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Incident at Cincinnati Zoo Examined; Latest on Prince Death Investigation; NBA Finals Game 1 Reviewed; Gun Battles in Streets of Rio. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired June 03, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00] JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- in place during Saturday's incident. It's a simple metal railing that's about three- feet high.

Now, on the left, the zoo has released images of the new one that visitors will see on Tuesday. Officials say it's about 42 inches high, about 6 inches taller than before, and perhaps crucially it will have a knotted rope netting that no one can get through.

Now, the zoo stresses that the previous barrier was secure, and it was accredited numerous times by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, but obviously, after what happened on Saturday with that three-year old boy getting through and getting into the gorilla enclosure, zoo officials say they will put that new barrier in place that will be spotlighted when it reopens on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the prosecutor's office could announce as soon as this morning or today whether or not they will file criminal charges against any family members of that boy or the parents. Police wrapped up the investigation yesterday, and then handed it over to the prosecutor for review. So we should get more information at some point today. Alisyn?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Right. Lots of people are waiting to see what the prosecutor is going to do in this case. Jessica, thank you for the update.

We also have an update on Prince. We now know that he died from an accidental drug overdose of an incredibly powerful drug. What drug was it and why would he have it? We have answers from an addiction expert next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:35:18] CHRIS CUOMO, ANCHOR: We now know what killed music superstar Prince. It was an accidental opioid overdose, but there's a lot more to it than that and, in fact, this isn't the end of the understanding. It's actually just the beginning.

The medical examiner's report reveals that Prince was on one of the most potent drugs on the market right now. It's called fentanyl. So what is fentanyl and how was Prince able to hide this addiction if it was so potent and taxing on his life?

Let's discuss with someone who knows very well, addiction expert, founder and CEO of the Hills Treatment Center Howard Samuels.

Howard, thank you for helping us out on this today. But first question ...

HOWARD SAMUELS, CEO, THE HILLS TREATMENT CENTER: Absolutely, Chris.

CUOMO: You know, you understand addiction so well and know that people hide it, but when hearing about these high-powered drugs that require a lot of coordination of getting them and different doctors and there are so many different drugs found in his house. It was different opioids, benzodiazepine or however you say the word, there was a lot of odd on the house. How is he able to do this without people all knowing?

SAMUELS: Well, first of all, Chris, that's impossible, all right? You know, I'm a recovering heroin addict myself and anybody that is close to an addict, you know, the moods, the need for the drug, the highs, the lows. There is no question that people were close to Prince had to know what was going on, and probably enabled the addiction.

CUOMO: So we have that piece of accountability, and we do know that authorities are looking into which doctors, how did he get it, but then we get into this new realm of this problem that I know people in your community are so worried about. These pills, the opioids that they are easier to get, and this fentanyl is at the top of the food chain. Why? Why does this drug worry you more than others?

SAMUELS: Well, first of all, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, you know, it is so much stronger than heroin, some more stronger than morphine. It's really at the top of the list, it's extremely dangerous. And what you're seeing across America now with the heroin epidemic that is out of control is that a lot of the drug dealers are putting a little fentanyl in the heroin packages and addicts are dying quickly and ODing because the drug is so powerful.

CUOMO: Why would they do that though? Don't they want their customers alive?

SAMUELS: Well, they do, but they also want to get a reputation on the street about how good their particular heroin is. So it's that reputation. I mean, this may sound crazy, but when I was shooting heroin in New York, you know, if we heard a certain brand of heroin, people were ODing off the drug, we wanted that drug, because that meant it was powerful and it was really, really good. Now, the key was, not to do enough to die, but do enough to get really, really high off it.

CUOMO: And obviously, once you're compromised by taking the drug it's hard for you to make those calculations the right way and that may have contributed here as well, according to the medical examiner, the self-administering. But that then takes us to the big problem what do we do this -- with this information? How does it affect the rest of us?

I can't tell you how many parents I hear from who has kids who get into drugs who have said before, well, you know what in the beginning I was OK with it, because at least it was just pills. So you know, it's not like I found him with a knife in his veins. They're misunderstanding the strength of the pills. What are you seeing in your work?

SAMUELS: Well, first of all, it all starts and ends with the family. You know, the family is the closest to the addict there is. So it's about families truly being educated. I mean, we are in a drug epidemic throughout America. We're the biggest consumers of these drugs in the world. And it's the families that are on the front lines of being able to see the signs that their son or daughter or their husband or wife are going through.

And that's where the education really has to occur, and where families have to get educated. They have to start to do boundaries. They have to do interventions. They've got help their loved ones before it's too late.

CUOMO: Part of the analysis here with Prince was, you know, why would a doctor prescribe this, but the truth is, you don't need a doctor to get this stuff anymore. It's available on the streets. You can get it in pills, you can get it in powder, you can get it in patches so the problem is real, we're going to have to keep dealing with it.

And Howard, I'll be coming back to you for more help and we'll see its next manifestation. Thank you for being with us.

SAMUEL: All right. Absolutely, Chris. Thank you. Ana.

CABRERA: Interesting information there. Well, we are just about two months out now from the Olympics in Rio. But is this crime-ridden city ready to play host to the world? We are taking you there. You won't believe the violence we discovered, and should athletes and tourists be worried?

[06:40:08] We'll answer that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: NBA finals goes to the Golden State Warriors powered by the bench. So to Coy Wire joining us now with this mornings "Bleacher Report." I have a feeling King James isn't very happy?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Not a good day for King James and the Cavs on it. LeBron and the Cavs. They were containing the splash brothers, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson. The Cavs were making a push in the second half and then the Warriors needed a wake up call and it was Coach Steve Kerr who gave them one. I mean this was like the cold bucket of water when you're trying to sleep. Watch this moment right here. This was it. I mean, that's it he said his team was losing focus, they were careless passes, bad defense. They needed to get their edge back, and guys like Shaun Livingston got the message, coming off the bench he scores 20 points. That's as many as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined.

[06:45:08] Iguodala, Barbosa these were the guys coming off the bench making this happen. Curry and Thompson weren't even in the top four in scoring for the warriors. That's scary for the Cavs, the Warriors win104-89. Game two Sunday in Oakland.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the idea of moving next year's all- star game from North Carolina still a possibility. This is an awake of the passage of the state's controversial LGBT law requiring everyone to use public bathrooms that correspond to their birth gender. Here's Commissioner Silver talking about it.

ADAM SILVER, NBA COMMISSIONER: The discussions are ongoing. I was in North Carolina about two and a half weeks ago. Spoke to lot of business leaders and Charlotte who are working behind the scenes. Frankly, they craft some sort of compromise with the governmental leaders, both in the city and the state. I would say there is absolutely strong interest in trying to work something out.

WIRE: So in the past, Silver has said that they would move the game if the law wasn't changed. So Chris, it sounds like some progress is being made. We'll see how it plays out.

COUMO: All right, quickly, who's the better team?

WIRE: Cavs, they're going to get it done. Here they come, Chris.

CUOMO: Craziest thing I've ever heard you say. You're too handsome to be that crazy.

WIRE: I love it.

CUOMO: Coy, have a good weekend.

All right, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Olympics in Rio this summer has to do with guns and violence. If you think athletes won't be affected, think again.

Here's CNN correspondent Ivan Watson with more of what's real in Rio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gun battles in the Olympic city.

A clash between police and gangs in one of the Rio de Janeiro's impoverished Favelas with civilians caught in the middle. Urban warfare in densely populated communities where parents struggled to keep their children safe.

This woman says two bullets flew into a children's recreation center. When armored personnel carriers and police Special Forces move in, they trigger more gunfire. It's not exactly what you'd expect in the host city of the upcoming summer Olympics.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through Translation): Today we live in the middle of a cross fire, caught in a war that is not our own.

WATSON: Luisa Cabral is a well-respected community activist in one of Rio's biggest Favelas. She says the war between the police and the gangs is getting worse. She argues that the upcoming Olympics won't make any impact on the violence here. The authorities in Rio insist they have a plan for keeping the games safe by deploying some 85,000 police and soldiers across the city. But these days, even members of Olympic teams are getting caught up in the violence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well actually, I went to the gas station. I was just meters away and a gunfight started. So -- all of a sudden everybody started running at the gas station and hiding behind things. So I thought, well, that might be time to just laid flat in the motor boat and hide as well.

WATSON: Part of the problem is that there are effectively two systems of law and order in Rio. Police keep control in the affluents touristic parts of the city, but up in the much poorer hill tops, there's a very different group in charge.

This young drug trafficker is trying to illustrate the complete different set of rules that exists up in the Favelas. Brazilians call this the parallel state. There are communities where the gangs control the area, and where the police rarely go in without weapons.

You don't want the Olympics?

"It's not that I don't want it but I don't see any advantage to corrupt Olympics. There's no investment. The rich people just use the games to steal from the Brazilian people. A drug dealer's deep skepticism of the Olympics, and a view that's also shared by many of the ordinary Brazilians we've met here. And perhaps it's understandable given the frightening conditions, many residents face in this troubled city, sheer survival more important than bronze, silver and gold.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

[06:49:27] CAMEROTA: OK Another story that's getting so much attention, the death of Harambe the gorilla, has of course sparked this national debate. Should the parents face charges? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The outrage over the death of Harambe the gorilla at the Cincinnati zoo continues. Nearly half a million people signing an online petition saying "It is believed the situation was caused by parental negligence and the zoo is not responsible for the child injuries and possible trauma. We, the under signed want the parents to be held accountable for the lack of supervision and negligence that caused Harambe to lose his life."

So let's debate this with Attorney and Columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News Christine Flowers and CNN Commentator and Legal Analyst Mel Robbins.

Ladies thanks so much for being here. Christine, I want to start with you because as early as today the Hamilton County, Ohio, prosecutor's office could decide whether or not to charge the parents. Do you think they should? CHRISTINE FLOWERS, COLUMNIST FOR THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS: Good morning, Alisyn. Under Ohio law, they could do that. There's a possibility there. I think that there should be some accountability here, and while filing charges may not be exactly the appropriate avenue of relief, I think that we need to hold the parents accountable and (inaudible) about the mother.

CAMEROTA: But then how? I mean, I perceived that if not charges, what do you mean by accountability? What does that look like, then?

FLOWERS: Well, if you can file charges, then you can have some kind of a plea bargain whereby the mother could be on probation, whereby children in youth services could come in and monitor the situation, because clearly, if there's something went wrong, and it wasn't the zoo's fault.

CAMEROTA: OK.

FLOWERS: Because in 37 years at the Cincinnati Zoo, this didn't happen. Three generations of kids were able to go to that exhibit or to be able to be at the zoo and not fall into the primate preserve. So the default position is, the mother did something wrong.

CAMEROTA: OK. Now, 500,000 people agree with cries Christine. They want there to be some repercussions for this mother or the parents, what do you think?

[06:55:06] MEL ROBBINS, CNN COMMENTATORS AND LEGAL ANALYST: I think it's absolutely ridiculous, you know, you talk about accountability, would they -- we've pointed the internet unanimous rage machine and commentators at this family with a barrage of cruel accusations.

On Anderson Cooper show last night, Alisyn. There was an eyewitness to this event. Do people understand what the "Negligence" was of this mother? She'd turned to take a photograph of her other children. Do we really want to live in a society where you could be held criminally negligent because you go to a zoo and you take a photo? I mean, this is absolutely absurd.

This child climb over a barrier, fell into the, you know, the exhibit, which we all know it was a tragic accident. And accidents happen in this day and age, and I think we have to take a step back. It's very easy to click a button on the web and feel a sense of moral outrage and think that you're better than somebody else, but take a step back, understand what actually happened before you start to accuse people of a negligence.

CAMEROTA: OK.

ROBBINS: And want to leverage our criminal justice system to go supervise a woman that was doing nothing wrong.

CAMEROTA: OK. Christine, your response?

FLOWERS: I completely disagree doing nothing wrong here resulted in a child falling into the primate pit, as I said in 37 years, this has not happened.

You know, I agree that there has been some very cruel kind of crucifixion of the mother in the cyberspace, and that's wrong and a lot of people are being motivated by a sense of anger that this magnificent gorilla was put down.

CAMEROTA: Yeah.

FLOWERS: But, you have to look at the situation in context. If a child runs into a canned food display at thrift way, that's one thing. When you go into a supermarket you expect this type of thing to happen even a child darting across the street on a busy morning that's acceptable, understandable if tragic. But when you go to a zoo ...

ROBBINS: Yeah, but you know what? You know what's interesting about your argument ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- and you take your child to the parameter -- excuse, me let me -- let me finish. Let me finish. Let me finish.

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: Mel, hold on. Give her one minute to finish her sentence. Go ahead.

FLOWERS: If you take your child to the perimeter of an exhibit where there are wild animals below, you don't take your eye off of that child for one minute. You don't take pictures of that other children.

CAMEROTA: OK.

FLOWERS: Unless you are sure that there is someone supervising that toddler.

CAMEROTA: Got it. OK, Christine you made your point. Mel, your response?

ROBBINS: I think, you know, the interesting thing about Christine's argument is that, if you're in a supermarket, foreseeable, that if you let go of your child's hand they might run into something. If you're at a zoo that's been in operation for 38 years and it's not a common foreseeable thing, the children climb over the barriers, you actually have a, an expectation that you're in a safe environment and that it's okay to turn around for 10 seconds and take a photograph of your other children because it's not something that normally happens.

FLOWERS: Well guess what? In 38 years no children did that. In 38 years, no children did that.

CAMEROTA: Yeah, you got.

FLOWERS: Because it was foreseeable ...

ROBBINS: Christine, exactly which is why I'm ...

CAMEROTA: Go ahead, Mel. ROBBINS: Look, I think that your argument proves that because it hadn't happened in 38 years, it's not something that anybody think would happen. And it's not something you would assume it would probably clime over the barrier.

CAMEROTA: Ladies, you both made your cases ...

FLOWERS: She should have known where the child was ...

CAMEROTA: Christine, thank you.

ROBBINS: You know what? Christine what you going to do? Throw her in jail, you're going to put a woman on probation that works for the stage that supervises for --

FLOWERS: No. You're not going to throw her in jail but we have standards.

ROBBINS: ... it's ridiculous. Absolutely -- standards?

FLOWERS: The people who were saying that you're not supposed to assess blame.

ROBBINS: How about ...

FLOWERS: This empathetic wave of don't assess blame. Well, what are standards for?

CAMEROTA: Look ...

FLOWERS: Why do we have standards in society for good and bad?

CAMEROTA: I think that -- I think you've actually both ...

ROBBINS: Hold on Christine.

CAMEROTA: I think that you both made the point which is the exactly how this half million people feel. They want there to be some repercussions even if it doesn't rise to the level ...

ROBBINS: I think there have analysis.

CAMEROTA: Yeah and I hear you. I hear you that the social media onslaught that they've been facing certainly does qualify as some repercussions. But we'll see. I mean, we'll see today with the Hamilton County prosecutor's office decides to do and whether or not they think this was a case of child endangerment. Christine Flowers now Mel Robbins thank you very much for that debate.

All right. We'll following a lot of news including Donald Trump's stepping up as attacks on the Trump University judge.

Let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump's got America all wrong.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESUMTPIVE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE: Hillary Clinton has to go to jail.

CLINTON: He says he has foreign policy experience, because he ran the Miss Universe Pageant in Russia.

TRUMP: We haven't been smart and strong for many, many decades.

CLINTON: If you really believe America is weak, you certainly don't deserve to lead it.

[07:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five soldiers found dead in Floodwaters at Fort Hood, Texas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The water is just all the way up to the windows.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we're seeing families and farms, they destroyed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a tremendous disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A former military commander --