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Royals Brace for More Photos; Anti-Islam Movie Protests Spread; Anti-Islam Filmmaker Surfaces In Public; NATO Base Comes Under Attack; A Look Inside the U.S. Consulate; RPGs, Machine Guns Used in Attack; Parts of a Wisconsin Law Overturned; Eastwood: No Regrets
Aired September 15, 2012 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Fury over anti-Islam internet film made in the U.S. is spreading to more countries. Today, protesters took to the streets in Australia. Hundreds of people demonstrated there outside the U.S. Consulate in Sidney.
The protesters went violent when police pushed them back from the consulate building. Authorities used tear gas and police dogs to stop the demonstrators who threw bottles, four people were hurt.
And this was the scene in India. There were also protests in Tunisia and Afghanistan today.
And now to the man who made the controversial anti-Muslim movie. The film-maker surfaced publicly for the first time during an overnight visit to his probation officer in Los Angeles.
CNN's Miguel Marquez joining us now live from Los Angeles. So Miguel, what impact has all of this had on the Coptic Christian community, in particular, since he professes to be a Coptic Christian?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they're lying low at the moment. I've spoken to his friends, to people who know him, to the church that he goes to here and they are all very concerned. They are very quick to distance themselves from this movie, that Coptic Christians don't believe this.
That, you know, this is the work of one man, a collection of individuals who have done it. They don't have anything to do with it. Their big concern is because maybe these Coptics are from Egypt is that this will have ramifications for their family members and loved ones in faraway lands.
It is absolutely amazing when you consider this low quality, cheap filming made. Now Mr. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is increasingly under the microscope. The federal officials saying that they had opened up a review of his entire case, his probation, he is on probation for five years because he was convicted in 2010 of fraud.
And last night, about midnight, L.A. County sheriff's deputies took him to a -- a federal facility, apparently, to go see his probation officer, and it sounds like there was more than one probation officer there. They wanted to chat with him. They want to see if there was anything he has done in the last several months or years to go over the bounds of his probation.
The one part that seems to stick out is that he is not supposed to be online in any way or use any devices that can get on line without a prior approval from his probation officer.
So now, we wait and see if that meeting last night turns into a full- on probation hearing, which they could either then revoke his probation or change it somehow -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes, and have they revealed in any way what that potential penalty could be if they were to revoke the probation, or to change it?
MARQUEZ: It depends on the seriousness. They -- really, it is a very fast process from what I can tell and it depends, the judge who actually ordered him in prison and then probation to begin with would actually hear the case, if possible.
And then they could do anything. They could limit his freedom of movement even more, they could -- it could be a serious enough probation violation that they would take him back into custody. There are many, many things that they could do at this point.
The question is did he violate that probation? Did he knowingly do it? And you know what -- what would be the proper remedy for it? Authorities are very quick to point out they don't want to jump on this so hard that it shuts down freedom of speech.
And they don't want to be in a position of knocking freedom of speech. But this man has clearly produced something, and others have clearly produced something that -- has caused a lot of this, you know this convulsion of violence. And they want to know everything that he has been up to.
WHITFIELD: Miguel Marquez, thank you so much, from Los Angeles.
Taliban militants in Afghanistan say they attacked a NATO base in Afghanistan today to retaliate against that same controversial anti- Muslim movie. The attack, in Helmand Province, killed two American marines.
Officials say about 20 armed insurgents infiltrated the base perimeter and they opened fire. Coalition members fought back, killing all but one of the militants.
A solemn home coming of the remains of four Americans killed this week in the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Libya were returned to American soil yesterday.
U.S. Marines carried the caskets of Ambassador Chris Stevens, former Navy Seals Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, and information management officer, Sean Smith. The four were honored in a ceremony attended by President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The FBI is now putting off its visit to Libya for safety reasons. Agents had hoped to arrive there today to continue their investigation into the attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and the three others.
Our Arwa Damon got inside that burned out consulate in Benghazi to reconstruct the violence from that night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid the ash, soot and debris, remnants of a life that was, and what it meant to those stationed here scrawled on this sheet, Libya is so important. Traces of blood stained the walls.
What is now a blackened ruin was a pleasant compound in an upscale Benghazi neighborhood. Libyan officials say Tuesday night's attack was planned by Islamist militants, and quickly overwhelmed the Libyan and American guards. The compound's first line of defense easily breached.
(on camera): According to one of the Libyan guards who was stationed at the gate armed with only a radio, the assault happened simultaneously from three different directions. He said that he initially heard chanting growing louder and then suddenly the gunfire, the rocket propelled grenades and other heavy machine gun fire all begun attacking the compound.
He is so terrified, a repercussion that he is refusing to appear on camera. He says at one point the masked men came over and threatened to kill him at gunpoint for protecting the infidels. He only survived because another individual within their ranks intervened and managed to lead him away.
(voice-over): A rocket-propelled grenade took out the tower, and set the main residence on fire. Here, the bedroom where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens stayed. Part of a small area, we're told this is where the ambassador, after being separated from his guards in the chaos, smoke, and darkness, died of smoke inhalation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And we'll get more on the investigation as this information warrants.
Meantime, back in the United States now, you know that it has been a difficult standoff between the public schools of Chicago and the teacher's union, live pictures right now. All the people you see in the streets there, those are mostly educators, teachers who had all gathered at Union Park for a big rally.
This, as the two sides try to meet and try to come up with some sort of framework for an agreement so that 350,000 kids can return to their schools on Monday, perhaps after being out of school for the past five school days now.
But, we understand as they continue to disburse from the rally that was taking place in Union Park. They are now walking to the street. Their final destination will be Garfield Park there in the city of Chicago.
We'll keep you updated on all of those developments there involving Chicago public schools, the third largest school district in the country.
Also, straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the vehicle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to report you hurt me, you twisted my arm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step out of the vehicle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A traffic stop that is hard to understand, hard to believe and frankly hard to watch.
And Clint Eastwood is talking about his much criticized speech at the Republican National Convention.
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WHITFIELD: It was a law that launched protests in Wisconsin and triggered a recall of the governor. Now, a county judge has overturned parts of the bill that restricted collective bargaining rights. The judge found the Wisconsin bill infringed on worker's freedom of speech and association.
With 52 days until the election, both President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are taking a break from the campaigning this weekend. But the GOP nominee for vice president stumped in Florida.
Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan attacked the latest move by the fed to keep buying up bonds to keep loan rates low, a move known as quantitative easing. Ryan attended the event with his wife and with his mother who lives in Florida.
All right, Clint Eastwood has no regrets about his speech to an empty chair at the Republican National Convention. Here is what he told our Nischelle Turner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: One thing about, one advantage of being my age is that, you know, what can they do to you? You just have fun and do what you think and you can say what you think. You don't have to edit yourself.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: So you don't regret it at all? And I think I heard Governor Romney say on one of the Sunday shows last week that he enjoyed it. He liked it.
EASTWOOD: He did, he has a much better sense of humor than people think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Eastwood came under fire for this speech. Some felt he upstaged the Republican nominee on the last day of the convention.
Lots of intriguing cases to delve into, our legal guys are with us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Ninety seconds away, all right, Avery, Richard, we're talking about a discrimination case involving a restaurant change, Hooters, which direction might this go, Avery?
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: My goodness, this is such a principled case, Americans don't tolerate discrimination. It is in federal court and good for this young man for standing up and fighting back.
WHITFIELD: And Richard?
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, he is humiliated because an ethnic slur was thrown at him and he's going to have a Brooklyn jury hear his case. He'll be more humiliated when the jurors are on the floor screaming with laughter. This case is garbage and should be dismissed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right, Avery, Richard, seconds away.
And tomorrow, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is exploring the world of sustainable living on "THE NEXT LIST" at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. This week, he profiles Juan Sustine, an organic farmer and founder of the Rancho Margo Eco Resort in Costa Rica.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sustainability is basically using resources, but not compromising for future generations. We, as a human race, have not been very sustainable.
Hello everyone. My name is Juan Sustine and I'm the owner and founder of Rancho Margo. This is a living university in so many ways. Basically, we're off the grid. We produce our own food. We make our own furniture.
We produce our own energy, electricity, and cooking gas. We compost waste and heat water with it. At the same time, we produce a luxury environment for people to come and enjoy themselves.
And it is all within an environment that we can say wow, I can't believe I'm not doing any damage. I can't believe I'm actually doing some good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And then tomorrow at 2:30 Eastern Time, the events in the Middle East are sparking a new debate in the presidential race. I'll talk with our foreign policy expert who has written a "New York Times" op-ed about that very issue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, what started out as a routine traffic stop in the city of Keene, Texas, on Highway 67, ended up with a 77-year-old driver in cuffs for speeding 16 miles an hour over the 15-mile an hour limit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, let's hurry up. I have to go to the bathroom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me see your driver's license.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a bladder infection --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to see your driver's license and insurance, and then I'll listen to you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why? Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me see your driver's license, no, you give it to me now, I'll take you to jail.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the vehicle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to report you hurt me -- you twisted my arm, goodness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're under arrest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Boy, so while some question -- how the officer handled that situation, including pulling Linn Bedford from the car there as you see there.
The police chief said in a statement, quote, "all parties have concluded that the sergeant did not violate any state laws or department policies. And in fact, was following department policy in regards to violators not providing information," end quote.
On the flip side, the attorney for Ms. Bedford says he believes the officer went too far, saying this. Quote, "She is very disappointed to learn that instead of being protected and served she was basically antagonized by that officer." All right, we talked to our legal guys about fascinating case, Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor in Cleveland and Richard Herman, a criminal defense attorney and law professor in Las Vegas.
And earlier, I talked to them about a lawsuit involving the Hooter's restaurant chain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Now in Queens, apparently a couple, Korean-American couple was at this Hooters and they received their receipt. And an employee had scrawled an ethnic slur, they read it.
And now at least one of those customers is actually suing Hooters, saying A, they were insulted. This is discrimination, and how could this be?
That worker has since left Hooters, so apparently is no longer working there. But the question is, is an employer responsible for the actions of its employees, whether they're still there or whether they have left, Richard?
HERMAN: Well, an employee -- an employer is always responsible for the actions of its employees, Fred, however, this case really -- if you want to open up the garbage can and throw it in there, this is the case to throw in there right now.
This gentleman, this individual says he was humiliated, humiliated, and unable now to go into any non-Asian restaurant, because some 20- year-old hostess made a derogatory comment on a receipt that since she has apologized for, she's quit her employment.
You bring this case to trial in Brooklyn, New York, with a Brooklyn jury. They're going to be on the floor in tears laughing and screaming for oxygen.
FRIEDMAN: No, they won't.
HERMAN: This case is going nowhere. This is ridiculous, this case.
WHITFIELD: So in other words, you think it's gone too far. Avery?
FRIEDMAN: I -- I'm stunned with that analysis. Look, the fact is that you have the right to go to a place of public accommodations and be free from any kind of religious or ethnic bias. That's the law that the federal --
HERMAN: Please.
FRIEDMAN: Now, where I might agree, that a jury might not award substantial damages. I don't think it's a federal case, but under civil right laws, if this case proceeds and if Mr. Cha, the plaintiff, prevails, not only does Hooters pay -- well, the franchise of Hooters.
Not the corporate, has to pay the defense fees also, the plaintiffs' fees, and damages. This case should resolve. I think it's a legitimate case. I don't think it's substantial damages, but I think it's a principled one. Good for Mr. Cha for pushing the envelope.
WHITFIELD: So you see it as potentially very impactful. This is what Hooters had to say, particularly in reference to the 20-year-old employee who's no longer working there, but allegedly scrawled that epithet. So, "it's not something that reflects our employees. We have a no-tolerance policy and we've had no similar circumstances like this."
FRIEDMAN: Still going to trial.
HERMAN: A box of wings would settle it. That's it. Settle the case.
FRIEDMAN: No, it will not.
WHITFIELD: We shall see. And I know y'all will weigh in when we find out where it goes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And of course, you can catch our legal guide every Saturday noon Eastern Time.
All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, I'm going through the list. He is a surgeon. He is a journalist. He is an author. He is a husband. He is a father. He does everything. How in the world does he have time to train for a triathlon? We'll ask him directly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a classic over-achiever, but he says it is time to make time for exercise. Good thing for him, he is taking on the Nautica triathlon.
He is joining us right now from Malibu. He is waking up bright and early in the morning, but before he does that, he is taking "Dr. Sanjay Gupta, M.D." live, in the next few minutes taking it to Malibu. So what is coming up in your show?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, HOST, CNN'S "DR. SANJAY GUPTA, M.D".: Well, it is all health and fitness related. One thing we're going to do is talk to Mayor Bloomberg in New York City.
A lot of people may have heard of this, but the idea of banning the soda and sugary drinks that are larger than 16 ounces, it is controversial. It has now passed. It's going to happen in New York starting in March.
We'll talk about some of the thinking behind it, a really fascinating discussion with the mayor and also very -- we call them the lucky seven. They are people who didn't dare dream of doing a triathlon, even a year ago.
Well, they are all going to join me tomorrow. It has been a transforming year for them. I can't wait to meet them. Also, a friend, five years ago, he was 50 pounds overweight. A couple of years ago, he was one of the 25 fittest men in the world. What can we all learn from him? We'll have more on that in the show.
WHITFIELD: My goodness, we'll learn from all of you, the magnificent eight --
GUPTA: The great eight.
WHITFIELD: There you go, I like it. Well, good luck to you tomorrow morning. We'll root for all of you, and have a great time, and you know. I would say don't overdo it, but forget it, you're way past that. You have over done it for all of us.
GUPTA: Love it.
WHITFIELD: All right, Sanjay Gupta. The outrage over an internet movie, offensive to Muslims, spreading to more countries now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Protests over an on-line movie insulting Islam are spreading. Today, there were demonstrations in Australia, Afghanistan, Tunisia, and India. But it was calm today in Cairo, Egypt, the area of the five-day violent protests, all week long.
And back here in the United States, in Chicago, teacher community leaders arrest rallying at Union Park. They have been protesting what they call assault on public employee unions.
Thousands of teachers went on strike Monday keeping at least 350,000 students out of school. Both sides agreed on a framework for a deal just yesterday and it could be finalized this weekend.
All right, that's going to do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. CNN NEWSROOOM continues at the top of the hour with my colleague, Don Lemon. But right now, keep it right here for SANJAY GUPTA MD this week, live from sunny Malibu, California.
