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CNN Live Saturday

Police Have Edmunds Secured in Hospital

Aired June 22, 2002 - 12:16   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The drifter wanted for questioning in the Elizabeth Smart abduction is now listed in serious condition at a Western Virginia (sic) hospital.

Bret Edmunds is being treated for an apparent drug overdose at the facility's intensive care unit. We have two reports on the Smart case. CNN's Bob Franken is at the hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia. And CNN's Jeanne Meserve is with the searchers in Salt Lake City.

Bob, let's begin with you.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As you can see in back of me, Kyra, the hospital officials are still talking to reporters following the news conference that we all watched on CNN just a few moments ago.

The news conference brought out some interesting information. It brought out the fact that the law officers who arrived from Salt Lake City, including local police officials and FBI agents. They arrived about two hours ago, are still interrogating the man who had been the object of such a search for so long.

Bret Edmunds, who had checked into this hospital early Thursday morning, was found out yesterday. Salt Lake City officials are now talking with him. He is lucid and conscious, according to the hospital officials, and able to talk to the interrogators, something he was not able to do.

He was, in fact, in and out of consciousness, according to sources. He is suffering from a liver problem brought on by a drug overdose. That's what brought him to the hospital where he checked himself in.

Now, there had been reports that he was going to leave here today. That he was going to be evacuated by helicopter. After consultation between the law enforcement officials and doctors, it was decided there was no need to do that, and that his health was too precarious at this particular point to do that. So, he is going to be here several days.

Now, he was discovered, as I said yesterday, his car was discovered here with a car, his green Saturn car, which has been towed away, and is being analyzed now. They're trying to find out exactly what he can tell us about the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob Franken, thanks so much.

Now, when Bret Edmunds checked into the hospital, he gave his mother's contact information in Salt Lake City, Utah. That's where police and the public continue to search for any sign of Elizabeth Smart. That story now from CNN's Jeanne Meserve. She's live in Salt Lake City.

Hi, Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. That volunteer search effort resuming today.

Let me bring you up-to-date on a situation we reported earlier this morning. Last night some volunteer searchers with dogs were in an area south of Salt Lake City. The dogs hit on a pile of dirt at a construction site. This morning those search dogs and cadaver dogs were brought back to the site. We're told they made no hits at the site whatsoever.

So at this moment there is a ground search going on, but nothing more extensive is planned at this time. Apparently, they have nothing of interest there.

Meantime, investigators here in Salt Lake City are just waiting to hear what Bret Edmunds has to say. He's someone they have been waiting to talk to for almost two weeks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE (voice-over): Bret Michael Edmunds, described by police as a doper and a drifter, wanted for more than a week for questioning in the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a question mark and we want to put a period on that question mark, and that's all it is at this time.

MESERVE: The questions arose when Edmunds was recognized at a candlelight vigil for Elizabeth Smart shortly after her June 5 disappearance.

Some of the numbers on the stolen license plates on his car matched those on a suspicious vehicle seen in the Smart's neighborhood in the days close to the abduction. But Edmunds fled and police have been looking for him ever since, though they do not describe him as a suspect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's just somebody we want to talk to. He is a fugitive. He is wanted. He has a criminal background. All of those things are important to us, obviously, and we want to talk to him.

MESERVE: There are no sexual offenses on 26-year-old Edmunds's criminal record, but there are at least two outstanding warrants for his arrest. One was issued after he fled from police right up the hill from the Smart home, near what's called the block-U (ph).

And there are other reasons for police to be interested. Edmunds once worked in the Smarts' neighborhood collecting trash, so he knows the local geography, and he's been known to loiter in the area. He does not, however, match the physical description of the abductor. Edmunds is taller and heavier. The Smart family said, the news of Edmunds' capture continued their emotional roller-coaster ride.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not going to hang our hat on -- we're just not going to hang our hat on anything until we have Elizabeth in our hands and our arms.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: No word yet from Salt Lake City police or Salt Lake FBI about what Bret Edmunds might be saying to them this morning. At this point we are not expecting a police briefing nor a family briefing. The only event that's on the schedule is a benefit concert being given tonight by Elizabeth Smart's harp ensemble.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Jeanne, thank you.

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