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CNN Headlines: Judge To Question Lone Juror In Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial; Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Expected Back On Capitol Hill Later This Month; Maria Bartiromo Ousted From Fox News In Shock Announcement. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired September 04, 2026 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:30:55]

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy triple murder trial -- they're going to return for a seventh day of deliberations today after deadlocking earlier this week. Now the judge is expected to question one juror after Clancy's attorney said that juror refused to follow the law. More on the dramatic moment that led to this rare move just ahead for you.

Plus, it's going to be a busy day at U.S. airports. The FAA is projecting more than 52,000 flights will take to the skies just ahead of Labor Day. Meanwhile, AAA noting that a two percent bump in ticket prices has taken place over last year with roundtrip tickets averaging $750.

And a dramatic breakthrough in Nepal today. Two people rescued from inside the tunnels of a hydropower plant, and more voices have been heard in that effort.

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Man being rescued from tunnel.

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SMITH: It has been over a week since massive flash floods and landslides trapped workers inside these tunnels and hopes had been fading for their rescue.

A geologist advising rescuers on the ground says they were able to narrow down the location of a tunnel that was least likely to have collapsed by looking at satellite data and drawings of the power station.

Here's what tunnel disaster expert Arnold Dix told us earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ARNOLD DIX, TUNNEL DISASTER EXPERT: We could see from the severity of the -- I call it the explosion coming down the valley -- that the tunnels would offer protection, but you'd have to be far enough in to be protected from the shockwave and you need to be high enough up not to have drowned. So we were -- we'd identified a region where we thought that might be the case without any knowledge. Like this is not in the textbook. This is 101, you know, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides kind of territory. And we thought if someone survived, this is where they'll be.

We know that the guys that are in there are smart. We know they're hard working. The Nepalese people are incredibly strong and have enormous hearts so we were confident that they could hold on psychologically. And now you see them. We're getting them out.

And the army, my God. The strength of will of those guys going in there above all of the debris, just under the top of the tunnel, barely enough room to sort of wriggle on your belly. Knowing that if you breach the rock in front and there's water that they can be drowned, and knowing, as you know, that there could be a breach up in China at any moment with the water coming down again, in which case they get drowned from behind.

And there you have it. That's what makes it all worthwhile. We're seeing living victims coming out of that tunnel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Absolutely incredible.

Another rescuer told CNN earlier this week that getting stuck in a dark tunnel gets people disoriented in about 24 hours. After two days, you start hallucinating but "there have been miracles." And indeed, that was the case today, nine days after the disaster.

We have more now for you on the murder trial of Massachusetts mom Lindsay Clancy. The day ended with a dramatic and rare development. The judge asked to speak with a single juror.

CNN's Jean Casarez was in the courtroom as it all unfolded.

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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An unbelievable afternoon in the deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy case. The judge takes the bench with papers in his hands. The defense attorney and the prosecutor walk up to a sidebar. The defense attorney arguing with the judge, pointing his finger, pointing it back at Lindsay Clancy as she sits in the courtroom. The defense attorney takes those papers and slams them down on the bench. The prosecutor listening to the judge, agreeing with the judge.

[05:35:00]

Next, Lindsay Clancy wheeled up to the bench, the judge talking with her. And then moments later, one juror after the other, alone, comes in where they all are. They are inches away from Lindsay Clancy. And one by one, as the jurors are brought in, they are sworn, they are asked something of the judge, and then they leave. Finally, after the 12 jurors, all of them come into the courtroom. The judge begins to read to them the instruction on reasonable doubt.

JUDGE WILLLIAM SULLIVAN, MASSACHUSETTS SUPERIOR COURT: If you evaluate all the evidence and you still have a reasonable doubt remaining, the defendant is entitled to the benefit of that doubt and must be acquitted.

CASAREZ: With the defendant back at the defense table, it's not finished yet because Kevin Reddington takes to the podium and begins to argue to the court that one juror should absolutely be removed from this deliberation.

KEVIN REDDINGTON, LINDSAY CLANCY'S ATTORNEY: And if we come back here in a half an hour with a mistrial because of a -- because of a juror that has just spurned the instructions of this court, it's a shame. It's a real shame. My motion is to remove this juror that refuses to listen to your instruction on reasonable doubt.

CASAREZ: The prosecutor then steps up to give the other side.

SHANAN BUCKINGHAM, PROSECUTOR: I think what your honor has done by asking each juror if they're able to follow the law and then giving a general instruction on reasonable doubt is appropriate under Commonwealth versus Ralph, so we do not have an objection.

CASAREZ: The jury didn't have too much more time to deliberate before the end of Thursday and a little after four they came back into the courtroom. The judge excused them for the day, and he would see them again for more deliberation on Friday.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Jean.

One of the Senate's most long tenured and influential Republicans could soon be back on Capitol Hill. Kentucky Congressman James Comer says that Senator Mitch McConnell is expected to return to D.C. when Congress is back in session later this month. The 84-year-old has been absent since June. This is after a fall led to a hospital stay and weeks of rehabilitation. McConnell's office tells CNN there are no scheduling announcements at this time.

The Trump administration is now asking the Supreme Court to step in and give the Postal Service sweeping power to withhold the delivery of mail-in ballots. That mail-in ballot fight is especially urgent in North Carolina. It could be a key battleground in the fight for control of Congress.

CNN's Manu Raju has the latest from the Tar Heel State.

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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): This is one of the most closely contested Senate races in the country. Democrats absolutely need to flip North Carolina if they have any chance of taking the Senate majority. This is an open seat. And the former governor, Roy Cooper, who won two terms here in North Carolina, is running. He's running against the Republican Michael Watley.

And there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen with mail-in voting, particularly as the president tries to clamp down on mail-in voting in the push by the US Postal Service to try to restrict some mail-in ballots.

That's a question that I put directly to Cooper himself about how he views the impact this will have as North Carolina prepares to be the first nation in the country to vote.

RAJU: The mail-in ballots come out on Friday -- absentee ballots. This is the first day in the nation that's really going to start voting.

ROY COOPER, (D) NORTH CAROLINA SENATE CANDIDATE: Right.

RAJU: And we've seen the president try to clamp down on the USPS. And are you concerned about the impact that this may have in mail-in ballots?

COOPER: Well, I think it's a violation of the law. And, yes, I'm concerned about the impact, because look at who it affects. It affects rural people. It affects veterans. It affects people who are disabled. People who rely on the absentee mail system in order to be able to let their voices heard through the vote. And if they're going to get the post office picking and choosing which of these ballots go through and which don't, that's crazy.

RAJU: While there's a view in Washington that Roy Cooper has a formidable lead in this race, there's a much different reality here on the ground in which people believe on both sides that this is a very tight race. In fact, one poll that recently came out showed it within the margin of error.

And Donald Trump has won this state three times. And the last time a Democrat won a Senate seat here was in 2008, which is why a close race and potentially one in which mail-in voting could make a difference, or if people can't get their mailed ballots to the ballot box in time.

Maybe that's enough to sway an election one way or the other, which is why Roy Cooper in particular -- he told me his biggest concern right now is Democrats taking this race for granted by looking at the polls right now and seeing him ahead. He said it's a much different sense on the ground here where this race is much tighter than it may seem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Manu.

[05:40:00]

Well, the battle over who gets to play college football is now heading to court. The SEC is suing LSU for recruiting former NFL players to return to college football. The dispute centers on whether athletes who've signed pro contracts can return to the college game. The lawsuit allows a Louisiana judge's decision blocking the NCAA from declaring two former Ole Miss players ineligible after they left NFL training camps and transferred to LSU.

We want to show you this dramatic new video. It is the moment that a train collides with a semi-truck at a railway crossing. Now you can see the truck there stuck between the two gates. The driver opened his door before trying to move the truck forward, but it was too late. The train just smashes into it. And this was in Poland.

The truck driver was taken to the hospital, but officials say there were no serious injuries reported. The train had more than 200 passengers on board. Thankfully, there were no injuries there.

Next, on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, Beyonce celebrating her 45th birthday today. A special re-release of her chart-topping album, aptly titled "B'Day" -- that a gift to us.

And imagine spending $2 million renovating your home all for your dog. Meet the homeowners and their very lucky pup after the break.

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[05:46:00]

SMITH: A major shakeup at Fox News. The network announced longtime anchor Maria Bartiromo is out, effective immediately.

CNN's Brian Stelter has more on the high-profile dismissal that is sending shockwaves from Wall Street to the White House.

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BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Fox News just ousted Maria Bartiromo, the world-famous business anchor and a very high-profile supporter of President Trump. This is coming as a shock to the worlds of both media and politics, with people asking me what the heck happened.

So here's what I know so far. The immediate impetus for the Fox decision had to do with Bartiromo's disclosure of something to the Trump White House. Bartiromo had wanted to cover a Trump conspiracy theory relating to China and the 2020 election but there had been guidance given out inside Fox directing shows not to do so -- not to go down that conspiracy theory road. Yes, Fox's programs and personalities are largely pro-Trump, but there are times when the network will shy away from some of Trump's claims and conspiracies, and this seems to be one of those cases.

So Bartiromo was told not to cover the story, and then she showed that text message -- that internal message -- to her allies inside the Trump White House. Word of her disclosure got back to Fox management, and it was deemed a violation of her employment agreement. So she was taken off the air last month, and on Thursday, Fox announced that she would not be returning. So far, we've not heard anything from Bartiromo. She hasn't responded

to requests for comment, and she hasn't posted anything to social media. So maybe at some point, she will tell her side of the story.

But I've been covering Fox News for decades at this point, and it's very rare to see one of the biggest stars suddenly ousted without even saying goodbye on the air.

In some ways, this is like Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox back in 2023. And what I learned back then was there wasn't just one reason why he was fired -- there were many reasons. It might turn out to be similar for Bartiromo.

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SMITH: Time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.

First up, Jenna Dewan, one of the new stars from "DANCING WITH THE STARS," is pushing back after fans said that she'll have an unfair advantage. She was a backup dancer for stars like Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, and she was in the dance movie "Step Up." But she says she does not know how to ballroom dance. She says this is all a new technique, and she's had to unlearn some of the styles she's used to.

All right. Speaking of some dance moves, Beyonce celebrating her b-day in more ways than one. The Grammy winning singer is marking the 20th anniversary of her second studio album titled "B'Day" with a special re-release, which will include new songs. "B'Day" debuted at number one on the Billboard chart back in 2006 and sold more than five million copies worldwide. The special release will be available for the Beyhive, including me, today -- the same day as Beyonce's 45th birthday. Back like Jordan, we're in the 4-5.

All right. The Tennessee State Legislature is making sure Dolly Parton's Imagination Library lives on long after her passing. Billboard reports Tennessee lawmakers are considering a proposal for the state to pick up the local cost of the library starting next year. The program provides free books every month to children up to the age of five. Since it launched in 1995, Parton's Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million books at no cost to more than three million children around the world.

All right, picture this -- a custom renovation to a New York estate -- a perfect pool, screens for tailored viewing. And now, picture all of that for a dog. We want you to meet Buster, whose owner says he deserves it all.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This couple spent nearly $2 million renovating their house for their dog.

HOWARD RUBIN, SPENT NEARLY $2 MILLION RENOVATING HOUSE FOR HIS DOG: It's about 2.7 acres. He could run around there freely. There are cameras all over the property so we could track where he is. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a swimming pool --

RUBIN: He loves to splash in the water, but he doesn't like to swim.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- and TVs throughout the house for Buster to watch his favorite show --

RUBIN: It's not that he's watching the news or anything else or CNN. He's watching "PAW PATROL."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- and a giant dog bed.

RUBIN: He just likes to relax in his bed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Howard Rubin says he and his wife Suze bought the New York home for about $1.88 million and then spent roughly the same amount making changes that benefited both them and their bearded collie Buster. They even gave it a name, Buster's Retreat.

[05:50:00]

Now they're selling it also because of Buster. Nine-year-old Buster has arthritis. Howard says they're moving to Florida where they can give him a smaller single story home and a warmer climate.

RUBIN: So this gives him better quality of life and it's fine with us. We're lucky we can do these kinds of things.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And if you're wondering why Buster gets this kind of treatment, Howard says there's always been something special about him. Buster has worked as a therapy dog, including helping people living with Alzheimer's. Howard says they discovered early on that he had an unusual ability to understand.

RUBIN: What does it say?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The listing agent, Sally Slater of Douglas Elliman, says they're hoping to get an offer soon.

And moving doesn't mean the renovations for Buster are over. They have already started making adjustments to their new Florida home.

RUBIN: It's not a matter of what we're spending and things. So when you have an animal, it's to have an environment you share with them that allows them to be themselves.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: If Buster needs some friends, let me know.

Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a controversial Halloween costume gets pulled by major retailers after several complaints. Details on that coming up.

Plus, check this out, a surprise visitor for one homeowner. This deer making a house call in the middle of the night. That story and more when CNN Headline Express continues.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, bud.

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[05:55:38]

SMITH: In today's Money Express, another controversial Halloween costume has been pulled from the shelves.

Maribel Aber joins us from the NASDAQ MarketSite with that and the rest of your top Money Express headlines. Maribel, what do we know here?

MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: OK, Brad.

The Halloween costume pulled from Walmart, Target, Amazon have all removed this German soldier costume from their stores and websites. The costume sold by Orion Costumes was criticized online over claims that it resembled uniforms worn by Nazi soldiers during World War II. It's the second time in recent weeks that a controversial costume was pulled from stores following public backlash.

TikTok dropped out of an upcoming congressional hearing with the House Select Committee on China. Republican Congressman John Moolenaar chairs the committee and said the company withdrew to avoid broader scrutiny of its child safety practices. TikTok's decision came one day after Meta's $18 billion settlement with state attorneys general over claims that its platforms were harmful to children.

And M&M's has released a new flavor that will appeal to fans of an iconic Girl Scout cookie. The candy company described the limited edition flavor Mint Crunchy Cookie as a blend of smooth milk chocolate and cool, refreshing mint wrapped around a satisfying crunchy cookie center -- OK. The latest cookie offer follows the successful launch of Eminem's Crunchy Cookie in 2022, which proved to be a fan favorite. The new mint flavored treat is now available exclusively at Walmart stores and walmart.com.

Brad, that brings me back to my little troop days.

SMITH: Maribel Aber, this sounds amazing. Number one, I'm a huge fan --

ABER: Ice cream, too.

SMITH: -- of thin mint cookies and you can put it with ice cream. Of course, you've got to, right? Everything can go well with ice cream. But at the end of the day you've got to imagine that your Peppermint Patty is somewhere out there like Soulja Boy. Like hey, they copied our whole flow word for word, bar for bar with this. Come on, we've been at this. Maribel Aber, thank you so much. We'll have to try it.

Let's get a check on some of the other stories making news across the country.

We start in Florida. That's where officers shot an elderly woman after police say she entered a police station lobby with a gun. After engaging with some of the workers, she fired in their direction. She left the building where officers confronted her and shot her. She was taken to the hospital, but her condition is not known. No one else was injured in the incident.

In Pennsylvania, a group of strangers became heroes in a matter of seconds. You've got to see this. Police say a woman riding an e-bike crashed into a Volkswagen Beetle Monday just outside Philadelphia and then ended up trapped underneath the car. That's when a crowd rushed in, lifted the car, and pulled her to safety. The woman is expected to be okay. Officials are now working to identify the Good Samaritan so that they can be recognized for their heroics.

Also, the U.S. military carrying out a recovery mission in Colorado Thursday. Now take a look at this. They airlifted a downed Army helicopter piece by piece. The Black Hawk -- it made a hard landing last week, coming down in a heavily wooded area. The incident is still under investigation.

And you've got to see this. A deer got stuck in somebody's house in Florida. All right. So let's bring the deer into frame, wherever it may be. We're about to see it on screen. They ended up coaxing it out. Take a look at this.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There he goes. Turn around. There you go. Get on up, buddy. Come on.

Not the pool. Don't run in the pool. Don't run the pool. Come on, bud. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here.

All right, he's out, he's out, he's out. Hey, he's gonna come back this way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's coming. There he goes. Don't go back in the pool. Do you have a side gate? Never mind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:00:00]

SMITH: I mean, just a play-by-play throughout that entire thing. Imagine showing up as one of the deputies asking the residents is the deer in the room with us only to find out -- well, no, it's in the pool now. And then having to go get it out of the pool. It's so hot in Florida that even that deer had the right idea.

That's does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.