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CNN NEWSROOM
Growing Scrutiny of Mom in Hot Card Death; Store Owner Cashes 401K to Open Washington State Marijuana Store; Yankees Fan Sues Over ESPN Comments; CIA Takes Twitter by Storm; Woman Leaves Baby on Subway Platform.
Aired July 8, 2014 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is this a sign of guilt?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: We all have a script in our head of what's the appropriate way for someone to react when confronted with a tragedy. People react all sorts of ways. And that doesn't make them guilty of anything.
CARROLL (voice-over): While in police custody, Leanna Harris seemed very concerned about her husband speaking with detectives, specifically what he had told them.
DET. PHIL STODDARD, COB COUNTY, GEORGIA, POLICE: She had him sit down, and he starts going through this. She looks at him, well, did you say too much?
CARROLL: Harris continues to stand by her husband of eight years who told police they are happily married, despite allegations he was sexting with six women while his son was dying inside their car.
During funeral services, Harris referred to him as a wonderful father and began her eulogy by thanking him, saying, quote, "First of all, Ross, I love you, and I'm doing this for you." She spoke of Cooper, saying she was happy he will never have to face his first heart break or awkward middle school years, saying, quote, "I miss him with all of my heart. Would I bring him back? No. Bring them back into this broken world would be selfish."
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up next, recreational marijuana shops, all 24 of them, open their doors for the first time in Washington. We'll talk to a store owner who cashed out his 401K to help open this legal pot shop. We'll ask him why. He'll join me live.
Also have TV commentators totally ripped this fan for falling asleep at a Yankees game. Here he is over my shoulder. Here's the deal today. This fan is now suing. We're asking, does this guy have a case? That's coming up. You're watching CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Top of the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
At this very minute, in Washington state, legal marijuana shops have just opened for business for the very first time. Of course, several states do allow medical marijuana. But in Colorado and, as of today, in Washington State, you can buy it just for fun. Let's be clear, there are rules. You can only buy up to one ounce of marijuana at a time. No touching. You cannot handle or sample the pot before buying. You're also banned from opening your package of marijuana before you leave the store. And finally, let me stress, you have to be at least 21 to buy. Today's sales are expected to be gang busters.
Only 24 stores across the entire state of Washington have actually been given these coveted marijuana licenses.
One of the stores is Station 240. The owner of the store joins me now, Adam Markus, one of just 24 stores.
How were you chosen, sir?
ADAM MARKUS, OWNER, STATION 240: Well, you know, to make a long story short, I think we worked a little harder and a little bit faster than the other 300 stores that are eventually going to be licensed.
BALDWIN: OK, so a little more -- a little more work for you. You're 1 of the 24. It's the big day today, although it's sort of anticlimactic for you. You're having software aren't exactly opened yet?
MARKUS: Exactly. We had high hopes of being able to open this morning with our product. However, the state has a new software system out so that they can track this marijuana, you know, literally from seed to sale. We just had issues with being able to get access into that software system, and our supplier also was having a tough time posting to the web browser or to the page.
BALDWIN: OK, so maybe just a hiccup for you. Can you just tell me, I understand the whole genesis of this idea for you to open up this shop is because of your sister?
MARKUS: That's it exactly. My sister passed away about four years ago from an accidental drug overdose. She was a chronic pain suffer. She was taking a tremendous amount of prescription medication. And it was the type of pain medication that stopped her from remembering or, you know, made her a little goofy. And she accidentally took several doses within a short period of time and ultimately passed away from respiratory failure from the overdose.
BALDWIN: I am sorry to hear that. I understand, though, you think that cannabis would have helped her. Here you are, you know, Adam, your back story. I read you're making something like $25,000 a year. You have a family of four. And to open this store, again, the 1 of 24 in Washington State, you cashed out your 401Ks. Are you nervous? It's a big risk. MARKUS: Yeah, yeah, I am. I'm scared to death. I have been
frantically on the phone with some of the other stores to see how they're doing. I'm pleased to hear they have 300, 400 people backed up in their parking lots, so we're looking forward to the same thing tomorrow.
BALDWIN: Just quickly, for our viewers to remind everyone, on marijuana public opinion has been shifting. On January, there was an international survey that found 55 percent of respondents want to see this stuff made legal. That's up 16 percent from 1987.
But listen, we've done enough stories on marijuana, especially recreational marijuana. I'm thinking Colorado, specifically, some issues of people driving under the influence, there have definitely been issues with edibles because people have no idea how much to sample, let's say, in one sitting compared to smoking the stuff. What about that? Do you have concerns?
MARKUS: Of course. And the way that Washington State set it up, initially, was a little bit scary. They were going to allow 12 or 13 servings of marijuana per item. So you could buy a single cookie that would have, you know, 12 doses of marijuana in it. If you didn't realize that or somebody handed you a cookie and said here's a cookie laced with marijuana and you ate the whole thing, I'm thinking that would be overwhelming. The state picked up on that. They have placed a temporary ban on all of the edibles. And they're promising some time in the next two weeks to have that figured out and get us back up and running with those.
BALDWIN: Interesting.
Well, good luck. Hope you work past that hiccup. And from the looks of things, I think you might do all right, Adam Markus. Best of luck to you there in Washington state.
Thank you for joining me.
And you know, the stakes for medical marijuana only getting higher. And tonight, Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at some of the families who are faced with tough decisions when it comes to medicinal marijuana. It's called "Weed 2, Cannabis Madness," tonight here on CNN at 9:00 eastern and pacific. Coming up next, it's known for being one of the most secretive
agencies, but the CIA has taken Twitter by storm. And they have been celebrating their second anniversary on the site with pretty clever tweets. Why are they doing this? Bob Baer, a former CIA operative, joins me to tell me if he thinks it's funny or not.
And this guy, asleep at the Yankees/Red Sox game. He's suing ESPN and the MLB for a whopping $10 million for showing him snoozing through the game in the fourth inning. Does he have a case? You may be surprised. Stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A Yankees fan heads to the ball game, gets a little sleepy, he's caught napping in the stands, live on camera. This guy is now suing. He claims ESPN commentators defamed him and humiliated him. Here it was.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ESPN COMMENTATOR: Sometimes you have to turn it off, get some sleep.
(LAUGHTER)
Not the place you come to sleep. I tell you what, how comfortable is that? Probably won't have any neck problems tomorrow.
(LAUGHTER)
I mean, is that guy to his left his buddy who is just letting him sleep, or is he here alone? What's the deal with this guy?
ESPN COMMENTATOR: Maybe that's his buddy and he likes him a lot better when he's sleep. There will be neck problems tomorrow.
ESPN COMMENTATOR: I mean, is that guy to his left his buddy? Just letting him sleep, or is he here alone?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Andrew Robert Rector's lawyer calls that a, quote, "unending verbal crusade," and is now seeking $10 million in damages. This lawsuit, typo ridden, claims the announcers used the words such as "fatty" and "stupid." It seems none of those words were actually uttered in that broadcast. According to "Sports Business Journal's" media correspondent, ESPN says the claims are wholly without merit.
Let's discuss. Sunny Hostin, our legal analyst, is joining us, as is Brian Stelter, our senior media correspondent, host of "Reliable Sources."
Welcome to you both.
Let me tell you, this one story, it got our whole morning meeting fired up, sort of arguing both sides.
Sunny, my first question is this, you buy a ticket to the ball game. I imagine there's all kinds of fine print on the back, not that I have ever looked at it or you're going to any televised sporting event. Does that mean you're fair game to be poked fun of in the stadium or on live TV?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You really are. You're in a public place. It's not as if you don't know you're in a public place. I've been to Yankee games. Some people want to be on television. You do the dance. They go around the stadium.
BALDWIN: I'm guessing this guy did not.
HOSTIN: He maybe did not want to be put out there in this way, but the fact that these commentators saw him, the fact that he's on television, the fact that they really didn't say anything that disparaging, that defamatory, you know, I think he's out of luck on this one.
BALDWIN: Here's part of it, Brian, part of the lawsuit, MLB, who is also listed as a defendant, they posted the YouTube video. It's the YouTube video that went viral, and many of those words, that's what they're suing over because people on the Internet can be nasty. That's what the comments came from, YouTube.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT & HOST, RELIABLE RESOURCES: Yeah. And that's part of the reason why this is ridiculous. I think we found the only person who doesn't want to be on TV for whatever reason.
(LAUGHTER)
The only person in the country. I was at a Phillies game last month and the guy next to me was snoozing. And I kept hoping the kiss cam would come on so he would be caught in the act.
(CROSSTALK)
STELTER: Turns out this guy really was.
This will be thrown out, I'm sure, and it should be, because there's really -- I mean, I don't know. Maybe, Sunny, correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: What about defamation, Sunny, What do they have to prove for that?
HOSTIN: When you're talking about defamation, you have to prove what you said isn't true, it just isn't true. You defamed someone. But I think that it's unfortunate that these Twitter thugs, as I like to call them, or people with keyboard courage do get on and say nasty things to people on the Internet that they would never say to their face. I'm sure both of you have been the subject of it, I certainly am, daily.
BALDWIN: I don't know what you're talking about.
HOSTIN: I don't think he has grounds to sue anyone. He certainly has grounds for some hurt feelings, right? When are we going to be a nicer society?
BALDWIN: When would the line be crossed?
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: When would the line be crossed? Let's talk about the commentators. Yeah, they're saying he may have neck problems. They were laughing and talking about him snoozing. I'm just curious, at what point would someone have a lawsuit? HOSTIN: I think if you say something like, "isn't it true that that
guy looks like a drug addict. That guy, maybe that's why he's sleeping, he's sleeping because he's on crack, and maybe his, you know, employer needs to take a look at that." That, I think, would be crossing the line, right? That may be going too far in terms of disparaging someone. I listened to what they said as well, Brooke, and it was fair game. It was fair game. He's in a public place.
BALDWIN: Brian Stelter, final thoughts?
STELTER: Well, I also think if they had been truly mean, which they weren't, and if they had gone after him for physical characteristics or made fun of things he couldn't change about himself, it would have turned the audience against the commentators, forget the legal issues for a moment, there's also those sorts of issues. This was all in good fun. It's a great reminder, no matter where you are in the stadiums, you're in a very public place, right?
HOSTIN: Everywhere.
BALDWIN: He's a Yankees fan.
HOSTIN: What? Wait a minute, Brooke.
BALDWIN: I knew I would get something out of that.
HOSTIN: Wait a minute.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: What, what, Sunny Hostin? We're leaving it there.
HOSTIN: Uh, oh.
BALDWIN: Sunny Hostin, Brian Stelter, thanks to both of you very much.
(LAUGHTER)
HOSTIN: You know, you're coming to New York next month.
BALDWIN: I realize this.
HOSTIN: Watch out.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Thanks, guys.
Coming up, it's known for being one of the most secretive government agencies, but the CIA has taken Twitter by storm, including this comment about Tupac and Ellen DeGeneres. We'll talk about that after the break.
And a New York mom arrested after leaving her baby on a subway platform. What police know now about the mother and how that 7-month- old baby is doing. Stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: It is -- sorry, caught me waving at the CNN tour. Now to this. It is no secret the CIA has a Twitter account. Depending on who you ask, it's hilariously funny or a total epic fail. It opened about a month ago and its very first tweet was this, pretty funny, we can neither confirm nor deny this is our first tweet. Seems pretty harmless. In honor of their two month anniversary, they decided to answer the top five user questions and then came these. "No, we don't know where Tupac is." Here's another answer. "No, we don't know your password, so we can't send it to you." Sorry, not sorry.
Bob Baer, our national security analyst, former CIA operative, I find it kind of funny you're normally the serious segment guy, and we're talking about funny tweets from the CIA. Did you chuckle reading these, Bob?
BOB BAER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST & FORMER CIA OPERATIVE: Well, not really. You know, I'm sort of old school, and I think intelligence agencies should stay out of the news as much as they can. This is all supposed to be secret, and you know, humor isn't its strong suit. On the other hand, I can see what they're doing. They got such bad publicity over renditions and waterboarding and the crisis in Iraq. They're trying to say we're just an American institution like any other. What can I tell you?
BALDWIN: OK, so falling flat is what I'm hearing you say, being the old-school guy that you are. Let me just share another tweet with our audience. This was directed to Twitter hip Ellen DeGeneres, addressing her potential hard feelings. She, I guess, had asked the CIA to follow her when they came on Twitter. They said, sorry for not following you back, but if you visit us, maybe we can take a selfie. I guess my worry, and I do think some of it is sort of funny. Being -- it's one thing to be clever and humorous, but at some point down the road, they could get themselves into trouble, don't you think?
BAER: Well, let's go back to the humor thing. I don't try humor either. You know, intelligence agents aren't very funny generally.
BALDWIN: You don't tell any jokes, Bob Baer?
BAER: Well, you know, I always forget the punch lines. I avoid them now, especially on TV, and in public. Maybe with friends.
You know, I think it's sort of unnecessary. We should be -- there are real crises in the world, and we should be out there addressing them, especially Iraq, Saudi Arabia, China, and the rest of it. And you know, the British don't make their intelligence agents try to be funny. So why should the CIA, and the Russians certainly don't.
BALDWIN: Final question, what kind of tweets do you think the CIA should be putting out there?
BAER: Oh, I think if they put any out, they should be very newsy. Something denying rumors or, you know, whatever. Just to keep on top of things, almost as a big corporation would.
BALDWIN: OK.
BAER: Public statements. That's as far as I would go.
BALDWIN: OK. Bob Baer, thank you very much.
BAER: Thanks.
Coming up next, a woman pushes a baby in a stroller from the car of her subway train, the doors close, she stays inside, the train pulls away. Moments ago, a major development in this mystery. We'll share that with you.
And a Senator suggests Cuban spies concocted this elaborate plot involving underaged prostitutes to smear him. What's his evidence? That's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: New York subway riders got quite a shock when they saw this woman push a baby stroller from the subway as the doors were opening, leaving this baby, and jumped on the departing train. When the woman didn't return for some 20 minutes, witnesses then called police.
The baby girl's mother has just been arrested.
And CNN national correspondent, Susan Candiotti, is live on this for us from New York.
What charges is she facing?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, thank goodness the little baby is OK, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Thank goodness.
CANDIOTTI: Absolutely. Frankia Dabbs is her name. She's only 20 years old herself. And she's charged with two counts. One is a felony charge of abandoned her child, and the other is a misdemeanor charge of what is called acting in a manner injurious to a child. Fortunately, the little girl is OK. She's in the hospital now, in the care of child services at the moment. Police say she is not malnourished and looks like she'll be all right.
BALDWIN: What do we know about this mother?
CANDIOTTI: Interesting past. We were able to contact some relatives of hers. They say she is from Roanoke Rapids in North Carolina. And her aunt tells us she thinks she may have gotten a ride to New York City just last week, that she had been staying with her aunt, but her aunt tells us she had moved out, concerned that some people were looking for her and she didn't want them showing up at her aunt's house.
We also heard something else pretty disturbing from her relative who says that when this young mother was pregnant last year, she witnessed the murder of the baby's father. Clearly, she has a troubled past, and it may have wound up with her abandoning her child.
Police obviously have a lot more investigating to do, but police say they had to charge her, of course, for leaving her child on that subway platform. And thank goodness someone came forward and stayed with the baby until it was clear the mom wasn't coming back. That's when police were called.
BALDWIN: Did you mention this? Who has custody of the child now? Where is this baby girl?
CANDIOTTI: Child Protective Services. Right now, the baby is in the hospital.
BALDWIN: OK. Susan, thank you so much.
And we roll on. Hour two. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
