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CNN Sunday Morning

Insight & Input

Aired June 01, 2003 - 09:31   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.


ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: And all morning long, we've been asking you to talk to CNN and e-mail us your questions about the capture of Eric Robert Rudolph. Now it's your time to get some answers. And...
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We've been getting a lot of e-mails from you all morning long. We've got a couple of them here.

CNN senior producer Henry Schuster joins us now; he's here with us. Mike Brooks is in Murphy, North Carolina, and Jack Daulton is a former FBI investigator who worked on the case. Gentlemen, appreciate you joining us. So, all morning long, let's start off, then.

NEVILLE: First a question for Jack coming in from Rich that says, does the arresting cop get the reward?

JACK DAULTON, FORMER FBI INVESTIGATOR: I can't answer that. That's an issue that has to be resolved yet. I'd like to see him get part of it, quite frankly, but the argument can be used that he was just doing this in the course of his official duties.

COOPER: And I think as Mike Brooks will also point out, they simply have not said, both those officers, who were -- the arresting officer was asked that question yesterday at a press conference. He basically said he doesn't know. It's out of his pay grade and yet to be determined.

Let's get another question, this one to Henry. This is from Christy in Atlanta, Georgia. Where is Eric Robert Rudolph's family today? Is Rudolph's mother still alive? It seems that she was a major influence on his white supremacist leanings. What is her take on her son's behavior? Henry?

HENRY SCHUSTER, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, his family is scattered out throughout the United States. Most of them live in the North Carolina area, not far from Eric, even those who didn't have contact with him. His mother lives in Florida; there's a brother in New York City.

And from what we understand, his mother was not too happy with the news. However, we should point out in the past, she has shied way from talking to the news media. She prefers not to talk to the news media. She views news media, like lawyers like the government, as authority figures, which she doesn't like.

NEVILLE: We have another e-mail coming in now, from Dan in West Virginia. This one's for Mike.

Isn't it interesting that a local rookie cop and a young sheriff caught Rudolph rather than the FBI with their huge and expensive manhunt? If the Feds go away, the wanted man comes out of hiding and becomes visible to ordinary police. The same strategy should be used for Osama Bin Laden.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Arthel, we know that there has been an FBI presence here in Murphy and in North Carolina. They were talking about the cooperation between the local, state and federal authorities all day yesterday at all the press conferences.

But yesterday morning, at almost 3:30, this officer on routine patrol, he just happened to be at the right place at the right time, and Rudolph happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. They say sometimes it's good to be talented, but sometimes luck plays a part. And I think on this particular case, he happened to be at the right place at the right time and was able to lock up Eric Rudolph behind a shopping center.

COOPER: Also, actually, Jack, if you want to jump in on that one as well, do you think it's fair to say that the Feds went away? I mean, this thing was still an active investigation.

DAULTON: Still an active investigation. Still is today. And the Feds didn't go away. We clearly had to scale back our task force.

It was a very intensive effort for a long time. The leads were diminishing. A lot of questions about, in some people's minds about whether he's still there or not, or whether he still might be alive. So I think there's no lack of presence there, still no lack of focus. As Mike said, it's just a question of being, for the rookie cop, you know, right place at the right time.

COOPER: All right. Jack, I've got an e-mail for you; this is from Leroy in Saginaw, Michigan.

Leroy writes in, Mr. Rudolph is a terrorist. Those that have aided him are part of a terrorist organization and should be handled like several of our Arab Muslim-Americans under the Patriot Act. Would you all comment?

Jack, do you have any comment on that?

DAULTON: Well, I think we have to show that there are people who did aid him. That remains to be seen yet. Here we have this man scavenging through a trash container for food. It would indicate that he wasn't getting a lot of help to me. And quite frankly, that remains to be seen yet.

NEVILLE: OK. We have another one coming in from Sebastian in Del Valle, Texas. It's for Henry.

Henry, he says, I was just wondering what Richard Jewell was up to these days? Also, how he feels about the capture of Mr. Rudolph. Can you also refresh my memory; was he ever compensated for all the grief he was put through?

SCHUSTER: Very good question. Richard Jewell left -- he works as a private security guard and he also worked, I believe, for a small police force in South Georgia. Luthersville, Georgia. I'm not exactly sure what he was doing. Yesterday, he was in Nashville, Tennessee. We reached his lawyer, Lynn Wood, and Lynn said Richard would prefer not to comment until there was a conviction in the case.

Was he compensated? The answer is yes. A couple of news organizations, including our parent company, compensated -- reached settlements with Richard Jewell. He did have a longstanding lawsuit against the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution." That went through several degrees of court hearings up to the state Supreme Court, and Richard Jewell has lost at every round on that one.

COOPER: All right. Next question is going to go to Jack. It's from Andy in Bonaparte, Iowa.

Jack , he says, I can't help but notice the similarity between Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh. Not only were both very clean-cut appearing, both used their military experience at public expense, and of course both shared the same anti-government, anti-gay hatred. Has the FBI determined any connection between them?

DAULTON: Well, I can say that, at the time I left the bureau, four years ago, there had been no connection determined between McVeigh or Rudolph. What's happened in the last four years, I can't say. I seriously doubt that there's been any connection made between those two.

COOPER: Mike, do you want to comment on that at all?

BROOKS: No, I did. Also, sources -- I retired off the joint terrorism task force in 1999. Since then, I've kept in contact with my former colleagues. They've never been able to make a connection between the two, even though, as you point out, there were a lot of similarities between the two. But they have never been able to make a connection between the two at all.

NEVILLE: OK. Coming in from Auburn, California, Shilr writes -- and Jack, this is for you -- will the victims of the bombings be able to file separate civil cases against Eric Rudolph? Such as the daughter who lost her mother, the off-duty police officer's family, the severely injured nurse? Would all Federal charges go first?

DAULTON: Well, I think we will see the federal charges take place first, and we'll probably start in the strongest -- where the strongest case lies. In terms of the civil conviction, that remains to be seen. I think they certainly have the right to do that, but getting any kind of recovery from Rudolph is going to be very difficult.

COOPER: Next question to Mike, this is from Chris in Ottawa, Ontario. If Mr. Rudolph pleads guilty to all charges and uses insanity as his defense, could he still receive the death penalty? BROOKS: Well, that's going to be a good question for the United States attorney. But if he pleads insanity to this, they're going to have to make a very, very strong case that, at the time he committed these, that he was temporarily insane, or continues to be insane right now.

That has not been even brought up as a viable defense that I've heard of in any press conferences or any conversations at all with the assistant United States attorney. That has not even been brought up. So right now, I wouldn't say that that would be a viable defense at all right now, though, Anderson.

COOPER: Yes, seems maybe a bit ahead of the game at this point. It's still early days in this thing.

BROOKS: I think so.

NEVILLE: Mike, here's another one for you. Doug Miller from Norcross, Georgia, writes, do authorities have sniffer dogs on-site in Murphy, N. C., in an attempt to back-track Eric Rudolph's scent back to his hiding places?

BROOKS: Well, we have not seen any K-9 dogs. I would not, again, rule that out with the additional resources they're bringing here.

Just a few moments ago, I was up on Route 74, just a short distance from here, and the road that runs right behind the save-a-lot where he was arrested. The FBI's evidence response team is spread out along the road, loading up a number of 4x4 quads to take up into the woods.

We did not see any dogs, but they are out there right now attempting to search for locations where he possibly was staying. And there's talk that he was actually staying in the woods back behind the shopping center where he was arrested. But on the specific case of dogs we've not seen any K-9 dogs. But again, it cannot be ruled out with the assets they're bringing here now.

COOPER: That's it for our e-mails. Just want to get some final thoughts. Jack Daulton, from you, you worked this case. What's the biggest question in your mind, the thing you want most answered at this point?

DAULTON: Well, I just -- I think we just need to make sure we tie all the evidence together and tie the cases together adequately. I think the bureau's done that. They've had a lot of time to build their case, put their evidence together, make sure they've got the right evidence, and I feel pretty confident this is going to go well.

COOPER: Henry Schuster, you've been working this story since '96, since the bombing here in Atlanta. What's the biggest thing in your mind?

SCHUSTER: Well, again, what did he do the last five years? Who, if anybody, helped him? Where did he live? What might be in his hideout?

One small thing about the issue of the reward. I spoke to someone last night who was involved in the investigation. He said who he'd like to see get part of the reward is the medical student in Birmingham who chased Eric Rudolph, spotted his truck, got the license plate number and helped break the case open.

COOPER: Because that is the thing which, as you said, really did break this case open. Prior to that, they didn't even have Rudolph as a suspect. They didn't even know that name.

SCHUSTER: Right. And they're keeping that eyewitness under wraps. They have been all these years, because obviously, when it goes to court, his is going to be some of the most important testimony.

COOPER: And Mike Brooks, what's the thing you're going to be looking for from Murphy, from your post there, in terms of this investigation?

BROOKS: Well, this investigation is far from over, Anderson. With the additional resources coming here, and talking with the FBI and assisting United States attorney who is going to be handling this case and the initial arraignment in Asheville, North Carolina, tomorrow morning, just going to try to keep on top of what's going on here.

The additional assets, what kind of things they're finding in the woods, and hope to bring that to you all. And also, I know the federal authorities hope to add to the case, the strong case, that they feel they already have, and hope to add to that by finding evidence, additional evidence, here in Murphy, North Carolina.

COOPER: Mike Brooks, continuing to work the story in Murphy, North Carolina. Jack Daulton, we appreciate you joining us, former FBI investigator on this case. And, of course, CNN senior producer Henry Schuster, as always, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired June 1, 2003 - 09:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: And all morning long, we've been asking you to talk to CNN and e-mail us your questions about the capture of Eric Robert Rudolph. Now it's your time to get some answers. And...
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We've been getting a lot of e-mails from you all morning long. We've got a couple of them here.

CNN senior producer Henry Schuster joins us now; he's here with us. Mike Brooks is in Murphy, North Carolina, and Jack Daulton is a former FBI investigator who worked on the case. Gentlemen, appreciate you joining us. So, all morning long, let's start off, then.

NEVILLE: First a question for Jack coming in from Rich that says, does the arresting cop get the reward?

JACK DAULTON, FORMER FBI INVESTIGATOR: I can't answer that. That's an issue that has to be resolved yet. I'd like to see him get part of it, quite frankly, but the argument can be used that he was just doing this in the course of his official duties.

COOPER: And I think as Mike Brooks will also point out, they simply have not said, both those officers, who were -- the arresting officer was asked that question yesterday at a press conference. He basically said he doesn't know. It's out of his pay grade and yet to be determined.

Let's get another question, this one to Henry. This is from Christy in Atlanta, Georgia. Where is Eric Robert Rudolph's family today? Is Rudolph's mother still alive? It seems that she was a major influence on his white supremacist leanings. What is her take on her son's behavior? Henry?

HENRY SCHUSTER, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, his family is scattered out throughout the United States. Most of them live in the North Carolina area, not far from Eric, even those who didn't have contact with him. His mother lives in Florida; there's a brother in New York City.

And from what we understand, his mother was not too happy with the news. However, we should point out in the past, she has shied way from talking to the news media. She prefers not to talk to the news media. She views news media, like lawyers like the government, as authority figures, which she doesn't like.

NEVILLE: We have another e-mail coming in now, from Dan in West Virginia. This one's for Mike.

Isn't it interesting that a local rookie cop and a young sheriff caught Rudolph rather than the FBI with their huge and expensive manhunt? If the Feds go away, the wanted man comes out of hiding and becomes visible to ordinary police. The same strategy should be used for Osama Bin Laden.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Arthel, we know that there has been an FBI presence here in Murphy and in North Carolina. They were talking about the cooperation between the local, state and federal authorities all day yesterday at all the press conferences.

But yesterday morning, at almost 3:30, this officer on routine patrol, he just happened to be at the right place at the right time, and Rudolph happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. They say sometimes it's good to be talented, but sometimes luck plays a part. And I think on this particular case, he happened to be at the right place at the right time and was able to lock up Eric Rudolph behind a shopping center.

COOPER: Also, actually, Jack, if you want to jump in on that one as well, do you think it's fair to say that the Feds went away? I mean, this thing was still an active investigation.

DAULTON: Still an active investigation. Still is today. And the Feds didn't go away. We clearly had to scale back our task force.

It was a very intensive effort for a long time. The leads were diminishing. A lot of questions about, in some people's minds about whether he's still there or not, or whether he still might be alive. So I think there's no lack of presence there, still no lack of focus. As Mike said, it's just a question of being, for the rookie cop, you know, right place at the right time.

COOPER: All right. Jack, I've got an e-mail for you; this is from Leroy in Saginaw, Michigan.

Leroy writes in, Mr. Rudolph is a terrorist. Those that have aided him are part of a terrorist organization and should be handled like several of our Arab Muslim-Americans under the Patriot Act. Would you all comment?

Jack, do you have any comment on that?

DAULTON: Well, I think we have to show that there are people who did aid him. That remains to be seen yet. Here we have this man scavenging through a trash container for food. It would indicate that he wasn't getting a lot of help to me. And quite frankly, that remains to be seen yet.

NEVILLE: OK. We have another one coming in from Sebastian in Del Valle, Texas. It's for Henry.

Henry, he says, I was just wondering what Richard Jewell was up to these days? Also, how he feels about the capture of Mr. Rudolph. Can you also refresh my memory; was he ever compensated for all the grief he was put through?

SCHUSTER: Very good question. Richard Jewell left -- he works as a private security guard and he also worked, I believe, for a small police force in South Georgia. Luthersville, Georgia. I'm not exactly sure what he was doing. Yesterday, he was in Nashville, Tennessee. We reached his lawyer, Lynn Wood, and Lynn said Richard would prefer not to comment until there was a conviction in the case.

Was he compensated? The answer is yes. A couple of news organizations, including our parent company, compensated -- reached settlements with Richard Jewell. He did have a longstanding lawsuit against the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution." That went through several degrees of court hearings up to the state Supreme Court, and Richard Jewell has lost at every round on that one.

COOPER: All right. Next question is going to go to Jack. It's from Andy in Bonaparte, Iowa.

Jack , he says, I can't help but notice the similarity between Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh. Not only were both very clean-cut appearing, both used their military experience at public expense, and of course both shared the same anti-government, anti-gay hatred. Has the FBI determined any connection between them?

DAULTON: Well, I can say that, at the time I left the bureau, four years ago, there had been no connection determined between McVeigh or Rudolph. What's happened in the last four years, I can't say. I seriously doubt that there's been any connection made between those two.

COOPER: Mike, do you want to comment on that at all?

BROOKS: No, I did. Also, sources -- I retired off the joint terrorism task force in 1999. Since then, I've kept in contact with my former colleagues. They've never been able to make a connection between the two, even though, as you point out, there were a lot of similarities between the two. But they have never been able to make a connection between the two at all.

NEVILLE: OK. Coming in from Auburn, California, Shilr writes -- and Jack, this is for you -- will the victims of the bombings be able to file separate civil cases against Eric Rudolph? Such as the daughter who lost her mother, the off-duty police officer's family, the severely injured nurse? Would all Federal charges go first?

DAULTON: Well, I think we will see the federal charges take place first, and we'll probably start in the strongest -- where the strongest case lies. In terms of the civil conviction, that remains to be seen. I think they certainly have the right to do that, but getting any kind of recovery from Rudolph is going to be very difficult.

COOPER: Next question to Mike, this is from Chris in Ottawa, Ontario. If Mr. Rudolph pleads guilty to all charges and uses insanity as his defense, could he still receive the death penalty? BROOKS: Well, that's going to be a good question for the United States attorney. But if he pleads insanity to this, they're going to have to make a very, very strong case that, at the time he committed these, that he was temporarily insane, or continues to be insane right now.

That has not been even brought up as a viable defense that I've heard of in any press conferences or any conversations at all with the assistant United States attorney. That has not even been brought up. So right now, I wouldn't say that that would be a viable defense at all right now, though, Anderson.

COOPER: Yes, seems maybe a bit ahead of the game at this point. It's still early days in this thing.

BROOKS: I think so.

NEVILLE: Mike, here's another one for you. Doug Miller from Norcross, Georgia, writes, do authorities have sniffer dogs on-site in Murphy, N. C., in an attempt to back-track Eric Rudolph's scent back to his hiding places?

BROOKS: Well, we have not seen any K-9 dogs. I would not, again, rule that out with the additional resources they're bringing here.

Just a few moments ago, I was up on Route 74, just a short distance from here, and the road that runs right behind the save-a-lot where he was arrested. The FBI's evidence response team is spread out along the road, loading up a number of 4x4 quads to take up into the woods.

We did not see any dogs, but they are out there right now attempting to search for locations where he possibly was staying. And there's talk that he was actually staying in the woods back behind the shopping center where he was arrested. But on the specific case of dogs we've not seen any K-9 dogs. But again, it cannot be ruled out with the assets they're bringing here now.

COOPER: That's it for our e-mails. Just want to get some final thoughts. Jack Daulton, from you, you worked this case. What's the biggest question in your mind, the thing you want most answered at this point?

DAULTON: Well, I just -- I think we just need to make sure we tie all the evidence together and tie the cases together adequately. I think the bureau's done that. They've had a lot of time to build their case, put their evidence together, make sure they've got the right evidence, and I feel pretty confident this is going to go well.

COOPER: Henry Schuster, you've been working this story since '96, since the bombing here in Atlanta. What's the biggest thing in your mind?

SCHUSTER: Well, again, what did he do the last five years? Who, if anybody, helped him? Where did he live? What might be in his hideout?

One small thing about the issue of the reward. I spoke to someone last night who was involved in the investigation. He said who he'd like to see get part of the reward is the medical student in Birmingham who chased Eric Rudolph, spotted his truck, got the license plate number and helped break the case open.

COOPER: Because that is the thing which, as you said, really did break this case open. Prior to that, they didn't even have Rudolph as a suspect. They didn't even know that name.

SCHUSTER: Right. And they're keeping that eyewitness under wraps. They have been all these years, because obviously, when it goes to court, his is going to be some of the most important testimony.

COOPER: And Mike Brooks, what's the thing you're going to be looking for from Murphy, from your post there, in terms of this investigation?

BROOKS: Well, this investigation is far from over, Anderson. With the additional resources coming here, and talking with the FBI and assisting United States attorney who is going to be handling this case and the initial arraignment in Asheville, North Carolina, tomorrow morning, just going to try to keep on top of what's going on here.

The additional assets, what kind of things they're finding in the woods, and hope to bring that to you all. And also, I know the federal authorities hope to add to the case, the strong case, that they feel they already have, and hope to add to that by finding evidence, additional evidence, here in Murphy, North Carolina.

COOPER: Mike Brooks, continuing to work the story in Murphy, North Carolina. Jack Daulton, we appreciate you joining us, former FBI investigator on this case. And, of course, CNN senior producer Henry Schuster, as always, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com