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CNN Headlines: Clancy Attorney Signals He May Be Open To A Plea Deal; GOP Hosting Rare Midterm Convention With Weeks To Go Until Election Day; Extraordinary SEC Move Could Expel LSU From Conference. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired September 09, 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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[05:30:35]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It's half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
Alex Murdaugh's new murder trial will take place about 80 miles away from where the first one happened. The judge moved the trial because of all the publicity and his family's history in the area. Murdaugh was convicted of killing his wife and son but that was thrown out over what a judge said was interference by a county clerk. Jury selection is set for next April.
The trade war between the U.S. and Canada could escalate even further as President Trump is threatening to enact outright bans on a range of Canadian goods. He also said that he would prevent major government purchases of Canadian products unless the country offers Americans greater access to its markets. This comes less than 24 hours after Canada imposed tariffs on $20 billion worth of U.S. products in response to President Trump's previous round of levies.
And we are getting new details about what went on behind closed doors during the jury deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. Jurors speaking out for the first time since the judge declared a mistrial in the triple murder case. Jury foreperson Roni Carlson tells CNN affiliate WBTS that the lone holdout juror had reasonable doubt but refused to go with the rest of the jury on a not guilty verdict.
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RONI CARLSON, JURY FOREPERSON, LINDSAY CLANCY MURDER TRIAL: He had reasonable doubt. He admitted he had reasonable doubt after we watched that video of the interview. I think that's when it was. He admitted he had reasonable doubt. And I started filling out the forms. I was so excited. I actually -- there were three forms I had to fill out, and I started filling them out. I wrote my signature on each one and then he said, but I'm still not going to say that she's not guilty by reason of insanity.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SMITH: Another unnamed juror spoke to CNN affiliate WBZ about some of
the "big personalities in the jury room," and to say that the holdout juror wasn't the only one who refused to budge in their opinion. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The standalone juror was not the only one that was unwilling to see things from the other side. So I'm going to kind of defend that individual in a sense. But there were some big personalities in that room. But at the end of the day, I feel like it just came down to an inability to kind of move past your conviction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: We also heard from Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington (sic). He spoke with ABC News on Tuesday, signaling that he may be willing to work out a plea deal.
CNN's Jean Casares has more on what's next for Clancy.
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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lindsay Clancy pleaded not guilty in this case several years ago. And not only not guilty, but her defense team had the affirmative defense of not guilty for lack of criminal responsibility. That she was in the middle of postpartum psychosis. That a voice was commanding her to kill her children and kill herself. It -- she -- it was like she was a puppet on a string, one of her experts testified, and that she had to follow what that voice was telling her to do.
So now her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, has said in an interview with ABC that he would entertain some conversation with the prosecutor to be able to work things out. And the question was, would you entertain a plea deal?
A plea deal is negotiated. The commonwealth would not agree to just, OK, not guilty -- we'll let that be. They would want to find something that is in the commonwealth's best interest. So conceivably, that potentially could be a conviction of some kind. But that would then be a total turnaround from not guilty by lack of criminal responsibility to accepting criminal responsibility and knowing and appreciating the criminality of your act.
Now, I want you to listen to Kevin Reddington's own words to ABC when he talks about, you know, a conversation with the district attorney is something I might want to do -- watch.
KEVIN REDDINGTON, LINDSAY CLANCY'S ATTORNEY: I hope, however, after sitting through this trial and seeing the evidence that was presented from the government as well as from the defense that he would revisit that issue and hopefully would be able to work something out that would be acceptable to both sides.
[05:35:08] CASAREZ: And on another note, during the course of this trial, Patrick Clancy, the father of those three children, was the brunt of so much on social media. Many were pointing the finger at him.
Well, finally, on Tuesday, his attorneys responded to all of that with a statement, saying in part, "Patrick Clancy and his family have been subjected to a relentless, escalating and destructive defamation campaign. Enough is enough. This spread of blatant and baseless falsehoods must stop. Those responsible should understand that there will be consequences and every appropriate measure will be pursued to hold them accountable, including legally. Law enforcement has been notified."
There is a status hearing in this case on September 29. We may learn more at this point about a retrial, a plea deal, or even anything else that is possible.
In New York, I'm Jean Casarez for CNN.
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SMITH: Thank you, Jean.
Happening today in Dallas, what some Republicans are calling a first- of-its-kind political event. Unofficially, they're calling it Trumpapalooza. CNN's Mattie Gannon explains.
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MADDIE GANNON, CNN NEWSOURCE CORRESPONDENT: Labor Day has come and gone, and in an even numbered year in the political world, that means one thing, the kickoff to the general election. We're now just two months from November's midterm contest, and Republicans are looking to market in a big way.
Over two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, some of the biggest names in Republican politics, including President Donald Trump, will gather here at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX, for what the GOP is billing as a one-of-a-kind and first ever national Republican midterm convention. The two-day event is set to feature more than 100 speakers, including Republican candidates, elected officials, members of President Trump's cabinet, as well as the president and vice president themselves.
One day out from the event, the stage is built. Balloons are positioned on the ceiling for a drop, and it's all meant to drum up enthusiasm among Republican voters before they take to the polls this fall.
But it also comes at a pivotal time for the party. The cost of living is expected to be a top concern from voters. And just this weekend we saw record high gas prices for Labor Day, according to AAA. The war with Iran has dragged past six months, and CNN's aggregate of polls shows the president's disapproval rating above 60 percent.
Still, Trump is expected to be a main focus at this event here in Dallas. The president is set to deliver remarks both nights, including the keynote address Wednesday. There's photos of the president lining the walls at the arena here in Dallas. The RNC has previously dubbed this Trumpapalooza.
There's also concerns about attendance and timing. The event is taking candidates off the campaign trail at a critical time and the programming itself is set to compete with the first two nights of the NFL season.
In Dallas, I'm Maddie Gannon.
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SMITH: Thank you, Maddie.
It was a tragic end to the search for a missing Florida family after their plane disappeared during a storm near the Bahamas. Officials now say that the bodies of all four family members have been recovered. They were two grandparents and two grandchildren. The small plane had left Great Harbour Cay on Monday on its way to Miami when it lost contact with air traffic control.
There is some incredible drama unfolding in the college sports world with one top football team at risk of being kicked out of its own conference. The SEC has set a vote for Thursday to decide whether to expel LSU. And while that doesn't seem likely at this point, it's an extraordinary move. It's meant to punish the Tigers and its head coach, Lane Kiffin, for recruiting two players after they had already turned pro.
ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum talked to Kaitlan Collins about it last night.
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KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Tell me what you make of everything that's happened in the last 48 hours with this story.
PAUL FINEBAUM, FOOTBALL ANALYST: Well, first of all, this is not the sequel to "My Cousin Vinny," Kaitlan -- this is real. We have never seen anything like this in the history of the SEC. The idea that the league has called a meeting to expel someone, especially what may very well be the best team in the league and the most polarizing and talked about coach. I don't want to bury the lead here. I don't think it's going to happen, but the fact that we're even having this conversation is absolutely extraordinary.
[05:40:00]
But we're talking about someone named Lane Kiffin. You know him, I know him, sports fans know him, but he is the unfilterable of college football. We have never seen a character like this. He thrives on being the villain.
He literally walked out of Tennessee in the middle of the night to go to Southern Cal. He walked out of Ole Miss, Kaitlan, in the middle of a playoff run to the national championship. And on top of that, one more thing He was the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban, the greatest coach in college football history. He had already announced he was leaving to go to another school a week before the national championship game. He still managed to get fired.
That's what we're talking about here. This is not your ordinary garden variety head football coach.
COLLINS: You know, you said something on Saturday, and I think after my dad heard it, he said he got chills from it because you kind of went off on Lane Kiffin. You described him as a 51-year-old child, I believe.
And, you know, when he was -- during the game on Saturday and he was asked about how it was looking at halftime, he was talking about the score. And he said, you know, "It takes everything not to say imagine if we had pro players."
What do you make of how he's handled this? Have you been surprised by any of that?
FINEBAUM: Yeah, that one line that he said to ESPN at halftime is part of this federal lawsuit amendment today which led that he was bragging about it. And there's a lot of other things which I don't think will ever come to play.
What's really interesting to me and I think to your audience -- this is about as much about politics as it is football. You've got the governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, who's also this special envoy to Greenland. You probably have heard that conversation.
COLLINS: Um-hum.
FINEBAUM: And he's masterminding this. He brought Lane Kiffin in. He gave him $100 million. He's helped funnel a $50 million payroll for college football.
And on top of that, I want to just read this. John Kennedy, the senator from Louisiana, was furious today. He said that he and other members of Congress would be on the SEC "like a hobo on a ham sandwich." I'm from Tennessee. You're from Alabama. I have no idea what he's talking about. I know he's got degrees from all over Virginia and Harvard and who knows where else.
But what's also interesting about Louisiana is that Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, LSU graduate. Steve Scalise, the number two guy in the house, LSU graduate. That's what he's referring to. I think he's essentially saying if they do this, we're going to put the United States Congress against the SEC. Won't happen, but it's a lot of political rhetoric.
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SMITH: Well, time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking. A new politically charged name change, this time for a popular TV
show. The creators of "SOUTH PARK" announced that for its 29th season, it will go by the title of "SOUTH AMERICA." And the rebrand is a tongue-in-cheek reference to President Trump's second-term actions to rename landmarks. The show has frequently poked fun at Trump and his administration. The new season debuts September 16th.
Sherri Sheperd has been cast as the genie in "Aladdin" on Broadway. That makes her the first woman to take on that role. She's expected to join the show next month through the holidays. And Sheperd says that she's beyond excited -- it's an absolute dream.
You could own some of the fashion worn by Miranda Priestly and others in "The Devil Wears Prada 2." It is all up for auction at Christie's, benefiting two charities. The auction house says that the movie's star, Meryl Streep, conceived the plan similar to what she did after the first movie. The online auction is going on now until September 15th.
All right. Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, major problems, flight cancellations, delays around the U.K., including at London's Heathrow Airport. The issues with air traffic control coming up.
Plus, $10 million cash bond only. That is what a man is facing after his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run just last month. Find out why coming up.
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[05:48:25]
SMITH: A Colorado man accused of killing his wife is now being held on a $10 million bond. Barry Morphew's bond was raised after an alleged hit-and-run in Denver on August 26. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, uh-uh. It's a brand new car.
BARRY MORPHEW, HIT-AND-RUN: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a brand new car. No, it doesn't. Please don't. It doesn't matter. It could push into the engine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The district attorney pushed for the higher bond amount, saying that Morphew showed no regard for court orders. If Morphew posts bond, he will not be allowed to leave the San Luis Valley.
His wife, Suzanne Morphew, disappeared in 2020 while on a bike ride. Her remains were found in 2023, and Morphew was charged with her murder.
Let's go around the globe to see what else is making headlines today, and we begin in Israel. That's where a stunning new report says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned a week and a half before the October 7 attacks about a potential large-scale attack by Hamas. According to a report by Haaretz, the president of the United Arab Emirates called the Israeli leader with the warning, and the two spoke for 45 minutes.
More than 1,200 people were killed, and 251 people were abducted and taken to Gaza during the October 7, 2023 siege. The ensuing war and Israeli invasion of Gaza resulted in at least 73,000 Palestinian deaths and has left much of Gaza in ruins.
[05:50:10]
Funeral services are being held for King Harald V of Norway today. Dignitaries from around the world are on hand as the country bids farewell to the monarch. He reigned for 35 years until his death last month at the age of 89. Tens of thousands of mourners have paid their final respects at the king's coffin in recent days as he lay in state at the Royal Palace Chapel.
This morning, major flight disruptions at the U.K.'s major airports. That is after an air traffic control issue yesterday. So far, more than 170 flights have been canceled today, mainly at London's Heathrow Airport. Yesterday's outage lasted for several hours, affecting about 1,300 flights. Officials say the issue was fixed, but spillover delays continue.
A Chinese robotics company has opened three autonomous shops run by a humanoid robot in Hong Kong.
CNN's Stephanie Yang visits to see what they can and can't do.
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STEPHANIE YANG, CNN SENIOR ASIA BUSINESS EDITOR/REPORTER: (Speaking foreign language).
XIAO GAI, HUMANOID ROBOT: The current president of the United States is Joe Biden.
YANG: Are you sure?
XIAO GAI: I am sure.
YANG: This is Xiao Gai, , the robot manager. Xiao Gai can take your order, find what you want, and deliver it to you. At least that's the idea. Let's put it to the test.
Can I get a lemon tea?
XIAO GAI: Can I help you check product information? I cannot find a product named lemon in the current real-time product list. Could you please specify which drink or item you would like?
YANG: Lemon tea.
XAIO GAI: I found Naixue Ya Shi Xiang lemon tea. Would you like to add one bottle to your cart?
YANG: Yes. Confirmed. Paying.
XIAO GAI: I am sorry to hear that you are in pain. Please take care of yourself and rest if needed.
YANG: Thank you.
XIAO GAI: If it is serious, please seek medical help immediately.
Between you and me, Xiao Gai likes this one too. Honestly, it makes me so happy when you come and interact with me. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Bye, catch you later.
YANG: All right, that's two minutes and 39 seconds.
So far, these shops are a novel display of what robots can now do and what they still can't. If you're tight on time, you might just want to go with your classic vending machine.
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SMITH: All right. Baristas, it sounds like you're safe for now.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, the embattled LIV Golf files for bankruptcy. What it means for the future of the controversial golf tour.
Also, a 3-year-old hero. How this little girl helped to save her mom in the middle of a major health crisis. That story and more coming up.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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[05:57:22]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, the LIV Golf League has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It is carrying more than $500 million in debt after Saudi Arabia abruptly cut off its financial support earlier this year. Several vendors have already filed lawsuits after not getting paid for event services. LIV has agreed to a restructuring plan with a British private equity firm, which CEO Scott O'Neil believes will help launch the league's next chapter.
Let's take a look at some of the other stories making headlines across the country.
We begin in Florida and the body cam footage that you have to see to believe. Take a look.
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POLICE OFFICER: Shut it off. Shut it off. Forty-eight will be 1050. It's going to be 24th and College. Motorcycle just fly from me. Get on the ground. Get on the ground. Get on the-- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's over.
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SMITH: This motorcyclist didn't get far while trying to flee a traffic stop over the weekend. As soon as he drove off, he knocked over a deputy and then his passenger fell off the bike. He immediately circled back and was arrested. The driver told officials that the deputy spooked him, and he didn't know that the officer was knocked to the ground.
In Washington State, a middle school was put on lockdown after a 911 caller reported a suspicious person outside. When deputies arrived, one of them shot and killed an armed man they found in the parking lot. Officials say that the suspect threatened the deputy who acted to protect himself and the students at the school. A bomb squad later determined a nearby ticking device was not an explosive. No students or faculty members were hurt.
Officials in Southern California are working to identify the source of a chemical leak that forced a shelter-in-place for one L.A. La Habra neighborhood on Tuesday. Responding firefighters -- they reported seeing a plume of orange smoke rising from a factory that manufacturers industrial cleaning chemicals. Crews were able to stop the leak, and officials are monitoring air quality.
And in Texas, a little 3-year-old is being called a hero after helping save her mother's life during a medical emergency. Listen to this 911 call.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE, 911 AUDIO: She just turned three.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, 911 AUDIO: Oh, my goodness. She's doing so good.
NOEMI '"EMI" VATAVUK, 3-YEAR-OLD WHO CALLED 911: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, 911 AUDIO: That's OK. That's good, that's what we want. That's good. Do you see the pretty lights? Tell them -- tell them it's your apartment. Can you yell for them? Say come here, come here.
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[06:00:00]
SMITH: When little Emi's mother started having a seizure, she FaceTimed her grandparents nearly 700 miles away in Georgia. The grandparents connected her to 911, and in the call, they said they had been coaching Emi to call them if something ever happened to her mom. Emi was able to flag the paramedics to her apartment to get her mom the help she needed. Great and quick thinking, Emi.
That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
