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CNN This Morning

Defiant CEO Murder Suspect Fights Extradition To New York; IDF: Israel Carries Out 480 Airstrikes Across Syria Over Two Days; Police Arrest Suspect Accused Of Accosting Rep. Nancy Mace; Wind Speeds, Dry Air Fuel California Franklin Fire. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired December 11, 2024 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:33]

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's Wednesday, December 11th.

Right now on CNN THIS MORNING:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS DICKEY, LUIGI MANGIONE'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I haven't seen any evidence that says that he's the shooter. I've seen zero evidence at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: New details in the shooting death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. Authorities piecing together evidence as the suspected killer fights extradition to New York.

And airstrikes across Syria. Israel targeting Syrian military assets as Syrians celebrate the demise of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.

And assault on Capitol Hill. A person arrested after South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace says she was physically accosted.

(MUSIC)

HUNT: All right, 5:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, a live look at the U.S. Capitol Dome on this Wednesday morning.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us.

We are hearing for the first time from the man whose search captivated the nation, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer fighting extradition back to New York, where he faces five charges, including second degree murder. These are new images from the moments before he was captured inside a McDonald's. He was eating a hash brown.

Mangione was in court in Pennsylvania yesterday where he was denied bail. On his way in, he shared this message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LUIGI MANGIONE, ALLEGED CEO KILLER: It's completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people. It's lived experience!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Mangione is expected to insist on his innocence. According to his lawyer, he is pleading not guilty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICKEY: I haven't seen any evidence that says that he's the shooter. So that's, you know, like I -- like I said earlier and I wasn't kidding around. A couple of things, if you're going to report something, report it accurately. And remember, and this is not just a small thing, the fundamental concept of American justice is a presumption of innocence. And until you're proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and I've seen zero evidence at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: So here is the evidence. The police say they do have. They have recovered several handwritten pages of a notebook that contains a to- do list. In one passage about the Unabomber, Mangione writes that using a bomb against his intended victim, quote, could kill innocents in a shooting would be more targeted.

Mangione writing, what would be better than to quote, kill the CEO at his own bean counting conference, end quote.

Friends say Mangione suffered from debilitating back pain after recent surgery. The suspect posting his spine x-rays on his social media. Police are examining that procedure and its aftermath closely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH KENNY, NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES: He was posting an X-ray on his social media, showing numerous screws being inserted into his spine. Some of the writings that he had, he was discussing the difficulty of sustaining that injury. So we're looking into whether or not the insurance industry either denied a claim from him or didn't help him out to the fullest extent. He knew that this conference was taking place at that time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: "The New York Times" reporting that Mangione's mother filed a missing persons report on her son in San Francisco on November 18th. That was just weeks before the December 4th shooting.

Joining us now to discuss, CNN legal analyst, criminal defense attorney, Joey Jackson.

Joey, good morning to you.

Let's start with that angry outburst from the suspect as he was being taken into that courthouse. What did you make of -- of what he said and the legal strategy that his team is taking at this point?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yeah, Kasie. Good morning to you.

First, as to what he said, generally speaking, in prosecutions, the motivation as to why someone did something is not anything the prosecution needs to prove. Now, inquiring minds always want to know. But motive you don't have to show. You just have to show you did it.

In this case, I think motivation is going to be significant -- significant in terms of evidentiary value. What do I mean? You see his rant there. You obviously see that he has an ax to grind, speaking about an insult to the American people, et cetera.

Clearly, he had issues with the health care system in the country. A lot of people do.

[05:05:01]

Don't take it to this extent. But what I make of that is that all of his issues, right. His manifesto, his thought process, his grievances will come out in the event that this went to trial.

In terms of the defense strategy, his attorney, Kasie, is saying he hasn't seen the evidence. I think it's a play on words. There certainly seems to be mounting evidence suggesting that it was him, right, in terms of the evidence found at the actual McDonald's, right on his person between the laptop, the gun, the fake ID, the evidence certainly secured here, the backpack, et cetera, DNA evidence.

So the evidence looks like it's plentiful. It's just that his attorneys saying he hasn't yet seen it. And there, of course, is a discovery process wherein the attorney who represents a particular defendant will have access and be given all that information. Let's see if his attorney changes his tune once he sees and evaluates what we all are hearing and learning in public right now.

HUNT: Joey, the other piece of this, of course, is that they are fighting extradition from Pennsylvania, where he's currently being held, to New York, where he is being charged. What is the impact of that fight, and what do you read into the decision to fight extradition?

JACKSON: Yeah. So, Kasie, extradition, of course, is the process where in a charging state that is New York, he's wanted for murder here and, of course, possession of a firearm, et cetera. That charging state seeks to get the particular person who we're looking at there into their custody and jurisdiction. He's now in Pennsylvania.

You have a right if you're a criminal defendant, to either waive extradition, meaning you're not going to fight, you're going to come back to the charging state or you're going to fight extradition. He has a right to do that. He's going to do that. But it's a very uphill battle, Kasie, here's why.

Number one, all you have to show if you're the charging state New York, is that the actual warrant is facially sufficient. What that means in English is that there are no defects. It's written and drafted properly.

Number two, in terms of what it says is probable cause to believe you wanted for specific crimes.

And number three, that it is you, right? It's most probably you.

And so, as long as you meet those standards, you're going. And so you have a right, no doubt to fight extradition. He's doing that.

Now, it could be because he doesn't want to be at Rikers Island, right, right away. Rikers Island, of course, is the prison in New York City that is widely known. Or it just could be that he just intends to fight this tooth and nail.

In any event, in that process, the judge has given him two weeks, his attorney, to put together a petition. And it takes generally about 30 days for the charging state to come get you after that's all said and done, so you can fight. But the realities are there are limited defenses, and he's coming to New York. The only question is when.

HUNT: All right, Joey Jackson, starting us off this morning with the latest on this, which has of course captivated so many people.

Joey, thanks very much. I really appreciate it.

JACKSON: Of course.

HUNT: All right. Straight ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, new wrinkle in the rapidly-changing Middle East. Israel expands airstrikes in Syria just days after the fall of the Assad regime.

Plus, the latest on Pete Hegseth. Is momentum starting to swing his way as he, in his quest to lead the Pentagon?

And how Republicans plan to put Trump's agenda into action with majorities in both chambers of Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): But the one thing I can tell you about next year is that it's going to be different. The way the Senate operates today is not the way it's going to be operating in the future.

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[05:13:08]

HUNT: Israel launching nearly 500 airstrikes at military targets across Syria and deploying ground troops into and beyond a demilitarized zone for the first time in half a century. The ramped up military action, coming just days after the collapse of Bashar al- Assad's regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says its to prevent, quote, strategic military capabilities left by the Syrian military, end quote, from falling into the hands of extremists. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We have no intention of interfering in Syria's internal affairs. However, we do intend to do what is necessary for our society. We want to have relations with the new regime in Syria. But if this regime allows Iran to reestablish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or weapons of any kind to Hezbollah or to attack us, we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Several Arab states are accusing Israel of taking advantage of the fluid situation in Syria to take over more land.

Joining us now, CNN international anchor Max Foster.

Max, some pretty remarkable developments here. This, of course, along the border between these two states. What do you think the significance is of them not just seizing this demilitarized area, but putting troops on the ground beyond it?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yeah. So well have to see, you know, what the longer term plan is? If troops have gone beyond the demilitarized zone, that obviously raised concerns that they were heading towards Damascus and Israel denies that. We don't exactly know the strategy of what those ground forces are going to do, but you would expect them to try to, you know, really enforce the demilitarized zone, that buffer zone.

But it's more a concern if they have wider plans for other parts of Syria. You know, is it a land grab?

[05:15:02]

Not quite yet.

They're basically taking out all the installations that could be used against them in their view.

Obviously, Iran had a huge presence in Syria, as did Hezbollah. And, you know, some of these rebel groups are manned with extremists from the past, jihadists from the past. How are they going to use those assets? I just don't think Israel is taking any chances here, but it is seen by many, as you know, a raid on that country's sovereignty, even though the politics is in chaos right now.

HUNT: Right. Well, I mean, we should note, you know, the Americans have also expressed concern about the presence of chemical weapons, which obviously, the international community widely condemns the use and holding of and of those falling into the wrong hands. So, definitely an element there as well.

Max, we also just have this -- this just crossed here from us because were apparently hearing from the Syrian rebel leader now, and he seems to be trying to assure the international community that they won't engage in the kind of conflict that actually, you heard Benjamin Netanyahu warn about.

So this is what he said, quote, the fear. And this is Mohammad al- Jolani, who is, of course, the leader of this group that's taken over. The U.S. does call them a terrorist group. There's no apparent intention to remove that designation, according -- according to John Kirby, in the last 24 hours or so.

But here's what Jolani said: The fear was from the presence of the regime. The regime is now gone. The country is moving toward development and reconstruction. It's going towards stability, he says.

People are exhausted from the war. The country is not ready for another one. It's not going to get into another one.

And then he says this, quote, the source of our fears was from the Iranian militias, Hezbollah and the regime which committed the massacres we are seeing today.

So he seems to be sending a message. I mean, you heard Netanyahu say there, you start arming Hezbollah and Iran, then we're going to have a problem. He seems to be trying to say that he doesn't want to have a problem.

FOSTER: Yeah, but who is he speaking for? I mean, there's so many different rebel groups. He's obviously the leader of the main rebel group, and he's become very much the face of this insurgence, really, in the country that ousted the regime.

So it's just not, you know, how much of what he says is actually going to turn into truth. I mean, there's a huge amount of hope behind him. There's so many people that genuinely feel liberated in the country. But at some point, we expect there to be some sort of election. Will he emerge as the leader of that country, or will someone else emerge as the leader of that country?

It's very difficult to see what's going to happen. I think were only going to really know in a few months time at the very earliest, how this government will shake out whether he does actually speak for the government.

So I think this really speaks to partly what Israel is doing right now. They don't know what's going to come out of this, and they don't want any want to take any chances. And this is their opportunity to take out what they see as the threat.

HUNT: All right. Max Foster for us this morning -- Max, very grateful to have you. Thank you, as always, for being here.

All right. Ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, President-elect Trump's controversial cabinet picks seeming to pick up some momentum. Republicans growing more confident that they'll all be confirmed. Plus, an exonerated Daniel Penny speaking out, explaining why he applied the chokehold that killed a homeless man on the subway.

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[05:22:38]

HUNT: All right, 22 minutes past the hour. Here is your "Morning Roundup".

A man who attacked a Las Vegas judge by jumping over a desk has been sentenced to serve between 26 and 65 years behind bars. The incident was caught on camera and it showed the judge falling back against a wall as he went after her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You read and I don't remember doing anything except for jumping on top of her and doing this to her robe. I was like, why are you doing this to me?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: And this, the man acquitted in a New York subway chokehold death now speaking out. Daniel Penny found not guilty in the death of Jordan Neely, a man struggling with homelessness who was acting erratic on the train. In Penny's first interview since the decision, the former marine said he felt like he had to protect others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL PENNY, FORMER MARINE: The guilt I would have felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, would never be able to live with myself.

U.S. Capitol police make an arrest after South Carolina Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace says she was physically accosted in the Rayburn Office building. A suspect is charged with assaulting a government official.

Afterward, Mace posted on X, quote, one new brace for my wrist and some ice from my arm and it will heal just fine.

All right. Time now for weather. The Franklin Fire in California burning more than 3,000 acres and counting. Wind speeds in the area expected to increase it again this morning.

Let's get to our meteorologist, our weatherman, Derek Van Dam.

Derek, good morning.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. Good morning, Kasie.

We've been following the story very closely. At one time, the Franklin Fire yesterday was burning the equivalent of five football fields per minute. So the winds have decreased somewhat from what they were yesterday at this time. They'll increase. This is very typical with Santa Ana wind events, they kind of peak right around daybreak.

And then we anticipate some improving conditions later today and certainly into the day tomorrow. I'll tell you why, zero percent containment with this. We have topped the 3,000-acre mark. And this has threatened additional structures in and around the Malibu region.

We still have our red flag warnings in place for much of southern California, including Los Angeles County and Ventura County, even stretching further south into the greater San Diego region.

[05:25:05]

The winds, though you'll notice, will change. You can see just some winds into the northern interior mountains, but really relaxing towards the coastline. And then there's this. Even though it's very dry, we're talking bone dry conditions still this morning. That's why the fire threat remains.

Notice the green entering into this equation. This is an increase in the cloud cover. Increase in the moisture in the atmosphere. We need that especially when were talking about fighting this fire.

So there is a cold front that will approach the west coast. Bring some cloud and perhaps, perhaps even a little bit of light rain as well.

Speaking of rain on the East Coast, it's going to be a messy day. A sloppy day, in fact, you want to plan ahead if you're heading the I-95 corridor today. Lots of rainfall, plenty of wind. This could bring down some power lines and some trees as well. Keep in mind we have a high wind warning for places like Boston and into the Cape Cod coastline and flood watches issued as well with several inches of rain. With this, what we call an atmospheric river impacting the east coast this morning -- Kasie.

HUNT: All right. Things to watch out for, Derek Van Dam. Thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

All right. Still ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, we take you inside the fall of Bashar al-Assad. CNN gaining access to the palace, which once belonged to the Syrian dictator. Now, it's in the hands of rebel forces.

Plus, Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill outline their plans to make his campaign promises reality.

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REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): We have a menu of options. What we're deciding right now is the sequence of how we run those plays. President-elect Trump and I will be talking about this in depth this weekend.

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