Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Thousands Protest Zimmerman Verdict; Heat Wave Across Country; Hostess Products Back in Stores; Autopsy Today for "Glee" Star Cory Monteith; JK Rowling's Mystery Novel Sales Soar
Aired July 15, 2013 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Violent protests overnight across the country. Thousands outraged after George Zimmerman is found not guilty of murder.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At that point, everyone was really frantically by hand trying to dig him out. Once I had a hold of his head, to support his head, and I was talking to him, you know, like I would talk to my own son.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Terror in the dunes, swallowed by sand, a sinkhole buries a young boy 14 feet underground. The dramatic rescue ahead.
BROWN: And royal baby watch. Will and Kate's child expected any day now as the world anxiously awaits. We are live.
ROMANS: All right. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. John Berman has a much deserved day off today. John's not watching. He's asleep.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: I hope he's asleep.
BROWN: Thanks so much for being here with us, everyone. I'm Pamela Brown, 5:30 in the east.
ROMANS: All right. On the march, protests went on into the early morning hours just a day after a jury acquitted George Zimmerman of murder and manslaughter in the death of unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin. Thousands took to the streets across the country upset over the verdict. These pictures from New York where marchers went across in Manhattan's Time's Square scuffled with police while holding signs, demanding justice.
In Los Angeles, protesters were on the streets late into the night, at one point, blocking traffic, including on Interstate 10. Some threw rocks and batteries, but police say most were peaceful. There were large demonstrations in Boston, also large demonstrations in Oakland, too.
Also speaking out, some of Trayvon Martin's relatives as John Zarrella tells us their message was one of healing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The message from Ayisha Fulton, Trayvon Martin's cousin, was clear, direct.
AYISHA FULTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S COUSIN: We don't want this to happen to anyone else again. There's no reason for this to happen to any other families. No one should have to go through this.
ZARRELLA: Felton and her mom and dad attended Sunday services at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens. Miami Gardens is the neighborhood where Trayvon Martin grew up, and it is this church where his family are members. Neither Trayvon's mother, Sybrina Fulton, nor his father, Tracy martin, came to services here Sunday, not that anyone really expect that they would, but Pastor Arthur Jackson said he talked with Sybrina this morning.
PASTOR ARTHUR JACKSON, ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH: They're very upset. They're very heartbroken, as you can imagine, as any parent would be at the senseless tragedy of losing a child. But I applaud her. I commend her faith in God. She still trusts in God amid the trial.
ZARRELLA: Sybrina, Pastor Jockson, says told him to tell the congregation she wants them to trust in God as well. That message of faith was the overriding theme during the services, and it was faith, Trayvon's aunt says, that got them through.
ROBERTA FELTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S AUNT: That's why we are able to stand here and speak because we know that somehow or some way, God is going to -- everything is going to be taken care of.
ZARRELLA: Pastor Jackson says the people of this community can be proud of the way they carried themselves in the wake of the verdict.
(on-camera): Several members of the church expressed to us that if you thought that this community was going to erupt in violence because of the outcome, then that, in and of itself was stereotyping.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The leaders in our community have talked. We've talked about it. We dealt with it. And you didn't see it. And I don't think you're going to see it. I think you need to stop putting people in boxes and start doing (ph) the system.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): There were certainly feelings of hurt, sadness, disappointment amongst the congregation, anger, too. But the bottom line, church members say, everyone now must move on.
John Zarrella, CNN, Miami Gardens, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE) ROMANS: As For George Zimmerman, we have yet to hear from him, but his lawyer tells CNN the former neighborhood watch volunteer he needs to be careful because he could be a target. His brother says Zimmerman may keep the gun that fired the fatal bullet. The Department of Justice weighing a federal civil right suit against and that investigation ongoing.
And Trayvon Martin's family could sue him as well for wrongful death. It's not clear if Zimmerman's plan to stay in Florida or elsewhere for the next chapter in his life.
BROWN: Protests are becoming a Monday ritual in Raleigh, North Carolina. More demonstrations are expected today against a Republican led legislature and its support of an abortion bill and other policies. The NAACP says today that today's rally will focus on rights for women of all races.
The weekly protests are called, quote, "moral Mondays." They've been going on for more than two months now. At least 700 people have been arrested so far.
ROMANS: Texas governor Rick Perry defending the abortion bill that lawmakers are sending him. It bans most abortions after 20 weeks. Perry tells CNN he thinks that's a reasonable amount of time for a woman to make a decision. He plans to sign that bill. Critics say the law will close down most abortion clinics in Texas, but Perry says that is an exaggeration.
BROWN: In Auburn, Pennsylvania, the legal fight over new voter ID laws there placed out in court this morning. A measure has been in limbo since it passed last year. It hasn't been forced. It requires voters to show a specific state issued photo ID before they can cast ballots. The trial is expected to last nine days.
ROMANS: All right. Now to the heat. The heat that's not cool. It's going to be a big part of problem in the country. Much of the country is steaming including the northeast.
BROWN: Yes. Not cool, not cute, right, Indra Petersons --
(CROSSTALK)
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I like the enthusiasm here. Oh, yes. Bring on the heat, guys. We're talking about advisories anywhere from Boston straight down through Philly, and we're talking about excessive heat. Temperatures, once you combine the normal temperatures which are already well above normal for, let's think about this, July, you combine that with the moisture out there.
It's read (ph) to me about 50 percent. We're talking it feeling like 100 degrees out there. I mean, let's take a look, Washington, 96, New York today, 96. This is not the heat index, which again, like I mentioned, will put you towards 100. This is where the Ohio Valley, the northeast, even down to the southeast, we're dealing with all these warm temperatures. But notice the one place it's actually cool. Kind of weird. It actually went in Dallas from 101 down to 81 between Saturday and Sunday. All things as a big blow out there. You can tell heavy rain expected to brace the area. We're talking about one to three inches possible
But I know the big story and we'll keep talking about is the -- yes, you know, everyone wants to know how long it's going to last. This is where it's not going to be a good day. We're talking about temperatures ten degrees above normal in New York. It's going to look like it might start to go down by the middle week right around Wednesday.
Still, above 92 but by Thursday and Friday, even more heat all the way as we get close to the weekend. So, yes, we're talking about heat staying here. It's going to feel like a Monday for a double reason today.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: I tweeted earlier, Happy Monday. Everyone's like said what are you talking about. There's nothing happy about it.
PETERSONS: Yes.
ROMANS: Grumpy, grumpy people this morning. And now, you're going to be grumpy and hot. Thanks, Indra.
All right. Israel's prime minister is asking the White House to make Iran's nuclear program its top priority in the Middle East. Benjamin Netanyahu wants the U.S. to show Iran's new president elect that the military option is truly on the table. Netanyahu says he believes Iran is now looking to find alternative ways to go nuclear including a plutonium bomb.
BROWN: Syria's rebel forces could be getting a helping hand from extremists in Pakistan. Taliban leaders tell Reuters that they've sent hundreds of men to fight with the rebels against the Assad regime. And they've even set camps (ph) in Syria to help build allegiances. Pakistan's Taliban is known for its ties to al Qaeda.
ROMANS: Flooding in China deadly and growing more so. Authorities in the southern part of the country say at least eight people were killed when a dam bursts sending water down a mountain and into a tourist area. Some 200 people have already been killed in Central China from heavy rains and a typhoon battered part of the country this weekend dropping more than ten inches of rain on some areas.
BROWN: Well, the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy apparently does not include huge tax hikes. There were fears after the storm devastated parts of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut that taxes would have to go up to pay for repairs and to make up for a loss of revenue. It turns out the Associated Press says an influx of federal and some strategic -- federal aid, rather, and some strategic barring has actually alleviated the need to hike taxes at least for now.
ROMANS: All right. It's a big day. It's really the most important money story I will ever report to you.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: Twinkies are back. The Hostess snacks officially return to the store shelves this morning along with cupcakes and Ding-Dongs. Some Wal-Mart stores started selling them over the weekend, but most retailers weren't scheduled to have them until today. Other items which is Sno-Balls and Ho-Hos won't be available until later this year. Hostess products, as you recall, disappeared from store shelves last fall.
The parent company went into bankruptcy, shut the bakery, sold off the brands, got rid of the union contracts to make those brands, ritual (ph) some of those factories, and now they're back up.
BROWN: I'm so glad they're back. But we're going to have to wait for the snowballs.
ROMANS: I don't know. I haven't bought a Twinkie in like 20 years. So, I'm interested to see what the market is. After the nostalgia, when people like to get them, I'm interested -- it's healthy world, you know?
BROWN: I know. A lot of people stockpile their Twinkies --
ROMANS: Everything is gluten free and no carbs. We'll see where Hostess fits in that mix.
BROWN: We sure will.
Well, coming up, a dramatic rescue. A young boy buried at the beach and the ground swallows him hole. This is really incredible. We'll be right back with that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: So, an autopsy is planned today to determine what caused "Glee" actor, Cory Monteith's death. His body was found in a Vancouver hotel room Saturday after he failed to check out as scheduled. And we don't know what caused his death, yet, but we do know Monteith's battled drug addiction he had for years.
He completed a month long stint in rehab earlier this year. Choreographer/director, Adam Shankman (ph) who worked with Monteith on "Glee" said he spoke with a 31-year-old just hours before he was found dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF ADMA SHANKMAN, FRIEND OF MONTEITH: He said I'm feeling fantastic again. And, you know, he was obviously referring to, you know, that moments he had this year with going to rehab. So, I'm, like everybody else, really devastated and confused by what happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Yes. So are fans. Reps for his girlfriend and "Glee" co- star, Lea Michele, are asking for privacy during this devastating time.
BROWN: Well, horrifying moments this weekend for an Illinois boy who was trapped in a 14-foot sinkhole for hours. He and his family were visiting a beach on Lake Michigan when the sand swallowed him up. He was trapped and family and rescuers desperately tried to get him out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
911.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm at the Mt. Baldy Beach and, my friend's son, he got stuck in a sand dune and he's like under the sand and we can't get him out.
BRAD KREIGHBAUM, MICHIGAN CITY FIREFIGHTER: We're really losing hope fast. And, we tried to just stay focused. The first two hours was complete misery.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of feel the pulse and heard watch (ph) to heart that breath.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Gosh! I can't imagine what that was like for the parents. Well, in the end, it took more than 3 1/2 hours to get the little boy out. He is still in critical condition this morning, but incredibly, doctors say he doesn't appear to have suffered any life threatening injuries or brain damage from lack of oxygen. I'm actually covering this story coming up on "NEW DAY." And it turns out than an air pocket may have saved out little boy's life.
ROMANS: And I think a lot people like sand dunes -- you know, along like Michigan, there are beautiful sand dunes, and to see them -- kids scampering on them, and it's like a ritual of summer life. This was something that Could have been a real tragedy. can't wait to see that report. What else is coming up on "New Day"? We have two people who know.
BROWN: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan join us right now. Hi, guys.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: Good morning, guys.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: Good morning, guys.
CUOMO: Hope you had a very good weekend. Obviously, we're all over the George Zimmerman trial. Kate and I were here this weekend covering it as it came down. This morning, we're going to take a look inside the case, the reactions to it. Obviously, this is something that demands our attention. A lot of anger out there. We're going to look at why this verdict came out the way it did, what the reactions were to it and what could happen along the way.
BOLDUAN: And what could be next? That's coming up.
And we're going to talk to people who know George Zimmerman best as well as those who know Trayvon Martin's family best and getting their reaction to the controversial verdict. We're going to hear from Robert Zimmerman, that's George's brother. We're also going to talk to George's defense attorney, Mark O'Mara this morning.
Chris has that great interview. And also, we're going to be talking to the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, Benjamin Crump. We've seen his face many times throughout this trial, throughout this case. And we're going to be talking to them about how they're feeling this morning after the verdict.
CUOMO: No question, the country has been consumed by this case. But there is other news. We're going to tell you a story about teenage boys being called heroes. Wait until Michaela is bringing you this story. They helped rescue a little girl, chasing down the man suspected of abducting her. Talk about heroes, you talk about doing the right thing. You're going to need to hear about this. Pamela, Christine, that's what we got for you.
ROMANS: That story gives me goose bumps. I can't wait to hear more about that. Thanks, guys.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: All right. Coming up, a teenager, a teenager on top of the sports world today. Just 19 and he beats the best on the links. His story in the "Bleacher Report," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Athletes throughout the sports world took to Twitter to express their feelings on the George Zimmerman verdict and some had some controversial things to say.
ROMANS: Yes. Andy Scholes joins us this morning with more on this morning's "Bleacher Report." Good morning, Andy.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Yes. Good morning, guys. Well, Twitter exploded Saturday night once George Zimmerman was found not guilty. And as you can imagine, emotions were running high. While many athletes voiced their disappointment with the verdict, the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver, Roddy White, took it to another level.
His first tweet read, "Zimmerman got away with murder today. Wow! What kind of world do we live in?" And he followed that tweet with "All them jurors should go home tonight and kill themselves for letting a grown man get away with killing a kid." White later apologized for that tweet saying "I understand my tweet last night was extreme. I never meant for the people to do that. I was shocked and upset about the verdict. I am sorry."
Well, Phil Mickelson looks like he is ready for this week's British Open. Yesterday, Phil beat Brandon Grayson at playoff to win the Scottish Open for the first time in his career. It was the first European tour win for Phil in 20 years. He, along with Tiger Woods, are the two favorites to win this week's open championship.
One golfer to keep your eye on this week at the open championship as 19-year-old Jordan Spieth, the former All-American in Texas hold this shot from the bunker to force a playoff in yesterday's final round of John Deere Classic. Spieth would go on to win the tournament for his first career win. He's the first teenager to win a PGA Tour event since 1931.
Well, tonight is the home run derby at Citi Field in New York. And even though this is first appearance in the event, Orioles first baseman, Chris Davis, is the favorite to win it. Davis cross (ph) his league leading 37 homerun yesterday. He's on pace to hit 60 plus home runs this season.
And guys, a big debate going on right now if Davis hits 62 home runs, which is one more than Roger Maris dated back in 1961, which is that original record, should he be considered the homerun king considering all the steroid scandal that went on (INAUDIBLE).
ROMANS: If John Berman was here, he'd have something really insightful to say about that.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: But I'm back on the Twitter scandal, and I'll tell you something. I think Twitter for athletes and celebrities, it's things people used to say under their breath that they regret it a minute later. But now they say it under their breath on Twitter and they regret it much longer and more people see it.
SCHOLES: Yes. Everyone can see it.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: Absolutely. Thanks, Andy.
All right. Coming up, royal baby watch. The world waiting for Will and Kate's new baby to be born. Really, the whole world? A lot of people. We're live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: It's almost time. It is almost time. The newest royal set to be born any day now, and in Great Britain, the anticipation is growing.
BROWN: Look, we've been saying this for awhile now. We're all just waiting for this to happen. First, live outside St. Mary's hospital, we're joined by Max Foster. Max, good morning. MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Pam. This is the week. If we are going to go on what is the main bit of information we've had about her due date, because Kate did say at one point, mid-July. And, we haven't had any further information. The palace just will not give us a specific due date.
But if it is mid-July, it will be this week. Prince William is certainly very relaxed. We saw him yesterday playing polo out in Cirencester just a couple hours from London. So, he didn't feel it was imminent, I don't think, because he wouldn't be that far away if that was the due date. Certainly, relax, having fun. He lost the polo. He's still smiling.
Meanwhile, Kate was with her mom in Berkshire about an hour away from here. We don't know (INAUDIBLE) was today, but I can give you the latest information we have from the palace and that is that William is not going to be going back to work for the next few days, and that does suggest that he's on standby.
At the same time, he has been working quite a lot recently and he does do a week on, week off. So, that's pretty standard as well. But certainly, he's ready to come to the hospital here which is where they're due to have their baby. And, things seem to be going as planned. We haven't heard anything, otherwise.
ROMANS: All right. Mid-July is all we know. We'll take the duchess at her word that it really is. And I'll say, you know, pregnancy -- you know, having a baby, it's not imminent until it's imminent.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: You never know. No one is in charge, but the bambino. All right. Thanks, Max.
BROWN: Thank you. And there's already such crowd out there outside the hospital just waiting.
We're going to take a look now at some of the trends on the CNN website this morning. Halle Berry is married woman once again. The academy award winning actress tied the knot in France to long-time boyfriend (ph), Olivier Martinez. Only about 60 people were in attendance, but the event at a village church in the Burgundy's region the dates (ph) back to the middle ages included a fireworks display. The two have been an item since 2010 and they expecting their first child together.
ROMANS: That was beautiful, in Burgundy. All right. Chris Brown is set to be in court today where the judge asking if his latest run in might be grounds for throwing the singer in jail. Last month, Brown got into a fender bender in Los Angeles, and prosecutors say he didn't give the other driver his license number or insurance information.
Brown says, hey, that's not true. But if the court agrees to the government, the incident could violate Brown's probation from that 2009 assault case against Rihanna and that could land him behind bars. BROWN: Well, it looks like Harry Potter isn't all that's on J.K. Rowling's mind. She's now been unmasked as the author critically praised detective story. "The Cuckoo's Calling" was published last year under the pen name Robert Galbraith. It's about a private investigator looking into the death of a supermodel.
The author was described as a former military police officer who worked in private security. Well, now, we know the author was actually Rowling herself. She put out a statement saying that it was liberating to write without any expectation, and now the truth is out, sales of the book have soared more than 500,000 percent on Amazon.
ROMANS: Wow! That is something.
OK. Let's bring in "NEW DAY" anchors, Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan this morning. Hi, guys.
BOLDUAN: Good morning, everybody. Great to see you. Thanks so much.
CUOMO: It's good to be here with everybody. Take a look at your clock. It's close to the top of the hour and you know what that means on "NEW DAY," the top news.
