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Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien
Paula Broadwell Speaks Out; Fingerprint Found On Bomb Debris; Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Trial; Zimmerman: No Stand Your Ground Defense; Starbucks Customer Spots Tainted OJ; "She Devil With An Angel Face"; FBI Affidavit: No Motive In Ricin Investigation; Sheryl Crow's New "Mission"
Aired May 01, 2013 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to STARTING POINT, everyone. I'm John Berman.
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Zoraida Sambolin.
BERMAN: This just in to CNN. The woman at the center of the David Petraeus scandal is now speaking out. Paula Broadwell discussing her life after the sex scandal with the general, she's doing it at a YMCA Prayer Breakfast in Charlotte. Our Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon for more on this. Good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. Good morning, Zoraida. This is the first time we are hearing from Paula Broadwell in any depth about what has happened to her since this scandal erupted. What she is doing now. She was at a YMCA Prayer Breakfast in Charlotte, North Carolina, her hometown. When afterwards she stopped and talked. Have a listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAULA BROADWELL: I've made some mistakes in the past, but I'm trying to move forward with my family. This whole breakfast is a reminder of what should be first in one's life and I'm thankful to have that reminder. I've been involved in a number of Wounded Warrior organizations and veterans support initiatives in our communities.
And I'm back to work on my doctoral pursuits. I count my blessings, and being in this wonderful country and our wonderful community, and having such a wonderful family and opportunities, and the opportunities to rebuild.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: She was apparently somewhat anonymously attending this breakfast when reporters, as you see, stopped and spoke to her. Miss Broadwell still has a bit of a road ahead of her that she's not talking about, an investigation by the FBI into whether she inappropriately had classified information in her home.
And as for General Petraeus, the retired CIA director, the retired general, he, too, still under review by the CIA for his activities, whether anything inappropriate may have taken place, still the question being asked how and where she got that classified material, because she was so close to Petraeus for so long.
Both of them apparently seeking a somewhat road to recovery, if you will, by getting involved with Wounded Warrior organizations. Petraeus is also doing the same thing. It's something we've seen many times before, people reaching out, looking to affiliate themselves with wounded warriors as they try and rehabilitate their image.
BERMAN: We're seeing General Petraeus a little more publicly than we have in a long time, too. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you so much for that report. Appreciate it.
SAMBOLIN: We have new developments in the Boston terror investigation. Danny, the man who was carjacked by the Tsarnaev brothers, is now speaking publicly about his 90 minutes of terror. Listen to what he told the CBS evening news about his harrowing encounter with the suspected terrorists just days after the Boston marathon bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So he took out his gun, pointed to me, he told me like, you know I am serious. Don't be stupid. He asked me a question like, do you know the Boston explosion on Monday? I said, yes. He said, he did that and I just killed a policeman in Cambridge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Also new this morning, Tamerlan Tsarnaev's widow declining to claim her husband's body. She has given medical examiner's office consent to release the body to his family. And also investigators have uncovered a new piece of evidence in the case, lifting at least one fingerprint from the debris.
BERMAN: Graphic testimony in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial, just too much for his mother Katherine Jackson to take. She had to leave the courtroom. First full day of testimony in the Jackson civil case against concert giant AEG Live provided new details about the night the pop star died. We're going to get more now from CNN's Casey Wian in Los Angeles.
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CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the paramedics who responded to Michael Jackson's home the day the superstar died in 2009 took the stand as the first witness in the Jackson family's wrongful death lawsuit against entertainment giant AEG.
Richard Seneth said he first thought Jackson looked like a hospice patient, like someone at the end of a long disease process. He described seeing the 50-year-old singer, who suffered an overdose of the surgical anesthetic Propofol, in this bedroom, pale, not breathing, and apparently dead. At the heart of the case, did AEG Live employ and supervise Dr. Conrad Murray? The physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the fatal dose of Propofol. The Jackson family contends e-mails show the concert promoter pressured Murray to push Jackson to perform at all costs.
JUDY ARMOUR, USC LAW PROFESSOR: The gist of the plaintiff's claim against AEG is that you've controlled Dr. Murray, and you used your control over Dr. Murray to pressure him in to taking unnecessary and excessive risk with his patient, Michael Jackson, leading to Michael Jackson's death.
WIAN: AEG says it never paid Murray, nor was there a contract, and that he worked only for Michael Jackson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: AEG does not control what happened with Michael's doctor.
WIAN: An LAPD detective testified he suspected Jackson's death could be related to financial troubles, that the doctor would do whatever he had to, to make sure he got paid.
Before testimony began, AEG Attorney Marvin Putnam asked the judge to bar Jackson's siblings from the tiny courtroom because they may be called as witnesses in the case. Jackson family attorney argued 82- year-old matriarch Katherine Jackson, who is the plaintiff in the case, need one of her children by her side. The judge allowed that, but only one Jackson sibling at a time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think about the judge's ruling?
WIAN: Jackson siblings would not comment on the decision.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Katherine Jackson and Michael's three children are seeking billions of dollars in damages. Money they say the singer could have earned had he lived. Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
BERMAN: Some more legal news to tell you about. George Zimmerman will not use a stand your ground defense at his murder trial next month. Instead his lawyers plan to claim he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense. Zimmerman has reportedly gained more than 100 pounds since he was first arrested. He is facing second degree murder charges when he goes on trial at the end of next month.
SAMBOLIN: An alert customer at a California Starbucks is being credited with spotting a woman who left two bottles of poisoned orange juice on a store shelf. The unidentified hero alerted Starbucks employees, and also had the presence of mind to actually write down the suspect's license plate number, helping police make an arrest here.
The 50-year-old Ramineh Behbehanian is charged with attempted murder because the juice contained a lethal dose of rubbing alcohol. So far, there is no apparent motive. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. JASON DWYER, SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT: We're still very much in investigative mode with this case just because she is, you know, off the streets, doesn't mean that we're still not trying to double- check and make sure there are no threats to the public.
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SAMBOLIN: Nearby Starbucks stores were notified of this incident and told to check all their juice bottles. No other tainted products have been found.
It's 37 minutes past the hour. It was a case that catapulted the world's attention, the trial of Amanda Knox. Millions watched for four years as foxy Knoxy as she was called and her Italian boyfriend were tried for the murder of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Italian media had a field day with Knox printing leaks from her private writings and branding her a sex-crazed drug-fuelled she devil.
BERMAN: In an interview on ABC last night, Amanda was confronted by some of those headlines that filled the papers during her trial.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She devil with an angel face, heartless manipulator, (inaudible) of sex, sphinx of Perugia.
AMANDA KNOX: Haven't heard those. I mean, I've heard the gist of them and they're wrong. I mean, I was in the courtroom when they were calling me a devil. I mean, it's one thing to be called certain things in the media, and then it's another thing to be sitting in a courtroom, fighting for your life while people are calling you a devil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Criminal Defense Attorney Joe Tacopina knows the Knox case intimately. He is here to share his perspective. And the reason you know it intimately, for full disclosure, you worked as an unpaid consultant for the Knox family during the first trial. So I'm sure you watched. What was your impression of Amanda Knox?
JOE TACOPINA, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: My impression was that this is a young girl who after four years of being incarcerated for a crime she didn't commit was sort of letting it out a little bit. You know, people were quick to criticize her, her reactions, her, you know, her emoticons, all these different things.
Here was someone who was in jail for four years as a young teenager, having things happen to her that she wouldn't wish on our worst enemy. I think you have to understand, this girl in my opinion, I said this from day one, I was there early, was stone-cold innocent.
SAMBOLIN: And you mentioned letting it out. That's one of the things that she's kind of criticized for, is her lack of emotion, and her demeanor the way in which she carries herself. Do you think that this is just going to be, you know, more opportunity for fodder as she's -- she was pretty stone cold.
TACOPINA: Well, again, she was pretty stone cold, but not one of us has spent the day in jail for something we didn't do. Imagine spending four years, four formative years, by the way. Her life is forever, you know, tainted by this. She'll never be the same. She doesn't get those four years back.
The fact that she's angry, because I did see anger, you know, in that interview, and I don't blame her. I mean, can anyone really blame her for being angry for going through this process, and having aspersions cast at her that were baseless.
BERMAN: Were there any legal revelations to you? Let me play you one clip where Amanda Knox talks about drug use. Apparently, you know, a lot of marijuana she smoked when she was in Italy. Let's listen to that bite.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How high were you?
KNOX: I smoked a joint with Raffaele, and what that did to my memory was it made them less concrete, but it didn't black them out, and didn't change them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You remember with clarity that you did not go out that night? You stayed in the whole night.
KNOX: We stayed in the whole night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Again, most people were looking for was the body language there. Was the look on her face and how she sounded, but were there any legal revelations here like the pot use?
TACOPINA: Absolutely not. I mean, this is all known. I mean, you know, to me the revelations were that some of the things that happened to her while she was in jail. To be told falsely that she had AIDS by a doctor to then create this reaction on her part.
But you know, anyone who looks and says well, she's guilty, we know she's guilty. I ask them just intellectually give me one piece of evidence that proves she's guilty. There is not one piece -- matter of fact she has to be the luckiest human being in the world to not have one stitch of DNA in that crime scene if she were involved. It's just impossible and she really had nothing to do with this.
SAMBOLIN: As the matter of fact, the DNA actually positioned somebody else there, right?
TACOPINA: Yes, the guy --
SAMBOLIN: Points the finger directly to someone else. TACOPINA: Yes, the guy who was convicted and the guy who did it, yes.
SAMBOLIN: All right, Joe Tacopina, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.
BERMAN: Still fascinating to many people.
Ahead on STARTING POINT, unsealed affidavit shedding new light on the Mississippi ricin investigation. What we know about how and where the deadly poison was allegedly processed, that's coming up.
SAMBOLIN: And Sheryl Crow is here live. Her fight against hunger in America. There she is. Good morning to you, Sheryl. It's nice to have you here. You're watching STARTING POINT.
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BERMAN: Welcome back to STARTING POINT, everyone. We have new developments to tell you about this morning in the ricin investigation in Mississippi. We're getting new details about this case from an FBI affidavit that has just been unsealed. Alina Machado is live in Oxford, Mississippi. Alina, what have we learned about this?
ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, John. We've learned that investigators say they found ricin at the former martial arts studio belonging to James Everett Dutschke. But the document does not say much about a possible motive in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MACHADO (voice-over): We now know what led federal prosecutors to charge James Everett Dutschke in the ricin letters investigation. In an eight-page affidavit FBI agents say their surveillance team saw Dutschke remove items from the former martial arts studio he owned in Tupelo and dump them in a public trash bin.
One of those items a dust mask tested positive for ricin. Ricin was also later found inside the martial arts studio in sink drains and on the floor. The investigators say Dutschke ordered 100 castor bean seeds late last year through eBay. Caster beans are used in the production of ricin, which can be deadly and has no known antidote.
Dutschke denied to investigators he purchased the beans. The FBI found publications on how to safely handle ricin, and how to detect it, on his computer. Also agents say they spoke with a witness who told them Dutschke said he knows how to make a poison that could be sent to elected officials and, quote, "whoever opens these envelopes containing the poison would die." Dutschke denied any involvement in this YouTube video posted prior to his arrest.
JAMES EVERETT DUTSCHKE, ACCUSED OF SENDING RICIN-LACED LETTERS: I met with the FBI. I consented to a search, signed a paper saying go ahead and search the house. I don't have anything at all to do with this.
MACHADO: His lawyers have not yet commented on the information in the affidavit. The FBI says Dutschke filed a civil lawsuit against the same person the FBI identified as its witness, but it was dismissed by a Mississippi judge. That judge, Sadie Holland, received one of the ricin-laced letters.
We spoke with Judge Holland's son, who beat Dutschke in a race for a seat in the Mississippi State House a year later.
STEVE HOLLAND, JUDGE SOFIE HOLLAND'S SON: I've about decided that actually I might have been the target, not my mother. But, I'm a momma's baby of extraordinary proportions, and maybe he just said what the heck, if I get his momma, I've got him.
MACHADO: The affidavit also mentions a series of texts sent from two cell phones registered to Dutschke's wife, saying get the fire going, and, we're coming over to burn some things. Later identified as, quote, "My paperwork and personal things." The FBI has not said whether any more arrests are likely in the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACHADO: Now Dutschke is expected to be back here in federal court first thing tomorrow morning for a preliminary hearing and also for a bond hearing -- John, Zoraida.
BERMAN: This case just keeps getting stranger. Alina Machado, thanks so much.
SAMBOLIN: Ahead on STARTING POINT, close to 50 million Americans are at risk of going hungry and singer Sheryl Crow is ready to do something about it. She joins us live with her mission to fight hunger. Here she comes. You are watching STARTING POINT.
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SAMBOLIN: We are loving this, it is the iconic voice of nine-time Grammy winning artist Sheryl Crow singing her new single "Easy" of her fourth coming country album, but today Sheryl is here to talk about something that's not so easy, how to feed the nearly 50 million Americans that are at risk of going hungry.
Thank you so much for being here with us. Tell us about this program.
SHERYL CROW, SINGER: Well, I teamed up with "One A Day Women's" and "Feeding America." We are on a campaign where if you buy a bottle of "One A Day Women's" they will donate two meals to "Feeding America" up to two million meals.
I for one was really shocked in a country like this that there are 50 million people who are here living with food insecurity. It's funny because I take my little boy to school and I've gone with him a few times where I have stayed the whole morning.
By 9:30, I am starving. If you can imagine kids who go to school every day and don't have a good breakfast or any breakfast at all, it really makes a huge the difference so --
BERMAN: Fifty million people, 16 million are children. You know, as a mom that's got to tear at your heart. It tears at mine.
CROW: It does. This is such a great campaign because it is such a great product. I think people want to feel like when they are buying a product they are doing something great. This year, we are giving away four $25,000 grants.
So if you in Nutritionmissin.com and tell your story about an experience that you've had either helping feed or about volunteering in a food bank, whatever your story is or how you have been helped by feeding America it is possible to get a $25,000 grant and also a chance to come to New York City and meet me.
SAMBOLIN: Often times we are talking about feeding the hungry in other countries, right, but we just don't really focus on what is happening right here in the United States. Is that part of the reason why you decided to do this?
CROW: Yes, I was really shock by that number. Fifty million is a lot of people and you know, I think about America being such a wealthy country, a country where we are really invested in our communities, but there is so much more work to be done. That is one of the reasons why I love this campaign.
I have taken my kids to the food bank in Nashville around holiday time so they have a sense of what it is like to not take meals for granted. It's eye opening and it's always a great experience being a part of helping in your community so --
SAMBOLIN: Well, congratulations to you. We're really proud of -- I found out that you are coming out. She is in "People" magazine and it is a fantastic picture. Can I tell your age? She is 51. And it is five radiance stars reveal their secrets to their decades define beauty.
When you walked in what you said was look at her. You look amazing. We were talking about you as you walked in. You just are amazingly beautiful. You look way beyond half your age. What is that secret?
CROW: I have great genes. My mom and dad are super youthful looking. I keep saying I'm going to go get -- I haven't done anything. I think part of aging gracefully is keeping your youthful expressions by allowing your face to have expressions and being happy. And I have two little kids.
BERMAN: My kids give me gray hair. Your kids are keeping you young?
CROW: I feel like they kind of are. You know, we spend a lot of time on the road. We go to the museum or the zoo. I am queen of water slides.
SAMBOLIN: You workout a lot don't you?
CROW: No, I don't. I mean, I wish I had time, but in the past I have. I have always been a runner. I am not a big workout queen. I love sports. I'm a sporty person. I'm super active. SAMBOLIN: You look fantastic. We are delighted to have you. We wish you a lot of luck with the campaign and thank you for sharing the information. We need to be aware.
BERMAN: Ahead on STARTING POINT, a Boston motorist's terrifying ordeal. We will hear from the man who was carjacked at gun point by the Tsarnaev brothers and he lived to talk about it.
Plus, it is spring, but the snow is really coming down in the Midwest that is May, folks.
SAMBOLIN: It looks like a winter wonderland.
BERMAN: That is a picture from now in America snowing.
SAMBOLIN: And the original hot lips here in studio. Actress Sally has a new book all about her life in Hollywood. You are watching STARTING POINT.
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BERMAN: Good morning, everyone. I'm John Berman.
SAMBOLIN: And I'm Zoraida Sambolin. Our STARTING POINT, the man carjacked by the Boston bombing suspects telling detail by detail what happened on camera. His amazing story coming up.
BERMAN: Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a young mother who went missing after her shift at a gas station. We will meet Jessica Heringa's mother and fiance who are begging for help.
SAMBOLIN: Plus, it is May, but for the Midwest it feels like winter.
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Calendar says May 1st, but it is snowing like the middle of winter. We'll have the latest coming up.
BERMAN: Our Jim Spellman manning the snow storm.
New this morning, we are also hearing from Paula Broadwell for the first time. She is the woman who had an affair with former CIA Director David Petraeus. What she is saying this morning about life after the scandal just ahead.
It is Wednesday, May 1st and STARTING POINT begins right now.
We do begin with new developments in the Boston marathon bombing investigation and what could be a key piece of new evidence. A law enforcement official says investigators have lifted at least one fingerprint from bomb debris.
