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Terror Group Video Calling for Attacks on Shopping Malls Released; Millions of Americans from Colorado East Getting Ice and Snow; Bobbi Kristina Brown Still in Coma

Aired February 22, 2015 - 15:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEH JOHNSON, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: If anyone is planning to go to the mall of America today, they have to be particularly careful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson responding today to a terror group video calling for attacks on shopping malls in the United States, Canada and the U.K.

Plus Minnesota's battle as a recruiting ground for jihadis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we are still losing them. Is it terrorists in Midwest here in the United States? It is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a concern that the minorities of (INAUDIBLE) do come back, that become involved in terrorism are also the most dangerous terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And all of that snow and ice is making for dangerous conditions from the Rockies to the east coast, more bitter cold. NEWSROOM starts right now.

Hello, everyone. And thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Homeland security Chief Jeh Johnson is reacting to new video today which he says reflects a quote "new age of terrorist attacks." The interview aired this morning on CNN's "State Of The Union." Here was what Jeh Johnson told Gloria Borger. And you will see some of the video released by the Al-Qaeda linked terror group al-Shabab running on the right side of the screen as he talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNSON: I'm very concerned about the serious potential threat of independent actors here in the United States. We've seen this now in Europe. We've seen this in Canada.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: But specifically against the mall of America?

JOHNSON: Anytime a terrorist organization calls for an attack on a specific place, we've got to take that seriously. And so through our intelligence bulletins, through working with state and local law enforcement, through working with the FBI, we take this kind of thing seriously.

BORGER: And I just want to read you one more thing on this. This is a statement from the mall of America today.

Mall of America is aware of the threatening video that was released, which included a mention and images of the mall. We take any potential threat seriously and respond appropriately. We have implemented extra security precautions, some may be noticeable to guests and others won't.

What are you telling Americans who might be planning a trip to the mall this Sunday?

JOHNSON: What we're telling the public in general is you've got to be vigilant. We just revamped our, if you see something, say something campaign at the super bowl last month. And so, public engagement, public awareness is critical. Americans should still feel that they are free to associate, they are free to go to public gatherings, but it's critical that we have public awareness and public participation in our efforts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: This latest terror video calls for attacks like the one carried out at the Westgate mall in Kenya back in September of 2013 which killed more than 60 people. What's different about this propaganda video is that it names specific malls like mall of America and west Edmonton Mall in Canada.

And not long after Johnson's interview aired, FBI counterintelligence officials further clarified the threat saying this quote "there's no doubt that al-Shabab would like to carry out an attack on a U.S. mall, but they are in a pretty weakened state. The bigger danger is their ability to inspire home-grown violent extremists inside the U.S. who might see the propaganda and decide to act," end quote.

However, the mall of America and the West Edmonton mall in Alberta, Canada, both mentioned in the video, say that they have implemented extra security precautions. Secretary Johnson commented on all of this once again at the National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, D.C.

CNN's Erin McPike was at that meeting and CNN's Will Ripley has more on what the law enforcement is saying in the U.S. and if they are taking precaution.

So Erin, let me begin with you. You talked to Jeh Johnson. What more did he say on this?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, I asked him to clarify his remarks earlier this morning when said Americans headed to the mall in Minneapolis today should be extra careful. I asked him exactly what does that mean. And he explained it's important for the public to get engaged, to report suspicious activity when they see it, when you see some something, say something. He said that's not just a slogan. But some of what he said caused Washington by surprise this morning that maybe he sparked some unnecessary fear, so I asked him about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: Do you regret this comment? We have some law enforcement officials today walking that back a little bit, saying there is no specific credible threat. I know what you just said, but do you regret any of the comments you said this morning?

JOHNSON: No, no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: And what makes all of this somewhat confusing is that a number of U.S. officials have said throughout the day that even though the mall of America was mentioned in that video, there's no known specific credible threat here. But when you listen here, you'll see that when secretary Johnson was addressing that meeting of the country's governors this morning, he diminished that concept.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNSON: I have issued statements in reaction to an event where we're enhancing homeland security, federal protective service, or wee enhancing aviation security in response to an attack. I always put in there -- and there's no credible specific intelligence of a similar attack being planned here, or something along those lines.

Given how the threat is evolving, that is becoming a less and less relevant statement because you and I won't necessarily know about when the next bad actor is going to strike. And try to murder several cops on the beat in Brooklyn or some other place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: And it is scary to think that government officials are saying expect these lone Wolf attacks to continue, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Erin McPike, thank you so much.

Let's bring in Will Ripley now in New York.

So Will, we know that the mall of America, as well as the Edmonton mall in Canada, they are briefing up security. But what are law enforcement telling you about other malls in the U.S.?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that there are believed that the other malls that are potentially listed target, CNN is only choosing to name the malls that have publicly acknowledged that they were named in this video. But for malls across this country, security measures have certainly been stepped up because of the frightening number of mass shooter situation.

The mall of America, though, not only being a symbolic target because of its name, also because of the fact that it's one of the largest shopping centers in the U.S. is also significant because it's located in Minneapolis, a city that al-Shabaab has recruiting militants from for years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): Their names means "the youth" al-Shabaab recruiting young men, luring them to East Africa to launch bloody attacks. The group blamed responsibility for 2013's assault on Kenya's Westgate mall. More than 60 people died.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the attack was to occur in the mall of America in Minnesota.

RIPLEY: This new al-Shabab propaganda video reaches beyond the African borders targeting the west, threatening Westgate-style attacks in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a drill, mall of America is going in to lockdown.

RIPLEY: The mall of America already has extensive security to protect more than 40 million annual visitors. Today they're adding new safety measures saying we take any potential threat seriously.

The West Edmonton mall in Alberta, Canada is also increasing security, even as U.S. counterterrorism officials say there's no indication of an actual threat. An FBI spokesman tell CNN, do we believe al-Shabab sending operatives to the U.S.? No. They have been pretty much depleted. Their propaganda is the bigger concern.

The FBI thing that al-Shabab is trying to use propaganda like ISIS and Al-Qaeda to inspire new jihadists. The Somalia-base militants recruit heavily in Minneapolis, home to the largest Somali population in the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are still losing them. Is it a terrorist hotbed in Midwest here in the United States? It is.

RIPLEY: CNN has been investigating terrorist recruitment efforts in Minneapolis for five years. Minneapolis community leaders say a small minority of dissolution young men are looking for a paths.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of these kids are torn between two cultures, you know. They're American, but they not necessarily, they don't feel totally accepted as Americans.

RIPLEY: Al-Shabab recruited Troy Castigar (ph), and ISIS recruited his friend Doug McCain. Two young men from Minnesota, both died fighting for terrorist groups.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is the hardest, the hardest loss that there is.

RIPLEY: Castogar's (ph) mother told CNN last year she believes her son was manipulated by propaganda, the same propaganda now calling for bloody attacks on western malls, trying to strike fear in the heart of the west.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: Fred, what counter terrorism experts are telling me is that perhaps even more deadly and dangerous than the wars that are happening on the ground is this propaganda, the information war. Because if these videos inspire just one person to act, as we know, the results can really be devastating -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Indeed. All right, Will Ripley and Erin McPike, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.

All right. Still ahead, snow, ice and subzero windchills are staring millions of Americans in the face as we head into a new workweek. We'll show you who can expect the worst conditions.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, between the windchill and the winter weather advisories, tens of millions of Americans will have to hunker down as they start this new workweek. One family in New Hampshire, well, they need a new roof after theirs simply slid off, too much snow. Fortunately no one was hurt, unclear exactly what cause the roof to come off completely. But that heavy snow is in large part of the culprit. In fact, officials are warning people there about the dangers of roof collapses from all of that.

Let's bring in CNN meteorologist Tom Sater. Because I think last weekend, we saw in New Hampshire a lot of roofs that collapse. We saw earlier in the week a barn's roof collapsed.

TOM SATER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Enough already.

WHITFIELD: It is coming with the territory.

SATER: This is winter -- And now the misery that we have been seeing in the northeast has spread into the Tennessee valley, turbolizing a national, now river flooding. And it continues now out west.

The cold pattern we've been in in the last month, really, was centered pretty much over the northern Midwest, the northern plains, the great lakes in the northeast. Well, now, the cold there is not just sliding southward, but is expanding itself out to the west. So that is where we are getting some pretty good snowfall there in to the Rockies, in the four corners area.

But first, not just one, but two rounds more of cold to go. And maybe three storm systems this week, more on that. We have advisories for windchills, just the thumb of Michigan into western New York, as far as the warning. But still already this hour, international falls minus 27, a little bit better than the minus 33 an hour ago, not that you could tell the difference. But Green bay minus 10, Springfield seven degrees, New York feels like nine as we get in to your Monday morning. This is going to be an area where shovel now, because the black ice will really going to be forming.

But here's our problems now, four corners area, heavy amounts of snow, about six-and-a-half in Denver, another six on the way, but heavier in Southern Colorado. Its central areas of Texas from (INAUDIBLE) significant icing. And we're going to be dollars, which is in rain right now, have that cold air seeking southward. We'll said the stage, I think, for maybe an inch-and-a-half or two inches of sleek. I mean, it's terrible.

Here is the freezing line. So, it is dropping southward. So rain to the south is going to rowdily start to change over. This is going to be a Monday morning mess to any one traveling along 1-20 if you have flight in the Dallas metroplex area.

So again, even Austin could see some issues. But you are right on the line. Snow a bit to Oklahoma. And that's slides to a more toward the east. So again, Alexandria, Shreveport, Jackson, Mississippi a bad mess.

And here's your heavier snowfall. Now, they could use this in parts of the Rockies, drinking water for the next couple months. They haven't seen a whole lot. Skiers are loving it. But Fredricka, here as the pattern that we haven't seen. And what happens is little buckled down here in the jet stream is where low pressures are going to form, not just this one for today, but models are showing us maybe two more this week.

And if it sets the stage this way, with the cold air as far as south, we're going to get this repetition for each storm system this week, but where will they come out in the U.S.? And will they make their way up to the northeast? Any way you look at it, it's just enough.

WHITFIELD: Miserable. Well, miserable for some, right? It's all relative. Some people love, in fact. I bet you the people who love the cold weather and the snow, love ice hockey.

SATER: Of course.

WHITFIELD: Which means they love this moment 35 years ago. Just a little reminder. Don't you remember what may have happened 35 years ago? Remember the big miracle on ice? The Olympic hockey tale beating the Soviet Union, 4-3? Well, this may have been the greatest sports upset of all time. Remember, Tom?

Well, the U.S. went on to win gold days later and members of the U.S. team are now meeting this weekend in lake placid for a lovely reunion. More than 5,000 fans filled the arena as well for the celebration. Congrats to them. What a great memory that was. We'll be right back with much more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Today an explosion killed at least two people during a pro-Ukrainian rally. The moment caught on video.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: This is where people were marking one year since the revolution. Police officers were among the two dead, 15 other people were wounded, four people have been arrested. Officials say they belong to a group that received training in Russia. Officials are calling this a terrorist attack.

Our CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Kiev for us.

So Fred, is this new attack coming on a very symbolic day for Ukrainian?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Fredricka. It was exactly one year ago today that then President Victor Yanukovych (ph) was forced to flee the country after those weeks of uprising in the main square here in Kiev at the Maydan (ph) today.

There was a march to commemorate that day. And one of the things that the Ukrainian leadership did is they sent a message of defiance to Moscow. Here is what it looked like.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Ukraine's president and several European leaders side by side leading a march to commemorate the revolution one year on.

Glory to Ukraine, the protesters chanted. Many carrying anti-Russian signs in what was labeled a dignity march.

Dignity is what every Ukrainian believes he's a citizen of this country, this man said. People who are willing to work for their country, who want change, who fight and win.

This is a big day for our country, this man add. We want to show our respect for those who died in the revolution.

After the anti-government protests in Kiev, Maydan (ph) square erupted into violence leaving almost 50 dead. In just one day, exactly one year ago, then president Victor Yanukovych (ph), a stanched ally of Moscow, was force to plea.

Since then, Russia has annexed Crimea. And many here accuse Vladimir Putin of fueling the separatists insurgency that has left more than 5,000 people dead, a claim Moscow has consistently denied.

Of course, the situation in the east of Ukraine continues to cast a shadow also on the commemorations that are happening today. Many protesters here, the Ukraine's leadership are calling for continued international support to combat what they called blatant Russian aggression. Kiev's mayor and former heavy weight boxing champion (INAUDIBLE),

tells me that he feels that that support should include western weapons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We see the future for our country in the European family. And today, it's not enough to have -- to be patriotic to defend other country. We ask for the help. Moral help, the nation have help (INAUDIBLE).

PLEITGEN: A sign of how little faith many Ukrainian have in the ceasefire. And even on this day, violent persisted.

A bomb would threw a pro-government rally in the eastern city of Harkev, leaving several dead and wounded, the moment of the explosion captured on this amateur video.

Meanwhile, on the capital, Kiev, political and church leaders stood together in a defiant show of unity as Ukraine struggle to overcome the deep economic social and military problems.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: And Fredricka, that uncertainty for Ukraine continues. It really is unclear, whether or not that ceasefire that suppose to be in place in the east of the country will in fact, really, take hold. There are still regular infringements and fighting in that ceasefire. The U.S., of course, just saying that it's fed up with what it says is Russia supplying the pro-Russian separatist in the east of the country. And secretary of state Kerry has said that there are going to be new sanctions, most probably in the cards for Russia coming very soon -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much from Kiev. And we'll be right back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello, again, everyone. And thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

ISIS has released anther disturbing propaganda video. And our Ben Wedeman takes us to the region.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yet again, ISIS putting out another propaganda video, this one seems to show 21 mostly Peshmerga fighters, Kurdish fighters in these orange jumpsuits. At one point during this video, they are showing inside cages and they are being interviewed by a bearded militant with the microphone. It has a logo of the Islamic state. He is asking them their name, where they come from. And several of them expressed regret fighting for the Peshmerga, and call upon their comrades to lay down their arms.

Clearly, these are statements made under duress. Later in the video you will see them being paraded through what we believe is the town of (INAUDIBLE) south of Kirkuk. They are in cages on the backs of pickup trucks.

Also during this video, their brief flash frames of the beheading of some of those 21 Egyptian Christians killed in Libya last week. There's no indication from this video, however, that these 21 Kurdish prisoners were executed.

Now, that is the propaganda effort. Old battlefield it's much less rosy for ISIS. We understand from Kurdish sources that overnight, there was an attempt by ISIS to break through Kurdish lines to the south of here in the (INAUDIBLE) area. And that is these 50 ISIS fighters , we are told, were killed.

Among them also foreign fighters. There were coalition aircraft also involved in this action. This is the second time in less than a week where ISIS tries to break through the southern defenses of Kirkuk, rather Irbil, unsuccessful in this instance. The Kurds, in fact, have been able to regained hundreds of square kilometers from ISIS in recent months.

I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Irbil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Back here at home, the movie "American Sniper" is up for best picture in tonight's Oscar award show, but the real Chris Kyle murder drama will take place in court tomorrow. It's closing argument time. Will the jurors believe the killer's plea of insanity?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, in just a few hours, the academy awards will be handed out and nominated for best picture is "American Sniper" starring Bradley Cooper. He is also up for an Oscar for his portrayal of sniper Chris Kyle. And all of this happening while the real-life story of Kyle's murder unfold in the courtroom. Closing arguments are coming up this week.

And here now is CNN's Ed Lavandera.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it is a battle of the medical experts in the American sniper trial. The question is, which psychiatrist will this jury believe?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): All those time, Eddie Ray Routh has seen squirming rambling or rambling incoherently as he was interrogated by murder investigators, the prosecution's medical expert says these moments are examples of Routh's personality disorders, a man desperate for attention, not evidence of an insane killer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A military age male on a cell phone watching the convoy.

LAVANDERA: At the moment Routh he killed Chris Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, the forensic psychologist said Routh was in a substance-infused psychotic state fueled by marijuana abuse. And that Rough knew what he was doing was wrong and he did it anyway. The judge is not allows courtroom audio to be broadcast until the trial is over.

MARK O'MARA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: If he wants to go out and smoke pot or drink alcohol during the morning, he can do that, but he cannot use it as a defense to a crime. What the prosecutions if going to say is that it was his own voluntary decision and it's not an excuse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're talking about a -- there he was.

LAVANDERA: The prosecution's psychologist even suggested the comedy show "Seinfeld" might have inside Routh's psychotic sounding rumblings about it. The psychologist says Routh spent a lot of time watching "Seinfeld" re-runs inside the jail where he spent the last two years. And he says Routh might have been influenced by this famous episode where the character Cramer is convinced he's seen a half pig/half man creature roaming a hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just saw a pig man, a pig man. He was sleeping, and then woke up and then he looked at me and he made this horrible sound.

Another forensic psychiatrist says Routh was intoxicated at the time of the murders. Routh is pleading not guilty by reason of its insanity. But the prosecution expert says any time intoxication is present, game over, Meaning Routh cannot be considered legally insane.

But investigators acknowledged that no one administered a blood exam on Routh the night he was arrested to determine exactly how much drugs and alcohol were in his system.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: Testimony in the American sniper trial isn't over yet. Another witness is expected to be called on Monday morning, but it is possible that closing arguments could also starred on Monday, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Ed.

Let's talk more about this with our legal experts. Joining me is right now judge Glenda Hatchet from the Judge Hatchet TV court series, and Esther Panich, criminal and civil trial attorney.

All right, good to see both of you, ladies.

All right, so, Judge, let me go to you first. Because now, we are talking about Oscar night and you know, how influential the discussions that have how influential as a movie in itself, "American Sniper," but then how influential is Oscar night, potentially to these jurors. Would they be watching tonight?

GLENDA HATCHET, JUDGE HATCHET SERIES: Unless the judge banned, and I never did see him say don't watch it. They're not sequestered. He just warned them not to talk about the case, but to my knowledge never said don't watch the Oscars tonight.

WHITFIELD: Is that even important or an aside to what really is at issue here, how well it was proving whether this man, Mr. Routh, was indeed psychotic, a victim of PTSD, what?

HATCHET: I think these are people who have -- this is a community that has revered Chris, let's just say that. And it is a very small community. He did not dismiss anybody who had seen the movie or has read the book, number one. And nor was there change of venue. So we have to start there.

And so, we have to see a community, if you saw the footage from the funeral, it's in the cowboys stadium. And this a man who is very loved. I don't know that Oscars tonight will really change the game on this either this guy was crazy insane at the time he shot them, or he wasn't. And that is a steep hill for the defense to overcome in this case.

WHITFIELD: So Esther, what is it that jurors have to grappled with here? They have to be convinced that he was psychotic, whether it was, you know chemically induced or not, whether he was a victim of PTSD. He never got the proper treatment, whether indeed his argument of being insane or whether the argument that he knew right from wrong was more convincing. How do you see it? What would jurors buy based on what you've seen in the courtroom?

ESTHER PANICH, CRIMINAL AND CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEY: Well, of course, it's the burden of the prosecutor to prove that Mr. Routh committed this crime to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt. The reasonable doubt is that this man was insane at the time. And some of his symptoms appear to be like psychotic symptoms.

I had a similar case, it is not involving a murder, but involving an assault with the man who was spewing the same type of rhetoric that we are hearing about Chris Routh. End of days, apocalypse, souls being lost, it's almost -- that's what people on psychotic breaks sometimes say.

So the jury will need to see if the prosecutor cuss prove that he was seen at the time of the crime, and the problem he's going to have is that he appeared to be intoxicated. So, because voluntary intoxication is not a legal defense --

HATCHET: That's very important.

WHITFIELD: Right.

PANICH: You cannot tang a drug and then say the drug made me do it.

HATCHET: Right, exactly.

PANICH: So we need them --

WHITFIELD: So then, why will it matter here? Because either way, we are looking at spending the rest of your life in jail or in mental institution. Either way, you don't have your life anymore, so why is it important for his defense to nail down it was insanity.

PANICH: First of all, because that he is entitled to treatment. But also, he may not spend the rest of his life in prison.

WHITFIELD: Sure.

PANICH: So it is the courts or the hospital believes that he is no longer a threat or no longer insane, or doesn't have the symptoms which require in-patient commitment, then they're going to make a recommendation to the judge that he be released because he is no longer (INAUDIBLE). So, It has the hope one day that he might get out.

HATCHET: And also, the thing is that is really the only thing that (INAUDIBLE) their hat on. This is a man who left the scene, who said that he shot them, went to his sister's house in Chris' truck, and so what the prosecution did.

WHITFIELD: And that's when you know that -- that exemplifies the knowing right from wrong.

HATCHET: Right. And the other thing, too, Fredricka, is very important in this case is that the prosecution -- if I were the prosecutor in this case, I would argue you fled. You fled. So you must -- you didn't stay there, you didn't wait with the body, you didn't seem out of touch, you went to your sister's out and said I shot these men, and you fled.

WHITFIELD: So what are the greatest worries or concerns about how this case, the outcome of this case may potential impact other cases down the line where you have a similar defense or similar approach prosecution-wise.

PANICH: Jurors do not like, and they hardly work, the not guilty by reason of insanity case.

HATCHET: Very rare.

PANICH: When John Hinckley was found not guilty for insanity, at that point there was a big back lash, so the laws became much tougher as a result to be able to prove insanity because jurors do not want to free insane people who may have killed for significantly harm for everybody.

HATCHET: It is very rare that, as defense of insanity works in any circumstance. I mean, if you look statistically around the nation, it is very rare that you see this work.

WHITFIELD: Really? OK. Andrea Yates is one that comes to mind.

PANICH: But not initially. It was reversed and then went --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So that's what was on -- Judge Glenda Hatchet, Esther Panich, thank you both so much. Good to see both of you, ladies. We appreciate it. We'll be watching.

All right. A war of words between Bobbi Kristina Brown's boyfriend and her father, Bobby Brown. The two are having a very public feud about hospital visits now. We'll have details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Checking today's top stories.

A Minneapolis police officers who are shot after responding to a burglary is doing well today. The police chief says he is in fair conditions. Officials say the officer was not targeted personally but says, he was shot simply because he is a police officer. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the burglary, and authorities are investigating whether there is a link with the shooting.

Federal prison officials in south Texas will relocate nearly three thousand inmates after a majority of them were able to break out of their housing units during a lockdown and set several small fires. The correction center says the inmates refuse to participate in work duties and some are unhappy about the prison's medical services. 2,000 of them broke out and went to the recreational center and none breached the outer fences.

New secretary of defense Ash Carter is in Kuwait today. He is visiting U.S. troops, American military leaders and Kuwaiti officials. Carter is scheduled to leave the country Tuesday morning.

And tensions between the family of Bobbi Kristina Brown and her boyfriend, Nick Gordon, is escalating as Brown fights for her life in an Atlanta hospital. Gordon is accusing the Brown family of preventing him from visiting Bobbi Kristina, who was the daughter of singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. The Brown family fired back, saying Gordon did not meet their conditions for a visit.

And today, Gordon's lawyers insisted Bobby Brown has rejected the multiple attempts to meet with him to discuss those unspecified conditions. Bobbi Kristina remains in an induced comma three weeks after she was found unresponsive in a bath tub.

Joining us is radio and television entertainment reporter Kendra Gilliams.

So Kendra, what more do you know about this relationship or lack thereof?

KENDRA GILLIAMS, RADIO/TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Well, you know, up until the situation happened, we thought Nick Gordon was her husband. But now we're finding out that they were never truly married. And there is actually more to add to that twitter debacle because Nick Gordon just went on to twitter three hours ago and said if bobby Brown can guarantee him 24/7 visitations, he will then meet the conditions.

So now we want to know what are these conditions. I mean, this is the woman that you claim you love. She has been in hospital for three weeks. I would do anything to be next to that person. So I'm really wondering what are these conditions that he so hesitant on, you know, agreeing to.

WHITFIELD: Wasn't there some sort of restraining order that involves him and another family member, though? Is that perhaps one of the issue here, one of the visiting family members who was at Bobbi Kristina's side, but there's this, you know, restraining order that prevents him from being in the proximity of that person?

GILLIAMS: Well, one thing that we do now that currently factual is that there's a criminal investigation currently going on and Nick Gordon is the target in that investigation. So that's what we know factual. Also, there are family members that are claiming that Nick Gordon was abusive to Bobbi Kristina throughout their relationship. Now, that's kind of a speculations. But we also know that Nick Gordon does not have a good relationship with the Brown family or Houston family.

WHITFIELD: Now, do you know anything more about her medical condition apparently she was taken offer a ventilator, and instead a tube has been put directly in her throat, in large part because being on a ventilator too long could run the risk of other kinds of infection. What do we know about her medical condition? How is she doing? What's the prognosis even?

GILLIAMS: Well, you know, there were so many different stories going on throughout the internet over the last few weeks. So the family finally came to speak and said that she is doing better. She still is in a medically induced coma. And it is great that she's no longer of -- she is off the ventilator. But no, her condition really hasn't changed as we like it to. It's been three weeks, so we just really requesting prayers from everyone because this is a very serious situation.

WHITFIELD: And very sad.

All right, Kendra -- OK. Go ahead, you have something else, Kendra?

GILLIAMS: I was going to say, it is very sad and then also, you know, when it comes to Nick Gordon, you know, I don't want to choose sides, but he doesn't look too good in this whole situation. And then go on to twitter to as platform to try to get the public opinion on your side, to me doesn't make things any better. I mean, if you love this woman, commit to the terms and be by her side. Because you claim via twitter that you have the power to maybe her wake up. Well, if that is the case, then prove it.

WHITFIELD: Yes. At the same time, there is this criminal investigation. He is the center of that. And we still don't know that all of the circumstances surrounding, do we or do you know?

GILLIAMS: Well, we know this. Well, what we know this. There were injuries to her face that has sparked a criminal investigation. Because, you know, when you look at this from the outside (INAUDIBLE), it seems like it could be a suicide attempt in order for her to, you know, passed away in the manner which her mother did three years ago. As we all know, Whitney Houston was found griming in a bathtub in L.A., or in Beverly Hills. So it appeared to be like a suicide attempt.

But the criminal investigation is because they found injuries on her face. So that's where things are not really adding up. And right now, I really do feel like Nick Gordon has a lot of information that the police need. So I say he should talk to them.

WHITFIELD: OK. Still not clear cut.

Kendra Gilliams, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

GILLIAMS: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. Hundreds of people gathered in Harlem this weekend to mark the 50th years since the assassination of Malcolm X. The civil rights advocate is best known for his uncompromising stand for equality in the '60s. But yesterday his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz honored her father's legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ILYASAH SHABAZZ, DAUGHTER OF MALCOLM X: Our people cultivated this land that was one barren, enslaved. And we can now call it the United States of America. And it's important that we make sure that they are honored, that their lives were not in vain. And I would like to bring us to a moment of silence. It is around the time that my father was brutally assassinated, martyred right here in this blue light. And if you could join us and just, you know, hold my father together. Just a moment of silence. I'm grateful for the life he gave to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And that was from yesterday at the Old Ballroom where Malcolm X was gunned down. Three members of the nation of Islam were convicted of his murder. And we'll have much more from NEWSROOM right after this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In 1882 on Pearl Street in New York city, Thomas Edison opened the world's first commercial electric grit. Lighting up local homes and businesses with cables connected to his power station.

Today, while the cars, the fashion and the skyline may all have changed, the way we power our cities substantial hasn't. What if we could bring the whole grid up to date?

Let's visit Mannheim in Germany. Every house in Mannheim is connected to a smart energy network, making the most of renewable energy. Now, this is not just a set of smart homes. It's a smart city.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I think is that the power grid can become a grain for the city by all the information that is generated in the grid. QUEST: At the heart of the network lies a butler. A small box that

monitors how much power you are using when boiling the kettle or watching your favorite movie for instance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were using both in power line communications technology in order to transfer data from a to b over the pallet with itself.

QUEST: The network is designed to use as much renewable energy as possible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The availability of renewal energy always lead to a lower price of electricity. And we use that mechanism and forward it to the private customers to be developed as architecture that is can be implemented everywhere.

QUEST: With a smart grid in place, the future of our cities may be just a little brighter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A reminder, CNN has a special live red carpet coverage of the Oscars tonight hosted by a very cozy Don Lemon and Michael Pereira there. It all starts at 6:00 p.m. eastern.

And we have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.