Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: A.I. Execs Agree To "Self-Police" After White House Meeting; Jury Finds Former "American Idol" Contestant Caleb Flynn Guilty Of Murdering His Wife; Defense Attorney Claims It's Not Clear Lindsay Clancy Killed Her Children; NY A.G. Reviews Cornell's Response To Rape Allegations As D.A. Reopens Investigation. Aired 5- 5:30a ET
Aired September 30, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:23]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These models are very complex. And again, I believe theyre going to be used for the good. And when they're not, we're going to be able to nab them
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Top technology executives met at the White House and made a new self-policing pledge on A.I. safety. What companies are promising and what's not in the deal. We've got that detail for you.
Plus, Caleb Flynn was found guilty of murdering his wife after just two hours of deliberations. What his in-laws are saying about the verdict.
And new details emerging in the gang rape allegations at Cornell University. Now, New York State Attorney General Letitia James is getting involved. Why some students who say its too little, too late are sounding off.
And it is the final ride for one of Six Flags' most famous roller coasters after CNN investigation revealed life altering injuries and deaths linked to it.
We've got all that much more coming your way. Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get started. We begin in Washington with the new agreement giving the enormous responsibility of regulating artificial intelligence to the companies that make the artificial intelligence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It's almost like a constitution in a way. And the biggest -- and the biggest people in the world signed that. And I signed it as president. And it really is a form of protection.
REPORTER: Is this a core that everybody signed? Is it binding in any way?
TRUMP: I think its morally binding. Yeah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Some of the top tech leaders, they joined President Donald Trump to sign a voluntary agreement yesterday, vowing to better self- police their creations. Leaders from Google and Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia and xAI all signed on. President Trump has largely dismissed growing concerns about the dangers of the rapidly evolving technology, ignoring calls from industry leaders who have called for more regulation and to slow down the pace of development.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the basics of Tuesday's agreement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK ZUCKERBERG, META CEO: We drafted a set of principles and commitments around building robust internal controls and detecting if there are any issues with the technology, coupled with multiple layers of auditing and controls, starting with internal risk review, external auditors and evaluators, and agreeing that we're going to have all of our boards of directors independently review the reports that come from the auditors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Now, coming up in our next half hour, how president Trump responded when our Kristen Holmes asked about recent polling that found 71 percent of Americans think the federal government is not doing enough to regulate A.I.
Well, the family of Ashley Flynn is speaking out. This comes after former "American Idol" contestant Caleb Flynn was found guilty on all charges in her murder. Her family says that the verdict brought justice and accountability, but can't erase the pain.
In Ohio, jury found the 40 year old former worship leader guilty after just two hours of deliberation yesterday. Prosecutors say Flynn murdered his wife, staged the crime scene and tampered with evidence. He claims an intruder broke into his home and killed his wife in the middle of the night. Flynn now faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Lindsay Clancy's defense team made some eyebrow raising allegations in a court status hearing on Tuesday, while making his case that Clancy should not be tried again in the murder of her three children. Kevin Reddington now says it's not clear that Lindsay was the one who killed her kids. The prosecution pushed back on his claims before the court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN REDDINGTON, LINDSAY CLANCY'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Where's the evidence that she did this? Where is the evidence that she did this? This entire case is based on speculation. Where is the admission? Where does she say that she did this?
SHANAN BUCKINGHAM, PROSECUTOR: So the first point that there isn't enough evidence to prove that she did it. I would suggest as laughable argument. And based on what your honor sat through several weeks of the trial that the commonwealth met its burden as it applies to that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The judge has not yet made a decision regarding a potential second trial. Another hearing has been scheduled for November 2nd.
The New York attorney generals office says it's reviewing Cornell University's response to an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house. This month, a former student filed a 101-page civil lawsuit saying that she was sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members in 2024 and that the university and prosecutors mishandled the investigation.
[05:05:13]
The local district attorney says that he's now reopened the case to seek a grand jury review of the allegations. But some Cornell students are saying this is too little, too late. They spoke to CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An unsettling mood of distrust and anger among some students at Cornell University.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can sense the air on campus that nobody can trust the administration anymore.
MATTHEW NUSSEN, CORNELL UNIVERSITY JUNIOR: Students are very upset at the miscarriage of justice. This has been a consistent trend with Cornell. The judicial system does not operate as it should, and this is just kind of another really horrific instance of that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cornell's administration failed us this time.
CARROLL (voice-over): Many here say more should have been done to protect a former student identified as Jane Doe, in a new civil complaint, where she alleges in 2024, several members of the Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her while she was unable to consent.
The complaint prompted local prosecutors to reopen a criminal investigation and has sparked talk across campus about underage drinking and consent.
MANASA, CORNELL UNIVERSITY FRESHMAN: You hear a lot of people just talking about it while they're walking to class or on the bus, or even classmates I've never talked to. It's -- it's horrifying.
CARROLL (voice-over): According to the complaint, Jane Doe had been drinking the night in question and went to the Chi Phi house, where she alleges she was given more alcohol, marijuana and ketamine, and then was repeatedly assaulted. Allegedly, a Snapchat message invited other frat members to join in, according to the complaint.
The Tompkins County D.A. says his office initially declined to charge the named fraternity members two years ago because Jane Doe said in a sworn statement at the time the encounter was consensual. Her attorney denies that claim.
THOMAS P. GIUFFRA, ATTORNEY FOR JANE DOE: Her life has been really ruined by this. I don't know how anybody who was grossly intoxicated and drugged can consent to anything.
SAANYA AGARWAL, CORNELL UNIVERSITY SENIOR & CORNELL WOMEN'S ISSUES REP.: I think if you talk to people, especially women on campus, this question is always in the back of your head of what if that was me?
CARROLL (voice-over): Saanya Agarwal is a sorority member and a senior. She recalls being a sophomore and hearing about the initial allegations surrounding Chi Phi.
AGARWAL: Didn't know who. We didn't know how many, and then we didn't also know what specifically had happened. Like, what if they were walking around campus? What if they were sitting next to us in class? We had no idea.
And I think that's terrifying. That's absolutely so scary. And a woman should not feel like that.
CARROLL (voice-over): Agarwal says she felt so strongly about what she called the lack of transparency on behalf of the university at the time, it prompted her to run for a position on the student assembly, focusing on women's issues, a position she now holds.
AGARWAL: It was that specific situation and not knowing what had happened. So last year I spent a lot of time talking to administrators, talking to sorority and fraternity, like trying to one understand like why there was such a lack of transparency.
CARROLL (voice-over): The university declined repeated requests for an interview. Cornell released a statement saying the university conducted its own investigation, which resulted in banning the fraternity chapter, suspending and expelling some of the students in question.
Despite their actions, some students and alumni have signed petitions calling for a permanent ban of Chi Phi, another pledging to withhold university donations. A fragile trust between student and administration here clearly strained.
HAYDEN WATKINS, EVP OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSEMBLY: There's just a lot of administrative distrust. I don't think students feel comfortable going to anyone like vaguely associated with administration.
ELLIOT SCHEUER, CORNELL UNIVERSITY SENIOR: I think a lot of people already have this understanding that the university has disappointed them time and again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: The university has posted an online FAQ in response to the rape allegations, and one question asked, is it true that students involved only had to write essays as discipline? Cornell's answer no.
Former special counsel Jack Smith testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday about his investigations into President Trump, and Smith is standing by his work as Republicans accuse him of -- accuse him of abuse of authority.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK SMITH, FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL: I will not be silenced by continued threats of prosecution from the president or others.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Javert from Les Mis would look at you with astonishment.
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): You make me want to throw up in my mouth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: So, Jack Smith debunked several claims from Senate Republicans, including one involving a basketball game. Senator Eric Schmitt accused him of lying about where he was on February 3rd, 2024, offering what he said was proof that Smith was at an NBA game in Atlanta to see the Hawks. Turns out he wasn't watching a Hawks game in Georgia. He was at a University of Iowa Hawkeyes' game in Maryland.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO): Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan? Listen, we had information. He was at a basketball game. There was only one NBA game that night at 7:30 tip off, which was why I asked him if he was in Atlanta. He answered the question.
So that's what these hearings are for. He asked questions, get answers. You know, Jack Smith has perjured himself before, but he says he's at the game. Maybe he's at Caitlin Clark fan. We'll accept that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Got to check for those women's basketball games, too. That game was notably one day after a Georgia prosecutor had admitted to an affair with the special prosecutor in a Trump election case her office brought.
Now to the latest in the search for Nancy Guthrie. The Pima County sheriffs office now saying a possible new ransom note tied to her disappearance is not credible. The note surfaced over the weekend, and Guthrie is the mother of NBC "Today Show" host Savannah Guthrie. The 84 year old vanished from her Tucson area home February 1st.
We'll keep you up to date on any developments there, as we have been continuing to.
Lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, including efforts to protect the Kennedy Center from being demolished. Take a disappointing turn. We've got details on that coming up.
Plus, why Six Flags is completely shutting down one of their most popular roller coasters that's been linked to several brain injuries and deaths. We've got those details for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:16:07]
SMITH: We have a major update on the CNN investigation that exposed the long history of serious injuries and deaths linked to the X2 rollercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The theme park announced that it's permanently shutting down the roller coaster, and the decision follows multiple lawsuits against the park and more than 100 people who say they suffered head trauma after riding X2.
CNN's Kyung Lah has led our investigation and filed this report, and we want to warn you that some of the images you're about to see may be disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Six Flags announced it is permanently shutting down its famous X2 roller coaster at Magic Mountain, north of Los Angeles. This announcement comes on the heels of our CNN investigation that exposed a history of severe brain injuries and deaths linked to the X2 roller coaster.
Our investigation documented allegations of injured riders. Some of those allegations dated back more than a decade. All of this was largely kept under wraps until two women ended up in the same emergency room right after they got off the X2 ride. They had both been on the ride the same week in July. Pamela Guillen and the parents of Naomi Greer Wilkinson spoke to CNN, sharing that their surgeon said their traumatic brain injuries were caused by the X2 ride.
After we reported on their stories, 100 additional victims reached out to their lawyer. All 100 of those victims claimed to be injured from the ride in the last two years, according to their attorney. Six Flags Magic Mountain announced today that X2 will permanently shut down the company's president, writing, "While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it's the right thing to do. Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guests confidence affected, we take it seriously."
Pam Guillen tells us that she is relieved that X2 is closing for good. The parents of Naomi Greer Wilkinson say the closure is long overdue. Their daughter, Naomi, remains in the hospital and in a coma.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Kyung Lah, thank you for that report.
A bipartisan bill to block President Trump from demolishing the Kennedy Center has failed, thanks to one Republican senator. The bill stated that any presidential memorial designated by an act of Congress, including the Kennedy Center, could not be demolished without congressional approval. Supporters tried to pass it by unanimous consent, but that process allows any single senator to object, which is what Utah Republican Mike Lee did. Lee is not explained why he objected.
In New York, a judge just threw a wrench into Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to tax second homes in the city. The judge sided with three plaintiffs who said that the city wrongfully listed their primary residences as second homes. Now the city has to scrap its current homeowner list and come back with a new one, limited only to people who would actually be subject to the tax.
Well, still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS some major changes coming for TSA workers. How things may look different the next time you go through airport security.
And a college student falls eight stories from an apartment window and survives. What she landed on that saved her.
That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:24:06]
SMITH: CNN has learned that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning a new round of cuts to the nation's military ranks. Officials say Hegseth will announce a 20 percent cut to generals and admirals today in a speech to service members, that is on top of a 10 percent reduction in senior officers Hegseth ordered last year. Those officials say Hegseth approved plans for these latest cuts earlier this month. They're expected to be completed by January 1st.
Well, airport security may soon look different. You may notice fewer chairs. A union says that staffers who check boarding passes and IDs will no longer be allowed to sit while working. The American Federation of Government Employees is protesting, saying the chairs are a basic ergonomic and safety support. Some airports have already removed them, and the change comes just two months into the tenure of new TSA Administrator David Cummings.
CNN has reached out to TSA and the Department of Homeland Security for more information.
Straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, if you're in the middle of paying back student loans, stick around for some news that could lower your repayment.
Plus, officials say two pilots on a Fly Dubai plane like this one in route to Israel, apparently got into a violent incident and had to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. We've got details on what has become a complicated landing ahead.
And the latest on the investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024, how the New York attorney generals office is now getting involved. Details coming up.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
