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New Day

Cosby's Complex Legacy; D'Monterrio Gibson is Interviewed about Being Chased and Shot at. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired February 11, 2022 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:33:52]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it is time to talk about Bill Cosby. His rise and his downfall. Showtime just released a four-part documentary diving into the life of the man who was once known as America's dad.

Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't often learn that your heroes are really the worst sorts of villain. Like that's not something that's a normal experience. Or that this person who you think of as a hero has fooled the entire country about what their character really is.

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BERMAN: Joining us now is W. Kamau Bell, director and executive producer of the docu-series "We Need To Talk About Cosby."

Kamau, I have to say, I haven't seen it, I don't have Showtime, but the writeups on it have been amazing, like, amazing reviews so far, which makes me so happy because you're one of my favorite people/

So, let me just ask out and out, you know, why do we need to talk about Cosby?

W. KAMAU BELL, CNN HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA": You know, I think that for me and a lot of people of my generation, you know, we were sort of born into the heart of Bill Cosby's career and in some parts raised by Bill Cosby on TV, from "Fat Albert," to "The Cosby Show" to his stand-up.

[08:35:09]

And then if you're a person like me, I started doing stand-up in large part because of Bill Cosby. And then to find out what we found out, that the 60 -- more than 60 women who have come forward and I believe those women, you try to wrestle with, what does it all mean if you have all this cultural DNA inside of you that says, he taught me how to be a good person and all this other stuff you see that is like the opposite of what he taught you.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: I loved "The Cosby Show" growing up. And one of the things that has made me so upset about the revelations about Bill Cosby is that, you know, now you can't -- you can't -- it's so tainted. And it's not just Bill Cosby, Kamau, it's the performances of so many wonderful actors and actresses including so many actresses of color. And now that work doesn't get to be honored in the way that it was.

BELL: I mean, that's -- on some level that's what we're -- what I was trying to do here was like, how do we talk about the good work? How do we talk about the things that inspired so many of us? And I feel like when we talk about it, we talk about all of it because I think there is a lot of good things that Bill Cosby did through his career -- and it seems weird to say out loud considering everything else -- but then you have to look at all the other things, the harmful things. And so, for me, the only way to save the legacy in any part if you want to do that is to talk about all of it.

BERMAN: At the same time, Kamau, you talked to the survivors here. And what do you want people to know about their voice?

BELL: You know, I think a lot of times when you see survivors on the news, because of nature of how news works, which we know, things get boiled down to sound bites, which is a way to deliver the news and deliver the story. And it was really important to me and the people who made the doc that we show the survivors talking about their lives, talking about other areas in which they're experts in and hopefully, for many viewers, you see them first in the doc just talking about their lives and things that they know and you don't even maybe know they're survivors until they tell their story. So it was really important to see them as much as possible, as fully developed human beings.

And the other thing I think is that they are not hold -- held to this story the way you might imagine they are if you've just seen them on the news. These -- this is a thing that happened to them. But, for many of them, it's not the thing that is most important in their lives. For most -- I would say for all of them, they have other things going on in their lives, other tragedies, other happinesses that overwhelm this. They just want to address this because they want to try to protect future generations from sexual assault and rape.

BERMAN: W. Kamau Bell, I cannot wait to see this. I am so happy for your success in this. And I have to say, you are going to give people a lot to think about. And I think that's the purpose here. So, thanks so much.

BELL: Thank you.

BERMAN: All right, we do have breaking news. The sheriff in Florida telling me moments ago that despite the surprising autopsy results from Bob Saget, the investigation is closed. New details ahead.

KEILAR: Plus, it has eerie similarities to the Ahmaud Arbery case. A white father and son duo accused of chasing down and shooting at a black FedEx driver in Mississippi. That FedEx driver will join us next.

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[08:42:06]

KEILAR: In Mississippi, a white father and son have both been arrested, charged and let out on bail after allegedly shooting at an African American FedEx driver. Brandon Case is charged with attempting to cause bodily injury with a firearm, and his father, Gregory Case, is charged with conspiring with Brandon to commit aggravated assault.

D'Monterrio Gibson says he was trying to find an address while delivering packages for his job at FedEx when he says he was chased and shot at by the Cases. The bullets hitting his work van.

D'Monterrio Gibson is joining us now to tell us what happened. He is here with his attorney, Carlos Moore as well.

D'Monterrio, thank you so much. This sounds -- I mean this sounds terrifying. Can you tell us what happened?

D'MONTERRIO GIBSON, FEDEX DRIVER WHO SAYS WHITE FATHER AND SON CHASED AND SHOT AT HIM: OK, so basically, on the evening of January 24th, I was attempting to deliver a package to 417 Julia Trail (ph). And I accidentally put the wrong address in, so I couldn't find the house.

I eventually found the right address and proceeded to deliver the package to it. Upon doing it, I was approached by a white vehicle, and their vehicle chased me, tried to cut me off and I miraculously got out of there.

I went down the street about two or three houses after I got away from the initial vehicle. And there was a guy standing in the middle of the road holding a gun and my vehicle and telling me to stop, which I did not do. They essentially just chased me out the city, and I had to file a police report after that. Shots were fired into my van as well. Yes, ma'am. That's a quick summary of it.

KEILAR: Very quick and helpful. And so you were wearing your FedEx uniform when they saw you outside of your van, is that right?

GIBSON: Yes, ma'am. I was fully dressed in FedEx uniform.

KEILAR: And what do you think the Cases were trying to do? Were they trying to kill you?

GIBSON: Honestly, in my humble opinion, I think they were because after they fired the initial shots, they continued to chase me out of the city. Again, I say so. If he didn't succeed the first time, then I can only imagine what they was going to do if they would have caught me.

KEILAR: Did you -- did they say anything? Do you -- you know, what do you think their motivation was here?

GIBSON: I honestly have no idea. We had no type of interaction before they did what they did. No words were exchanged or anything like that.

KEILAR: OK.

And, Carlos, can you tell us a little bit about D'Monterrio's interaction then with police once he got them involved here?

CARLOS MOORE, ATTORNEY FOR D'MONTERRIO GIBSON: Yes.

He immediately called the police that evening after he got to the interstate and informed his boss. The police did not take it seriously. So his boss went down with him the next morning to the station to make an official report. She showed them the bullet casings, the actual vehicle with the bullets in it and the packages with the bullets, and then they started to believe him.

However, they still allowed the Cases eight days of freedom before they turned themselves in to the Brookhaven Police Department, spending less than a day in jail on a $75,000 and $150,000 bond.

[08:45:07]

And so that's why the family has contacted me because they wanted this to be taken seriously and for there to be real charges for the Cases.

KEILAR: D'Monterrio, when this was happening, and it's really just happened here recently, as you looked back on this after a little bit of time had passed, did you see similarities to the Ahmaud Arbery case?

GIBSON: Yes, ma'am. I can definitely see the similarities. And that's why I feel it's my responsibility to speak up because Ahmaud Arbery didn't survive to speak up for himself. So I want to take that upon myself to do that for me and him as well.

KEILAR: So they're out on bail and they were given time to turn themselves in. How do you feel about that?

GIBSON: Honestly, I kind of figured that was going to happen in the first place when I initially reported it because, like I said, the officers were not taking me serious at all. Even when I went to the police station, they weren't taking me serious. So I kind of figured that was going to happen.

KEILAR: If this was a black father and son and you were a white FedEx driver, do you think this would be different?

GIBSON: Yes, ma'am, without question. I would -- I would have been arrested probably that same night and not given bail at all.

KEILAR: How has FedEx responded? Have they been accommodating to you?

GIBSON: Not really. I am currently on unpaid leave. They gave me up to two weeks off, which is unpaid. They have paid for therapy. They haven't like really supported me in making the case progress forward or -- I guess how can I say it, they haven't -- they haven't contacted me at all except for like once this whole incident went down. They said it was investigating. I haven't heard anything since, though.

KEILAR: You're on unpaid leave?

GIBSON: Yes, ma'am, currently.

KEILAR: OK. And if you go back to work, I mean where would you be working?

GIBSON: They told me they was going to try to work that out. I honestly don't know.

KEILAR: All right, I have actually just lost signal, but I know that you answered my question. So I'm going to ask you another one because I believe that our viewers are able to hear you. I know, Carlos, that you have suggested, you've requested that the FBI be looking into this incident as a possible hate crime.

Can you tell us about that and can you tell us what you have heard from the FBI?

MOORE: Yes, I did ask the FBI to officially open a hate crime investigation two evenings ago. I understand that on yesterday they did go down to the Brookhaven Police Department and picked up the file. And so while they will not confirm or deny that they are investigating, we do believe that they have taken this case seriously.

We've also informed the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and they have flagged the case and they're considering opening an investigation as well.

So, Mr. Gibson is pleased that the federal government is taking this case much more seriously than the Brookhaven Police Department.

KEILAR: OK, I can hear you again now, just so you are aware.

But, D'Monterrio, I just want to go back to the situation that you're in right now.

So you -- you were shot at in the course of your work for FedEx, you are now on unpaid leave. I'm assuming you needed leave. Tell me a little bit about why you decided you needed leave. I think we all know, but just explain why you -- why you're taking some time off.

GIBSON: Yes, ma'am. So initially, like, as soon as we left the police station, I was put right back on that same route. Like the following day. I tried to -- I tried to go through my work. It just -- it became kind of overwhelming and, like, my anxiety started acting up. I almost had like an anxiety attack. And I just felt like I couldn't handle it mentally. So, I decided to seek therapy and just take a few days off, or as much time as I need off, rather.

KEILAR: I mean, look, it sounds incredibly traumatic what you have been through, what you're describing here, and we're going to continue to follow it.

D'Monterrio Gibson, thank you for being with us this morning. Carlos Moore, thank you as well.

MOORE: Thank you.

BERMAN: A Florida school bus driver is out on bond this morning, accused of driving drunk with 40 middle school students on board.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't hit me. He's hitting me. He's hitting me.

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BERMAN: Investigators say 60-year-old Mark McNeill (ph) had a blood alcohol level four times over the legal limit. According to the sheriff's office, McNeill arrived at work smelling of alcohol, then got on the wrong bus to pick up students at a local middle school. When they tracked him down, he fell off the bus and was taken to the hospital where he tried to flee. McNeill is charged with DUI, resisting an officer, and child neglect. Whoa. That is every parent's worst nightmare.

KEILAR: Certainly is.

And ahead, two senators say that the CIA has been collecting data on Americans in warrantless searches for years. We have some new CNN reporting on that.

Plus, any moment we are going to learn the fate of the Russian skating star who failed a doping test at the Olympics. What Russia knew.

[08:50:00]

BERMAN: Sting sells his catalogs for nearly $300 million. I know what you're thinking, it does include Police songs, so it might be worth it.

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STING, MUSICIAN (singing): So she took her love for to gaze awhile, upon the fields of barley. In his arms she fell as her hair came down, among the fields of gold.

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KEILAR: Sting, Sting becoming the latest artist to cash in on their career output by selling their music catalog. The deal with Universal Music Publishing includes all of Sting's solo works, as well as the songs that he wrote, many of them rock classics when he was the front man for the Police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) STING (singing): I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle.

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KEILAR: So Sting's body of work sold for a reported $300 million.

[08:55:02]

Some of the biggest names in music have also been selling their catalogs, led by Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, who made $500 million and $400 million respectively on their deals. Maybe should have been the flip, says John Berman.

BERMAN: At last Sting has a cushion he can work with there.

Now to an exciting surprise announcement from our friend Anderson Cooper.

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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, "AC 360": Well, this is Wyatt today. He's nearly 22 months old and he is sweet and funny and the greatest joy in my life. If he looks particularly happy in this picture, it's because he now has a baby brother. His name is Sebastian. And I would like you to meet him.

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BERMAN: That is Anderson's newborn son Sebastian Luke Masani-Cooper, born at 6.8 pounds, or 6 pounds, 8 ounces, I should say. Anderson says Sebastian is healthy, happy and has adorable little hiccups.

He is beautiful. Our congratulations to all of them.

KEILAR: Beautiful.

BERMAN: CNN's coverage continues after this.

KEILAR: I love that video.

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