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Erin Burnett Outfront
Dozens Injured In Swiss Train Collision; Source: Clintons Livid With Weiner Personally; Pope On Gays: "Who Am I To Judge?"; More than 100 Rescued in Child Prostitution Bust
Aired July 29, 2013 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Good evening, everyone. I'm Erin Burnett. We begin OUTFRONT with a developing story. Another major train crash tonight, this time in Switzerland. You're looking at the pictures. At least 40 people injured, five of them at this time, we are aware, very seriously. Two commuter trains collided head on just before 7:00 p.m.
The driver of one of the trains is still missing, but this is the third major transportation accident in Europe in less than a week. Thirty eight people were killed, 16 injured when a bus plunged nearly 100 feet down a steep ravine in Southern Italy late last night and the death count in the Spain train crash, 79 people killed and scored more injured in that high speed train derailment in Spain last Wednesday.
Karl Penhaul is OUTFRONT on all of these developing stories. Karl, what is the latest on the crash in Switzerland tonight?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, of course, night has fallen across the crash site there in Switzerland, and the latest we're hearing is that firefighters and paramedics are still on the scene. We know that they've taken away 40 people who were injured there, five of those seriously. But we also understand that firefighters are still trying to cut in to the cabin of the train, the engine itself, because they haven't found the driver of one of the locomotives yet. So still working frantically to try and find out exactly where he is and what condition he's in -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right, and, Karl, obviously, operator error, I know, is now being looked at front and center in the Spain train crash, where you're standing tonight. But could operator error be a factor in all of these horrible accidents?
PENHAUL: I think you have to look at the types of vehicles. Yes, we've got -- we've got trains here, but commuter trains and these Spanish high-speed trains travel at very different speeds, but certainly there is room to suspect that there could be an element of operator error here. Also in that Italian bus crash, we hear that there weren't even any skid marks on the road. Did the driver have time to brake or did he just fail to brake? So I think that's something the crash investigators will be looking at, in all three accidents. But, of course, there are maybe technical issues here that investigators will be keen to look at, too -- Erin.
BURNETT: Karl, you know, people obviously use trains a lot there, but also, buses, you see those buses careening around what appear to many Americans to be really tight corners and very small roads and yet, it seemed that they never crashed. Obviously, now, you have these horrific accidents. What are travelers telling you because I know you've had a chance to talk to some people who are there?
PENHAUL: Yes, absolutely. As you saw, I think that's a good point, typically the highway infrastructure here in Europe seems to be a little smaller, a little tighter bends, narrower highways than in the U.S. and so, somebody coming from the U.S. to Europe says, the roads look a little less safe than back in the states. We were talking to a couple from New York and they were saying three accidents, three back- to-back accidents, what are we supposed to do?
They came from Paris to here to Santiago, and they were going to move off to a different location tomorrow. Of course, we said to them, you know, here in Europe, we're used to traveling on trains, on buses. That's our way of life. I think the Europeans will be saying tonight, well, statistically, still, trains and buses are fairly safe bet. But of course, seeing the back-to-back accidents, people do just stand back a bit and say, what's going on right now -- Erin.
BURNETT: Yes, absolutely. All right, Karl Penhaul, thank you very much, reporting live tonight from Santiago, where that horrible train derailment was in Spain.
At the White House today, President Barack Obama had lunch with the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It was a beautiful day, it was an ail fresco lunch. I mean, look at this. It looks really heavenly, right? A White House spokesman said friendship was the only thing on the agenda. Just a chance for two former rivals turned friends to catch up.
The timing, of course, was interesting, because we have to wonder whether the two caught up on the scandal that's engulfed the woman Clinton has called a second daughter, her long time aide, Huma Abedin, wife of New York City mayoral hopeful Carlos Danger -- Anthony Wiener, sorry. A source close to Bill and Hillary Clinton tells CNN's Jessica Yellin, the couple is, quote/unquote, "livid" with Wiener, but only, strictly on the personal front.
The Clintons were told are angry only at how Weiner treated Abedin. They aren't angry at all about how Weiner's sexting scandal could affect Clinton's potential 2016 presidential bid as some have claimed.
OUTFRONT tonight Democratic strategist Kiki McLean and Tim Carney, senior political columnist for the "Washington Examinsr." OK, great to have both of you with us. Tim, let me start with you. Even if Wiener were to drop out today, the jokes borne from this scandal are likely to last a lot longer.
I mean, just this morning I woke up to, this full page ad from the New York Sports Club, "The New York Post," this is my picture I took on my new phone, Carlos Danger, we give extra attention to our members, too. I have to say they didn't even spell the word Wiener. They used the same ad in the "Boston Globe."
And a reader of the "Globe" tweeted out that picture. Wiener has dropped from first place to last place in the New York City race. His campaign manager has dropped out. Obviously, bad press for him, his wife, but the Clintons too. Do you buy it, that the Clintons only care on a personal basis not professionally?
TIM CARNEY, COLUMNIST, "WASHINGTON EXAMINER": Well, I do think that it does bring back the memories of Bill Clinton. Everybody is talking about not just because of the Hillary thing, but because we have a public official who repeatedly got caught in the same problem, who repeatedly lied in public about it. So it reminds people of Bill Clinton.
I would say personally, I think Anthony Wiener looks worse. When it comes to fitness for public office, we're reminded Bill Clinton lied to the public and under oath, and he abused his power, and so, at least Wiener has a defense that he didn't abuse his power as a congressman to try to cover up the scandal.
BURNETT: Now Kiki, a lot of interest in the Weiner scandal has to do with Huma frankly and her connection to Hillary Clinton. That's just the way it is. You can't ignore it. When you listen to what Hillary Clinton said about her husband's scandal versus what Huma Abedin said about Anthony Wiener, there are some eerie similarities. Here they are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I think it's real dangerous in this country if we don't have some zone of privacy for everybody.
HUMA ABEDIN, ANTHONY WEINER'S WIFE: I do very strongly believe that that is between us and our marriage.
CLINTON: I'm sitting here, because I love him, and I respect him, and I honor what he's been through and what we've been through together.
ABEDIN: I love him. I have forgiven him. I believe in him and as we have said through the beginning, we are moving forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Kiki, how does replaying that specific moment of Hillary and Bill Clinton, which frankly a lot of people have forgotten. I mean, that moment on the couch -- how does that not hurt Hillary Clinton?
KIKI MCLEAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Look, the reality is what you're seeing are different people in the world have different experiences in their marriage, and what you see in common is what most couples in America and around the world, frankly, say which is that what goes on in their marriage is between them.
Where Anthony Wiener and Huma Abedin chose to put themselves in public life, they came out in front of the press and they answered those questions. They haven't run away from that element of it. But at that point, that's where it stops. Everyone's marriage is private. The only two people who know what goes on in any marriage are the two people in it. And I suspect, Erin, you would say that about your life and I would certainly say that about my life.
BURNETT: Well, I mean, I guess that's certainly true. The question is, though, when it becomes public, everyone has a right to judge whether they want someone who would engage in those things to be in public --
CARNEY: Are we judging --
MCLEAN: I don't know if it's about a right to judge and Huma did not hide from the camera. She stepped up at a press conference and told folks where she stood on this issue of the campaign and her decision to be there. After that, she is right, that everybody is a human being. Even if you choose to be a public servant or engage in public life, at a certain point, at your most basic form, you are a human being and there are lines --
CARNEY: The question with Bill Clinton and Anthony Wiener again is not did they do something --
MCLEAN: They're two different people.
CARNEY: Spitzer did something that was morally wrong. I don't think it reflects on him as badly because he didn't lie about it in public. Unlike with Bill Clinton, there was no idea that he was abusing his power to do it. Now, how it hurts Hillary Clinton, though, this is where I think I might agree with Kiki, we would have to judge their marriage in order to judge her. Maybe some voters are willing that she got into the marriage to become president. I'm not going to do that.
MCLEAN: This is about something personal. I think that whatever choice voters have in 2016, it's about their lives and not someone else's and not a headline today.
BURNETT: All right, well, thank you very much both of you. We appreciate it. Let us know, everyone, what you think, whether you think the Anthony Wiener scandal will hurt Hillary Clinton or not.
Still to come, Pope Francis shocks some of his flock with his latest statements. How worried should conservative Catholics be tonight?
And then, the biggest investigation of its kind, why the FBI arrested 150 people this weekend?
And Rapper Nellie speaks out for the first time since he appeared on stage with Amanda Berry, the woman held captive for ten years. He speaks out right here OUTFRONT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Our second story, OUTFRONT, gay priests in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis may have opened the door to accepting gay priests during a news conference after telling reporters today he will not judge priests based on their sexual orientation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE FRANCIS (through translator): If a person is gay and accepts the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge them?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: All right, that could be a significant statement, right, but then the pope continued to say that if a priest is committed a sin, the Lord forgives and when the Lord forgives, the lord forgets, which does still define being gay as a sin. So is this a change or not?
OUTFRONT tonight, Father Gary Meier, an openly gay priest in St. Louis, Brian Finnerty, U.S. communications director of Opus Dei and John Avlon, a CNN political contributor. All right, great to have all of you with us.
Father Meier, I want to start with you. The pope spoke candidly for 82 minutes on that plane after a very long trip. That surprised everybody and he took, you know, un -- non-preset questions from reporters during that time. Are you optimistic about his statement on gays in the church, or are you worried that he put it in the same casing as it's always been in?
FATHER GARY MEIER: I'm optimistically cautious, right? I think there's some optimism here. This is one of the first statements that we've heard from any Catholic official in years that hasn't been a harsh anti-gay stance. So the fact that he's not willing to judge might inspire other people to not judge the homosexual person as readily as they do.
BURNETT: And what do you think, Brian? I mean, because he obviously said I don't want to judge. But then he sort of -- he went down the path of, well, it's a sin, and if the lord forgives, I forgive. So he's still saying being homosexual is a sin. Do you really see a change like a lot of the headlines are presenting this as?
BRIAN FINNERTY, U.S. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, OPUS DEI: Well, I think, he in fact, is reaffirming Catholic teaching. What he's saying is that homosexuality is wrong, but we should treat all people with dignity and compassion and respect. In fact, in his statement, he referred to catechism in the Catholic Church, which basically says exactly those two points, but I think --
BURNETT: What is the bottom line, in layman's terms, though, the way the Church is right now? You can be gay, but you can't actual engage in sexual acts as a gay person?
FINNERTY: Exactly. Exactly.
BURNETT: That's it -- okay --
FINNERTY: He is saying the church loves everybody, including gays, but to engage in homosexual activity is wrong. BURNETT: So John, you wrote an article this weekend when you talked about the pope's style, as he was presenting things. Obviously, a big departure from anybody during our lifetime we've seen in terms of popes with that hour-and-a-half on the plane, just coming back there and yapping. I mean, that was unbelievable, right? How do you interpret these latest -- yes, right. How do you interpret this, though?
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think this is fascinating. Remember, this is on the heels of that triumphant trip to Rio for World Youth Day. You're seeing in under six months Pope Francis really transform, I think, the optics surrounding the Catholic Church. Remember, his predecessor Pope Benedict famously said a smaller church was fine. You want to have a smaller church with more devout believers, that's okay.
In contrast, I think Pope Francis is pursuing a big tent. This is a radical inclusiveness he is pursuing, reaching out to youth in particular, saying that even atheists can go to heaven if they do good works. And now this statement about homosexuals. It's a very significantly different tone, and it's fascinating and it's inspiring.
BURNETT: Father Meier, do you agree with that? Because you hear Brian saying, look, he's still going with the technical teachings of the Church. And obviously in 2010 as a cardinal in Argentina, Pope Francis at the time said "same-sex marriage is a destructive attack on God's plan." I'm quoting him, and, a, quote, "move by the devil." But it sounds like even if he is sticking with traditional catechism on that plane, what he said on that plane was much more open-minded than those, frankly, horrific comments.
FR. GARY MEIER: Correct, I agree with you, Erin. He's certainly -- I'm hoping this is a possible door opening to at least have the discussion about homosexuality. In particular, how the teaching on homosexuality in the Catholic tradition is hurting our young people. I'm just convinced that it is some of our rhetoric and some of the hostility that various hierarchial people have put forth have just been harmful to our youth.
BURNETT: And Brian, do you think he's going to welcome homosexuals as priests? Will that be the next step?
FINNERTY: I don't think he is ever going to welcome priests engaging in homosexual activity. But I think a lot of people right now --
BURNETT: Technically, as a priest, you aren't supposed to engage in sexual activity, hetero or homo.
FINNERTY: That's true.
BURNETT: Right? So if he is going to say - so theoretically, he could welcome them and be completely consistent with catechism.
FINNERTY: Maybe --
BURNETT: Logistically, I'm saying. Right? Because you said you can be gay but not act on it. So he could welcome gay priests.
FINNERTY: Well, the Vatican has said that basically if someone has deep-seeded homosexual tendencies, that's a problem. But I think what Pope Francis is emphasizing more -- more than anything else is, hey, listen, he loves people. He has Christ's heart. You see him there, you know, see him there with millions of -- with a million people there in the open, driving his security people crazy.
BURNETT: Right.
FINNERTY: -- riding the subway to work, as an archbishop. I mean, he really loves people, he wants to bring Christ's love and --
BURNETT: And we got to leave, John Avlon, but I have to say this. He said no to women priests.
AVLON: Yes. You know -- he's pope. He's got to support basic Church doctrine. But the tone, radical inclusive, it's really exciting.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks very much to all three of you. We appreciate you taking the time.
FINNERTY: Thank you.
BURNETT: Still to come, a story we've followed for months. A landmark case in Kentucky: can same-sex marriage couples refuse to testify against each other like heterosexual couples can?
Plus, one of the most dramatic heists in history. A thief able to disappear with $136 million in jewels this weekend.
And the very latest from a major building collapse in Philadelphia today. We're going to go there in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Our third story OUTFRONT: gay rights in the courtroom. Tomorrow, there is a hearing in a landmark case that we've been following here on OUTFRONT, whether same-sex partners can refuse to testify against each other. That is a right given to every married couple in this country. But in Kentucky, one woman could be forced to testify against her wife in an upcoming murder trial because their marriage is not recognized by the state of Kentucky.
John Zarrella is OUTFRONT with their exclusive story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors say this woman, Bobbi Joe Clary, is a killer. It was nearly two years ago. Clary says it was self-defense, claiming she was being raped, fought back with a hammer, and killed a man she says was attacking her. If convicted, Clary could be sentenced to death by lethal injection. Prosecutors say the only other person who knows the truth is Geneva Case, and she's not talking.
(on camera): Why is it that you don't want to testify?
GENEVA CASE, REFUSES TO TESTIFY AGAINST WIFE: The issue is I have the right -- our relationship is our relationship, and I feel that I should be equal to everybody else. We should be the same. I should be the same as you. And I love her, and I think that, you know, we should have the same opportunity as anybody else out here.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Case is invoking spousal privilege, commonly used in court cases to protect spouses from testifying against each other. Case talked exclusively with CNN but would not discuss what she knows about the killing. She says she and Clary were separated at the time. But it was just a spat.
(on camera): So you still love Bobbi Jo?
CASE: Yes, I do, very much.
ZARRELLA: Even after all this?
CASE: Even after all this. I'll always love her.
ZARRELLA: The two women entered into a civil union in Vermont a decade ago. But the problem is, this isn't Vermont. It's Kentucky. And here, same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned. Prosecutors would not talk with us before the hearing, but in a court filing, they wrote, quote, "the husband/wife privilege, which protects spousal testimony and marital communications, is not applicable in this case, because the marriage of Bobbi Jo Clary and Geneva Case is not a marriage in Kentucky." They are asking the court to order Case to testify. If she refuses -
(on camera): You can go to jail.
CASE: No.
ZARRELLA: It doesn't --
CASE: I'm not --
ZARRELLA: It doesn't bother you?
CASE: No.
ZARRELLA: You'd go to jail rather than testify?
CASE: I'm not going to say I would go to jail. But I want to get it across that this is -- this should be -- we should all be equal.
ZARRELLA: Experts say the Supreme Court ruling that California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage was illegal doesn't change things in Kentucky. But attorneys representing Case and Clary say it opens a pathway.
LIDDELL VAUGHN, ATTORNEY: I think it helped us, and the way it helps us, it shows our federal level, especially at the Supreme Court level, is willing to take a hard look at issues that affect the social makeup of our society.
ZARRELLA: Case told detectives during an interview two years ago that Clary admitted the killing, but said it was self-defense. And Case told the detectives she saw her spouse clean blood out of the dead man's car. If Geneva Case doesn't testify, her interview with police may ultimately be her only words on record in court.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: Now, prosecutors and the defense do not believe the judge is going to rule from the bench tomorrow, but they do expect a quick ruling if, for no other reason, than the murder trial is scheduled to begin August 30th. Erin?
BURNETT: All right, thank you very much, John. We'll have another special report from John Zarrella tomorrow.
And still to come, a massive FBI investigation coming to a triumphant end. 105 children rescued in this country. Fifty arrested. Details next.
Plus, a reporter live tweets from his mother's deathbed. All of the details. A touching tribute? Or did it go too far?
And Amanda Berry was one of three women held captive for a decade, and she appeared on stage with rapper Nelly this weekend. Nelly is OUTFRONT next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Welcome back to the second half of OUTFRONT.
We start with stories where we focus on our reporting from the front lines. And I want to begin with what's happening at this moment. Israeli and Palestinian leaders are gathering in Washington. They're going to sit down tonight together at the negotiating table for the first time in three years. The last time they tried, those talks collapsed in just a month. They didn't get anywhere.
The goal is to establish a Palestinian state in the way that works for Israel. President Obama says the talks are a promising step forward, but expert Aaron David Miller tells us the gap on the core issues are wide, mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians is deep. Think Grand Canyon.
However, he, along with others, say the effort is a bet worth trying.
Well, the judge in the court martial of Bradley Manning is expected to announce her verdict at 1:00 Eastern Time tomorrow. Manning is the former army intelligence analyst charged with the largest leak of classified information in American history. Manning faces life in prison if found guilty of the most serious charge, which is aiding the enemy.
Military law attorney Lisa Windsor tells us it's clear beyond a reasonable doubt that he publicized classified information without regard for national security. She says it's likely the judge will hand down a guilty verdict on all charges in the case. Then, of course, it goes to the punishment phase. And, of course, with treason, things like that, it could go to death.
Well, the U.N. and France are hailing Mali for a peaceful presidential election, a milestone, given the violence that has plagued the West African nation, since the coup over a year ago. France called it a great success. "Reuters" estimates participation at some polling stations was between 55 percent and 65 percent, which would be a record.
But here's the problem. For the 173,000 refugees in neighboring countries, only 10,000 of them even registered to vote and early numbers show only about 1,200 of them actually did. So that means basically all, essentially, not all, but a lot, most, of the half a million Malians who have fled the war didn't actually get to vote at all.
Well, at least eight people were injured in Philadelphia today at a home collapse and apparent explosion. I'm going to look at the pictures here. As you can see, authorities say a contractor was doing work in a vacant home and it came down. This is what it looked like after the incident, as you can see. Before on the left, after on the right. So total obliteration.
Witnesses said they smelled gas. Another young man said a baby was on fire and thrown out the window to firefighters. Today's collapse comes less than two months after a building collapse in Philadelphia killed six people.
Well, it has been 723 days since this country lost its top credit rating. What are we doing to get it back? Well, in order to get it back, you have to have money to bay down the debt, and jobs and prosperity are required for that. This week, fast-food workers are going on strike to demand higher wages and the right to unionize.
The median pay, which means the most common pay for the nearly 50,000 fast-food workers in New York City, just to give you an example, is $18,500 a year. In New York City, that is $5,000 below the poverty line. Many workers are asked to be paid a minimum of $15 an hour, which would be more than double the minimum wage.
And now our fourth story OUTFRONT: The biggest child prostitution crackdown in FBI history. The agency today announcing a nationwide bust dubbed "Operation Cross-Country." There were 150 arrests and more than 100 children were rescued and these children were between the ages of 13 and 17. The sweep was in 76 American cities, involving more than 230 law enforcement units. It's a pretty incredible feat.
And Joe Johns is OUTFRONT.
And, Joe, how did the FBI actually go about -- I'm curious how long this took, too, to identify the people that they wanted to go after here and arrest.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: You know, actually, Erin, this is an operation that's been going on for years.
BURNETT: Yes.
JOHNS: Quite frankly. And from time to time, they go out and round up a bunch of people that they've been looking at a long time. Local police on the ground know what's going on in their communities, right? They know when there's a child out there walking the streets. They also know which alleged pimps seem to be moving prostitutes from city to city, state to state.
They get intelligence and information about social media, Internet traffic in the area that seems to feature young girls and gather up all of the information, so that when the feds step in, they figure out who could be targeted in the street. Whether a pimp gets state or federal charges, sort of is a question of whatever the facts are on the ground, Erin.
BURNETT: So, Joe, what about the girls? I mean, these are young girls, more than 100 of them. What's the next step for them, and how do they find them? I mean, what I found shocking looking at this story today, is how this is, you know, as incredible as this was, a victory for the FBI, a drop in the bucket compared to the number of young girls in this country who are being sexually exploited.
JOHNS: No question. That's absolutely right. And the fact of the matter is young prostitutes used to be treated as part of the problem, and now, they're starting to be treated more like victims, which is what they really are.
The really sad fact is that all these kids taken off the streets. You end up hearing a lot about recidivism, too. They return to the streets, sometimes because they don't have anywhere else to go.
So, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children say they need things like group homes, therapy, some alternative so they can stop this lifestyle and stop believing that the people who are putting them out there are their friends.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Joe Johns.
And now, I want to go to Cleveland where kidnapping survivor Amanda Berry is trying to move on with her life. You know, over the weekend, the 27-year-old, who was held captive for more than a decade, made a public appearance when she joined rapper Nelly on stage during a concert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NELLY, RAPPER: I know you're strong after everything you've been through -- shout out to Amanda Berry, too! Make sure we get that in!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
NELLY: That's how you tell the pulse of the city by the people that appreciate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Berry appeared with her sister. And while she didn't speak, she smiled and danced as Nelly performed at the annual Roverfest.
OUTFRONT tonight is Nelly. He has a new album called "Mo," which is coming out in September. And he's here for his first interview since the concert.
And, Nelly, I really appreciate you taking the time. What struck you the most about Amanda Berry?
NELLY: Well, what stuck with me the most, first of all, that she had a smile on her face, you know -- that's one of the most impressive things to me, considering everything that she had been through. You know, for me to be kind of, like, the first situation that, you know, that she was involved in herself in as far as being out in public, I thought, you know, wow, that was special.
BURNETT: You know, just looking there at the video, Nelly, of her on stage, you know, she looked happy. She looked comfortable. She looked totally normal. And when people think about what she was going -- you know, what she went through and none of us can even imagine the horror, you know, what went through your mind when you saw that and you saw sort of the power of what you do and what it was doing to her.
NELLY: Right. I mean, that's -- that was one of the most amazing parts, again. I didn't know that this was, you know, her first appearance publicly since the situation, until, you know, later on after, because we really didn't think nothing of it at the time. I mean, we met her backstage. We took pictures, we hugged. You know, and everything. And it was, like, yo, you guys want to join me, you know, on the side of the stage and all of that, you're more than welcome.
And they did. You know, just bringing her up to show her some love. Again, it was just a moment of, yo, you know, we're here, I just wanted to say, yo, how inspired I am by your courage and everything. And I would be honored if, you know, you came up here and, you know, sung "Just a Dream" with me.
She expressed she was a Nelly fan. I was, like, whoa. You know, considering she hadn't been -- it's been, like, 10 years, so that was dope (ph).
BURNETT: All right. It must have been a pretty incredible thing.
But, Nelly, I've got to ask you one question, though, before you go. Just, obviously, I know you sang a really nice song for her. And you have this special moment.
But, you know, rappers like you, you know, have been criticized, right, for some of the songs, people say some of your lyrics, they objectify women. You know, one of them, your most popular songs, it's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes, I'm getting so hot, I want to take my clothes off. You talk about the F-word with models in some of your songs. When you see her and what a difference you're making in her life, that you were able to have this impact. Do you ever think twice about the lyrics?
NELLY: Never, never. Because that's what music is, it's a creative expression. And sometimes I'm feeling like hot in here, and other times I'm feeling like the way we were feeling that day.
And that's what music is. You know, it's artistic. You know, it's emotion, and it's all kind of emotions that you go through during life. So, for you to just say you make music just one way is to say, well, so, you know, every day you're feeling the same way? That's impossible.
We express several different personalities through our music. And as an artist, I think, as a genuine artist, I think you're allowed to do that.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Nelly, thank you very much. We appreciate your time.
NELLY: No problem. Thank you.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks to Nelly. I want to bring in psychiatrist, Dr. Charles Sophy, now. He was here with us when the story broke in early May, and he's now here to talk about, you know, Amanda's recovery and the other girls, as well.
And now, Dr. Sophy, when you see Amanda Berry there with Nelly having such a fun time, you know, as he said -- she said, look, I'm a Nelly fan, you know, one of the songs she knew and knew every word to, you know, was a song that was -- that he had recorded while she was in captivity. What do you make of this?
DR. CHARLES SOPHY, PSYCHIATRIST: Well, I think it's a wonderful thing that she can find within herself the ability to stand up in front of a lot of people. She can access joy in herself and some happiness, distract herself. But I also think we need to be careful, because underneath all of this is the framework of a lot of trauma.
BURNETT: And let me just show there's some video of her when she came out later and she was dancing. We don't know who she was with, but, you know, some -- a young man that she knew, very comfortable with, kissing her on the neck. We have that video. And I think our viewers may have noticed it a moment ago, I was playing it while Nelly was talking.
What do you make of that? This is the video here. I don't know if you can see it. The man in the blue and white-striped shirt kissing her, and if she is moving on with her life, romantically, is that a good thing?
SOPHY: Well, it's definitely something that is a positive step for her, as long as it's built within the framework of her treatment. Because to go out and experience life is a wonderful thing, but she needs to make sure she's bringing it back to be able to discuss it so that her judgment (AUDIO GAP) sound place, not from a traumatic framework.
BURNETT: And, Dr. Sophy, one more question, Amanda Berry now out in the public, and having this moment which seems to be a special and a good thing. Her fellow captive, though, Gina DeJesus, has been reserved. I'll play them very quickly and tell you something that Gina DeJesus just did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANDA BERRY, KIDNAP VICTIM: I want to thank everyone who has helped me and my family, through this entire ordeal. Everyone who has been there to support us has been a blessing to have such an outpouring of love and kindness.
GINA DEJESUS, KIDNAP VICTIM: I would say thank you for support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: A local affiliate visited Gina DeJesus and her mother and asked them about six-foot privacy fence that she's had put in. And she said, "Look, I really wanted it. It meant a lot to me." That's a direct quote from her.
What does it say to you that she wants that?
SOPHY: Well, I think it's a good thing that she can access empathy, sympathy, thanking others. But she also wants some privacy, because that's a smart thing to do, to be able to make a judgment that I can't be out there full force. I need time to integrate myself, slow steps to a bigger picture.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it, Dr. Sophy.
SOPHY: Thank you.
BURNETT: And still to come, one of the most daring heists in history. How a thief made off with $136 million in jewels.
Plus, a reporter live tweeting from his mother's deathbed. A touching tribute -- or did it go too far?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: And we're back with tonight's "Outer Circle," where we reach out to our sources. We begin with Egypt, where protests over the ouster of President Mohamed Morsy aren't slowing down. Violent clashes in Cairo this weekend led to dozens being killed or injured, and some are saying it's likely to get worse before it gets better.
Reza Sayah is there tonight.
And, Reza, what are you seeing?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Erin, tension has been escalating for days now in this conflict. We're on one side. You have the military-backed interim government. On the other side, you have the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsy.
These two sides have been in a deadlock. But the violence is escalating on the streets. Over the weekend, more than 70 killed in what was the deadliest day of clashes, dating back to the 2011 revolution. There are more signs that a possible crackdown is coming against the brotherhood, but today, a glimmer of hope with the arrival of the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. She's going to be meeting with authorities, and also allowed to meet with Mr. Morsy, the former president. Many eager to see if she can play the role of mediator in this conflict -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Reza, thank you.
And now, I wan to go to France where a robber made off with close to $136 million in precious jewels, a number that, by the way, surged stratospherically, exponentially, algorithmically, whatever word you want to use, after a dramatic heists in the resort city of Cannes.
Erin McLaughlin is there.
And, Erin, how is the thief able to pull this off?
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, it was 11:30 on Sunday when people had gathered here at the Carlton Hotel to look at the Leviev diamond exhibition, when all of a sudden a man with a space-covered head in a cap walked into the hotel carrying a semiautomatic weapon and threatened to shoot both the exhibiters and the guests before walking out with what prosecutors now say is over $100 million worth of jewelry.
Now, there was security present at the time. Prosecutors say that security was unarmed. Plenty of questions remain as to how this could have happened, why the necessary security was not in place to protect the jewelry and what is looking like one of the biggest gem thefts in contemporary European history -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks to Erin.
And now, let's check in with Anderson Cooper with a look at "A.C. 360" on a Monday.
Hey, Anderson.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Erin.
Yes, ahead on the program tonight, we have a special "Keeping Them Honest" report, Drew Griffin looking for shady rehab clinics in California, clinics that file bogus claims for phantom patients, and guess what, all of us are paying the bills. Details ahead on that.
Plus, his son has been called a whistle-blower by some, a trader by others. Lon Snowden joins us to talk about NSA Edward Snowden, who's been holed up in a Moscow airport for weeks. He says the American people do not know the whole truth. We'll ask him to fill in the blanks.
And more on the FBI's biggest child prostitution sting to date, 150 arrests made, more than 100 children rescued. We'll speak to child safety advocate John Walsh about what needs to be done to put a stop to these crimes in the future.
Those stories and tonight's ridiculous, and a lot more at the top of the hour, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Anderson, see you in just a few minutes.
And now, our fifth story: tweeting someone's dying moment.
So, over the past few days, NPR host Scott Simon has been tweeting from his mother's bedside at a Chicago hospital, where she's dying. The tweets to his 1.2 million followers are both heartwarming and sad. For instance, when, this one -- "When she asked for my help last night, we locked eyes. She calmed down. A look of love that surpasses understanding."
A very emotional and public farewell. Has this changed what's private forever or are some things too personal to share?
OUTFRONT tonight, Dean Obeidallah, Stephanie Miller and Reihan Salam.
Good to have all of you with us.
And, Dean, let me start with you.
One of Scott's tweets this afternoon, "Her passing might come at any moment, or in an hour, or not for a day. Nurses saying hearing is the last sense to go, so I sing and joke."
I have huge respect for Scott Simon. He does a wonderful job. These tweets took a lot of courage to send out.
But are these moments too personal to share with 1.2 million people?
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, POLITICAL COMEDIAN: Obviously, it's a personal choice. I think the only downside is that if you're tweeting, you miss the last words with somebody, and you're like, what did you say, and they're gone. So, you know, with all kidding aside, I think that for me, it's a way of sharing with people, getting emotional support.
From a psychological point of view, I talked to my sister and brother in all who are both psychologists. This is a way of getting emotional support of a community. And it can make you feel better and be cathartic at the same time.
BURNETT: Stephanie, what do you think?
STEPHANIE MILLER, RADIO SHOW HOST: You know, Erin, I don't know if this is. I don't know if it's generational. You know, my mom is 90, and she refuses to get a computer. She calls my brother's computer Bill's machine if I want to send her anything.
BURNETT: Yes.
MILLER: I would sense that she would want me to share this kind of private stuff. I think every decision is personal. I think -- I've lost my dad many years ago, but I just think that there is something that's happening.
I went on vacation with a friend and I said, Roland, we haven't made eye contact for three days, please put your iPhone down. Like, I just think there -- and I'm just saying for me. I'm not judging him. I just think there's something personal about being in the moment and living those moments and then maybe sharing them later.
BURNETT: Right. Of course, obviously, it's an inherently personal decision. He's thought long and hard about it. This come to this decision he wants to share this, Reihan.
But it is this moment in a sense that we could see a change that things that we have always perceived to be deeply personal and private might not be.
SALAM: Well, it's always interesting because it's generational. Scott Simon comes from a different generation that a lot of the young people have been the most enthusiastic adopters of social media. And one of the things I'm concerned about is how people -- I think Stephanie makes an excellent point. What's going to happen when you age, having grown up with this technology and having this technology mediate a lot of with your most intimate personal moments.
And the idea of being distracted from having real, robust exchanges in the moment with people. Basically, we have these machines that give you access to the most stimulating, most entertaining content from CNN.com, for example, or from other wonderful Web sites you could possibly have -- competing with talking to your friend, talking about your day with your parents over dinner, something like that, these basic things that build connections.
When you're competing with Nelly and other people, and an independent variety of music and video, versus those personal relationships, what happens to you over time. I think that's something we really ought to be concerned about that?
BURNETT: Stephanie before she passed away, Farrah Fawcett's video diary was turned into a two-hour documentary called "Farrah's Story", which detailed her battle with cancer.
And I just want to play a very quick clip from that. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FARRAH FAWCETT, ACTRESS: I was thinking, how much I would miss the rain sometimes. I wonder whether I would be able to experience it from heaven.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: "The New York Times" at the time reviewed that and said, it was awful because it was an exploitative portrait of a celebrity's fight with cancer. Obviously, the world seems to have really changed then.
MILLER: Well, I think you're right, Erin. You know, we're in such a Facebook and a Twitter universe, you know? And maybe, again, it is generational. I would be really uncomfortable sharing my loved one's private moments like that, or deaths with the world.
I mean, again you can I have talked about things later on my radio show. I guess maybe I can't understand how you could do it when you're in the middle of a loved one dying. That would be hard for me.
OBEIDALLAH: I think that's part of his healing, he's coping with a difficult thing. He's sharing with his friends. His Twitter followers to him are not just people in cyberspace, they are able to help him cope with this.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks to all three of you.
And everyone please let us know what you think, whether it would be too personal to do or not.
Still to come, there's something fishy about the latest insider trading scandal. And we're not talking about the tuna.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Every night, we take a look outside the day's top stories for what we call the OUTFRONT Outtake. And tonight, insider trading is on the docket. It's been an ugly part of the American stock market for decades and probably human trading for history. But, now, the federal government is very serious about stopping it. On Thursday, federal prosecutors announced a five count criminal indictment against a major money management firm called SAC Capital.
The investigation has already ensnared eight existing or former employees, six of them have pleaded guilty. And yet, there's one name conspicuously absent from the indictment, Steven A. Cohen, the SAC Capital, founder and owner.
He's earned about $9 billion since starting the company, apparently about 6 million bucks a year, he's the guy in charge, it's his name on the door. And yet, despite trying and trying and trying, they did not find a way to personally name him in any of the charges.
SEC employs about 1,000 people, and the feds can't figure out how to prove Cohen was a participant rather than just a really bad manager. It's true, he's safe from criminal prosecution despite being the head of a company where insider trading was quoting the government substantial, pervasive, and on a scale without known precedent in the hedge fund industry. And that is saying something, people. That is the federal government's idea about insider trading, charged the firm and believe it will cow the leader of the entire thing.
Did it work? Well, just two days after the charges were filed against the company, Steven A. Cohen himself threw a huge party, a lavish affair at his 10- bedroom, 9,000 square foot Hamptons home this weekend was attended by a few dozen people who were reportedly dined on 2,000 bucks worth of tuna.
It's admirable that federal prosecutors are trying to stomp out insider trading. But if the people running the companies under investigation don't take the investigation seriously, why should we?
"A.C. 360" starts right now.
