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Lindsay Clancy Trial Resumes with Testimony from Police Investigators; NOAA: 70 Percent Chance El Nino Will Be Strongest on Record; USS George Washington Heading to Mideast to Replace USS Abraham Lincoln; Flock Rolls Out Police License Plate Reader Safeguards. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired August 13, 2026 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

TIMOTHY CHIAPPINI, STATE POLICE TROOPER: ... I'm sad that I stopped breastfeeding. I feel not as connected with Cal now. I think I sort of resent my other children because they prevent me from treating Cal like my first baby, and I know that's not fair to them.

I know that. I was feeling so depressed last evening when Cora and Dawson came home from school. I know it runs off on them, so we had a pretty rough evening.

I want to feel love and connection with all my kids. I'm also probably having a bit of an internal conflict because my whole life I've wanted to have a lot of kids. I still don't want Cal to be our last, but I have a lot of figuring out to do before I have another.

I'm on the fence about starting a new medication for anxiety slash depression. I just want to feel happy. I want to be able to relax and take care of my kids.

And when they go to bed at night, I want to deeply relax and hang out with Pat and then fall into a deep sleep for eight hours, get up and pour hard into myself for an hour and a half.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And shortly after that was Joshua McKelligan. He was the case officer and is the case officer for this entire prosecution. He took the stand, showed a number of things, but one thing was video of the upstairs bedroom of the Clancy home.

And this is where Lindsay Clancy, according to both sides, tried to commit suicide, taking a knife and superficially cutting her wrist and her neck, according to the prosecution, jumping out the window of that second story. You see there's blood on the floor right there. There's also a nightstand in that video showing the knife that was used.

There it is. Children's cup is right next to that knife. Now we don't know why the prosecution wanted to show this.

They did say there is no blood spatter on the wall, but they will weave that in with their experts or in their closing arguments. And the final thing I want to say, this is interesting. It was made mention, nothing else about it, but it was four days before the defendant killed her children.

There was a search on the computer. Can you treat a sociopath? Boris.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Wow. Jean Casarez, we'll see how jurors react to some of that testimony imminently. Thank you so much.

Still to come, scientists say this year's Super El Nino will be the strongest ever, and it will likely make 2027 the hottest year on record. Your forecast when we come back.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Federal forecasters are upping the odds that the super El Nino will reach record-breaking strength. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration says there's now a nearly 70 percent chance this El Nino will become the most intense on record as ocean temperatures get hotter heading into the fall and winter months.

CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir, is tracking this for us. All right, Bill, tell us about the overall concern here.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, historically, the big super El Ninos have caused tens of thousands of extra deaths and trillions of dollars in damages around the world from typhoons and floods and droughts that come with this warming in the Pacific. This one could be bigger than all on record, given the fact that it's heating up much faster than it ever has before. It won't peak until late fall.

We won't know it has peaked until it happens, and then it could run into the winter, making life miserable for some people in some areas and even deadly in places, and a milder winter for others. It changes fickle weather patterns in the most severe ways.

KEILAR: So how are we likely to see this affecting us in the U.S.?

WEIR: Well, if history's any judge, Brianna, it would be a lot of rain, but too much at once. So do these atmospheric rivers that have hit California in recent years. The Rockies can use the snow this winter for sure because the Southwest is so parched record reservoir at low levels, the drought there as well.

It could be milder in the Midwest and the Northeast, but rain, a lot of water from the West down across the Southern band of Florida.

KEILAR: Do scientists see this as a direct result of global warming?

WEIR: No, this is a naturally occurring pattern, but it's happening in a record year for global warming. July was the hottest month ever recorded in the history of the United States weather record keeping going back over 130 years or so. And the ocean temperatures are at similar like record shattering levels.

So this on top of it, the analogy my colleague Andrew Friedman uses in CNN today is it's sort of global warming is the escalator we're riding up on. And then an El Nino year comes along, and we start jumping one or two steps at a time, getting higher temperatures faster. And nobody has ever seen it this hot, these combination of forces.

So a lot of scientists really worried that this could be a really rough year, but there's no guarantee. It's just that the dice is loaded in that way.

KEILAR: Yes, it compounds what is already going to be a tough weather challenge here. Bill, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

And for your weather, anytime, anywhere you can download the CNN weather app, go to cnn.com/CNNweather for the latest forecast tracking -- Boris.

[15:40:00]

But actually coming up. New CNN reporting on the Pentagon's plan to replace the USS Lincoln in the Middle East as concerns grow about the well-being of its crew.

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SANCHEZ: We've been tracking some news to CNN this afternoon. An official telling us that the USS George Washington Carrier Group is currently headed to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln. The administration says the move was previously planned, but it comes amid growing concerns about the well-being of crew members aboard the Lincoln, which has now been at sea for more than 200 consecutive days.

Several outlets are reporting that as a result of the record-breaking deployment and deteriorating living conditions on board, multiple crew members have tried to jump overboard.

[15:45:00]

The wife of one crew member telling Stars and Stripes that her husband texted her saying, quote, "He hopes he doesn't wake up tomorrow." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says reports of poor conditions are being completely misrepresented, but several Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers.

Let's discuss with retired Army Lieutenant General Karen Gibson, who is the former Director of Intelligence at U.S. Central Command. General, thank you so much for being with us this afternoon. What is your reaction to hearing these reports?

LT. GEN. KAREN GIBSON (RET.), FORMER DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Well, I think it's unfortunate, Omar, and battlefield stress is always a real circumstance. I think it's very different, and I speak from experience here, to say you're going to deploy for nine months, and you mentally prepare for that and your family plans for that. It's quite different from deploying for five months and it becomes seven and it becomes nine or it's uncertain.

And it's just an aspect of the human condition that that uncertainty or those extensions to deployments, not just for the service member, but for their family, can be very difficult. I actually kind of liken this to some of the unexpected or unanticipated expenditure of munitions that we've had. Of course, these are human beings that we're talking about, but it was not a plan originally to deploy for so long.

There was not a plan originally to use so many munitions because I think when the president said initially, this is only going to last a couple of weeks, he believed that it would. And now we find ourselves in these kinds of circumstances.

SANCHEZ: What kind of an impact could low morale on board the ship potentially have on the war with Iran?

GIBSON: Well, you know, it's when you have high morale, when you have a high functioning team, of course you're going to perform better. Is everyone getting enough sleep? Do they have an opportunity to exercise?

What kind of leadership do they have? Just various facets, Boris, of someone's battlefield performance and ability to come together as a team erode over time, that's natural. And particularly under stress.

SANCHEZ: Well, if the conflict is now evolved into a war of attrition with both sides trying to wear the other out and it becomes a sort of fight over time, especially with economic pressure, do you think the U.S. can continue the blockade without the Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and with having to create changes like this and its readiness and its team that is abroad in that area?

GIBSON: You know, Boris, I think we can sustain the campaign. I think we can sustain the blockade. I think it would be useful if the administration prepared the American public and the military for that kind of potential.

Iran has been betting all along, making some assumptions based on our domestic political considerations. And every war has domestic political considerations. In this case, Iran thinks that concerns about gas prices, about inflation, about midterms, or even campaign promises to avoid forever wars are things that argue in its favor.

These are some of the reasons that Iran thinks they have an ability to outlast us. That their ability to withstand economic pain and even the pain of punishing airstrikes is greater than our tenacity, than our tactical patience. I think we could prove them wrong.

It will be up to the administration to do that, to change their mind. And it's really important to convince them that holding out is just going to degrade their economy that much more and leave them in a far more weakened state than they are right now.

SANCHEZ: We'll see how that might play out in some form of diplomatic arrangement. I do wonder as someone who has led service members and had to take part in what I imagine is an effort to guide and boost them at difficult times, what would you say to service members on board the Lincoln now being faced with some of this strain and some of these conditions?

GIBSON: Yes, strong leadership, fortitude, commitment, tenacity. These have been hallmarks of American military throughout the centuries. And I think it's important to reinforce and remember that.

And a commitment to the mission, understanding why we're there, what we're hoping to accomplish, and the value of the individual service and sacrifice that we and our families make to achieve this goal on behalf of national security interests in the Middle East. Just reinforcing the importance of everything that we do each day, no matter how small, to further that aim on behalf of the nation that we've sworn to uphold and defend.

SANCHEZ: Lieutenant General Karen Gibson, we have to leave the conversation there. Thanks so much for sharing your point of view.

GIBSON: Thank you, Boris.

[15:50:00]

SANCHEZ: And it's important to remember that help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for help. There are people standing by to lend a hand in case you need it.

Still ahead, escalating privacy concerns over the misuse of FLOC surveillance cameras. Now the company behind the controversial devices is rolling out new security features. We'll discuss what they are in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Safeguards are now being mandated for a police surveillance system that has come under scrutiny for alleged misuse by officers. Flock Safety, which operates a nationwide network of license plate readers, is now requiring police departments to use a tool that flags suspicious search activity.

[15:55:00]

SANCHEZ: This comes after dozens of officers have been accused of misusing the technology, in some instances, to stalk exes or romantic interests. CNN's Clare Duffy joins us now. Clare, what do we know about these safeguards?

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: Yes. Boris, Brianna, there has been this growing swell of concerns from around the country about surveillance and police misuse of these Flock license plate reader cameras, of course, heightened by these reports of officer misuse. So Flock is now rolling out these new accountability and safety controls, trying to address those concerns.

I'm going to walk you through the key changes. Earlier this year, they rolled out this audit assistance tool that flags unusual searches. They are going to be making that required for all agencies that use its technology by the end of the year.

And when an officer is flagged for an unusual search, they will be automatically suspended from the system, pending an administrator review. They are also reducing their standard data retention from 30 days down to seven days. And officers who are conducting a search will be required to insert a case number to justify that search.

They say there will be exceptions for emergencies, but that those emergency situations will then get reviewed. All of this, they hope, will allow them to proactively identify potential misuse of this technology rather than just retroactively. Flock CEO Garrett Langley talked about this earlier today on CNN.

Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARRETT LANGLEY, FOUNDER AND CEO, FLOCK: We helped solve north of a million crimes last year. So we know what normal criminal investigations look like. And now, with this tool, anytime we detect abnormal behavior, that police officer will be proactively locked out of the system.

Historically, it is the victim that has to report the abuse. But now, with this tool, we can detect the abnormal behavior. We can alert an administrator, and we can do that in real time and not 30 days or even, God forbid, a year later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUFFY: So as you hear there, he's hoping that this is going to allow police officers to continue to use Flock cameras to solve crime, but that they will root out some of this police misuse of this technology.

KEILAR: Yes, it's really interesting. And what's the company saying about these concerns? Because there have been so many, Clare, that their technology, this system, is being misused in addition to being used properly.

DUFFY: Yes, just as one example, Brianna, according to court documents, a former Milwaukee police officer used Flock cameras to search for the location of his romantic partner 124 times. So our Pamela Brown asked Garrett Langley about this earlier today, how he would respond to these victims who say that they were stalked and tracked using this technology. Take a listen to what he said there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANGLEY: I'm sorry that the system has failed you. I'm sorry that you no longer trust the police department that's job is to protect you. And for me, we believe at Flock that everyone has a right to feel safe.

And whether you have a badge or you don't, we don't believe that committing a crime is acceptable in this country. And so for us, safety is a fundamental right, no different than clean water and the same electricity. And so I am so sorry to hear of her situation, and I hope it never happens again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUFFY: So Flock here taking some accountability for police misuse of its technology and saying that going forward, it does not want to see this happen again.

KEILAR: All right, Clare, thank you so much.

On Sunday on "THE WHOLE STORY," we set out to understand what is behind the enhancement drugs craze and why some men in their early 20s believe they're the key really to self-improvement. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the youngest person that slid into your DMs asking for advice on this stuff?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that's a good question. I mean, you definitely get some young people in there, 16, 17. If they're anything under 18, I'm not even going to talk to them though.

You know, cause I'm like, you're way too young.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I see some of your DMs?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh yes. I met this guy at the gym the other day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what have you said to him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So he just sent me his blower. He was like, hey, what's some advice? I was like, he's got 250 milligrams to test per milliliter.

I was like, do half a mil Monday, half a mil Thursday. All right, that's 250 a week.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But you don't think it's dangerous at all that you're often guiding these young guys through this journey, but you don't have the medical qualifications to do that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I would say what's the difference between doing it yourself and being fine and a medical qualification though, you know?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: What could go wrong? Yes. See more from this fascinating report into the world of performance enhancing drugs this Sunday night at 8 p.m. on CNN, the next day on the CNN app.

Thank you so much for being with us today. "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts in just a few seconds.

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