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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Brown's Stepfather Under Investigation; Refusing to Expand Recall; Woman Claims Cosby Abused Her At Age 15; ISIS Leader Wife Arrested

Aired December 03, 2014 - 04:00   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Under investigation. Did the stepfather of Michael Brown intend to start a riot in Ferguson after Officer Darren Wilson was cleared in his stepson's death, or was this now -- was this outburst just an emotional reaction? We're looking at the controversy this morning.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: airbag maker Takata refusing -- refusing to issue a nationwide recall despite demands of U.S. officials and concerns these airbags are potentially deadly. The response likely setting up a showdown at a House hearing today.

BERMAN: And she is married to the world's -- one of the world's most dangerous men, and now, she is in custody. What we're learning this morning about one of the wives of an ISIS leader. We have a live report, ahead.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: Nice to have you back. I'm Christine Romans. It's 4:00 a.m. in the East. Nice to see you.

All right. Was it the outburst of a grief-stricken father or was it a crime? Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating whether Michael Brown's stepfather Louis Head incited a riot last week. It happened Monday night after a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in Michael Brown's death. Head reached out to comfort Brown's sobbing mother, his wife, and then turned his rage outward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOUIS HEAD, MICHAEL BROWN'S STEPFATHER: Burn this mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down! Burn this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down! Burn this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down! Burn this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down! Burn this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Two federal investigations into the Ferguson Police Department, Brown's shooting and its aftermath. Those investigations are still moving ahead. They're expected to wrap up by the time that Attorney General Eric Holder leaves. That should come by February. After days of non-violent protest in Ferguson, the National Guard is

now starting to scale back its presence there. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is giving no firm timetable, but he has announced a systematic reduction.

Let's check in with CNN's George Howell for the latest from Ferguson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The headline out of Ferguson, John and Christine, really is all about the investigation. Police are promising to look into every angle to find anyone responsible for the damage that we saw play out here the night of the riots here in Ferguson.

And specifically, they're looking at that video that many of us had seen, the video of Michael Brown's stepfather, Louis Head, where he was basically telling the crowd to burn the city down, burn things down.

Remember, we have heard from Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, saying at that moment, he was just very angry. He was very frustrated with the outcome of the grand jury and he made those comments in that context.

We've also heard from his attorney, Benjamin Crump, from the family's attorney, saying the same thing.

But police are looking into the possibility that those comments could have changed the mood of the crowd and incited the riot, incited the looting that we saw play out that night. We understand that the Ferguson Police Department is looking into that, and also the St. Louis County police department will be looking into it as well. They have interviewed people who know Mr. Head. They also plan to interview Mr. Head himself.

And police again making the point that they're not just singling out Louis Head here. They are going to go aggressively to track down anyone responsible. Anyone that they can determine who was behind the looting and the damage that we saw play out in Ferguson -- John and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right. Thanks to George Howell for that report.

So, former NBA great Charles Barkley is speaking out into the investigation into Louis Head's action. The Turner Sports basketball analyst is standing behind his comments criticizing people who set buildings on fire in Ferguson. He agrees with the grand jury decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson but Barkley tells CNN's Brooke Baldwin that that police should not be investigating Mike Brown's stepfather for inciting the riot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHARLES BARKLEY, FORMER NBA STAR: I think under the circumstances, this has just been an awful incident to everybody. And I just think it just clouds the discussion. You know, one part (ph) with this entire situation, it's just so much noise going on, you never get to the crux of the issue that needs to be discussed. So, no, I don't think they should pursue charges against him. Anybody who walks out peacefully, who protests peacefully, that's what this country was built on, I have no problem with that whatsoever. But to be burning people's property, burning police cars, looting people's stores, that's 100 percent ridiculous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: You can see more of the interview with Charles Barkley on "NEW DAY". That's at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

ROMANS: All right. Expect fireworks this morning when airbag maker Takata appears before a House subcommittee, alongside federal highway safety regulators. Takata is ignoring regulators' midnight deadline to issue a nationwide recall of airbags the government says are dangerous. These airbags can not function when they're deployed, firing shrapnel at motorists. Some drivers have been killed.

And police investigating these crashes have said it looks like they are stabbings or gunshot wounds coming out of these airbags.

I want to bring in CNN's Andrew Stevens standing by live in Tokyo with more. Japan is where this company is based.

And I think what consumers are saying, Andrew, is, wow, it shows the companies do have much of the control in the recall world. Not necessarily the government. Recalls are voluntary in the United States.

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christine, I think a lot of people are surprised, very surprised, by the reaction by Takata, basically denying the request to actually do a full recall.

We actually spoke to a spokesman at Takata today, just to find out what the reasoning is behind that. They do say in a public statement that they acknowledge that request, but they're not acting on it. And when we spoke to them they said, two things come out of that conversation. First of all, the fact that they say that it is the automakers themselves who should be making the request for recall, not Takata. Takata says we will follow what our customers, i.e., the automakers want, but we are not going to make the recall.

The second thing is they said that they still believe that the -- any sort of recall or any action to fix this should be focused, prioritize, and prioritized in those regional areas. Florida, Hawaii, those humid states where there's been a highest incidence of these air bags exploding. That is what Takata is saying.

You got to wonder how much is going to count when the quality assurance head of Takata meets with lawmakers today because they're going to be asking question what about cars that obviously that have faulty airbags outside of those states. What if those drivers do, what they do if they actually go to Florida? Those sorts of questions are going to be raised.

Takata say we think it should be the automakers and we think it should be prioritized, but expect fireworks, as you say.

Christine and John, back to you.

ROMANS: Yes, there are no questions. There are cars with those airbags on the road right now in the Midwest, in the Great Plains that will be going to those humid places, this winter. There's no question about that. Why are those cars not subject to the recall?

And I guess the other question or the other point about this, Andrew, is that they don't have all the other parts to fix it yet either. All of those cars were supposed to be taken off the road, they wouldn't be able to do it. So, a lot of layers to this very troubling story for American consumers.

Andrew Stevens in Tokyo, thank you for that.

Breaking news -- seven minutes past the hour -- a pair of car bomb attacks overnight. A blast was reported outside the international airport in Somalia's capital. That's where the U.N. and some Western embassies are based. So far, no reports of any deaths.

Meantime, six people killed following an attack in Yemen. It happened outside the residence of the newly appointed Iranian ambassador. No word on who is behind either attack.

BERMAN: Breaking overnight: new allegations against Bill Cosby, and for the first time, they come from a woman claiming the comedian sexually abused her when she was underage.

"Radar Online" is reporting on a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles by a woman named Judy Huth. She claims Cosby molested her in 1974 when she was 15 years old. It allegedly happened in a bedroom at the Playboy Mansion after Huth says Cosby alcohol to her and her 16-year-old friend. CNN has reached out to Huth, her attorney, and Cosby's attorney for comment.

ROMANS: The National Transportation Safety Board investigating the cause of a deadly collision, a collision between two school buses in Knoxville, Tennessee. These buses carrying elementary school students. Two young girls and a teacher's aide were killed in that collision. Nearly two dozen other children were treated at area hospitals. Police say the buses were traveling in opposite directions when one apparently crossed over the median and hit the other.

BERMAN: A huge hacking scheme targeted a number of key U.S. and global firms. According to a cyber security firm report, for at least two years, Iranian hackers stole highly sensitive materials from government agencies and major energy and transportation companies in the United States and 15 other countries. But an Iranian spokesperson denies these allegations, calling them baseless and fabricated. ROMANS: There's no official word yet from the White House, but all

signs pointing to Ashton Carter as President Obama's choice to be the next secretary of defense. Carter is a former deputy defense secretary in the Obama administration. Officials have been singing his praises and spokesman Josh Earnest says Carter knows the playbook.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He's somebody that does have a detailed understanding of the way that the Department of Defense works.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: We're also learning the White House wanted Chuck Hagel to hold off on resigning as defense secretary until this week when they hope the new nominee would be in place. But Hagel refused, citing that he was being forced out, he would announce it as soon as possible.

BERMAN: Today, the Supreme Court is going to hear a case that's going to affect the lives of millions of women. Peggy Young sued had her employer UPS, claiming that the company discriminates going pregnant women. Young says UPS refused to temporarily reassign her so she could avoid heavy lifting when she became pregnant. The company instead placed her on unpaid leave. Young says she lost her health benefits and her pension. It's a big case.

ROMANS: It is a big case and a lot of people are watching this. Everyone talks about, you know, workplace priorities and also company's responsibilities for all kinds of perks that a lot of people in the United States don't get.

Ten minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money.

Futures, they're barely moving so far today. But it was record close for the Dow yesterday. So, let's focus on that. The Dow had great day, up 103 points, 32nd record high close of the year. Why? You know what? Automakers reported really strong sales in November thanks to Black Friday deals and cheap gas. So, that was one of the drivers -- pun intended -- in that rally yesterday.

A big victory for low-wage workers. Chicago raising its minimum wage. The city council approved an increase to $13 an hour by 2019. That will give 410,000 people a raise. Federal legislation on minimum wage has stalled.

So, many cities and states have taken matters into their own hands. Look at this map, the federal minimum wage isn't moving folks, but states -- 29 states and D.C. have approved a minimum wage higher than the federal limit in cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and now, Chicago are setting their own rules.

BERMAN: All right. Eleven minutes after the hour right now.

The wife of an ISIS leader is in custody this morning, but how she was captured. And what role does she play in the terror group? We'll tell you what we're learning in a live report ahead.

ROMANS: An NFL draft admitting they made a crucial mistake when handling the initial punishment of Ray Rice. What executives even choking up while testifying about domestic violence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: New this morning, foreign ministers of about 60 countries sitting down right now to lay out a strategy against ISIS. Secretary of State John Kerry is chairing the first high level meeting of the coalition against the Islamic terror group, in NATO headquarters in Brussels. The meeting comes as we learn new information about family members of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi detained by Lebanese security officials as they tried to cross into Lebanon from Syria.

CNN's Nic Robertson live in London.

Nic, what do we know more about this capture? And what information they might be providing?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL: Well, Lebanese officials say they believe they have captured one of al Baghdadi's wives. Indeed, they say they've captured one of his sons as well. A 4-year-old son was taken with the wife. In an operation that had been planned for a number of weeks, for about a month, it had been in the planning, involving both Iraqi, Syrian and we understand as well Lebanese intelligence assets.

We're also told by sources that the United States played a role with the Iraqis at the sort of Iraqi end of this planning. This woman herself is a significant player, a powerful figure, within ISIS itself. What she might be saying, we're not getting briefed on that at all, but we are being told by a regional intelligence source there that Baghdadi himself has called up asking for his son, his 4-year-old son to be released. The indications are here that I think he is at least concerned about what is happening here at the moment, John.

BERMAN: And I assume they'll be questioned, at least the mother will be questioned for any kind of intelligence she might be able to provide?

ROBERTSON: Absolutely. I mean, that would be the first thing you would expect intelligence officials to do. So, to provide any kind of information about the way Baghdadi lives his life, how many people he meets, how he travels, where he goes, all those sorts of things.

I mean, obviously, for an intelligence service, time-sensitive information is important. She's been held now for over a week. So, perhaps they've got the best information they're going to get in that regard. Of course, they want to build a picture of his life and the people around him. So, anything she says at a certain level is going to be very, very valuable here, John.

BERMAN: Very useful.

Nic Robertson live for us in London -- thanks so much, Nic. ROMANS: All right. Breaking overnight, word that Israel's prime

minister has fired two government ministers and called for early elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissing the country's finance and justice ministers. In a televised news conference, Netanyahu blasted the pair for attacking his government and his policies from within. The prime minister said he is dissolving parliament and setting new elections to gain a clear mandate for leadership.

BERMAN: A grand jury investigating the chokehold death of a New York City man is expected to meet today. The incident was caught on video. Eric Gardner died last July after Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in an apparent chokehold. This happened after Gardner was being charged for selling loose untaxed cigarettes.

We're told a decision on whether to indict Officer Pantaleo could come as soon as today.

ROMANS: Former NFL player and current league executive Troy Vincent getting choked up on a Senate hearing on violence in sports recounting his own experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TROY VINCENT, NFL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS: I relate to the 20 million victims, survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse in every community across our great nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Representatives of the major sports leagues and their players unions were grilled by lawmakers. Vincent telling the panel the NFL made a, quote, "crucial mistake". He called a crucial mistake in its initial disciplining of Ray Rice, saying the league shouldn't have need more video to proper punish price for knocking out his then- fiancee in an elevator.

Rice was initially only given a two-game suspension. And after another video surfaced, they suddenly went back and got tougher. But now, he's been penalized twice for the same offense. They just got to be a real mess. The NFL admitting it made a mistake.

BERMAN: All right. Nineteen minutes after the hour for us.

So, could a popular diet be the fountain of youth? You don't need that, Christine Romans. But for people like me, what a new study says you should be eating to help keep your body healthier and younger.

ROMANS: But I'm going to -- it's going to make me hungry, isn't it?

BERMAN: That's right. Yes. They already have.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Finally, an American couple is free to leave Qatar. Grace and Matthew Huang are expected to arrive back home in Los Angeles today. They were just cleared by an appeals court in the death of their 8-year-old adoptive daughter, but when the company tried to leave the country, their passports were confiscated, following a personnel appeal from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Qatar government lifted their travel ban Tuesday, allowing the couple to come home to their family.

HAYES: The wife of a Maryland man who was serving 15 years in a Cuban prison is begging for his release. Judy Gross says her husband Alan is in poor health and has threatened to kill himself. The words come after the State Department renewed its calls to free gross. The former State Department subcontractor was arrested five years ago today for allegedly bringing satellite communications equipment into Cuba.

ROMANS: President Obama urging Congress to approve $6 billion in emergency aid to fight Ebola in West Africa. The president says the U.S. needs to continue to fund basic research and help build better health systems in West Africa so that the world can quickly contain future outbreaks. He calls it a smart investment. But some lawmakers aren't so sure.

Speaking at the National Institutes of Health where scientists are working on the vaccine, the president said the fight is far from over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every hot spot is an ember, that if not contained can become a new fire. So, we cannot let down our guard even for a minute. And we can't just fight this epidemic, we have to extinguish it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The World Health Organization says 6,055 people have died in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

BERMAN: All right. There's new evidence that the Mediterranean diet maybe the healthiest diet on Earth. A Harvard study of more than 4,000 middle age women found those who stuck closest to the diet had biological markers associated with living longer. The Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruit and fish while low in meat, dairy and saturated fats.

ROMANS: Is my bacon egg and cheese this morning on a bagel, is that a Mediterranean diet?

BERMAN: I think it depends of the pig live like in Greece, in which case it is totally completely Mediterranean.

ROMANS: Prosciutto on it, does that help?

BERMAN: Absolutely, absolutely. I think it's a wide swath of things that can be considered Mediterranean. You're clearly part of the Harvard study.

ROMANS: I know. I'm not part of the Harvard study. NBA legend Charles Barkley speaking out. And you know what? He's not holding back, I didn't expect him to, actually. He really is very frank about what he thinks about the violent in Ferguson, racism in America, and relationships between police and the black community.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)