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CNN Live Event/Special

Edmunds Being Questioned by Police in Hospital

Aired June 22, 2002 - 12:00   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: New information expected about a drifter connected to the missing girl mystery in Utah. We'll bring you a news conference as soon as it begins. Actually, we're going to take it to you right now -- live Teresa McCabe at the hospital in Martinsburg.

TERESA MCCABE, HOSPITAL SPOKESPERSON: The Salt Lake City police and the Salt Lake City bureau of the FBI did arrive here at City Hospital. They have been interviewing physicians as well as Mr. Edmunds. As well as meeting with hospital staff, including myself.

I just concluded a meeting with both the Salt Lake City officers, as well as the local FBI and Federal Marshals, U.S. Marshals. And they have determined after speaking with the medical personnel that Mr. Edmunds will not be transferred from our facility at anytime today. And, actually, will probably remain here for the next several days. So there will not be any sort of transfer of Mr. Edmunds from City Hospital in the near future.

QUESTION: On what basis was the decision made?

MCCABE: That was based after speaking with Mr. Edmunds' attending physician.

QUESTION: So no one actually spoke to Mr. Edmunds?

MCCABE: I'm getting to that. Actually, yes. The FBI and the Salt Lake City Police Department have spoken with Mr. Edmunds, and they said that it was OK to release that information, that they are actually speaking with him at this moment, and they will continue their investigation, continue to talk not only with Mr. Edmunds, but also staff and medical personnel over the next several days.

QUESTION: You said this morning you seemed pretty confident that he might be leaving the hospital today. What changed? Did his condition worsen, or did the criteria change?

MCCABE: Well, no, again, as we stated this morning, the determination of where and when he would be transferred would depend on the opinion of the attending physician, related to his medical condition, as well as the circumstances surrounding his arrest and issues related to law enforcement and their decisions.

And as I said, after meeting with the physicians and the Salt Lake City, working with local FBI and so forth, they've determined that it's best that Mr. Edmunds remain here, and there are no plans for transfer, as I said, in the immediate future. He will be here for several days.

QUESTION: Two questions. Number one, is his condition still serious, or is it upgraded?

MCCABE: His condition has still remained the same. He is still in serious condition in the intensive care, critical care unit.

QUESTION: But by implication, can we now determine that he's lucid enough and conscious enough?

MCCABE: He is conscious. I can also tell you that. He is conscious. He is alert. And he is speaking with -- law enforcement said that I could release that he is speaking with them and is talking with them.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: What is he talking about?

(CROSSTALK)

MCCABE: Any -- what they requested -- what Salt Lake City police requested, they said that they will be developing a press release with specific information.

I know -- I explained that you've had a lot of questions related to the whole scenario, the case, you know, what the status is; whether or not he's cooperative; how he got here. All of those kinds of things that really I cannot comment about.

So Salt Lake City police said that they will be developing a press release with all of that information and suggested that I refer you to Captain Scott Atkinson who is the public information officer for the Salt Lake City Police Department, and I have that phone number.

QUESTION: But we're not holding a news conference here?

MCCABE: No, they have made it very clear that they will not be speaking to the press here. That -- basically, everything that is going to be said about the case has been said, other than what will be released from the Salt Lake City police and the FBI bureau in Salt Lake City.

(CROSSTALK)

We will continue to have him in a secure area in our critical care, intensive care unit. He will be guarded as he is being guarded now by FBI and U.S. Marshals, Federal Marshals.

QUESTION: Can you give us a number of how many are guarding him?

MCCABE: Again, I didn't count them when I was up there, and it fluctuates.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: There was some indication before that he may not survive. Is he out of the woods?

MCCABE: Again, I'm not quite sure. I've never said or indicated that he was in critical condition or anything near that. Again, he is in the intensive care unit, which that in itself means that one requires certain specialty care.

But at the same time, as I said before, you have good, fair, serious and critical, and we have always listed him in serious condition, and now he is conscious, he's coherent and he's talking -- so.

QUESTION: Is that a change from, say, yesterday? Conscious -- consistently conscious and lucid?

MCCABE: Again, as I indicated before, I have not been in his room, and law enforcement hasn't really shared information with me before this time about his condition when they have been in the room.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCABE: That I do not know. Again, I'd refer you to Captain Scott Atkinson of the Salt Lake City police.

QUESTION: You mentioned yesterday in the ICU that you were planning on trying to open that up a little bit because (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

MCCABE: Right, and we did do that. Last evening we did move Mr. Edmunds to a secured area, another area of the ICU, CCU, and we did reopen five beds to care for other critical care patients.

QUESTION: Did he have an attorney present with him? A lawyer or a public defender?

MCCABE: Again, I can't comment on that. I'd refer you to the Salt Lake City police.

QUESTION: Is he eating any solid foods, or is he on an IV?

MCCABE: That I don't know.

QUESTION: Has he been formally charged with anything?

MCCABE: Again, law enforcement. I can't.

QUESTION: He is under arrest, though?

MCCABE: He was placed under arrest.

(CROSSTALK) MCCABE: Again, you really need -- I mean, I'm not going to make any more comments related to the situation, the arrest. Again, please call Captain Scott Atkinson. I'll be more than happy if you want to call periodically to check on his condition and any change there. At this point we have no plans for releasing him, or transferring him, and that's the next several days.

PHILLIPS: Teresa McCabe, City Hospital, Martinsburg in West Virginia, commenting on the fact that Bret Michael Edmunds is in the hospital still in serious condition, and authorities are talking to him now.

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