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Suspect Luigi Mangione Fighting Extradition To New York; Suspect's Attorney: Zero Evidence Mangione Is Shooter; Intense wildfire Forces California Residents To Flee Homes; Judge Denies Bail as Suspect Fights Extradition to New York; High Profile Investigations Aided by Tips from the Public; Future of Russia-Syria Ties Uncertain after Assad's Fall; Students Take Part in Call to Earth Day; Saudi Arabia Gets 2034 World Cup Despite Human Rights Concerns. Aired 1 -2a ET
Aired December 11, 2024 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:33]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, welcome. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, the suspect accused in the killing of a healthcare CEO lashes out at the court and is fighting extradition to New York. We're getting a look inside the lavish palace of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after he fled the country. And it's quarter Earth day here on CNN. We're looking across generations for ideas in their fight for a healthier planet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Lynda Kinkade.
KINKADE: It could be weeks before the suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is sent to New York to face murder charges. Luigi Mangione is in Pennsylvania in a prison this hour with his attorney vowing to fight extradition. The 26-year-old yelled at the media and struggled with police outside court Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIGI MANGIONE, SUSPECT ON KILLING UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO: It's completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people. It's lived experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, according to a law enforcement source, police have a notebook that includes a to-do-list for the shooting and notes justifying the plans. Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania Monday after a customer recognized him and an employee called authorities. Police say the suspect had a black 3D printed pistol and silencer with him. They also say they have a three page handwritten claim of responsibility. New York police say Mangione may have suffered a back injury in July of 2023.
Investigators are looking into whether that may have played a role in the shooting. The "New York Times" reports that Mangione was the subject of a missing person's report filed by his mother in San Francisco in November. His attorney refused to say if he is accepting any random offers to pay for Mangione's defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS DICKEY, DEFENSE LAWYER: I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable about that. So I don't know. I haven't given that much thought, but I'm not look -- you know, I mean, I -- you know, obviously my client appreciates the support that he has, but I don't know, I just -- it -- I'd have to look in, but it just doesn't sit right with me. Really.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, a close look now the suspect's background from CNN's Danny Freeman in Philadelphia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Years before he'd be escorted into a Pennsylvania courthouse, Luigi Mangione spent time more than 200 miles east here at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The prestigious Ivy League university confirming Mangione graduated on May 18, 2020 with a bachelor's and master's degree in engineering.
FREEMAN: That means he likely spent much of his time here at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Now, while there weren't a lot of people who knew him or were willing to speak to us about him on camera, at least one student said that he was a TA of computer and information sciences.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Also, in a since taken down post for the university's Penn Today, Mangione was featured for leading a 60 student club that made video games, quote, "I wanted to make my own game and so I learned how to code," mangione told a university writer.
JARED MITOVICH, EDITOR IN CHIEF, THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN: He was a member of the Honor Society Engineering School, which is only for the top students in the class. He was involved in a fraternity on campus.
FREEMAN (voice-over): UPenn student newspaper editor in chief Jared Mitovich, said his team has been working to see if there were any signs then of what was to come.
MITOVICH: What was the type of education he received at Penn is, Penn the type of place where he would have Learned how to 3D print. It's the type of place where he, you know, was exposed to, you know, certain beliefs just in like, the groups that he ran into or like the things that he was involved in.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Mangione grew up in a wealthy family from Baltimore. According to the Baltimore son, his grandfather, Nicholas Mangione, built a local real estate empire that included nursing home facilities around Maryland and two suburban country clubs. In a statement released by Mangione's cousin, Maryland State delegate Nino Mangioni, his family said they were shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest. At his arraignment Monday night, Mangione told the judge he had been in contact with his family, quote, "until recently."
MANGIONE: It's been an incredible journey.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Mangione graduated valedictorian in 2016 from Baltimore's prestigious All Boys the Gilman School. Former classmates couldn't believe he was now this suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you that this is one of the last people you'd think would do something like this.
[01:05:03]
FREEMAN (voice-over): In recent years, according to a friend in online postings, though, Mangione suffered from back pain and underwent surgery to treat it. A Reddit user matching his biographical details writing in July 2023, my back and hips locked up after the accident. Intermittent numbness has become constant. I'm terrified of the implications. But after maintaining a social media presence for years, Mangione went quiet this past summer and appeared to stop communicating with his family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREEMAN (on camera): Now, I should note, after Mangione really stopped his online presence, a lot of people actually did notice. One user on X tweeted at him saying, I haven't heard from you in months. Another user in late November before the shooting posted at him, thinking of you and prayers every day in your name. No, you are missed and love.
Also mention that the University of Pennsylvania declined to comment further for this story. Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.
KINKADE: Joining me now from Los Angeles is attorney and legal affairs commentator Areva Martin.
Areva, good to have you with us. So, an image posted online shows a back injury. Unclear whether he had any issues with insurance. Just take us through the charges and what investigators will be doing to build their case.
AREVA MARTIN, ATTORNEY & LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, what we know so far, Lynda, is that New York wants to charge him, Mangione that is, with second degree murder, with criminally possessing a firearm and also with making false statements about his identity. We also know that Mangione, through his attorney is fighting extradition to New York. He is claiming, the lawyer is claiming that there's not any evidence that links his client to the murder of the United CEO Brian Thompson. And under criminal statutes and procedures, Mangione is entitled to a hearing and he can challenge the requested extradition from the state of New York. We know that the governor, the governor of state of New York, Governor Hochul, has gotten involved and she's going to be issuing a governor's warrant is that's being reported to try to force this extradition.
But Mangione nor his attorney are accepting these charges.
KINKADE: And so speaking to that point, the attorney claims that he has seen zero evidence his client is guilty. Just take a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICKEY: What's nice about the law is we'll have a hearing. I can cross examine witnesses and find out, look at reports and find out what they have and what they don't have. See, they're going to have to at least prove a prima facie case which is less than the beyond a reasonable doubt. But I need to see these things. Right now I have one piece of paper.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: So, Areva, he obviously needs to shed doubt on this case. How will he do that?
A. MARTIN: Lawyer said he wants to cross examine the witnesses. And the primary witnesses in this case are going to be those law enforcement agents who, you know, investigated this case, those that arrested Mangione. We were told that he actually made an admission to this crime. Also that when he was arrested, he had a three page document that outlined the fact that he did commit this crime, that outlined several grievances that he had with UnitedHealthcare.
So, not clear if there are going to be any witnesses that Mangione's attorney will call, but he will try to poke holes in the evidence of the prosecutors and the investigators.
KINKADE: And speaking of some of that evidence, Areva, the spiral notebook that was found in the suspect's backpack apparently had a note that said he wanted to kill the CEO at his own bean counting conference. I just want to play some sound of what his former class or his roommate had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
R.J. MARTIN, LUIGI MANGIONE'S FORMER ROOMMATE: I think that pain is something that can change our brain chemistry. You know, I think it's something that changes our thoughts. And I don't know because I don't have firsthand knowledge from him of how much pain he was in or what he was dealing with. But I do know, you know, from personal experience and from other friends and family, that when somebody's suffering the way they think about themselves and the world gets warped drastically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: So, you know, he's speaking about his former roommate, who of course was a valedictorian from a well to do family. As far as I understand, prosecutors don't have to look at a motivation, right? But there is a lot of interest in the why.
A. MARTIN: You're right, Lynda. In terms of establishing probable cause, which is what must be established for this extradition to occur, there isn't a requirement on the part of the prosecutors to establish that motive. But the motive is also inextricably tied to the opportunity and the means in this case. So we know that based on the evidence that's been gathered so far, Mangione did have some kind of serious injury and he was very upset, very angry with UnitedHealthcare. Not just UnitedHealthcare, we're hearing that he had a grievance with the entire U.S. health system and that he saw himself somehow as a vigilante avenging, you know, the rights or speaking up or taking matters in his own hands on behalf of individuals that have been wronged by the healthcare system.
[01:10:19]
But ultimately it's going to come down to whether these investigators can tie him to this crime. The video evidence, any eyewitness evidence, the forensic evidence, any evidence related to the weapon that was used, that's the kind of evidence that will be presented at this hearing where the defendant in this case, Mangione, and his attorney will have an opportunity to challenge that evidence.
KINKADE: And the suspect's solicitor has apparently been inundated with offers to pay for his client's case. How unusual is that?
A. MARTIN: It's really unusual. And something very strange is happening, Lynda, in this case. And he, Mangione, that is, becoming somewhat of a hero. There are many who believe that the U.S. health system is corrupt and that it works to the disadvantage of many patients, many -- you know, very ill people. And there are people online who are calling Mangione a hero for killing Brian Thompson.
And we know, at least I believe, that violence is never, ever acceptable and that Brian Thompson's family deserves justice. And if Magioni is in fact the person that killed him, he should be held criminally responsible and face the harshest penalty available to those who commit homicide.
KINKADE: Reva Martin in Los Angeles, always good to have you on the program. Thanks so much.
A. MARTIN: Thank you, Lynda.
KINKADE: Returning to Syria, where as people will celebrate the fall of the Assad regime, Israel is being accused of a land grab. Syrian rebels claim they've taken the city of Deir ez-Zur from the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces. But an SDF source tells CNN that the U.S. backed forces have withdrawn from only a part of the city. The Israeli military says it's carried out nearly 500 strikes across the country in the past two days, hitting strategic weapons stockpiles and destroying the Syrian navy fleet.
Syrian activist group says after seizing the demilitarized buffer zone near the Israeli occupied Golan Heights, Israeli forces have now advanced to a village just 16 miles from Damascus. CNN is unable to verify that claim. But now the Arab League is accusing Israel of executing a land grab in Syria.
The political transition appears to be underway in the country. Mohammed al-Bashir, a rebel linked government leader, announced that he's been named caretaker prime minister for the next three months.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED AL-BASHIR, SYRIAN CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Today we held a cabaret meeting that included a team from the salvation government that was working Idlib in its vicinity and the government of the Assad regime. This means that there will be a Syrian government that will handle these files and manage the business during a transitional period, God willing, that May end on March 1st. The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until March 1, 2025.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: After rebel forces took over the presidential palace in Damascus, Syrians got a peek into the luxurious lifestyle of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. The ornate halls and luxury cars a stark contrast to the years of oppression and poverty inflicted on the people of Syria. CNN's Clarissa Ward takes us inside.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the palace of Bashar al-Assad, Syrians gather to pose for photographs and celebrate the removal of its despised former owner. The public is not allowed inside the sprawling compound yet, where the courtyards stretch longer than a city block.
WARD: This is the driveway into Bashar al-Assad's palace, and you can see how enormous it is. There are still casings all over the ground from rebel celebratory gunfire as they swept in here and took control.
WARD (voice-over): At the entrance, an Iranian flag unceremoniously laid out for people to step on. Iran, one of the regime's staunchest allies. Where once foreign dignitaries roamed the halls, now rebel fighters have the run of the place.
WARD: You can see blankets on the sofas in here. It looks like this is where the rebels are sleeping. And in fact, over here, you can see they've got some kind of a makeshift dining area going. Some of their weapons here, a couple of rifles on this sofa.
So this gentleman here who is with the rebels has just ask that I put on my scarf. It's the first time since we've been here that anyone has asked me to cover my hair.
[01:15:01]
He says that he's from Idlib and that this is the first time he's seeing the palace.
WARD (voice-over): We feel that the injustice will break down one day and justice must win. This is the idea of justice in our religion, he says. In Islam, it is a must and a promise of Allah that Islam is victorious.
After nearly 14 years of a vicious civil war, to stand in this palace is a proud moment, capping off a seismic victory.
WARD: So the rebels here want to stress, they tell us, that it was not their group that ransacked this office when they first swept in. You could see, actually, some of the graffiti here that those first rebels wrote on the window. It says, Allah cursed Hafiz's soul. Hafiz al- Assad being the father of Bashar.
When you look at these ceilings and these chandeliers, the marble, the detail, this is the kind of opulence, this lavish lifestyle that engendered so much resentment from so many Syrians who have been struggling to survive for decades while the Assad family lived like this.
WARD (voice-over): In a warehouse, rows and rows of luxury cars, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and classic Cadillacs. This was a dynasty that will be remembered not only for its brutality, but its deep corruption.
Below the palace in the heart of Damascus, crowds gathered in Umayyad Square. Under Assad's rule, the Syrian people were forced to worship him. Now they finally have the freedom to celebrate his demise.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: That was our chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward there reporting from Damascus, Syria.
We are following some developments out of South Korea where we've learned police have raided the presidential office in Seoul. This is part of their investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's short lived attempt to impose martial law just a week ago. Well, the head of the country's correctional service says former Defense Minister Kim Yong- hyun has attempted to end his own life while in custody. Kim was detained in Seoul Sunday. He allegedly recommended that martial law be imposed and was the first figure detained over that case.
Kim resigned from his post on Thursday.
Well, a wildfire that's exploded in size is tearing through Malibu, California, burning homes and forcing some residents to flee. We'll hear from a student who's sheltering in place at a nearby university.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. People in Southern California are being forced to flee from a fast moving wildfire that's burning homes and vehicles. Now take a look at these live pitches coming into us right now from Malibu. It's the so called Franklin Fire. It's so intense it is altering the weather and making already extreme conditions even worse. About 18,000 people are under evacuation orders or warnings including 98-year-old award winning actor Dick Van Dyke who says he and his wife and pets were able to get out safely. CNN's Veronica Miracle reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Malibu's scenic hills ablaze after a fast moving wildfire exploded overnight.
LINDA MICHEL, CARETAKER WHO FLED HOUSE SURROUNDED BY FIRE: From a one to 10 it was like a 15, like scary.
MIRACLE (voice-over): The Franklin fire tripling in size in just one hour at one point scorching the equivalent of five football fields every minute since it ignited late Monday evening prompting evacuation orders.
MICHEL: Everything, all these mountains were covered in flames, just covered. Like you took a crayon and just colored everything.
MIRACLE (voice-over): Linda Michel is a caretaker who lives on a property with horses in the evacuation zone. She says she awoke to a wall of flames surrounding the area and had to scramble to save the animals.
MICHEL: Woke everybody up, got everybody in the car. It was all -- nobody had time to get dressed. Everybody jumped in the car like get out of here. And then after that I must have had like 30 minutes to run around and try to get the horses. And we didn't know what were going to do.
Like we could not leave them in the barn. Thank God we didn't leave them in the barn because the barn burnt down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see the wind down there.
MIRACLE (voice-over): The inferno fueled by dry conditions and Southern California's infamous Santa Ana winds, creating what fire officials call a, quote, "particularly dangerous situation." Some wind gusts reaching 40 to 60 miles per hour. The flames destroying some homes and threatening businesses, even the iconic Malibu Pier.
GABRIELLE SALGADO, STUDENT, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY: It has definitely been a stressful and very tiring night.
MIRACLE (voice-over): Hundreds at nearby Pepperdine University had to shelter in place for hours in the campus library. Classes were canceled on Tuesday.
SALGADO: I called my friends, found whatever friends I had in the same residential hall as me and I just packed a bag. We look out the window and you know, the sky is red.
MIRACLE (voice-over): Veronica Miracle, CNN, Malibu, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KINKADE: Well, joining us now is Ethan Romero, a student at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
Good to have you with us on the phone. So I understand thousands of students and employees are under shelter in place orders. How long have you been sheltering in place, Ethan?
ETHAN ROMERO, STUDENT, PEPPERDINE UNIV. MALIBU, CALIFORNIA: As of right now, probably 24 hours.
KINKADE: And how many students are with you there in the cafe?
ROMERO: About 200, like 300.
KINKADE: So just take us through what you saw. Like, it looked like the entire sky turned orange as the fire was approaching. What were you seeing?
ROMERO: Yes, towards the beginning, we just saw, like, something from behind the canyon. Just, like, smoke and this, like, orange hue in the sky. And then as it, like, progressed towards campus, like, we just saw, like, a bunch of, like, stuff getting burned down. And then it, like the view in the library, you could be, like, from below, just a bunch of stuff, like, burning. And the flames were, like, coming up towards the window near the library. So it was, like, pretty intense.
KINKADE: So just how close did the flames get to where you were sheltering?
ROMERO: I mean, it's hard to tell just by, like, from all the smoke that was going on, but, like, the flames, like, we could see them. So, like, I would say, like, a couple hundred feet away.
KINKADE: Wow. And so kind of, what was the smoke situation and breathing? How are you feeling?
ROMERO: Good. As it was approaching, it, like, started to get, like, really smoky and a little hard to breathe. So then a bunch of, like, RAs, like, handed out masks to everybody and everyone, like, pretty much put them on. And it, like, got better over the night. But at one point it was pretty smoky and a little hard to breathe.
KINKADE: I mean, it looks frightening. It was such a massive fire as it approached the campus. I mean, how frightened were you and other students there sheltering at the cafe?
ROMERO: Yes, I would say, like, everyone was pretty scared. And as it was, like, getting closer and closer, like, a lot of people were just, like, I mean, we didn't really know what to do. I mean, this was, like, my first fire, so we were -- most people were just, like, taking videos or some people were, like, praying. And, like, we all did, like, a group prayer in the cafe. And, I mean, it was overall pretty, like, scary experience.
[01:25:010] KINKADE: Wow. And of course some -- take us through the response from the firefighters. I understand that, obviously helicopters overhead. Were there firefighters on campus as well?
ROMERO: Yes, we have this main road on campus, and they all, like, lined up on the road as the fire was approaching, and they were like -- they just, like they were there for a long time. And then throughout the day and last night, a bunch of helicopters were, like, coming to campus. And we have this, like, big water reserve on, like, Alumni park, which is, like, downhill on campus. And they've been using that to help diminish the fire. So, there's just been a lot going on on campus.
KINKADE: And you are one of about 3,000 students and employees sheltering on campus. I can't imagine many of you have had much sleep over the past 24 hours.
ROMERO: Yes, we haven't really. Last night, nobody really slept. And then towards the morning, they let us go to our dorms for a bit, and that's probably when most people got to sleep for a bit. But then they ordered us to come back to the cafe and library.
KINKADE: And have you got any indication of when these shelter in place orders might end?
ROMERO: It's kind of up in the air. Some people have been saying, like, when is it, like, tomorrow morning, but no one really knows what's going on.
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly seems really frightening. Have you heard from your family? Are they worried about you?
ROMERO: Yes, I was on the phone with my mom all last night, and I was keeping her updated. And just everyone, like all my immediate family members had checked up on me. So, they've been helping throughout this whole thing.
KINKADE: Well, Ethan, we hope you and everyone else there stays safe. Ethan Romero, sheltering in place at the university campus there in Malibu. Thanks so much for your time.
ROMERO: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, Donald Trump's pick for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has spent the past few days on Capitol Hill looking to sway any Senate Republicans still skeptical of his nomination. And now the odds of him getting confirmed seem to be improving. Manu Raju reports.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pete Hegseth had a critical meeting with one swing Republican vote. That's Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, someone who often breaks ranks with her party leadership. Someone who breaks ranks with Donald Trump, including, voted to convict him in a second impeachment trial. Someone who has opposed the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to sit on the Supreme Court over his own sexual assault allegations. With, of course, Kavanaugh also denied. Here, Murkowski met with Pete Hegseth, they had what she called a good exchange of ideas, but she refused to say if she would back him and went to lines to try to avoid reporters' questions. She did respond to some, including mine, but would not say if she would vote for him on the Senate floor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): I had a good exchange with Mr. Hegseth.
RAJU: Are you ready to support him?
MURKOWSKI I had a good exchange and we'll see what the process bears.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: But ultimately, Pete Hegseth can only afford to lose three Republican votes. The question is, are there more than three who could scuttle a nomination? At the moment, no Republicans are opposing him, which is why Republicans are confident he can ultimately get there.
Now there are other controversial picks who Republicans believe are falling in line behind what Donald Trump wants, including replacing the FBI Director Christopher Wray, who's got three more years serving his 10-year term, replacing with Kash Patel, someone who is a MAGA firebrand in line with Donald Trump's politics. I caught up with Senator Lindsey Graham, who's a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and I asked him about Donald Trump's apparent threat to get rid of Christopher Wray, fire him from the job and replace him with his pick to lead the FBI Kash Patel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Do you think that Ray should be fired?
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I think he should. I think it's pretty obvious he wants a new FBI director, so.
RAJU: But would you be okay if raised (inaudible)?
GRAHAM: Yes, I like Director Wray, but I think the big -- it's time for a fresh start at the FBI.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: So there is a belief that a lot of Republicans are falling in line because behind ultimately what Donald Trump wants. But these confirmation hearings will take place early next year. They can be complicated. The process can be thorough, the vetting can be rigorous. And if allegations of past controversies come up, it can always lead to a problem for any given nominee.
[01:29:48]
So a lot of questions still about if any of that will come up particularly with Pete Hegseth. But at the moment, Trump and his team are pretty confident that Trump will get his cabinet in place and his senior officials in place early next year.
Manu Raju, CNN -- Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Well, still to come, why the future of Russian and Syrian relations remain uncertain after the collapse of the Assad regime.
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
An update now on our top story.
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO is fighting extradition to New York. Luigi Mangione appeared at a hearing Tuesday in Pennsylvania and had an outburst as he was being led inside the courtroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIGI MANGIONE, SUSPECT IN KILLING OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO BRIAN THOMPSON: -- and clearly out of touch, and an insult the intelligence of the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Afterward, his defense attorney says he told his client to be quiet while in court. The judge denied bail to Mangione, who faces a second-degree murder charge in New York, as well as other charges in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday.
A law enforcement source says a notebook of the suspect at the suspect's backpack included a to-do list of tasks needed to facilitate a killing.
The new details coming one day after Mangione was spotted at a McDonalds prompting an employee to call the police.
This is not the first time tips from the police -- or the public, rather, have played a key role in investigations.
CNN's Randi Kaye reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: When Secret Service spotted a rifle poking through the bushes at Trump International Golf Club in Florida in September, they opened fire. Ryan Wesley Routh, allegedly there to shoot Donald Trump, quickly escaped.
SHERIFF WILLIAM SNYDER, MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA: The information was that the suspect was possibly headed north on I-95. KAYE: That information came from a quick-thinking witness at the scene
who gave police a description of the suspect, as well as a picture of the car and license plate. Minutes later, Routh was arrested.
SNYDER: The witness from the incident at Trump International was flown to the scene by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office, and he was able to make a positive I.D.
KAYE: Routh pleaded not guilty and is behind bars awaiting trial.
When escaped prisoner Michael Burham broke out of jail last year, he was on the run in Pennsylvania. That was until a couple and their dog, Tucker, spotted him in a wooded area.
RON ECKLUND, SPOTTED FUGITIVE: I knew who he was since he stood up --
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: -- and it was from photos, from video. I mean, from the photos. You've seen him on tv.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
ECKLUND: Oh, absolutely. Yes, we've seen, you know, it's been what -- it was 9 or 10 days he was on the loose.
COOPER: Yes.
ECKLUND: And, you know, we've seen plenty of --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Photos.
[01:34:48]
ECKLUND: Photos and, you know, news coverage and whatnot. The news and everything were saying he could be armed and dangerous, so I don't know. Does he have a gun?
KAYE: The couple called police. Burham was arrested and later sentenced to 25 to 50 years for the escape and kidnapping.
In 2022, Frank Robert James unleashed a smoke canister on a crowded Brooklyn subway car, then opened fire. Ten people were shot and at least a dozen others suffered injuries. James escaped in the chaos.
The 28-hour manhunt ended when keen observers spotted James and called police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see him go, this is the guy. Like, I can't believe my eyes, bro. Like, we need to tell the police.
And we told the police, and the police came. And the police just told me, thank you. And he left.
KAYE: James was arrested in Manhattan's East Village. After admitting guilt, he was sentenced last year to life in prison.
The manhunt for this pair gained national attention in 2022. Alabama fugitive Casey White was on the lam for 11 days, with former corrections officer Vicky White, who helped him escape from an Alabama county jail.
Hundreds of tips came in, but just one ultimately led to the location of the fugitives.
VICKY WHITE, FORMER CORRECTIONS OFFICER: Let's get out and run. We should have stayed at the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hotel.
KAYE: Authorities forced the fugitive's car into a ditch in Evansville, Indiana. Casey White was arrested and sentenced to life last year for escaping. Vicky White died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after the crash.
Four brave citizens came to the rescue of eight-year-old Shasta Groene nearly two decades ago. In 2005, she was kidnaped by Joseph Duncan along with her brother, whom he later killed.
Authorities had been frantically searching for the children when they got a call that Shasta and her captor had been spotted at a Denny's Restaurant in Idaho.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And all four decided that Duncan would not leave the restaurant that night with Shasta.
KAYE: Two of the tipsters were Denny's employees. The other two were customers. They all split the reward money.
Randi Kaye, CNN -- West Palm Beach, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, the future of Russia's longtime ties with Syria is uncertain after the fall of Bashar al Assad's regime.
Moscow had always played a key role in shoring up the government in Damascus and has military bases in the country but the Kremlin acknowledges the challenges it may now face in holding on to them under the new government.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As Syrians embark on a new era after ousting longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad, Russia fears the era of its massive military footprint in Syria could be coming to an end.
The former commander of Russian forces in Syria and now member of parliament is already warning Russia's leadership not to make concessions.
"Any gesture of goodwill in the Middle East is perceived as weakness. Weakness is unacceptable," he says.
"What should be done in this situation," he's asked.
"Talk from a position of strength," he answers.
But how much power does Russia still hold in Syria? Kremlin-controlled TV strategizes over what might come next, with maps showing Russia's bases in Syria. A guest acknowledges Moscow was caught off guard again.
"Thinking about how it all happened in Syria reminds me about how it all happened in Ukraine in 2014," he says. "I want to highlight one universal lesson for world powers. Don't take wishful thinking for reality. When a power is crumbling in days and can't protect itself. This is a verdict."
For years, it was the Russian military that kept the Assad regime afloat. Russia's air force pounding rebel groups, its navy firing cruise missiles at ISIS militants in eastern Syria. In return, Assad gave Moscow a 49-year lease on both its main air base near Latakia and a military port in Tartus, allowing Vladimir Putin to project power throughout the Middle East.
The fact that Russia has its military assets in Syria also makes Moscow a key player in the Middle East. But now the Russians acknowledge that that status is in jeopardy.
Once a key ally for the Russian leader, Putin now allowed Assad and some of his family members to flee to Moscow, a decision folks in Moscow told us they support.
"We don't abandon our men," he says, "he is our man. It was the right decision. He has nowhere to go. He would have been killed."
But even here, Syrians living in Russia telling me they're happy Assad's been ousted.
"We will be able to live in calm and peace and be able to safely visit our country," he says. "We don't have to worry that someone can throw us in prison because they don't like what we said. We're happy that the dictatorship is over."
Moscow hopes the end of Assad's rule will not spell the end of its military engagement in the Middle East while acknowledging it's still too early to predict.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN -- Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:39:55[
KINKADE: In just a few hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will take the stand for a second day to push back against what he calls baseless accusations in a sweeping corruption trial.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face criminal charges. He was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery and fraud and breach of trust, all of which he denies.
Protesters gathered outside the courthouse demanding accountability, but the prime minister also had supporters in the crowd. The judges have ruled that Netanyahu must testify three times a week.
Still to come, CNN's Call to Earth Day coverage with students around the globe taking action to protect the planet they will inherit.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
We're returning to our Call to Earth Day coverage and thousands of students around the globe engaged in a day of action to help save the planet they're inheriting.
We have correspondents filing reports from all around the world including Hong Kong, London and Nairobi. Our theme this year is Connected Generations. And we'll be looking to the wisdom of our ancestors for sustainable living practices and how we can use them in our daily lives.
And we're going to start in Beijing, where our Steven Jiang is talking to students who are learning about ways to cut carbon emissions using wind power.
Steven, we've been hearing from the students who have been studying cargo ships. What are they teaching you.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: So much, especially on this topic.
Such a smart bunch -- they are year six students at the British School of Beijing Sanlitun. From many different countries, 10 -- 11 years old but they have learned, living and studying here, that no matter where you are these days, a lot of things you use in your daily life are made here in China before being shipped to different parts of the world.
See they made this map showing some of the busy shipping lanes. But Kofi (ph) you were saying to me earlier, that's not necessarily good for the environment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Well, shipping is responsible for 3.3 percent of carbon emissions.
JIANG: Alarming figure. But you guys are also saying you learned back in ancient times China was also a maritime power without boats powered by fossil fuels.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
We've been looking at how to use technology from the past to save our future.
JIANG: And what have you come up with? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By retrofitting ship sails to container ships, we can reduce carbon emissions and use renewable energy to power them.
JIANG: And I think Miles is very eager to showcase some of the model sails you guys have made, right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this is our testing tank. We're testing which sails can power our cargo ships most effectively.
So there's lateen sails here, square sails or lug sails.
JIANG: And I think these guys can't wait to put this to test. Ray, it's -- you are in charge now.
[01:44:47]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.
JIANG: That seems like a success for this cargo ship.
But you guys are also putting everything in writing to a child of the future to explain to that child of the future what you are doing right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
"Dear child of the future, I sincerely wish that you were living in a better society, a society that doesn't burn fossil fuels.
Luckily, we have conceived of a magnificent solution to this problem. Let's stand together and use the technologies of our ancestors.
Let's use sails to power our ships. The oceans and the skies will be as blue as sapphire. This is the world we will pour our hearts into for you."
JIANG: Thank you guys. And this is just such reassuring kind of moment to hear them be so young but also climate conscious.
The good news is they're not alone in trying to draw from ancient wisdom to protect the future of the planet, because the global shipping industry actually has been pioneering with installing foldable sails on cargo ships with the ultimate goal being eventually achieving zero shipping emissions by the year 2050, Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, I remember interviewing one of those innovators coming up with the sails. Amazing work that the students are doing there.
Steven Jiang in Beijing. Thanks so much.
Well, I want to turn to Hong Kong now, where students at the Peak School are learning about nature and planting trees. Kristie Lu Stout is meeting with several of the students.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in Hong Kong, one of dozens of schools across the region marking Call to Earth Day, a day of action to better protect the environment.
This year, the theme is Connected Generations. How can we learn from the past to better protect the planet for generations to come?
And the community here at the Peak School is all in. The students, the teachers -- they've been tending to native plants, tending to native bees, participating in group discussions, and also writing letters to the next generation.
And joining me now is a couple of letter writers. Hey, Carson, you got a letter that you're writing to the next generation. Can you read it out to me?
CARSON, STUDENT: "I really hope you are continuing to plant more plants and clean more beaches. And I really hope you stop polluting and cutting trees. I hope you start to use solar plants -- solar-power busses, ships, cars and airplanes."
STOUT: Those are really powerful wishes for the next generation. Thank you Carson.
And Alyssa, what do you have in your letter?
ALYSSA: "I really hope that you're continuing to compost banana peels. I really hope that you stopped to buy single use plastics. I hope you've done what you said and started to use solar panels.
STOUT: These are fantastic, powerful messages. And we have a final message from all the students here at Peak School. Come on up.
We want to wish you from Hong Kong Peak School, a happy --
STUDENTS: Call to Earth Day.
STOUT: Signing off from Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Kristie and the students there.
Well, in South Korea, students at Dulwich College in Seoul are getting their hands dirty learning about composting, gardening and sustainability as our Mike Valerio reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Surrounded by Seoul's towering cityscape, tiny orange groves are on and ready to go.
The students are all smiles waiting for the big reveal.
Yes, crowding around compost, fuel for sustainability studies at the International School, Dulwich College, Seoul. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give it a sniff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does it stink, really?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not really for me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Warm.
VALERIO: Scraps from lunch and dried up plants all go in here. Come spring, compost will help the gardens grow.
They're getting the garden plots ready now. Weeding so grass doesn't soak up the soil's nutrients.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's dancing.
VALERIO: There are discoveries in the dirt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's some (INAUDIBLE) thingies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure come in.
VALERIO: Gatherings in the greenhouse, young hands nurturing plants and seeds, sowing a future rooted in sustainability.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Mike Valerio reporting from Dulwich college in Seoul.
Well, stay with CNN for more Call to Earth Day coverage and our special program, "RESTORING THE ANDES", airing Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in Berlin. That's 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.
[01:49:22]
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KINKADE: Welcome back.
"Time Magazine" has announced its Athlete of the Year, and it is women's basketball star Caitlin Clark. The 22-year-old was one of several female student athletes who turned pro, hoping to boost the popularity of women's basketball at both the college and professional levels.
In her final year at the University of Iowa, she broke the longstanding college scoring record. Her team lost in the NCAA finals, but the game got higher ratings than the men's final for the first time.
In her first season with the WNBA's Indiana Fever, Clark was named Rookie of the Year and became the first rookie in 16 years to be named to the All-WNBA First Team.
Well, in the coming hours, FIFA will formally announce the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 world cups.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will share hosting duties in 2030, but it's the selection of Saudi Arabia as the 2034 host that's raising questions.
CNN's Amanda Davies reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: FIFA to host the 2034 World Cup Saudi Arabia --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saudi Arabia --
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Saudi Arabia and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman have made no secret of their desire to become the world's sporting destination of choice.
Now, it's set to host the biggest prize of them all the FIFA World Cup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Qatar.
DAVIES: It's the most controversial awarding of the tournament since that infamous day in December 2010 that saw Russia and Qatar given the nod for 2018 and 2022 amidst corruption scandals and human rights concerns.
Do you think FIFA learned any lessons, Steve, good or bad, from the Qatar experience?
STEVE COCKBURN, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF LABOUR RIGHTS AND SPORT: My fear is that the lesson they've learned from Qatar is that they can ride out the criticism.
DAVIES: In Qatar, there was unprecedented levels of construction of stadiums and infrastructure. Migrant workers died in the process.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has pledged to build 11 new purpose-built venues.
It was seen as a landmark moment in 2017, when FIFA became the first global sports body to write human rights commitments into the bidding process for its major events. But nearly eight years on, actions are speaking louder than words.
LINA AL-HATHLOUL, (ph) HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I think no organization, human rights organization, has been consulted. And I will even add on that Saudi Arabia has been forbidding human rights organizations from entering the country since Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman came to power.
DAVIES: Lina al-Hathloul (ph) is a Saudi human rights activist. Hers is one of 11 organizations that recently raised concerns about FIFA's approach to Saudi's World Cup bid.
Amnesty International called it an astonishing whitewash, while Human Rights Watch dubbed it an abysmal failure to implement mandatory human rights risk assessments.
Their latest report published just last week, revealed that in the first six months of this year alone, 887 Bangladeshi workers died in Saudi Arabia. Citing unpublished Bangladesh government data the report said the majority were recorded as dying of, quote, "natural causes". There have been questions about how many were caused by working conditions.
FIFAs overall assessment of the Saudi bid awarded it a higher score than any other that's gone before judging the human rights risk to be medium based on an evaluation carried out by a Riyadh-based company.
[01:54:56]
COCKBURN: I think it's impossible to get there unless it was already decided that it was going to be medium risk. I think this has been decided for a long time and its lost a huge opportunity here.
DAVIES: FIFA has told CNN, it has implemented, quote, a thorough bidding process for the 2034 World Cup. And its bid report says Saudi Arabia submitted commitments to respecting, protecting and fulfilling internationally-recognized human rights.
Saudi authorities haven't responded to our request for comment, but the head of the Saudi bid says that while progress has been made, there's still room to improve.
HAMMAD ALBALAWI, HEAD OF SAUDI ARABIA'S WORLD CUP BID UNIT: We're very proud of what we've achieved. We're very hungry to do more and that is a commitment that we have in the areas of human rights across all areas.
DAVIES: The way in which this process has been engineered means the awarding of the 2034 tournament has been a done deal. Despite questions over transparency, the path has been cleared for Saudi Arabia to have its moment in the spotlight in ten years' time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our thanks to Amanda Davies there.
Well, the Christmas spirit is on full display across South America, and Santa Claus has already made some appearances. He and Mrs. Claus were spotted riding down the streets of Caracas on their motorcycle.
Christmas decor has been put up all around the Venezuelan capital, with trees covered in festive colored lights.
And in Colombia's capital, beautiful lights and decorations now cover parts of Montserrat Hill, illuminating the iconic cathedral, a popular spot for visitors. Also in Colombia, they've celebrated what's known as the night of the
little candles, a Catholic tradition that marks the start of the Christmas season. People take part by lighting candles in their homes and on the street lights.
As part of this tradition, families also visit cemeteries to decorate the graves of their ancestors and other loved ones with flowers. And of course, candles.
Well, thanks so much for watching. I'm Lynda Kinkade.
That was CNN NEWSROOM, but much more news continues in just a moment with my colleague Rosemary Church.
Stay with us.
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