Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Biden Joins Critical NATO Meeting in Madrid; Stoltenberg: Russia Using Energy as "Weapon of Coercion"; Ukraine Rushes to Train Volunteer Fighters; Russia Defaults on Foreign Debt; January 6 Committee Holding Surprising Hearing; Deadly Gas Leak in Jordanian Port City; Ghislaine Maxwell Sentencing. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired June 28, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): The U.S. President arrives in Madrid for a crucial, NATO summit, pledging to back Ukraine for as long as
it takes. Plus,
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These men are not professional warriors. They are commanders of men. They don't have enough training.
Still, they could be used on the front lines.
ANDERSON (voice-over): On the ground in Ukraine, civilians train up to fight as the death toll mounts from Russian attacks. And.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were suffering from heatstroke, heat exhaustion, no signs of water.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Authorities in Texas find tens of suspected migrants, including children, dead inside of a truck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It's 6 pm in Abu Dhabi from the broadcast hub here in the Middle East. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD.
From Germany to Madrid, world leaders are looking to put more muscle into Ukraine's fight against Russia. NATO beginning what could be one of its
most consequential meetings in decades.
We have just heard from NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, saying that Russia is using energy as a quote, "weapon of coercion." Here is U.S. President Joe
Biden arriving in Madrid, a short time ago, fresh from the G7 summit in Germany, who promised to back Ukraine for, quote, "as long as it takes" and
help the country rebuild after the war.
Here is what they are up against, brutal attacks like the one that decimated a shopping mall in central Ukraine. A Russian missile slammed
into it on Monday while it was crowded with shoppers; 18 people are confirmed dead. Searchers are still looking for anyone who may be trapped.
Absolutely gruesome.
Russia steps up attacks across the nation. CNN is on the ground in Ukraine for you, while White House reporter Natasha Bertrand is live for us from
Madrid.
I would like to start in Madrid this evening, with you, Natasha. Leaders including the U.S. President arriving for a NATO summit that could help
determine the next phase of this war in Ukraine. Explain.
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That is right, Becky there is going to be so much on the agenda during this NATO summit. Just to
put it in perspective, the last time this normal NATO summit was held with leaders from every NATO country, was 2010 in Lisbon. Russia was there.
Russia was actually at that summit as a partner of NATO. And they actually adopted language that called Russia a strategic partner during that summit,
giving you a flavor here of how far NATO has come since then, how far Russia has gone since then in its brutality and attacks on sovereign
countries.
The focus of, course during the summit is going to be on deterring Russia from potentially attacking NATO territory. That is of, course the number
one priority of this meeting, making sure that NATO security is intact and that all countries, including the smaller countries on NATO's eastern
flank, feel secure in light of this major Russian threat here, that continues to get closer to the border.
One example of that is NATO secretary general, Stoltenberg, said yesterday in a really unprecedented move, NATO will be increasing the number of
forces that it has on high alert to 300,000 forces across Europe, a sevenfold increase. Originally it was about 40,000 troops are on high
alert.
Just giving you a sense there for how concerned NATO is, that this can really escalate, into some kind of unwanted conflict with the NATO and
Western countries here. But of course, energy security will also be a big subject here, given what Stoltenberg called Russia's weaponization of oil
and gas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: The war in Ukraine shows the danger of being too dependent on commodities from authoritarian regimes.
[10:05:00]
STOLTENBERG: The way Russia is using the energy as a weapon of coercion, highlights the need to quickly wean off Russian oil and gas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERTRAND: So another major topic here at the summit is of course, going to be the accession of Sweden and Finland into the NATO alliance, something
that continues to be blocked by Turkiye. President Biden is expected now to meet with President Erdogan of Turkiye tomorrow, where they will discuss
this issue in depth, Becky.
ANDERSON: Natasha, thank you.
Europe's military and energy security then front and center, as NATO leaders meet to discuss Ukraine. Let's get on the ground.
Salma, let's start with that mall attack, the death of some 18 people, hundreds injured as I understand it.
What do we know of the details?
What is being said at this point?
ABDELAZIZ: Right, now the search and rescue operations are still ongoing, those can continue for another couple of days. We understand they are
essentially trying to pull survivors out of the ruins of that mall.
What we know happened is that yesterday afternoon, it's according to President Zelenskyy, This mall that had about 1,000 people inside of it,
air raid sirens went off. Those people started to evacuate. That is when a Russian missile struck the building.
Of course, causing a huge explosion, causing a huge fire that raged for hours. I have to note here, Becky, the mall is nowhere near the front
lines, nowhere near a battleground, it's in the center of Ukraine, far away from the fighting.
Russia for its part claims that it was hitting a weapons depot. But President Zelenskyy here is clear. He said it's an act of terrorism. He is
accusing Moscow of intentionally targeting civilians.
And he is calling for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss the matter -- Becky.
ANDERSON: The war taking its toll on the men of fighting age in Ukraine. You recently visited a training camp. Tell us what you witnessed.
ABDELAZIZ: Look, Russia's military might here has put Ukraine on the back foot. As leaders around the world have been meeting first in the G7 and now
NATO, what Russia has done is it has stepped up its attacks on the country.
It has done that clear message, that President Putin can hit Ukraine anywhere he wants, anytime that he wants. And for many civilians in
Ukraine, this is also their opportunity to step up to Russian aggression.
Many of them after the invasion signed up for what is called the territorial defense, actually a volunteer unit. And now with so many
soldiers dying on the front lines, they are needed more than ever, Becky take a look at what we found.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): When Russia invaded his country, Yuri Filatov quickly went from ordinary civilian to soldier in training.
YURI FILATOV, MEMBER OF THE TERRITORIAL DEFENSE Day when it all starts, I packed my family send it to the west of the country and roughly 26th of
February I joined Territorial Defense.
ABDELAZIZ: At an undisclosed location, these members of the territorial defense are learning to fight. Once a local volunteer militia, it is now a
branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces authorized for deployment to combat zones.
FILATOV: We all came here to protect our homes, our families,
ABDELAZIZ: Anyone can join. And with the country starved for fighters, anyone can end up on the battlefield. They were in IT, they're drivers,
teachers, they know nothing about military affairs, he says, that's why we decided to create this training program.
100 to 200 Ukrainian soldiers are dying every day, officials say.
(on camera): These men are not professional warriors. Their commanders admit they don't have enough training. Still, they could be used on the
front lines.
JACKY, INTERNATIONAL LEGION OF UKRAINE: Hey, I'm Jacky.
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Among the instructors here is Jack. He's from California. He says he served in the U.S. military for eight years.
JACKY: So I'm here with these men to help train their instructors so that they can train their men and gain the experience as quickly as possible.
ABDELAZIZ: There are other American volunteers fighting for Ukraine. Two of them, Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh are detained by Russian backed
separatists in Donetsk, a third American Grady Kurpasi is missing. Jacky says he's had his own close call.
JACKY: That was shot. Conducting operations with the Legion in Kyiv back in March, on through the wrist and into my liver. It was pretty touch and
go. I know my doctors told me they weren't sure if I was going to live or not.
ABDELAZIZ: He shows me why he believes he is needed here.
JACKY: American weapons big one is this guy right here. M2 50 caliber Browning machine gun.
[10:10:00]
ABDELAZIZ: So if you weren't here, would they be able to use this weapon or?
JACKY: Actually one of the problems before I got here is they were not able to use this weapon system.
ABDELAZIZ: Wow.
JACKY: Volunteers like me. Luckily, we're here to kind of fill some holes but it's not a good system.
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Facing a superior military power determined to crush Ukraine, these men say they have no choice but to fight back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: As you saw there, Becky, Ukraine, all along the front lines, is outmanned and outgunned. Serious questions as to how long they can sustain
this, dozens of soldiers dying every day on the front lines. Among, them the most experienced of Ukraine's army.
They are running out of weapons; meanwhile, Russia seems able to drag out the conflict much longer. President Putin's appetite for Ukrainian
territory seems to be growing. This is an existential battle, one that Ukraine cannot stand on its own -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Salma is on the ground for you in Kyiv in Ukraine, thank you.
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine is in the fifth month and while NATO leaders gather to discuss the collective's defenses, Vladimir Putin is in
central Asia to meet with his counterpart in Tajikistan.
Moody's has made Russia's default on its foreign debt official. The credit ratings agency predicts further defaults in the future. The White House
says that this shows the power of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow since it invaded Ukraine.
And at the G7 this week, leaders slapped on new measures, including a ban on importing new Russian gold. Also in play, the idea of a price cap on
Russian oil, limiting the amount of money that Moscow makes from the places to which it still is exporting.
Let's get to CNN's Clare Sebastian to dig a bit deeper on this.
As the world's wealthiest democracies, I'm talking G7, trying to tighten the screws on Vladimir Putin, cash from Russian oil and gas sales propping
up his war. India and China, it seems, are less squeamish about doing business with them than others.
How might this price cap that is being discussed work?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't know, Becky, and that is the big question and I think everybody understands the motivation behind it.
The fact that essentially so far sanctions we have seen have been undercut by the rising prices due to the disruption of the war in Ukraine.
Also as you say undercut by the fact that India has massively ramped up its purchase of Russian oil, China has ramped up quite a bit, too. And so there
are a few ideas on the table certainly from various experts. We have not really heard what the discussions at the G7 have focused on.
But that could include things like using insurance companies based in the G7, perhaps not insuring cargos that have bought Russian oil over the prize
cap; that can be secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil over the price cap.
It is tricky because, clearly, you have to incentivize other countries to be a part of, that and that's particularly complicated when it comes to
China and India. They are already getting Russian oil at a discount.
How much incentive a price cap would provide is really up for debate.
ANDERSON: G7 communique, talking about exploring additional measures such as price caps. Clearly a long way to go for that to be an option.
More Russian defaults expected, according to Moody's.
Just explain where we are at here and what's impact further defaults might have?
SEBASTIAN: So where we are at is that Moody's has said they believe that Russia is in default. A quick note on that is that Moody's is not assigning
a default rating to Russia because of E.U. sanctions. They are no longer allowed to do, that they've withdrawn their rating on Russian sovereign
debt as have the other major ratings agencies.
But Russia has apparently missed a deadline to pay interest on two euro bonds passed a few days ago. There are going to be more. And this is
because Russia has now said it will no longer try to pay the interest on its foreign debt in the currency that was it originally issued in, euros or
dollars.
There was an order put out by President Putin that sort of sets up a mechanism for them to pay their foreign debt, interest payments in rubles.
That according to Moody's would be considered a default if there was not a clause in the contract related to those bonds, that would allow for ruble
payment.
[10:15:00]
SEBASTIAN: In some cases, there are. So look, it could be messy, we could see in some cases bond holders suing and ending up in the courts.
Ultimately, no real practical impact on the Russian economy in the near time -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you, Clare.
Oil consuming nations are watching for Thursday's OPEC+ meeting, which would include Russia. Many hoping the cartel will pummel crude to tame
runaway prices. It's not as simple as that.
Next hour, chief OPEC correspondent will explain. Stay with us for that.
Turning now to the U.S. state of Texas, where at least 50 suspected migrants have died, 48 of them were found dead in the back of a semi truck
in San Antonio; two later died at the hospital. More than a dozen, some of them children, were found alive at the scene. San Antonio's fire chief
described their conditions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF CHARLES HOOD, SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT: They were suffering from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, no signs of water in the vehicle. It was a
refrigerated tractor trailer but there was no visible working AC unit on that rig.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: San Antonio's police chief says officers were alerted to the scene on Monday evening, when someone heard a cry for help coming from that
trailer. Temperatures outside were hotter than 37 degrees Celsius, around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
CNN reporter Priscilla Alvarez joining us live from San Antonio.
Authorities, Priscilla, have begun identifying some of the victims.
What do we know?
What are authorities, as they conduct this investigation, doing next to find the traffickers or the smugglers?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, this might be one of the deadliest incidents of its kind. A federal law enforcement official
tells me that as they identify the nationalities and the people who died, they have found that some of them were Mexican, some from Guatemala, some
from Honduras.
Others, they are still trying to identify. Consuls have been arriving here in San Antonio to help with that process. Now authorities have said that
three people are in custody though it is unclear exactly what their connection is to the incident.
But it has been turned over to the Department of Homeland Security. It is now a federal investigation and an ongoing one. As you mentioned, this is a
situation where at least 50 people have died. Yesterday, authorities said that 16 people are transported to the hospital, 12 adults, four pediatric,
meaning minors.
Authorities said at the time that, as you mentioned earlier, they had suffered from heat stroke and heat exhaustion. This is in a truck that was
under sweltering heat here in Texas, where temperatures have climbed into the triple digits.
We now know that two people were taken to the hospital; they have died. All of this is an ongoing investigation. It's a concerning one for officials
who have worried about this exact scenario as border crossings here have risen.
ANDERSON: Thank you.
Coming up on CONNECT THE WORLD, investigators heading to the scene of a deadly passenger train that crashed after it collided with a dump truck. We
are live in rural Missouri in the United States with more.
And in a surprising turn of events in Washington, one of the people closest to Donald Trump's inner circle is testifying to the January 6 committee in
a few hours. A preview of what she might reveal is coming up.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:20:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: Federal investigators will arrive on scene today of the deadly train derailment in the U.S. state of Missouri. At least three people were
killed and 50 injured. CNN's Alexandra Field reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The deadly crash happening in a rural part of Missouri and claiming three lives right in the middle of farm
country. It's cornfields as far as the eye can see.
And then the Amtrak train, seven of the eight cars flipped on their side, the train derailing after a collision at a crossing with a dump truck. The
driver of that dump truck killed as well as two other people on the train.
There were more than 200 people on board. Dozens of them injured when the train derailed. At least 18 people sent to hospitals. The other passengers
taken to a nearby high school.
The train had been traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago, investigators say they still don't know what caused the crash. But it happened at what is
called and uncontrolled crossing. That's a crossing without those flashing warning lights. It also doesn't have the electric arms that you might be
used to seeing at many train crossings.
However, this type of crossing is common in the area. The NTSB points out that there is a stop sign here as well.
A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators now deployed to Missouri. In the morning they will be starting their investigation on
the ground looking at all elements that could have contributed to the crash.
We know already that they'll be interested in the speed data from the route, other data recorded by the train and any video that Amtrak can
turnover -- In Mendon, Missouri, Alexandra Field, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We are hours away from a surprise hearing by the U.S. congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots. The
committee was supposed to be taking a break from public activities until mid July.
They announced this new hearing less than 24 hours ago. We have learned that the witness being called to testify is Cassidy Hutchinson, one of the
top aides to Donald Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
Hutchinson's testimony is expected to be significant due to her close proximity to Trump's inner circle. Jessica Schneider has been tracking the
January 6 investigation. She joins us now from Washington.
Why is there's so much secrecy about this hearing?
What do we know about the witnesses and the evidence that may be presented today?
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This was all shrouded in secrecy, especially the part that we did not know about this until
yesterday. We weren't expecting a hearing until mid July.
We're told, really, part of the reason for the secrecy is about mounting security concerns from the committee about the safety of these witnesses.
The concern as well about the members of this committee.
So we're expecting to see a scaled back hearing room today. That means possibly fewer audience members seen in previous hearings. When it comes to
Cassidy Hutchinson, we expect she will be the star witness. There may be others.
She does have the potential to deliver plenty of bombshells. That's because she was front and center inside the White House. She was privy to all kinds
of actions and conversations from the people who are the focus of this investigation.
That includes former president Trump, Mark Meadows, Giuliani, even Republican members of Congress. The committee has actually hinted that,
throughout her three private meetings with those members, she met behind closed doors, they say that she has broken new ground and perhaps that is
what we will hear about today.
We know several things about what she has told the committee. She talked about how her boss at the time, Mark Meadows, she says he approved of those
"Hang Mike Pence" chants that were coming from the rioters, who stormed the Capitol.
She also talked about how Trump complained about Pence being hustled to safety just as the Capitol was being breached. She's also talked about
several members of Congress, Republican members, who inquired about pardons around January 6th.
[10:25:00]
SCHNEIDER: Plus, other news outlets, they have reported that Hutchinson actually saw Meadows burn some documents after meeting with congress man
Scott Perry. We know that Perry has been one of the members pushing the scheme to overturn the election.
So she really does have a lot of inside details. Finally, Becky, you know, Hutchinson, it's interesting, she recently ditched her Trump affiliated
lawyer that she had been working with in favor of a long time Justice Department official.
His name is Jody Hunt (ph). He left DOJ in recent years to return to private practice. So she's now unbound by any Trump connections with her
lawyer. She could be ready to tell all. Becky, that really seems to be what the committee is promising here.
There's a lot of expectation for this surprise hearing, at a time we thought the committee was kind of going dark and we weren't going to hear
anything more for a while. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, we didn't expect to be scheduling CNN coverage and analysis of the hearing. But we are, of course, because that starts at 1 pm local --
sorry, Washington time -- today.
Do be sure to tune into CNN's coverage of the January the 6th hearings later today. You can watch that at 1 pm Washington and New York time; 6 pm
if you're in London, for example.
Ahead on the show, a deadly disaster at a Jordanian port city.
How did this massive leak of chlorine gas happen?
And what does the government plan to do to stop it from happening again?
Plus next hour, a judge is expected to hand down a sentence for British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for her role in sex trafficking young girls.
We're live at the New York courthouse for you after this.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: Welcome, back I'm Becky Anderson. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Here the time is just before half past 6 in the evening.
The Jordanian government says the air in the port city of Akaba (ph) is completely safe a day after a cloud of chlorine gas killed at least 13
people; 260 other people were injured on Monday, when a crane accidentally dropped a container, sending a huge cloud of yellow gas across the port.
As you can see here on Jordan's state-run television. Atika Shubert is tracking developments from Istanbul. She joins me now, live.
What is the latest on what happened?
And those who are injured?
[10:30:00]
ATIKA SHUBERT, JOURNALIST: Well, a lot of those who are injured have now been released from the hospital. And according to the Jordanian Center for
Security and Crisis Management, the air quality in Akaba (ph) has returned to normal. And most of the area of the port has been cleared.
However the exact site of the accident is still being cleared of any chlorine in the area. We have seen a number of workers in hazmat suits
there. The prime minister of Jordan has also issued an investigation into what happened.
It's pretty clear from the video that we saw, that a crane was transporting this tank full of chlorine gas when it seems to have slipped from its
holding and crashed onto the deck of the ship on the port. There you saw a bright yellow gas billow out.
So there will be an investigation into exactly what happened there. But in terms of the immediate area and the immediate danger, Jordan says that has
been cleared up and there is no danger to the area.
And initially, right after the accident, they had asked residents to hurry indoors, close all their windows and doors .There was some concern that the
chlorine could have drifted to nearby beach resorts.
Fortunately, however, there were not very strong winds. So the chlorine could be contained quite easily, says the Jordan government, Jordanian
government. And now as a result, they're giving the all clear Becky.
ANDERSON: Atika Shubert on the story for you. Thank you.
The Colombian president expressing his condolences after a fire inside of a prison left at least 49 people dead, 30 injured. You can see people
gathered near the prison, some of whom have family inside.
The director of the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute said there had been an attempted riot. This happened at the Tulua prison in Western
Colombia. Stefano Pozzebon joins me now from the Colombian capital.
What are the details as we understand?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, sadly the latest details is that two more people died in the hospital just about an hour ago. We got
updated figures from the Colombian Institute for Prisons. That means the total death total of this tragedy is climbing up to 51, With more than 20
people still receiving emergency attention and care in the local hospital due to fire woods (sic).
What happened and what we understand happened is at about 2 am local time, 3 am in the East Coast of the United States, the prisoners fired up a few
mattress as a measure to create a riot.
The Ministry for Prisons here in Colombia said that they were seeing clashes between different groups of prisoners in the same pavilion. That
fire, of course, escalated. And some of these prisoners, more than 50 people, died due to the fire.
So it's really a tragedy that once again puts on the spotlight on the traumatic conditions of inmates in South America's prisons. It's not the
first time sadly we at CNN, are covering such a tragedy Becky.
ANDERSON: Certainly, Stefano thank you.
Holding the rich and powerful to account, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell faces sentencing today for her role in abusing young girls. A live
report from the New York courthouse coming up.
Plus, expectations at Wimbledon. Serena Williams answered smiling, I have high goals. More details on the update for you.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:35:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: In the next hour, we will find out along Ghislaine Maxwell will be in prison. She is a British socialite, convicted of sex trafficking a
minor and other charges related to a conspiracy abuse young girls. Maxwell says her former boyfriend, Jeffrey Epstein, was the mastermind and that she
is a scapegoat.
CNN's Jean Casarez is in New York, outside of the courthouse as we await word from the judge.
Do we have at this point any sense of what kind of sentence the judge is likely to hand out?
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it could be potentially whatever the guidelines are and really whatever the judge wants, which would amount
to a life sentence for Ghislaine Maxwell.
She is being brought here, right behind me, to the federal courthouse from the Metropolitan Detention Center. She's been on suicide watch. But in that
courtroom, you are going to have up to eight victims. Victim impact statements will be read; there will be argument, then the judge will
pronounce the sentence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASAREZ (voice-over): From a jet-setting British socialite and philanthropist, to a convicted felon, Ghislaine Maxwell will face a New
York federal judge Tuesday morning to be sentenced for recruiting, grooming and trafficking minors from 1994 through 2004, with her romantic partner,
Jeffrey Epstein.
Prosecutors are asking the court to sentence the 61-year-old Maxwell from 30 to 55 years in prison. The prosecutor saying in the sentencing memo,
Ghislaine Maxwell sexually exploited young girls for years. It is difficult to overstate the magnitude of her crimes and the harm she caused.
Four women testified in 2021 at a federal trial in Manhattan that Maxwell built their trust by giving them gifts and pretending to be their friend
while grooming them for a life of sexual abuse by Epstein.
Prosecutors allege that Maxwell found vulnerable girls, typically from single mother households, in difficult financial circumstances. Maxwell was
convicted in the December 2021 of five felonies, including sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal
sexual activity and three counts of conspiracy, related to her role in Epstein's sexual abuse of young girls.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable, facilitating and participating in the
sexual abuse of children, crimes that she committed with her longtime partner and coconspirator, Jeffrey Epstein. The road to justice has been
far too long.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Epstein was arrested outside New York City July 2019 on sex trafficking charges. Weeks later, he was found dead in his federal
detention cell. Alleged victims would not give up.
VIRGINIA ROBERTS GIUFFRE, EPSTEIN VICTIM: It is not how Jeffrey died but it is how he lived. And we need to get to the bottom, everybody who is
involved with that, starting with Ghislaine Maxwell.
CASAREZ (voice-over): Maxwell was arrested one year later. In their sentencing memorandum, her attorneys implored the judge to take notice of
her academic degrees, entrepreneurial work ethic before Epstein and her supportive charitable organizations throughout the years.
"Ms. Maxwell cannot and should not bear all of the punishment for which Epstein should have been held responsible."
Additionally, they include letters from Maxwell's family and close friends.
"The effect of a father's psychologically abusive treatments of her foreshadowed Epstein's own ability to exploit, manipulate and control her."
Her family is expected at the hearing.
[10:40:00]
CASAREZ (voice-over): Maxwell's brother summed up the family's feelings last year in an interview with Sky News.
IAN MAXWELL, GHISLAINE'S BROTHER: I accept that these accusers were victims of Jeffrey Epstein. What I do not accept is that they were victims
of Ghislaine Maxwell.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASAREZ: And Maxwell may speak to the court, to the judge. Traditionally it is to beg for mercy.
But the question is, what will the sentence be?
Because the U.S. attorney's office is asking 30 to 55 years. The U.S. Office of Probation is recommending 20 years. And Ghislaine Maxwell wants
4-5 years. It's all in the hands of the judge, Becky.
ANDERSON: Interesting. All right, well, thank you.
You may have seen a double rainbow before.
But what about a double moon crater?
New photos from NASA shows a two overlapping craters, made from an unknown rocket part. At its longest, point the double crater measures about 28
meters across. Astronomers and NASA suspect pieces of debris from a 2014 Chinese mission to the moon made that impact.
(WORLD SPORT)
[11:00:00]
END
