Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Videographer Informed of Subpoena On Air

Aired July 11, 2002 - 14:03   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Grand jurors in Los Angeles are meeting this hour in a case that's been -- likened, rather, to the beating of Rodney King.

CNN National Correspondent Frank Buckley is standing by in Los Angeles with the latest from there -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, this is the case of 16- year-old Donovan Jackson, the boy whose beating by police was captured on home video by someone who was watching the incident. We're told that the grand jury has been hearing from witnesses in the case for at least a day, as authorities attempt to determine if Officer Jeremy Morse, who is seen hitting Jackson, committed a crime, or violated department policy. As part of the grand jury investigation, the district attorney's office is seeking the original video, and investigators would like to speak with the man who shot it, Mitchell Crooks. Yesterday, Crooks was on a local radio talk show when the chief deputy district attorney also came on the program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, have the police ever looked at it?

MITCHELL CROOKS, AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to give it to them?

CROOKS: Sure. I mean, I am not going to give it to them, but I am going to allow them to have a copy of it. I will show it to them. I just want to make sure that I have an attorney present. I have talked to a couple people from the ACLU to make sure that this doesn't...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we have a chief deputy DA from Los Angeles County on the line here, I think has something to add to this -- Curt Livesay, welcome to the John and Ken (ph) show.

CURT LIVESAY, DEPUTY DA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Curt, Mitchell is on the line here. I assume you are up to speed on what we are discussing.

LIVESAY: I think so. I haven't heard the entire conversation, but Mitchell, let me assure you that there's a grand jury subpoena for you, and I suggest that you honor it, and you show up to Criminal Courts Building, that's downtown, 210 West Temple, and you be here promptly at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the grand jury. That's the 13th floor of the building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: We have folks stationed down at the courthouse this morning. They tell us they have been there all morning, that Crooks did not show. The grand jury investigation is just one of the investigations of this incident that is underway. The Inglewood Police Department has an internal affairs investigation taking place, and the civil rights unit of the FBI is also investigating. The officer under investigation, Jeremy Morse, has been relieved of duty, and is on paid leave. His attorney, John Barnett, tells CNN it's too early to judge the actions of his client, and that while every picture does tell a story, it's not the whole story.

Our Thelma Gutierrez will be speaking with him later today, and we'll have that for you as we get it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Frank Buckley. Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com