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NY AG Prepares To Seize Trump Properties If He Can't Post Bond; Netanyahu Says Israel Will Go Into Rafah Even Without U.S. Support; Police Say Escaped Inmate & Accomplice Captured After Manhunt, 2 Killings May Be Tied To Them; Wild First Day Of March Madness. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired March 22, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

HARRY LITMAN, FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: That is really the end of the day, I think, for the Trump Organization in New York. It's an ugly, ugly situation for him, even if it is halfway accurate.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Harry Litman, very much appreciate your perspective. Thanks.

LITMAN: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

Still ahead, a high-stakes meeting between the U.S. and Israel ends with both sides issuing warnings. More on today's tense exchange between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

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[13:35:00]

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Israel is prepared to move forward with his ground offensive in Rafah, regardless of whether the U.S. supports it.

That statement coming just moments after his meeting with Secretary Blinken earlier today.

Netanyahu also expressing that there was no way to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah. There are, of course, more than a million Palestinians in Rafah who have taken shelter there to escape the war.

Here's more of what contrary Blinken had to say after their meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: We share the goal of ensuring Israel's long-term security. As we've said, though, a major million which are a ground operation in Rafah is not the way to do it. It risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with

the provisions of humanitarian assistance. It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long-term security and standing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv for us.

So, Jeremy, these comments from Prime Minister Netanyahu, what is the impact on these discussions about a possible ceasefire here and release of hostages and also the relationship of the U.S.?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, I think these two issues are kind of proceeding on separate tracks. But there's no question that they impact one another.

If there is no ceasefire deal going forward, then that increases the likelihood of the Israeli military ordering this large-scale military offensive into Rafah.

And of course, if there is a deal, that could potentially forestall a potential military offensive in Rafah for some six weeks at a minimum.

But what I think is really important here is the fact that the U.S. is trying to change Israel's mind, trying to change the Israeli leadership's mind about the military necessity of carrying out this large-scale offensive.

And so far, the U.S., including Secretary of State Blinken today, appeared to be failing at that task.

Because moments after meeting with the secretary of state, the Israeli prime minister released this video statement in Hebrew to the Israeli public.

Saying that he conveyed to Secretary of State Blinken that going into Rafah is a military necessity and that Israel will carry out that military offensive with or without the United States support.

And so even as the Israeli prime minister is indicating that he will listen to the U.S.'s ideas, that he will send a delegation of some of his closest advisers to Washington next week to hear U.S. alternatives. He's also basically saying that I will listen to you, but I will not change my mind.

At the same time, the secretary of state is trying to impress upon the Israeli prime minister and the Israeli public as well what the risk is here of going into Rafah.

Talking not only about the risk to Palestinian civilians, some one- and-a-half million who are currently believed to be sheltering in Rafah, but also the risk to Israel, to Israel's long-term security and to its reputation saying that going into Rafah risks isolating Israel further around the world. And those are the stakes as the United States sees them. But despite that, Israel appears to be pressing ahead with these plans. Nothing is imminent, of course. But as we talked about with those ceasefire negotiations, so much uncertainty about whether or not a deal can be reached.

On that front, the secretary of state saying that progress is being made, gaps are being closed. But the last mile is often the toughest in these negotiations -- Erica?

HILL: Jeremy, I appreciate the reporting. Thank you.

[13:39:31]

Just ahead here, a violent inmate and the man who helped -- allegedly helped him escape captured. Police though believe they may be responsible for the deaths of two people killed while they were on the run. The latest in that investigation is next.

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[13:43:09]

SANCHEZ: New developments in the Idaho prisoner escape. Police now say that Skylar Meade and Nicholas Umphenour are suspected of killing two men while on the run.

The fugitives, with ties to a white supremacist prison gang, were captured yesterday afternoon, some 36 hours after Umphenour allegedly shot at officers who were transferring Meade back to prison from a Boise hospital. The brazen ambush left three corrections officers wounded.

CNN's Camila Bernal now has been tracking the story from Boise.

So, Camila, bring us up to speed. What's the latest on the investigation?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Boris. A lot of new developments. So we are now learning that a third person was arrested at the same time as these two other suspects.

She is being identified as Tanya Hoover, a 52-year-old. And she is now charged with alluding and with possession of Fentanyl.

We are also learning a lot more in terms of the homicides. Authorities believed that these two suspects, after leaving the hospital, traveled north. And at some point, encountered and 83-year-old man who was walking his dogs.

And so it's believed that they took him, the dogs and his car because authorities say that, sometime later, they found the 83-year-old's body. He was identified as James Mani (ph).

And they say his body was found near that Honda Civic that these two suspects used to escape from the hospital. They do not believe that Mani (ph) knew these two suspects. So, unfortunately, it appears to have been random in a way.

Authorities also identified the second victim of homicide, and that is 72-year-old Don Henderson. And authorities say that in that case, he was killed at his home.

It was a remote area in northern Idaho. And it was Clearwater County. And authorities say that this man may have known the two suspects. It's unclear to what extent or how long they knew each other.

[13:45:06]

But authorities say that, at his home, they found the shackles and they also found Mani's (ph) dogs. And so that's how they're connecting both of these homicides to these two suspects.

Authorities say that sometime after, they took separate cars and drove southeast to Twin Falls, Idaho, and that's where police found them.

We have new images of the time -- or of the moment that Skylar Meade was arrested. And that's when we're told that he was with Tanya Hoover as well.

We were told that they stopped Skylar Meade and took him into custody quickly, but that Umphenour tried to escape and then that's when we had that short chase and then he was later arrested.

So a lot of new details -- Boris?

SANCHEZ: Yes.

Camila Bernal, thank you so much for the update.

Erica?

HILL: We'll get you caught up on some of the other headlines that were watching this hour.

The Alabama woman who faked her own kidnapping has now pleaded guilty in court and is agreeing to pay $18,000 and restitution.

Carly Russell captured the nation's attention last year when she mysteriously disappeared from the side of a highway. Two days later, Russell returned home claiming she had been abducted and held hostage but managed to escape.

Investigators though, didn't buy it. They found Russell's web searches included things like, "Do you have to pay for an Amber Alert?"

An update on that terrifying midair blowout on an Alaska Airlines Boeing Max from back in January. CNN has now learned it some of the flyers on board received letters from the FBI telling them they may be the victims of a crime.

The Justice Department opened an investigation last month into the incident and Boeing. A preliminary investigation by safety officials at the NTSB found, when the jet left Boeings factory, four bolts were missing that are needed to keep that door plug secured.

And the two-week search for a missing college student in Nashville coming to a sad end. And 22-year-old Riley Strain's body was found in a river. There are no signs of foul play, according to police.

He disappeared after he was kicked out of a bar downtown earlier this month. Surveillance video showed him struggling to walk down the city streets before vanishing.

We'll be right back.

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[13:52:34]

HILL: You want a good start to March Madness, people? You've got it this year.

This is why Boris and I didn't do a bracket because they would have been broken just like a number of other people who were completely busted probably after some major upsets on day one.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

HILL: How many people had Kentucky maybe?

SANCHEZ: Getting past that 14 seeded Oakland Golden Bears. I mean, it seemed like a simple pick. Plenty more first-round games to come today.

CNN's Carolyn Manno has been watching all the action for us.

Kentucky, yikes.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, my brackets didn't survive day one.

(LAUGHTER)

MANNO: -- game. You didn't.

(LAUGHTER)

MANNO: But it still stings a little bit.

But the good news is --

(CROSSTALK)

MANNO: I appreciate it.

The reason that I feel bad is because less than 1 percent of brackets remained perfect after day one. I'm talking 0.0038 percent to be exact.

And that upset that you mentioned, the 14th seed, Oakland, I don't know if anybody saw them taking down Kentucky. But if you've been tracking what's going on with Kentucky over the last couple of appearances here off the big dance, you might have clue into it.

Every year, we love meeting these new heroes from these small schools. This was an incredible night for Jack Gohlke. The senior for the Golden Grizzlies made 10 three pointers, you guys. He put up 32, which is the most points ever in the tournament for a player who did not make a two-point shot.

Oakland pulling off the upset over the third seed, the Wildcats, 80, 76. And what a win for Greg Kampe, too, who has been the head coach at Oakland for 40 years, and now he's in the round of 32 for the first time.

Conversely, this is a very tough pill to swallow for John Calipari. Kentucky now 1.4 in their last five tournament games.

Here was Jack Gohlke after the big upset.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK GOHLKE, OAKLAND GUARD: I know they have draft picks and I know I'm not going to the NBA. But I know on any given night, I can compete with those type of guys and our team can compete with those type of guys.

And that's why I was so confident going into it. And that's why I say we're not a Cinderella. Because when we play our A game where we can be the best team on the floor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Dayton, meanwhile, looked like they were toasts against Nevada, down by 17 with 7:14 to go before staging a comeback for the ages. The Flyers finishing the game on a 2044 run.

Nate Santos with the big bucket to put Dayton up by one with 38 seconds. And a last second, Nevada three would be no good. Dayton moving on after an incredible comeback, winning 63 to 60.

But LeBron James' high school coach, Keith Dambrot, and Duquesne, meanwhile, dancing into the second round. The Dukes taking down BYU 71, 67 in an 11-seed upset. This is Duquesne's first tournament win since 1969.

[13:55:05]

And Dambrot retiring after this run. That's going to have to wait because now his team has a date with Illinois in the second round.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEITH DAMBROT, DUQUESNE HEAD COACH: They just won't let me retire, man. I'm trying to retire, but if we keep winning games, they're going to make me an old man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: All eyes on the tournament. And LeBron James having fun with his old coach, twitting, "Hey, look at this, keep it going."

So the madness, guys, getting underway. The women's tournament starting soon. We've get a lot more action still to come.

Back to you.

SANCHEZ: Plenty more excitement to go.

Carolyn Manno, appreciate you breaking it all down for us. Thanks so much.

Stay with CNN. We're back in just moments.

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