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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

American Held in North Korea Heading Home; New Ebola Concerns; Home Grown Terror; Autopsy Report Leaked; Giants Strike First in World Series

Aired October 22, 2014 - 04:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news overnight: an American held in North Korea for five months has been released and is heading home right now. The high mystery over why Jeffrey Fowle was released, and what it means for two other Americans that remain in North Korean custody.

There are new Ebola screening systems at five major airports as two locations now have isolated passengers suspected possibly of having Ebola. That happened overnight.

Also breaking overnight, the official autopsy report from Michael Brown shows crucial evidence that could support Officer Wilson's side of the story. So, could this sway the grand jury's decision on whether to indict?

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans is on assignment this morning. Thirty minutes past the hour right now.

And we do have breaking news overnight. An American held by North Korea for five months, he's on his way home right now to Ohio. Jeffrey Fowle is due to arrive there in an American government plane really in the next couple of hours.

This is an answer to a plea that Fowle made in an interview with CNN, an interview that out of nowhere North Korean officials abruptly arranged last month.

Standing by to talk about this live in Seoul in South Korea, CNN's Paula Hancocks with the very latest.

Good morning, Paula.

PAUL HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Well, this is a wonderful day for the Fowle family. Of course, there are two more families who have detained U.S. citizens. They're hoping their day will come very soon as well.

Now, this was fairly unexpected. It seemed like it was fairly sudden. It appeared what happened is Pyongyang said, we're ready to release Jeffrey Fowle, come get him.

What Washington had to do is send a plane over to Pyongyang. We saw a U.S. plane sitting on the tarmac in Pyongyang which is not something you often see. They picked him up and took him to Guam for refueling. Also, for evaluation, according to the State Department, saying that he is in good health, but of course, he was a prisoner in North Korea. And he's now heading back to Ohio. He's likely to have a debrief as well with U.S. officials.

So, what was his crime? Jeffrey Fowle was accused of leaving a Bible in a seaman's club in a north port city of Chongjin in North Korea. This is a grave sin as far as North Korea is concerned. Any religious activities that are not state-approved and not state-controlled are an absolute no-no.

Of course, Kenneth Bae is another U.S. citizen in detention who was a former missionary. He failed to follow the same law. And we know that he has spent already two years in detention. He has been sentenced to 15 years hard labor.

So, of course this is very good news for Jeffrey Fowle. There are still two more to consider. The question is, why now? And, of course, North Korea, according to experts, wanted a high-level delegation, an ex-president like Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton as has happened in the past, to come negotiate for these three men's release.

But as far as we know, nothing like that happened. There wasn't an envoy that was sent. And yet, they decided to release Jeffrey Fowle. So, we're waiting to hear what North Korea has to say about why it decided to do that -- John.

BERMAN: It would be very interesting to hear if they do give any kind of explanation. Paula Hancocks in Seoul for us, thanks so much.

We do have some Ebola news this morning. Two airline passengers who arrived in the United States are under close watch in Chicago. Officials say they are both Liberians, they arrived on separate planes and both vomited during their flights. Now, neither had a fever. Still, they and their traveling companions are being isolated and screened at Chicago area hospitals.

Another Liberian man landed at Newark airport with a fever. The CDC says he's been isolated and screened at a local hospital.

According to the Department of Homeland Security Web site, as of Sunday, Washington Dulles airport had also referred four people to a medical facility for Ebola screening.

The administration announced Tuesday it is tightening the net on airport screenings. It's ordered all passengers entering coming into the United States from Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia to come into the U.S. through one of the five airports doing enhanced Ebola screening -- Chicago, Newark, New York's JFK, Washington Dulles and Atlanta.

In other news: in New York City, thousands of workers have helped facilities from doctors to janitors filled a convention center for a demonstration of the latest protocols for preventing Ebola transmission. But it did bring good news for freelance NBC cameraman who caught Ebola, Ashoka Mukpo tweeted that he's officially declared Ebola-free. He added, quote, "Feeling so blessed. I'm very happy to be alive."

All of this and more awaits the new Ebola administration czar, Ron Klain. He begins his first day on the job today.

At the NIH in Maryland, the condition of a Texas nurse who has Ebola has been upgraded from fair to good. Nina Pham, of course, cared for Thomas Eric Duncan who was the Liberian Ebola patient who died in Dallas.

In Dallas, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced Wednesday that a now state-of-the-art Ebola treatment and bio containment facility will be built in North Texas. The governor also said that Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital where Pham and another nurse were infected and where Thomas Eric Duncan died, that hospital will no longer treat Ebola patients.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more now from Dallas on a new apology for Texas health officials.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, officials with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital have been on a campaign apologizing for the way it handled the case of Thomas Eric Duncan.

We sat down with the chief clinical officer, Dr. Daniel Varga, to dig deeper into just exactly went wrong.

Do you think this is also a case of Ebola had been in the news for the last six months or so, it is a deadly disease, trekked halfway around the world. Was there a sense with the health care workers that it wasn't really anything that was going to show up at our doorstep?

DR. DANIEL VARGA, CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER, TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN: You know, I think that friend of mine awareness is hard to capture in the absence of real presence. I will tell you, we were worried up front about Ebola. As I think anyone else, we looked, you know, starting in August and moving forward. But in the absence of Ebola showing up in August, Ebola showing up in early September, et cetera, it does become sort of isolated.

LAVANDERA: Let your guard down?

VARGA: Yes, I think you let your guard down a little bit on that.

LAVANDERA: We asked Dr. Varga where exactly was this breakdown in communication. He said that one of the nurses that treated Thomas Eric Duncan wrote down in his health record that he, quote, "had came from Africa." But at the same time, one of the physicians treating him wrote down that he was a local resident, that was showing no signs of vomiting, diarrhea or nausea, and that he hadn't been around sick persons. Clearly, two very different versions of the story that were never reconciled and led to the misdiagnosis.

And Dr. Varga also says that the hospital didn't prepare adequately, that there was never any simulation or training drills that would prepare the health care workers on how to handle an Ebola patient that just walked in off the street and into their emergency room -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Our thanks to Ed Lavandera in Dallas for that report.

New this morning, identifying the biggest threats to U.S. security. The former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matt Olsen, told our chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto that the Khorasan group and al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula posed the biggest threats to the U.S. But he said so-called lone wolf attacks such as the Boston marathon bombings, those are more likely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT OLSEN, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER: I would say the most likely type of attack is one of these homegrown violent extremists, or, you know, lone offenders in the United States perhaps. And the rise of ISIS and the number of people going to Syria, whether to fight with ISIS or just fighting just in the conflict there against Assad -- the likelihood, I think, does go up because of the number of people who are there who have gained some degree of training and radicalization.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Olsen said that the United States lost track of terrorists after Edward Snowden's NSA leaks. He said Snowden's revelations changed the way that terrorists communicate, causing them to go further underground, which makes them more difficult to track.

Breaking overnight, new details concerning Michael Brown's autopsy. "The St. Louis Post Dispatch" said reports found that Brown had marijuana in his system and that a wound to his hand as a result of a shot from close range. Now, this could support Police Officer Darren Wilson's account of a struggle around the police cruiser before the fatal shooting.

Officials in Ferguson are bracing for more protests to mark a national day of protests planned. A grand jury decision on whether to indict Officer Wilson in the Brown shooting is expected by mid-November.

A suspected serial killer makes his first court appearance in Gary, Indiana, this morning. Police say 43-year-old Darren Vann has confessed to killing seven women after he was arrested this weekend. He led the officers to the victims' bodies in several abandoned buildings. Really not much is known about his man. They do know he has quite a criminal record. He's been in prison twice on felony convictions, including one for aggravated rape.

This morning, the world of journalism, not to mention fans of accountable everywhere, are mourning a loss of a giant. Ben Bradlee, the legendary editor of "The Washington Post" has died. He edited that paper from 1968 to 1991. He oversaw the paper's groundbreaking coverage of the Watergate scandal. That reporting led by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, it changed history. It really also changed journalism. They did, in fact, make a movie about it, "All the President's Men."

Ben Bradlee had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years. He was 93.

Stay with CNN, at 7:00 Eastern Time, Woodward and Bernstein will reunite to chair their memories of Bradlee, of course, their former boss and mentor. That happens on NEW DAY.

Let's get an early look at our weather now with Chad Myers.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And good early morning. Kind of a wet mess across the Northeast today, a windy storm, a coastal low going to run off and affect New England, parts of New York, and New Jersey, all along the coastal states, you're going to see either rain showers or heavy wind and certainly, with that wind, we could see some airport delays today.

Heavy wind coming on shore in the Pacific Northwest as well. In the next week, the Pacific Northwest could pick up a foot of rain in some of the higher elevations, six inches in the lower evaluations. So, that could cause flash flooding and mudslides.

Fifty-eight today in New York City, 61 in D.C., and 68 in Atlanta. A little bit better as the storm pulls a little bit to the Northeast tomorrow. Still affecting Maine into Newfoundland into Nova Scotia, all of Atlantic Canada, getting this heavy rain and wind event, and it will still be a bit windy New York City even if you're flying home.

Otherwise, showers to the Midwest. And there's the heavy rain. One storm after another for that Pacific Northwest area.

Guys, back to you.

BERMAN: All right. Our thanks to Chad for an early look at the weather.

Let's get an early start on your money now. Alison Kosik here with that.

Good morning.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

I am seeing caution creep into the stock markets right now. European stocks are mixed, falling back from earlier gains after some disappointing early results. We're also watching Asian shares. They ended the day actually mostly higher. Right now, stock futures in the U.S., they are down a bit.

But yesterday, whew, stock has a big day, the Dow climbed 215 points, or 1.3 percent, the S&P 500 rose 2 percent. The NASDAQ actually had its best day of the year, surging 2.4 percent.

You know what, it's been a good week so far and a really, really tough month. And it kind of feels like there's been a shift of momentum, at least starting this week. Stocks never got that long overdue pullback of 10 percent or more. That's the official 10 percent correction.

And it's been more than 1,000 days without a true correction. Many traders are actually telling me don't be surprised if you see the markets try to test those lows again.

BERMAN: Yes, I was going to say, yes, they're up-ish right now but this could change in a hurry.

Alison Kosik, great to have you. Thanks so much.

KOSIK: Yes.

BERMAN: Forty-two minutes after the hour.

A new video released by ISIS claims that that group has secured a bunch of aid dropped by the United States meant for Kurdish fighters, including hand grenades, small weapons. How will this affect the fight against ISIS? We're live from the region, straight ahead.

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BERMAN: New video this morning of what appears to be U.S. supplies captured by ISIS. This video which is on the Internet claims to show weapons and ammunition, including hand grenade, and rockets on the ground, dropped from U.S. planes. It was meant for Kurdish forces that have been fighting ISIS in and around the city of Kobani.

We want to go live now to CNN's senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh with the latest developments.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, we know that those 27 bundles CentCom themselves admit that one went astray. But they say that was in fact destroyed by one of the six airstrikes they put out on that same day the airdrop came in to around Kobani.

That video, though, does suggest ISIS were able to get to it in some intact form. There's no suggestion credibly that video has anything but offense. One question remains, though, did perhaps that airstrikes land after that footage was taken.

But bear in mind in perspective, John, one bundle going astray I think in the broad sense of the Kurds who needed an urgent resupply, the fact that one went astray doesn't tip the balance on the field, the 26 that land in their hands. And the fight for Kobani still, it seems ongoing. We're hearing from sources inside the city that fighting is intense far out to the east, and the industrial area, where ISIS had originally began their advance. ISIS is still firing mortars it seems into the city's center somewhat randomly, and there's still pressure on the Kurds who say they lost six of theirs in the last 24 hours but also recovered the bodies of over 10 ISIS fighters.

This information is slightly unconfirmed but a sense that there is still fighting that the Kurds have that resupply and know that potentially in the days ahead, Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters might be arriving to support them. I think they're feeling greater confidence now, and we're hearing from some media reports that if those Kurdish, Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters arrive, they may well bring them badly needed help weaponry to bolster the defense of Kobani -- John.

BERMAN: Yes, resupplied to be soon reinforced. I think that is clearly the important story in and around Kobani.

Our Nick Paton Walsh monitoring the situation from over the border in Turkey. Thanks so much, Nick.

Other news: homegrown terror concerns on several fronts this morning. Three high school girls from Denver, back home now, after leaving the U.S. to join ISIS fighters in Syria. The teens were stopped in Germany before they could board a flight from Turkey. From Turkey they presume they would have gone to Syria.

Agents are now combing through e-mails to see if anyone recruited these girls, their ages, 15, 16 and 17. They allegedly stole money from their parents to finance this trip.

In Canada, police shot and killed a 25-year-old man who ran over two soldiers in his car. One of those soldiers is dead. Authorities say the suspect may have been radicalized. They say he was on their radar.

And a newly released video shows a 17-year-old Australian teenager alongside ISIS fighters in Syria, threatening to behead western leaders.

The arraignment is now delayed for White House fence jumper Omar Gonzalez. A judge wants homeless Iraq war vet to undergo a health evaluation for 40 days before deciding whether or not he's fit to stand trial. Last month, Gonzalez sprinted across the White House lawn, ran right through the doors into the executive mansion with a knife in his pocket. The judge told the court that Gonzalez has served this country well and still deserves our respect.

Forty-nine minutes after the hour.

New audio of Bristol Palin telling police about a drunken brawl that her family was involved in last month. That video, that audio has surfaced. Why Bristol Palin said she had no choice but to defend her younger sister. We'll hear from her. We'll also hear a lot of bleeps, right after the break.

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BERMAN: This morning, we have new pictures and audio recordings released by Anchorage police from a September brawl involving Sarah Palin's family. The fight reportedly broke out at a birthday party for Todd Palin. Listen to a taped interview from the scene between police and Bristol Palin.

We've bleeped out some of the language, because we had to, as she offers her version of events.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BRISTOL PALIN: Some lady with gray hair who wants to push my little --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

PALIN: -- my 20-year-old sister, I'm going to defend my sister.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a guy came out of nowhere and pushed you on the ground.

PALIN: A guy comes out of nowhere and pushes me on the ground, takes me by feet and my dress, and my thong dress in front of everybody. Come you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Come on you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I don't know this guy. I've never seen this guy in my life.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BERMAN: No charges have been filed in connection with this fight. Other witnesses interviewed by police say it was the Palins who instigated the altercation.

Money, of course is a terrible thing to waste and as he does each year, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn has unveiled what he calls his "Wastebook". The 2014 version outlined what he believes to be the most egregious examples of federal government waste.

This year's low lights, according to him, include $6.2 million for the border patrol to build homes for temporary workers, $300,000 that she says is going to synchronized swimming for sea monkeys. At one point, $5 million, he says, spent to monitor attendance at science festivals.

All right, sports news. The San Francisco Giants, they drew first blood in the World Series. You know what, this game was never even close. They won 7-1. The Giants scored three runs in the first, two on a home run by Hunter Pence.

Their ace, Madison Bumgarner, was outstanding. He held the Royals to three hits and one run over seven innings. This was the first run this guy's given up in the playoffs or in the playoffs. He's like 20 innings of scoreless baseball. He's outstanding.

This was Kansas City's first loss in the playoffs. They won eight straight games to start the postseason this year. They get a chance to get back on the winning side and game two tonight in Kansas City.

All right. Toys "R" Us are pulling an action figure off its shelves. And you won't believe why. I happen to know the answer to this.

We're going to get an early start on your money, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right. We have developing news in the world of action figures. That is just part of the money story this morning.

Alison Kosik with an early start of your money.

KOSIK: Let's first start about -- talk about stocks. First, did you know stocks are on the rebound? Although U.S. stock features are slightly lower at the moment.

Yesterday, stocks had a huge day. The Dow climbed 215 points or, 1.3 percent. The S&P 500 rose 2 percent. And the NASDAQ actually had its best day of the year surging 2.4 percent. Talk about volatility.

It's really been a rocky month. But yesterday's climb erased a good portion of October's losses and put the Dow right back in positive territory for the year.

All right, Toys 'R' Us made its decision and it's going to go ahead and pull its controversial "Breaking Bad" dolls. The action figures are based on the hit show about chemistry teacher Walter White who makes and sells meth. The dolls come, hey, with a little cash bag and a little bag of meth . That upset a Florida mom who started this petition on Change -

BERMAN: I can't imagine why. Why would it upset her mother that her child would be playing with an action figure with a bag of meth?

(LAUGHTER)

KOSIK: Yes, how do you explain that to your kid? Hey Mommy, look, what is this for?

BERMAN: I have no idea.

KOSIK: So what this woman did, she started this petition on Charge.org, it got 9,000 signatures, put the pressure right on Toys 'R' Us. Toys 'R' Us listened. The company said it will immediately take the dolls off the shelves. It looks like it was too much aggravation.

But Bryan Cranston, who plays the lead in that - in "Breaking Bad", who used to, he tweeted, "I'm so made. I am burning my Florida mom action figure in protest." So he had a little fun with it. The moms, not so much.

BERMAN: No, I can't imagine. Alison Kosik, thanks so much.

All right, EARLY START continues right now.