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Lynch Family Update

Aired May 29, 2003 - 15:30   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Former POW Jessica Lynch's family wants to talk about her recovery, not about her rescue by the U.S. military.
Family members met reporters today at their Palestine, West Virginia home.

CNN's Bob Franken was there, then drove up the road to Elizabeth and that's where we find him now.

Hello, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, and the reason that they want to talk about her recovery is because that is some thing that is noncontroversial.

Greg Lynch, Private First Class Jessica Lynch's father, was back at his home in Palestine for the first time since shortly after she regained her freedom in Iraq. He has been spending the time first in Germany at the medical facilities there then at Walter Reed. And he came back to a house that has almost doubled in size because of the work that's been done on it to make accessible to Jessica as she does her rehabilitation.

But he also comes back at a time where there's a controversy swirling around the military's account of the rescue of Jessica Lynch. And that was a primary source of the questions that were asked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG LYNCH, FATHER OF JESSICA LYNCH: Right now, we're really not supposed to talk about that subject, you know. It's still an ongoing investigation and we can't talk about nothing like that.

FRANKEN: So the controversy that's come up about all this is some thing you're not going to talk about right now?

LYNCH: Right. Right. We just -- we just don't want to talk about it.

FRANKEN: But what about her memory? Can you tell us whether it has returned or not?

LYNCH: Her memory is as good as it was when she was home. She can still remember every thing.

FRANKEN: No more amnesia?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never had amnesia.

LYNCH: No. No. That -- no, there really wasn't no amnesia problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And of course, that begs the question, who told him he was not supposed to talk about that? His answer -- quote -- "nobody."

As for the conditions here, you have a circumstance where the military considers these news reports that question whether all the force that was used was necessary. The military, the Pentagon has said those reports are ridiculous.

And there's also another thing that came up at this event today and that is that all the book and movie offers that are piling in are being handled at the moment by the governor's office in Charleston. They'll be compiled there. According to the family, any decisions on that, Miles, will be made by Jessica Lynch when she is ready -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Bob, did they talk about how she's recovering on her other injuries?

FRANKEN: Well, the injuries, according to him, are recovering slowly. He would not talk about a time frame. He says that she is very, very active right now in rehabilitation and therapy, which as you know, is quite tedious and painful. There was no timeframe when she was going to return here, but it will certainly be after the reconstruction on the house which has been done by volunteers. That's going to be finished in three weeks and then they will wait for Jessica Lynch's return.

O'BRIEN: And she needs more space or access, presumably to use a wheelchair, for example?

FRANKEN: Well, they are building a facility that is wheelchair friendly. It's a large addition. Also, one that can accommodate whatever kind of rehabilitation is needed. There's going to be consultation with the specialists at Walter Reed Hospital, who will come to the home, we're told, and actually finish the job that's being done. But it really just about doubles the size of the house.

O'BRIEN: All right. CNN's Bob Franken, joining us from West Virginia, thanks very much.

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






Aired May 29, 2003 - 15:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Former POW Jessica Lynch's family wants to talk about her recovery, not about her rescue by the U.S. military.
Family members met reporters today at their Palestine, West Virginia home.

CNN's Bob Franken was there, then drove up the road to Elizabeth and that's where we find him now.

Hello, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, and the reason that they want to talk about her recovery is because that is some thing that is noncontroversial.

Greg Lynch, Private First Class Jessica Lynch's father, was back at his home in Palestine for the first time since shortly after she regained her freedom in Iraq. He has been spending the time first in Germany at the medical facilities there then at Walter Reed. And he came back to a house that has almost doubled in size because of the work that's been done on it to make accessible to Jessica as she does her rehabilitation.

But he also comes back at a time where there's a controversy swirling around the military's account of the rescue of Jessica Lynch. And that was a primary source of the questions that were asked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG LYNCH, FATHER OF JESSICA LYNCH: Right now, we're really not supposed to talk about that subject, you know. It's still an ongoing investigation and we can't talk about nothing like that.

FRANKEN: So the controversy that's come up about all this is some thing you're not going to talk about right now?

LYNCH: Right. Right. We just -- we just don't want to talk about it.

FRANKEN: But what about her memory? Can you tell us whether it has returned or not?

LYNCH: Her memory is as good as it was when she was home. She can still remember every thing.

FRANKEN: No more amnesia?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never had amnesia.

LYNCH: No. No. That -- no, there really wasn't no amnesia problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And of course, that begs the question, who told him he was not supposed to talk about that? His answer -- quote -- "nobody."

As for the conditions here, you have a circumstance where the military considers these news reports that question whether all the force that was used was necessary. The military, the Pentagon has said those reports are ridiculous.

And there's also another thing that came up at this event today and that is that all the book and movie offers that are piling in are being handled at the moment by the governor's office in Charleston. They'll be compiled there. According to the family, any decisions on that, Miles, will be made by Jessica Lynch when she is ready -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Bob, did they talk about how she's recovering on her other injuries?

FRANKEN: Well, the injuries, according to him, are recovering slowly. He would not talk about a time frame. He says that she is very, very active right now in rehabilitation and therapy, which as you know, is quite tedious and painful. There was no timeframe when she was going to return here, but it will certainly be after the reconstruction on the house which has been done by volunteers. That's going to be finished in three weeks and then they will wait for Jessica Lynch's return.

O'BRIEN: And she needs more space or access, presumably to use a wheelchair, for example?

FRANKEN: Well, they are building a facility that is wheelchair friendly. It's a large addition. Also, one that can accommodate whatever kind of rehabilitation is needed. There's going to be consultation with the specialists at Walter Reed Hospital, who will come to the home, we're told, and actually finish the job that's being done. But it really just about doubles the size of the house.

O'BRIEN: All right. CNN's Bob Franken, joining us from West Virginia, thanks very much.

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