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CNN Live Saturday

Authorities Question Hospitalized Edmunds

Aired June 22, 2002 - 18:05   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.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, Salt Lake City police and FBI agents as well are in a West Virginia hospital. Of course, they are questioning Bret Michael Edmunds in connection with the Utah kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.

CNN's Patty Davis joins us now live from Martinsburg, West Virginia, right near the hospital. Patty, I understand now authorities are reporting that, in fact, Edmunds came into with a drug overdose.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Authorities have been saying that is -- the Marshall Service saying, I believe, that he came in with apparent drug overdose and that apparently was causing his liver not to function.

Now, detectives from the Salt Lake City police as well as the FBI were here at City Hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia earlier today for about four hours and they just returned again about a half-hour ago. They are questioning Mr. Edmunds, he's 26 years old, and his hospital staff as well.

Now, no word on how cooperative Edmunds has been or what, if anything, he has told those detectives. He has been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in the Smart case. A hospital spokeswoman says that Edmunds is alert.

THERESA MCCABE, HOSPITAL SPOKESWOMAN: His condition is still remained the same; he's still in serious condition in the Intensive Care/Critical Care unit.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: But by implication can we now determine that he is lucid enough...

MCCABE: He is conscious; I can also tell you that, he is conscious, he is alert, and he is speaking with -- law enforcement said that I could release that he is speaking with them, and is talking with them.

DAVIS: The 26-year-old drifter is under guard in the hospital. He checked himself in to this hospital early Thursday morning around 5:15 a.m. suffering from that apparent drug overdose. He was using a false name, Todd Roberts (ph), but he gave the hospital his mother's name and phone number in Salt Lake City and the hospital proceeded to call her and a family member said that, indeed, this was Edmunds who was in their hospital.

Now, authorities have impounded his green Saturn. They say they have looked in the windows, they also looked in the trunk, and there is no sign of Elizabeth Smart. Edmunds will remain here for several days, according to a hospital spokeswoman, his condition such that his doctor, along with law enforcement, felt it better not to move him at this point.

But authorities still say that he is not a suspect in this case, they simply want to question him. They're hoping that he can shed some light on exactly what happened to Elizabeth Smart. Chris.

OSBORN: Well, Patty, are you hearing any sense of possible optimism about this, despite the fact that as you mentioned Bret Michael Edmunds does not match the description of the suspect?

DAVIS: Well they are certainly happy that they have located him, and they are hoping, although they're not saying -- if he's talking, or what he's talking about. They're hoping that he is going to be able to give them some clue.

Now, it's interesting that if you consider the description of Edmunds, who is about 6'2", 235 pounds, compared to Elizabeth Smart's sister describing the assailant the person who apparently took her as a smaller person, about 5'8" to 5'10", dark hair. They don't seem to match, but it could be that they're not that far off. I mean, who knows? Because detectives really want to get to the bottom of this, and hoping that they're going to get something out of Bret Michael Edmunds.

Back to you.

OSBORN: Patty Davis, near the hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on top of the investigation and its implications. Thank you.

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