Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Police Recently Learned Of Second Van Stop; Police And Protesters Clash In Philadelphia; Democrats Push Minimum Wage Hike. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired May 01, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of demonstrators demanding answers in Freddie Gray's death, just how did he sever his spine while in police custody? There is a new theory this morning, new information about the investigation.

Good morning. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans in New York.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman live in Baltimore this morning. About 30 minutes after the hour in front of the Baltimore city hall. This is the location where there is less security presence we have seen over the last few mornings.

Not as many National Guard troops behind me perhaps deployed elsewhere in the city. The city that is by and large calm again this morning and overnight. Protesters faced off previously as the curfew went into effect at 10:00 p.m.

CNN cameras saw police arresting one man in the crowd. This was over fast thanks to the work of community leaders. The streets cleared and traffic began moving through again. We will have much more on the atmosphere and what is happening on the streets in just a moment.

But first, some important new information, new claims and allegations in the death of Freddie Gray and how he suffered the spinal injury that ultimately led to his death while he was in police custody.

Baltimore police handed their investigative files over to prosecutors on Thursday. That's a day ahead of schedule. That caught people off guard. Multiple law enforcement sources say those files contained new claims about Freddie Gray's death.

Among those claims he was fatally injured in the police van and not earlier during his arrest. Law enforcement sources tell our affiliate WJLA that the medical examiner believes Gray died from a broken neck sustained when he slammed his head or his head was slammed somehow in the back of the van.

An injury to Gray's head reportedly matches a bolt on the back of the van. The claims will need to be verified by the prosecutor's investigation. If they turn out to be true, if his head slammed into the back of the van somehow, we don't know how or why it slammed into the back of the van at least not yet.

It is worth noting the driver of the police van has yet to give a statement to investigators. An official in the medical examiner's office says the official report from them could be delivered as early as today to prosecutors, but could slip into next week. They will get it when it's done basically.

Now there is another new important detail that we have learned. Police officials announced that they discovered that the van carrying Freddie Gray made an additional stop. One more stop than they say they knew about and certainly one more stop than they told us about. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEPUTY KEVIN DAVIS, DEPUTY BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONER: The second stop has been revealed to us during the course of the investigation and previously unknown to us. We discovered this new stop based on our thorough and comprehensive and ongoing review of all CCTV cameras and privately owned cameras. In fact, this new stop was discovered from a privately owned camera.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: They learned about this new stop from a private security camera. Why it took the private camera and not the police themselves telling them about the stop or no radio traffic alerting them to the extra stop that remains unclear.

[05:35:09] Also obviously unclear is what happened during that stop. That is still under investigation. Now back to the situation here, the atmosphere on the ground, as we have been reporting, another night of relative calm and peace on the streets of Baltimore.

The curfew is still in effect. There were a few tense moments as the curfew began at 10:00 p.m. one protester who tried to confront an advancing line of police officers was swallowed up and arrested. Listen.

(VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: I want to talk about more of what we are seeing on the streets and the good that we are seeing on the streets here. Rene Marsh is with me this morning.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Right and you really did see good especially as the time progressed and we got closer and closer to that 10:00 curfew. We saw Maryland Representative Elijah Cummings. He has been very present. He's been very much in touch with protesters and last night was no different.

We are looking at video there. That is just in the moments leading up to the 10:00 curfew where he was arms in arms with these protesters walking and singing. His objective out there was essentially to make sure once the clock struck 10:00, everyone disburse and go home and that's exactly what happened. He also wanted protesters to understand the process as they waited and realizing everyone needs to be patient. Take a listen to what he had to say about the process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPRESENTATIVE ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: We must allow the process to go forward. All I can assure them and senators and others, is we will stick with this case until the end. The fact is now we have a state's attorney whom we are very impressed with and proud of. We trust her and believe in her. I want her to get the facts right. She will apply the law and come to her own conclusions. I believe in her. That's her job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARSH: All right, you just saw the video there of that woman who he is talking about. She is 35 years old. She is the one whose hands are all over this case. She will determine whether there will be criminal charges against these officers.

You are looking at Marilyn Mosby. She is 35 years old, the youngest in this position in a major American city. She grew up in Boston in the inner city. She lost her cousin to gun violence. Her husband is a city council member here in Baltimore and has been very vocal about this Freddie Gray case.

So the nation is essentially watching this woman who has been on the job for five months. We know the police handed over their investigation. She will rely on that. Most likely she will rely on other evidence. Perhaps they will look for new witnesses.

There is the M.E. report. She will look at that. She will have other own experts to interpret that and determine if they have enough to file charges. Is it appropriate to file charges?

BERMAN: We received one communication from her since the report was handed over. A press release stating they will look beyond just the police report whether or not to press charges or go forward. Rene, there is a certain amount of trepidation among law enforcement and community leaders about what will happen this weekend.

The curfew is still in effect. Coming home at 10:00 on a Friday night is different than a school night. Kids are not in school. A lot of demonstrations planned.

MARSH: There are. She stressed in speaking about the state attorney, she wanted peace and patience. That is the message we go through today as we expect four protests in Baltimore alone. We expect to see the protests across the country in other major cities.

In Baltimore, we will see protest on Saturday and Sunday. We know many religious leaders are all getting together, religious leaders of all faith, marching for justice. Essentially getting the answers of what happened in the back of that police van. As we have been saying here, they want to get the message out and that is fine. The key is to do it peacefully.

BERMAN: There have been marching over the last few days. Rene, thanks. Protests and marches planned in Baltimore for here and this weekend. They are expected in Seattle and Portland and Oakland, California for today.

Last night in Philadelphia, there was a protest and march. Police and demonstrators clashed when a group tried to block the entrance to I- 95.

[05:40:07] There is video showing uniformed officers pushing the demonstrators back. Many of the demonstrators are holding their hands in the air and chanting hands up. Our Poppy Harlow was right in the middle of it.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, John and Christine, we are in Philadelphia where there has been a huge march. It began with a protest at 4:30 this afternoon. Congregated right at city hall and downtown Philadelphia and then it turned into the march on the streets of Philadelphia that so far has lasted about three hours.

Largely the protest has been peaceful. I want to emphasize that. The chief of police inspector here telling me that these are people that need to have their voices heard. They deserve to protest and exercise their first amendment right as long as they do so lawfully.

He expected it to be a loud and large and lawful protest. It has in large part been that. I will say there was a confrontation with police right at the entrance at I-95 where police lined up on their horses and bicycles. Protesters were not allowed to go on the highway.

There was a clash with police and protesters there for about 20 minutes. It opened up and protesters were allowed to continue walking on the streets. What I hear from people here from people of all ages, white citizens and black citizens of Philadelphia saying they want answers in the case of Freddie Gray, but it is larger than that.

For them, it is also about economic disparity and about a lack of opportunity for African-American youth especially in this country. Clearly one young African-American attorney telling me she wants to see change within the system and more opportunity and more room for economic growth for many people that she feels are not getting a fair shot.

So they are protesting to have their voices heard here on the streets of Philadelphia. You see signs where they are aligning with Baltimore and the name of protest by the group that organized it, guys, is Philadelphia is Baltimore. I'll send it back to you.

BERMAN: Here in Baltimore, Christine, with the leaders here preaching and clergy here preaching is patience, patience to let this investigation take course. I've been talking to people on the street, I was in neighborhoods yesterday.

People are willing to be patient for now. They want to see this investigation produce some results and get concrete answers over the coming days.

ROMANS: The wheels of justice can move slowly. There will be -- you want to make sure there is an exhaustive investigation and all of the information is checked and rechecked and triple checked so that this process -- so there is justice in this case.

John, you know, I want to tell you that the CVS employees who worked at those two Baltimore stores that were burned down, two locations sustaining such heavy damage there so closed.

Those employees are still being paid. They are getting paid, 45 workers are being paid their regularly scheduled hours. No word on how long CVS will keep paying, but the company says it could be transfer them to all to nearby stores.

Some have already started at other locations. Both closed stores were among the few options residents had for medications and groceries. We'll keep checking back with CVS for how long it will be before those stores reopen.

In other news, in political news, Bernie Sanders now officially running for president and getting support where you may not expect it. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:47:07]

ROMANS: Bernie sanders, he knows he can't raise nearly as much money as Hillary Clinton, but the Vermont senator says he is in the presidential race to win it. Sanders, a leading liberal voice in Congress announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination on Thursday saying it is time to get serious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe that in a democracy what elections are about are serious debates over serious issues. Not political gossip and not making campaigns into soap operas. This is not the Red Sox versus the Yankees. This is the debate over issues facing the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Right now, Sanders is Hillary Clinton's lone challenger for the Democratic nomination. She welcomed his message to the primary race. Tweeting I agree with Bernie, focus must be on helping America's middle class. The GOP would hold them back.

Jeb Bush in full campaign mode although he has not officially announced his candidacy for president. The former Florida governor clearly courting the Latino vote backing legal status for undocumented immigrants in a speech to the National Christian Hispanic Leadership Conference.

Bush also expressing his admiration for the performer, Pit-Bull telling reporters he'd like to take the Cuban-American rapper to a baseball game.

President Obama is not going to Baltimore and why, he says he want to stay out of the spotlight on the issue right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: President Obama has no plans to make an appearance in Baltimore at least for now. We are told he is monitoring the situation closely, but wants the police to focus on the protesters, not him. The White House is also defending the president's use of the word thugs to describe the rioters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president is trying to distinguish between the individuals engaged in criminal acts like burning down a CVS or throwing a cinder block at a police officer, from the vast majority of people in the city of Baltimore, who found a constructive and appropriate way to publicly raise their concerns about the treatment of Freddie Gray by the Baltimore Police Department.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Josh Earnest, the president's spokesman says the visit to Baltimore could be added to the schedule if necessary.

All right, a new way to cut your electricity bill, it's the latest move from Tesla next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:56:37]

ROMANS: Welcome back. I'm Christine Romans. It's Friday. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. U.S. stock futures are higher. A good start to May, but what a terrible end to April, the Dow fell almost 200 points, wiped out almost all the gains for the year in that route.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both fell 1 percent. Stocks hit across the board. Apple, Google, Starbucks, all of them down more than 2 percent. The problem renewed fears America's economy may be slowing down.

Some top Democrats pushing a higher minimum wage on Capitol Hill. This new bill would increase the federal minimum to $12 by the year 2020. This would give 38 million Americans a raise.

The federal minimum wage has not been raised since 2009, but many states, some cities and a bunch of companies have taken up the issue. They are raising wages because they frankly want to keep their best talent. They want to keep turnover lower. Tesla says it will cut your electricity bill by 25 percent. The company unveiled a wall-mounted home battery. It's called the "Powerwall." It connects to the local power grid and charges overnight. That's when electricity costs less.

Customers can turn it on during the day to power their homes. It starts at $3,000. Utility companies may offer rebates. The CEO Elon Musk says other home batteries currently on the market suck.

All right, it's 57 minutes after the hour. New information in the death of Freddie Gray, that is our top story this morning and "NEW DAY" picks that up right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Anger spikes after documents are leaked in the investigation into Freddie Gray's death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why was he a suspect? Why was he chased? Why was he detained?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freddie Gray did not sever his own spinal cord.

BERMAN: New claims in the death of Freddie Gray.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody in the police department knew about this stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We must allow the process to go forward.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America's failing America.

MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE: We will get justice for Freddie Gray. Believe me, we will get justice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are misfits in the city of Baltimore that we call home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, May 1st, 6:00 in the east. Michi is in New York, Alisyn is off and I'm live in Baltimore where there are two big developments that have spiked anger in the streets about what may have happened while Freddie Gray was in police custody resulting in his death a week later from a severed spine.

Police admitting the van transporting Gray made a previously unknown second stop while taking him to the police station last month. The report's being kept under wraps, but leaked details suggests Freddie Gray suffered a massive head injury after hitting his head in the back of that van.

An autopsy report is expected to reach the state attorney's office as early as today. A lot of questions and a lot of anger as a result of this.

CNN covering this story the way only we can especially as angry people were sent once again into the streets of Baltimore and we were there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO (voice-over): Anger spikes after documents are leaked into the death of Freddie Gray. The passion in the streets of Baltimore overnight spilling onto intersections across the country. Despite a few tense moments in Philadelphia when protesters try entering a highway, voices rage, but protests are mostly peaceful.

(on camera): The police are sitting here and watching this. So it's about a balance.