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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
"Free Sinjar" Operation: Cutting A Key ISIS Supply Route; The Race for President; Unarmed Man Dies in Police Custody: New Lawsuit. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired November 12, 2015 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:15] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning: a new battle against ISIS. An offensive launched inside Iraq. Our reporter with troops on the move. We are live.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A new fight brewing in the race for president. Which candidates are now going toe-to-toe for conservative votes.
BERMAN: In just hours, a family seeks what they consider justice if the death of their loved one shackled and tased repeatedly, a death they say did not need to happen.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. Nice to see you all this morning. It is Thursday, November 12th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the east.
A major development in the battle against ISIS. A new military offensive launch against the terror group Kurdish Peshmerga forces aimed to recapture the Iraqi town of Sinjar from ISIS with the help of U.S.-led support. It is being called "Operation Free Sinjar". The town on the foot of Mt. Sinjar is a link between two halves of the ISIS caliphate. The city of Mosul in Iraq and the lands ISIS holds in Syria.
Our senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh, he's with the Peshmerga forces on the phone right now with the very latest.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Christine, remarkably important is the fight for Sinjar for two reasons. First, the symbolic victory of retaking of the town which was the scene of the terrifying moments for so many Yazidis and Sunni Arabs who fled the onslaught of ISIS last year, the mountain here where I'm standing. Secondly, and as the American Central Command pointed out this morning, Sinjar is on a vital road.
I can see it from where I am standing, all the air strikes hitting just around the vital artery. It is vital because it goes from Raqqa, the capital of their self-proclaimed caliphate, all the way through Iraq, to Mosul. The city they took last year and began to form the two nations and now what they call their caliphate. We are hearing from Kurdish officials, the Peshmerga who are running the offensive. We have seen it for ourselves. They have taken territory to the west. They believe they are in control of the roads west of the city and hoping to gain control to the east.
We have not seen evidence of that ourselves, but they hope they have a lot of systems inside from the U.S. coalition war planes and we think advisers on the ground here as well. It's a key test and one which if successful, could potentially damage ISIS's abilities to make money from black market oil trade -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Nick Paton Walsh for us this morning -- thanks, Nick.
BERMAN: All right. Big developments there -- meanwhile, this morning, the fight for conservative votes heating up. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio campaigning in early primary states today. Cruz in New Hampshire and Marco Rubio in South Carolina.
Senator Cruz is going after Rubio on trade, on agriculture subsidies, but mainly on immigration. Cruz has been highlighting Rubio's one- time support of immigration reform helping author a Senate bill advocating what some call amnesty before ultimately backing off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Republicans nominate for president a candidate who supports amnesty, we will have given up one of the major distinctions with Hillary Clinton and we will lose the general election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Rubio avoided being drawn into the immigration discussion on the debate Tuesday night. The moderators essentially let him off the hook. Now, he says he would allow undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. longer for 10 years to get a work permit if they learn English and pay a fine. In other words, they could stay.
CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is with Rubio in South Carolina with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Christine.
Well, Marco Rubio trying to keep the momentum going after the debate, hitting two key states, Iowa and South Carolina. And here in Columbia, he opened his first office in this first in the South primary state and talked about the importance of this state in his road ahead.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We plan to be here often, maybe not in the office every day, but in the state, because we want to do very well here. We want to be successful. Because this election could be decided, at least the nomination could be decided in the state.
SERFATY: In the poll out in South Carolina this week shows that Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are running neck and neck for third place here in South Carolina. That's behind frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson.
Now, Ted Cruz recently told CNN that it is a plausible outcome. He thinks it could come down to just him and Marco Rubio. And certainly, he's been telegraphing a few lines of attack that he is ready to wage against Marco Rubio in that debate on Tuesday night.
[04:05:06] So, certainly, this potentially sets up a big battle between the two ahead -- John and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Jeb Bush taking on Marco Rubio as he campaigns in Iowa. He renewed his earlier criticism of Rubio's poor attendance record in the Senate. And Bush questioned Rubio's electability against Hillary Clinton, calling himself a better bet than the first term Florida senator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Are we going to nominate someone who has a proven conservative record? Thirty-two years in business, eight years as governor? Against someone who does who's been experienced in government for sure, but not a proven record?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: A big chunk of the Republican field in Iowa campaigning today. Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie and Rand Paul have events in the Hawkeye State.
BERMAN: Crucial day in court over the death of a man more than two years ago. Forty-six-year-old Linwood Lambert died in police custody after being tasered repeatedly just steps from the entrance from the emergency room in the hospital. Lambert never got the medical help on the morning he died. Now, this dramatic video of his arrest, it surfaced for the first time as Lambert's family heads to court today seeking a $25 million judgment against police in South Boston, Virginia.
Let's get more now from CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This police video shows three officers in South Boston, Virginia, tasing a man right outside of the hospital emergency room.
Shortly after, that man, 46-year-old Linwood Lambert died in police custody.
The video begins with officers picking Lambert at a motel early one morning in May of 2013, after several 911 calls were made about noise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got you. I've got you. BROWN: In court records, police say because of the way Lambert was
acting, they decided to take him to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. They say he made comments about murdering two people and hiding their bodies in the ceiling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to take you to the emergency room and we're going to make sure you're good to go.
BROWN: Inside the patrol car, police say, he kicked out the window. Then, the video shows Lambert running straight into the hospital doors while handcuffed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get on your belly.
BROWN: He falls to the ground and the officers repeatedly ask him to roll over on to his stomach while threatening to tase him.
Lambert admits that he was on drugs.
LINWOOD LAMBERT: I just did cocaine, man.
BROWN: But instead of taking him inside the emergency room, the officers take him to the police station.
OFFICER: You're under arrest. Stand up.
BROWN: The officers tased Lambert multiple times. He's bleeding apparently from breaking the squad car window.
By the time they reach the police station, Lambert appears unconscious in the back seat. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital after going into cardiac arrest, according to the medical examiner's report.
The report ruled the cause of death as acute cocaine intoxication, but the family blames the police and they filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit alleging, quote, "The officers' callous disregard for Linwood Lambert in tasering him multiple times and depriving him of the desperate medical care he needed violated his constitutional rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment."
Police have denied the allegations, saying Lambert's erratic action required the use of force.
Pamela Brown, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Now, the South Boston Police Department said, "We are vigorously defending the case. Our position is affirmed by the reports of two independent well-qualified experts in the field." CNN has reached out to both South Boston police and Virginia police who picked up the investigation of Lambert's death. We have not heard back from either department.
The medical examiner's report said while cocaine was the cause of death, there were three puncture wounds that appeared to come from a taser. CNN has not been able to independently verify how many times Lambert was tasered.
ROMANS: All right. Nine minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money.
U.S. stock futures pointing higher after a dip yesterday. Watching oil prices very carefully. They fell to a two-month low. They are trying to pull higher. They fell 3 percent yesterday on over supply worries.
Quite frankly, oil tanks are brimming full and global demand is waning. Energy stocks led the declines yesterday.
A daily fantasy sports say they won't leave New York without a fight. The state attorney general Eric Schneiderman ordered two companies to stop their games because they violate gambling laws.
Now, both those companies are immediately playing offense. DraftKings fired back with a legal team ready to challenge New York. FanDuel, the other company that's based in New York said it will fight back with everything in its arsenal.
This industry has really grown quickly. It now offers million dollar prices and daily bets on everything from NASCAR to golf to mixed martial arts.
[04:10:01] But it is a business model, Berman, under incredible scrutiny. You know, they have sponsorship of teams. You know, they have really reached out to millions of young fans.
And the attorney general says no way. This is not a game of skill. This is a game of luck.
BERMAN: Yes, this is just the beginning. This is just the beginning.
All right. Two men apprehended and accused of posting racial threats online targeting the Missouri college campus. New tension on campuses around the country, that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Police in Missouri have apprehended two people for allegedly making threats on social media against African-American students. One suspect Hunter Park (ph) was charged with make terrorists threats against University of Missouri students on the anonymous app, Yik Yak.
[04:15:00] One message read, "I'm going to stand my ground tomorrow and shoot every black person I see."
Racial tensions are still simmering on the Columbia, Missouri campus following the forced resignation of the president and chancellor. The other students, freshmen, at Northwest Missouri State has not been charged.
ROMANS: The racial turmoil at the University sparking protests over race and discrimination on campuses across the country now. One of them, Ithaca College in Upstate New York. Students held a solidarity walk Wednesday, calling for the school's president to resign. Some 600 people, students and faculty took part in the protest.
The students expressing anger over the response by the administration to incidents of racism. The event was organized by the group People of Color at Ithaca College.
BERMAN: Breaking overnight: three people now in custody charged with pointing lasers at local television helicopters as they flew near the airports in New York City and New Jersey. Crews from WNBC, WCBS and WABC, they were targeted. You can see the green laser right at the helicopter there.
The WNBC crew helped police locate the two suspects in Brooklyn. Another person was arrested in New Jersey. The FAA is investigating.
In Dallas, three separate passenger planes were involved in laser incidents. Officials say all three were hit by a laser coming from the same general vicinity. The planes were flying between 3,000 and 4,000 feet on approach to Dallas Love Field.
ROMANS: Incredibly dangerous, and incredibly stupid.
Police in San Francisco shot and killed an armed man who climbed to the sixth floor of the construction site aiming a rifle at a nearby hospital and at officers. Officials say the unidentified suspect had two firearms. One he allegedly robbed from a sporting good store about 10 miles away. Police say the man fired at least one around before he was killed. No one on the ground was injured. Still no word on a possible motive there.
BERMAN: Strong front touched off severe storms hammering the Midwest. See some trees down, all homes damaged all over Des Moines in Iowa. Multiple tornadoes there. Customers at the local Walmart with no place to hide when the roof caved in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORGAN LAWSON, WITNESS: They made us go to the back. The water was pouring from the ceiling in Walmart, and lights and everything were on the ground. They had us go to the back. They found out there was a gas leak. So, they had us get out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: What a frightening day.
Will there be more severe storms today? Let's get to meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, John and Christine.
Well, it doesn't appear we will have the severe weather threat like we did yesterday at this time.
Take a look at this. Over 100 reports of hail and wind damage across the central U.S., specifically located across Iowa. That's where we had roughly 10 tornadoes take place on Wednesday, all thanks to this very intense late season low pressure system that developed.
Now, the severe weather threat is diminishing. But behind it, very cold air as well as very windy weather will settle in across much of the upper great lakes, and eventually into the east coast.
Speaking of the East Coast, New York to Boston, you have showers moving in that will really settle in right about lunchtime as well, roughly 55 million Americans under some sort of wind advisory or warning today. Gusts could exceed 60 miles per hour across the Des Moines region and Detroit as well.
Look at the wind speeds anticipated across the upper Great Lakes, a very, very windy day. Hold on to your hat, regardless. Now, quite a temperature difference. Cooling things off dramatically behind this particular system. Take a look at daytime highs for the Big Apple today will reach 58.
Back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks with that.
BERMAN: U.S. and Russian leaders set to discuss the crisis in Syria and how best to battle ISIS. Is there some secret Russian plan? Live with developments next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:23:08] ROMANS: A leaked Russian plan to end the crisis in Syria not gaining traction. This proposal calls for an 18 month reform period followed by early presidential elections. But it does not rule out the possibility of President Bashar al Assad running for re- election. That's sparking criticism from Arab and western nations.
Later today, Secretary of State John Kerry will speak in Washington about U.S. efforts to end Syria's civil war. Kerry will meet with his Russian counterpart and other world leaders in Vienna this weekend about the crisis.
CNN's senior correspondent Frederik Pleitgen monitoring the latest live from London.
So, what do we know about the Russian proposal and how serious it is and whether it has any chance of survival?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, not gaining traction, Christine, is probably an understatement, because not only have the groups denounced the proposal saying if Bashar al Assad is going to be allowed to contend in any sort of election, we're not going to take part in the process at all.
And on the other side, the regime has said the Russians denied this proposal ever took place. It is not gaining traction, but it is certainly something that is being debated in international diplomatic circles, especially ahead of the meeting taking place on the weekend. Now, this constitutional council that is supposed to work for 18
months and Assad is not supposed to be part of the council, but government and opposition representatives are part of the council. As you said, it is supposed to end with the referendum and early elections in Syria where Assad would not be excluded. That, of course, is the big point of contention as on the one side you have the opposition and its backers, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. On the other hand, you have Iranians and Russians who believe at least for the time being Assad should stay.
And as these diplomatic efforts move forward, and right now, Christine, we are in the most serious diplomatic phase of the entire time of the Syrian civil war.
[04:25:08] The fate of Bashar al Assad is the big question and one thing that they cannot agree on, Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Frederik Pleitgen -- thanks for that, Fred.
BERMAN: All right. This morning, there are growing concerns among aviation experts that key evidence in the crash of MetroJet Flight 9268, evidence of being compromised. This is according to the report on "The Wall Street Journal". The Egyptian-led investigation they say is being so bogged down in secrecy, that critical clues could remain scattered over the desert undiscovered. Observers were also troubled by Russia's lack of transparency when it comes to the autopsy findings among the victims.
ROMANS: All right. Breaking news this morning, a new fight launched to free one Iraqi town from ISIS to cut off a key supply route to starve ISIS of money. We are live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Breaking news this morning. A new U.S. backed operation to cut a key ISIS supply line. We are live.
