Return to Transcripts main page

NEW DAY

"Very Significant Development" in Search for MH370; Former Univ. of Cincinnati Officer Indicted for Murder. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired July 30, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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


[06:30:00] CHRIS MOODY, CNN SENIOR DIGITAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: But I think the more interesting story right now is that tenth slot. Also something very interesting, if you look at Chris Christie, he's rounding out the bottom barely hanging on. He was somebody who a lot of Republicans were begging to run for president in 2012. How the mighty have really fallen.

Although I will say that he does have a lot of opportunity to make his case to voters and I think he's got room to grow. But his unfavorables like Trump are also pretty high. So, it's going to be a long slog for sure.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Dana, quickly, John Kasich has sort of jumped into a contender from nowhere. He wasn't even running a couple months ago.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He's the politician version of Donald Trump. You know, you've covered him as well, he's -- he has the tendency to say things that are not politically correct. And he kind of speaks the truth and can connect to people.

And he has a pretty incredible record both in his home state of Ohio, where he's the governor. He's really helped to turn things around there, and helped balance the budget in Washington. So, I definitely think, as I said the day he announced, he's a dark horse.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Dana and Chris, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

BERMAN: What's your take on this? Tweet us with #NewDayCNN, or post your comment on Facebook.com/NewDay.

CAMEROTA: Michaela?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Stay with CNN for continuing coverage of a very significant development in the search for Flight 370. Debris consistent with the Boeing 777 discovered some 2,300 miles from the search zone in the Indian Ocean. If it did come from the missing jetliner, how did it get there?

We're going to take a closer look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[06:35:00] CAMEROTA: If you are just joining us, there is breaking news this morning.

Investigators heading to Reunion Island near Madagascar to see if a piece of debris that washed up is Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 -- the discovery being called a very significant development and a major lead in this plane's mystery. An Australian official leading the search telling us we could find out in the next 24 to 48 hours if the debris is, indeed, from MH370.

So, let's get back to CNN's Robyn Kriel with the very latest from Reunion Island for us -- Robyn.

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Michaela.

Well, what I can tell you coming from Australian authorities is that they say that this -- the debris, if it does turn out to be MH370, it's not inconsistent with the drift modeling that they have been studying. That would be the gyres and currents that the NTSB -- ATSB, rather, also stating it is not inconsistent with the search area that they are covering, so it does fall within their search area.

Now, I just want to give you an idea of exactly where this wreckage has been found, some of the details behind it. It's a Boeing 777 wing component that has been found. We know it's the same model type as the MH370.

We know, Michaela, only one 777 has crashed over water and it's still unaccounted for. We also know that Boeing conducted initial assessments of the debris and that Australians are analyzing the barnacles on the wings.

One final point to note is that France and Malaysia are leading the investigation. However, it has been coordinated by French authorities, La Reunion is a French country and that's a piece of debris being sent to Toulouse where it will be investigated and coordinated by the French. Of course, Malaysia and Australia will spearhead the investigation because they have been searching for this missing plane for 500 days.

BERMAN: Robyn, thanks so much, on Reunion Island, hard to get to.

So, how could debris get from the search area near Australia all the way across the Indian Ocean some 2,300 miles away to where we just saw Robin on Reunion Island?

Let's bring in meteorologist Chad Myers. He's been looking at the currents.

How does it work, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: John, for the same exact reason that the debris from Fukushima, the tsunami there, made it to the west coast of North America.

There are these gyres. If you throw a bottle in the ocean here somewhere in the Caribbean, it will eventually end up in Europe. It's the big circles here, these are the currents we talk about. It's the reason why there's a current that goes up the East Coast in the first place called the gulf stream that keeps that water very warm there.

So, let's get to it. What do we have here? We are talking about the Indian Ocean gyre. This is a big one. This is all the way across the Indian Ocean to the south of India. And all the way, yes, all the way to Africa.

I know it's very hard to put it in your mind how far this stuff can float, but I'll show it to you in just a second. There's a model out there that you can run yourself. You can throw a piece of plastic in any ocean and see where it will go. It's really cool. Just hang with me for a second.

There's the debris in Australia in the water clearly for a very long time. It has drifted across the ocean and eventually ended up over in the Reunion Area. All of these little circles are eddies. This is a complete current that spins a little bit. Also, there were two hurricanes in the ocean not long after the plane went missing.

So, let's get to this very cool map. It's adrift.org.au. I can put a dot anywhere in the ocean and show you where the drift pattern will happen. So, we say we pretty much know where the plane was here. This is where the drift is going to happen. And in five years some of this debris may end up in South America.

So, if you throw a bottle, let's say, in the ocean -- don't do it, please -- let's say over Nova Scotia, where is it going to go? This model will show it end up in Portugal, maybe North Africa, whatever.

It's a really cool model and learning tool. It's also one to tell us about why we shouldn't be putting plastics in the ocean. That's what this is really for. But it's a great learning tool to see why and how the debris from MH370 would go directly, that would be the first place it would hit of Madagascar -- John.

BERMAN: Wow. Chad Myers --

PEREIRA: I'll take it here. Thank you very much. We are both so fascinated with this technology. Thank you for showing that to us.

Keep it here on CNN for continuing coverage of a major debris discovery in the search for Flight 370.

Also, up next, a former Ohio police officer indicted for shooting and killing an unarmed black man. The shocking video from the officer's body camera contradicting the officer's account. You're going to see the tape for yourself and you'll hear from the victim's family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:43:27] PEREIRA: Good to have you back with us here on NEW DAY. We will return to our continuing coverage of the plane debris discovered to find out if it belongs to missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.

But first we need to talk about a very important story. A former University of Cincinnati police officer is expected in court today after a grand jury indicted him on a murder charges for the shooting death of an unarmed black man. The young man's name is Samuel DuBose.

The incident was caught on Officer Ray Tensing's body camera. Now, they -- that account differs -- the video is different from the account than the officer originally described.

Joining me now is CNN legal analyst and attorney for the DuBose family, Mark O'Mara, and Samuel DuBose's sisters, Terina DuBose-Allen and Cleshawn DuBose.

First of all, ladies, my sincere and our sincere condolences in the death of your brother.

How are you two and how is the family doing?

CLESHAWN DUBOSE, SISTER OF SAMUEL DUBOSE: We are devastated. It's heartbreaking. The family is hurt, heartbroken.

PEREIRA: Your brother, we are going to talk about him in a moment. I want to learn more about him.

Mark, I want to ask you about some aspects of this case that we're hearing after this powerful news conference that was held. A prosecutor in the case called the officer's actions asinine and said this was about the worst piece of police conduct, misconduct that he's ever seen.

[06:45:00] What was your reaction when you saw the video?

MARK O'MARA, ATTORNEY FOR SAMUEL DUBOSE FAMILY: My reaction to the video, it was, I agree with the prosecutor fully.

When I first saw this video of the murder, I was amazed I missed it the first time because it happened so quickly. And I truly believed there would be some build up, some antagonism between the two. And it was literally a shooting without justification.

The prosecutor, I thought, took a very aggressive stance and I haven't seen any stance like that from prosecutors when they have a pending case. But if there's ever an exception to that rule, this would be the exception because this case was, in fact, an asinine overreaction by a cop without justification.

PEREIRA: The officer's attorney said a couple important things. He says the case is not a cut and dry case like it first appears. He believes the prosecutor is biased. And he says that a second body camera will tell a very different story. I want you to listen to what he says.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEW MATTHEWS, ATTORNEY FOR OFFICER RAY TENSING: I think he has tried to create great prejudice against my client. Fortunately, that's what we have courts for because when all the evidence comes out, I think that there will be a different version of what went on here that will be made public.

REPORTER: And you have seen the tape.

MATHEWS: I have seen the tape.

REPORTER: And what you saw in the tape is not what is described?

MATHEWS: Not what I saw. And I don't know whether there's a second tape also from Officer Lyndon Smith's (ph) body cam. I don't know if that's been released or not but that also adds some clarity and detail to what occurred out there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Mark, in any way, could a second body camera change our view of what we saw on the initial body camera?

O'MARA: In my opinion, absolutely not. I have seen parts of the second body camera and after he murdered, Sam, he did fall back and fall down. He got right back up and chased after the cop.

More troubling than just that is the fact that after having murdered somebody, then he starts his cover-up immediately. And the second officer feeds right into that cover-up of the fear of great bodily injury, that he might get run over, that's almost as troubling as the murder itself.

PEREIRA: Terina, if there had not been a body camera, do you think there would have been -- the case would have come to A, our attention, or B, the officer would be indicted?

TERINA DUBOSE-ALLEN, SISTER OF SAMUEL DUBOSE: A, no. B, no. I think that if there had not been a body camera, that Sam would have been left with the memory of everyone saying that he was basically trying to kill a police officer. They would have turned a nonviolent man who was loved into a poster child for violence against police officers.

So, no, I do not think we would have gotten justice. I do think that something have happened, but I don't think it would have been anything that would have vindicated Sam.

PEREIRA: And, Cleshawn, tell a little bit me more about your brother. I think he was in his 40s. Is it true that he was recently engaged?

DUBOSE-ALLEN: No.

DUBOSE: So, no, he was not recently engaged. But yes, he is 43 years old. He was a father of 10 and he was loved. He was loved by everybody, the community and especially our family.

PEREIRA: We are so sorry for your loss. We hope that you'll find justice.

Mark, thank you so much for joining us.

Cleshawn and Terina, we send our prayers and thoughts to you. Thank you for joining us.

DUBOSE: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: OK, Michaela, back to our top story. It could be a major lead in the crash of MH370. A piece of debris, a wing part, has been found in the western Indian Ocean. So, how will investigators figure out if, in fact, this is indeed from the doomed jetliner? We'll look at that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:53:01] BERMAN: A major development in the search for the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. A piece of debris found on an island in the western Indian Ocean thousands of miles from the search zone.

It does appear to be from a Boeing 777. Mh370 was a Boeing 777. Australian officials say we could know in 24 to 48 hours if it belongs to Flight 370.

So, let's look again in how we got to this point. The plane, it took off on March 18, 2014, and went off radar an hour into flight. At that point, the search stuck right around Malaysia.

But satellite company INMARSAT revealed that the plane communicated with their system for hours after that. They predicted the plane may have been on this arc you're looking at right now.

Those signals moved the search closer to Australia in this red area right here I'm standing on top of.

Ships were searching that last area making a detailed map of the ocean floor to spot the plane but nothing but false alarms until perhaps today. So, how to get to Reunion Island?

Look at those currents right now. The debris had to travel from Australia, that search area, all around this circle in the Indian Ocean gyre. Those currents spin counterclockwise and that's how it would get to Reunion Island near Madagascar.

I want to bring in Justin Green. He's a pilot and president of the International Air and Transportation Safety Bar Association.

Justin, thanks so much for being with us.

We're standing on this map right now showing everything happened. But I want to pull up a picture if I can of an airplane, of a Boeing 777, to talk about this piece of debris, this piece of debris we have seen on the plane.

Explain what they think it is -- a flaperon.

JUSTIN GREEN, FORMER PILOT: Yes, a flaperon. You have to understand, the airplanes have these devices called flaps, changes the camper of the wing to increase the lift, and allows airplanes to slow when they're landing. They also have things called the airline to help the plane turn or roll.

And the flaperon is kind of a combination of the two because the system turns the airplane but it also helps in changing in the camper of the wing to make it more -- to give it more lift.

[06:55:00] BERMAN: We have been told within 24 to 48 hours, they could have identification of this piece. It's about 7 feet long.

Do you think they already know?

GREEN: Yes, I think -- I think Boeing engineers already know. They know the part. I'm sure measurements have been taken and if the measurements are consistent, this is a particular part to a particular airplane. This is not a part off a Chevy. If it's from the 777, it's MH370.

BERMAN: And, Justin, just a short time ago, a few minutes ago, the Malaysian prime minister said he believes that this part is from a Boeing 777. Again, that's the Malaysian prime minister.

If it is from Boeing 777, it almost has to be from MH370, doesn't it? What other plane could it be from?

GREEN: From a process of elimination, it has to be. I wish the Malaysian prime minister had reached out to families before giving this latest speculation. I think that what's important is the official 100 percent word that this is, in fact, MH370, a part of the airplane. And that needs to come out and I think the families need to know first.

BERMAN: Well, the communication issues with the Malaysian government has been happening since the very beginning. And we have heard that the families are getting information from us right now, not from official sources. That continues to be troubling.

We are looking at moving pictures of people on the ground there with this piece of debris about 7 feet. What can this lone piece, this piece of metal and materials tell us?

GREEN: Well, the most important thing it tells us right now is that if it is, indeed, from MH370, that the investigationers are right, that the airplane crashed, it crashed into the Indian Ocean and there's a loss of life of everyone on board.

BERMAN: What about how it crashed? The fact that it's a fairly large piece of debris?

GREEN: Well, if there's a very intense impact, you would expect smaller pieces of debris. So, this would indicate, I think, and it is too soon to really tell, but maybe there certainly was an impact but it wasn't a black hole, like catastrophic impact.

BERMAN: Catastrophic impact, may be some kind of landing with a loss of fuel as people speculate over time.

GREEN: But it worked -- obviously, if this part was ripped off the airplane, it was a very significant impact force. I think they could probably tell that it was an unsurvivable crash, if indeed they examine the wreckage, but it's not something that a big part of the airplane still exists.

BERMAN: What it doesn't tell us is about a big part of the plane that does exist somewhere else, namely at the bottom of the sea, some 2,300 miles away, if it's still in the search zone.

It really won't help narrow down that area, will it?

GREEN: It's not really going to narrow down the area. I think the better analysis is using the satellite analysis that they are using now. It's also not going to tell us exactly what caused the airplane to crash. And I think that we need to find the full wreckage. It's important to the families. It's also important to aviation safety.

BERMAN: This is a key piece and a major development. Justin Green, thanks so much.

GREEN: Thank you, John.

BERMAN: We really appreciate it.

What questions do you have about the debris and about the search for MH370? Tweet us using #MH370QS.

We have much more on this breaking news, so let's get right to it.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

PEREIRA: We welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY.

We begin with breaking news. It is being called a very significant development in one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time. Debris found along the coast of Reunion Island off the coast of Madagascar appears to be from the same type of plane of Malaysia Flight 370.

CAMEROTA: Officials call this a major lead. The Malaysian government dispatching a team to investigate. And there's hope that officials could have confirmation that this debris is part of MH370 in the next 24 to 48 hours.

We have this story covered the way only CNN can.

Let's begin with our global coverage with CNN's Robyn Kriel. She gives us all the background of this case. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRIEL (voice-over): A possible crucial clue and major lead in the 17-month-old mystery of missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

WARREN TRUSS, AUSTRALIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: This is, obviously, a very significant development. It's the first real evidence that there is a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found.

KRIEL: A piece of debris, possibly part of a wing of what appears to be a Boeing 777, the same model as the missing commercial airliner, discovered washed up on a western Indian Ocean beach on the island of Reunion near Madagascar. French and Malaysian authorities dispatching teams to Reunion Island to investigate the debris which washed up more than 2,300 miles away from the current search zone off the Australian coast in the southern Indian Ocean.

A group of people happening upon the wreckage during a beach cleanup.

This man telling a reporter he saw a wing as he walked closer to the debris.

The debris bearing the marking BB670, which could help in the identification process.

DAVID SOUCIE, CNN AVIATOIN ANALYST: If it is, indeed, part of a 777, then we're pretty clear that it would be then also part of MH370.