepening our knowledge of this planet, the next one out from the sun beyond us, beyond that big asteroid belt and then Jupiter. So, it's deepening our knowledge of this planet and paving the way for what we need to know if we actually want to send people on that roughly nine- month voyage, depending on the positions of the planets, and have them walk on this very surface that we've only been able to see in pictures.

[10:55:00]

And now at least in a way, live pictures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Did Tom say, big asteroid?

BLACKWELL: The big asteroid belt, I know you heard it. I know you heard it. When he said it, it was, like, wait, what did he just say?

SOLOMON: I'm going to assume that was just -- you know.

BLACKWELL: Yes, it was just the cadence that caught us, you know.

SOLOMON: Yes, it was the -- impassive (ph).

BLACKWELL: Yes.

SOLOMON: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: That's going to be in my head all day.

SOLOMON: Yes, and hopefully yours, too. Maybe yours, too, if you're as silly as we're feeling right now.

BLACKWELL: You're right. For four hours. SOLOMON: Thank you for watching. It was so good to be here with you.

BLACKWELL: Let's do it tomorrow.

SOLOMON: How about we do that?

BLACKWELL: All right.

SOLOMON: So, watch tomorrow.

BLACKWELL: All right. We'll see you back here tomorrow. There's more news ahead in the next hour of "CNN Newsroom." Paula Reid is up after the break.

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