Transcripts For CNNW Anderson Cooper 360 20150620 : vimarsan

CNNW Anderson Cooper 360 June 20, 2015

Any sort of recognition. But because this is an active hate crime investigation, for the next two hours, we will occasionally use the confessed killers name and occasionally show images of him, but sparingly. But our focus, as always, will continue to be remembering those who were killed here and their loved ones. Today the confessed murderer made his First Court Appearance by video link. Some Family Members of victims were at the bond hearing and the judge allowed them to address the man who murdered their loved ones. What they told him was frankly humbling. Instead of hate, they often offered forgiveness. You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. But i forgive you. And have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. But god forgive you and i forgive you. Those words and others floored a lot of people. Heres what president obama tweeted about that extraordinary display of grace. In the midst of darkest tragedy, the decency and goodness of the American People shines through in these families. Martin savage was at the courthouse today and he joins me now. One of the people who were there, was an actual survivor of the shooting. Yeah we didnt know that at first, you know usually bond hearings are pretty typical events. This one was extraordinary. And there was no advanced list that told us who was going to be there representing the family of the victims. And it was only until they began speaking began to determine who might be whom. But it was clear by the words this woman used she was there, she was a survivor. And now she had gone from staring down the barrel of a gun to now staring at that suspect in custody and confronting him. And listen to her words. Theyre just absolutely haunting. We welcomed you wednesday night in our bible study with open arms. You have killed some of the most prettifulest people that i know. Every fiber in my body hurts. And ill never be the same. Tywanza sanders was my son, but tywanza was my hero. Tywanza was my hero. But as we said at bible study, we enjoyed you. But may god have mercy on you. Those words, you can see, are over the imagery of her son. Her son died there. This is the mother who had watched it happen. Her son died in front of her. Right. And, you know, you just cannot begin to imagine the suffering, and yet they are confronting the suspect now. And not only confronting, but talking about forgiveness. I talked to one Family Member and well play some of that later, who said look its too early for me to talk about forgiveness, but we heard that repeatedly today in this bond hearing. And that was the word ive got to say, first thing, i did not expect to hear not so soon after this event. Youre talking about people of deep faith. Thats why they were inside that church studying the bible on that night. But to hear forgiveness and to hear them say it so strongly. Again, listen from inside the courtroom. And i would like to thank you on behalf of my family for not allowing hate to win. For me, im a work in progress and im very angry. But one thing depayne has always joined in our family is that she taught me that we are the family that love built. We have no room for hate. We have to forgive. And i pray god on your soul and i also thank god that i wont be around when your judgment day come with him. May god bless you. The reason you dont see these families making the statements is out of respect, the camera did not focus on them but every word was heartbreak. Just extraordinary. Martin savage i appreciate the reporting. We also want to talk about some of the things the judge said today in that bond hearing. But i want to give you a sense of what is happening here right now. The vigil that many people attended the hundreds or thousands of people attended which is not too far from here that has ended. And so many of the people who were at that vigil have now started to come here to the ame church. There are hundreds of people right now who have shown up just in the last 15 minutes or so. The street itself has actually now closed off, as people are just milling in the street. Many or hundreds of people are waiting in line to try to get to the makeshift memorial which is out in front of that church. Now, all throughout the day, hundreds of people have been coming to lay flowers, to lay wreaths, to leave handwritten signs. When i was there earlier, i saw a little girl laying a sign that she had written, with some drawings on it. People were leaving teddy bears. People were saying prayers. They just want to take part and show their solidarity with the people here, with the survivors, and with those who lost their lives. But this is a scene. We have not seen this many people outside the church. And it is likely to last for quite some time because there are long lines and i see, just looking down the block, i see at least 100 more people on their way here if not more. Talking about that bond hearing, though one of the things that got a lot of attention today at the bond hearing was the judge himself. The judge early on asked for sympathy for the killers family. Heres what Charleston County magistrate James Gosnell jr. Said. Charleston is a very strong community. We have big hearts. Were a very loving community. And we are going to reach out to everyone all victims, and we will touch them. We have victims, nine of them but we also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young mans side of the family. Nobody would have ever thrown them into the whirlwind of events that they have been thrown into. We must find it in our heart, at some point in time not only to help those that are victims, but to also help his family as well. I just want to show you whats happening right now. And lets listen in a bagpipe player and a crowd impromptu singing Amazing Grace. Lets listen in. I once was lost but now im found was blind, but now i see Amazing Grace t we have witnessed over the last two days here in charleston. People come up to you and right now theyre handing out flowers. These are also handed out during the vigils. I know people handed you flowers as well. Have you ever seen anything like this . There is this sense of shock, of grief, there is certainly anger, there is confusion about perhaps how this could have happened. But to see all these people here coming together and in just an inpromp too moment singing Amazing Grace, its extraordinary. Ive never seen anything like it. Certainly, as a prosecutor ive been around communities that have experienced tremendous grief, tremendous tragedy, victims of terrible crimes. I have never seen a Community Come together like this so quickly. Lets remember this just happened just a few days ago. And all day today, people have been coming up to me and saying that this community was a strong community, a loving community, and that they would be coming together. There was a lot of controversy about what that judge said early on at the bond hearing, talking about the victims on the killers family that they were victims as well. Youve been looking at his past statements. Hes actually made some pretty controversial statements in the past. He has. Its quite extraordinary, actually, anderson. In november of 2003 during a reduction bond hearing, this judge, judge gosnell, told an africanamerican defendant, and he says he said these things to sort of force him to change his path of life but he said and im quoting here he said there are four kinds of people in this world. Black people white people rednecks and then he used the nword. And because of that, that horrible statement and in addition to other misconduct this judge actually, in 2005, was publicly reprimanded by the state supreme court. Now, the court had about three options. One was a confidential reprimand, two was this public reprimand, which is very serious, three would have been a suspension of 60 days. He got sort of the midlevel reprimand, but still, very very significant. But, again, tells you a little bit about this judge. To have a judge sitting on a bench, using the nword to an africanamerican defendant in court, during a legal proceeding. And he retains his role on the bench. In fact hes one of the most senior jurists now on the bench. Thats correct. And i think t goes to show you, his words were so outrageous and unusual. You never a judge during a pro forma bond hearing Say Something like that. It goes to show you that he should not have been the judge dealing, even on a magistrate level, with a potential hate crime. In terms of any trial that occurs will he be the judge sitting on that trial . If theres ever a Silver Lining i suppose that is the Silver Lining. His role is over. As a magistrate judge, he only handles a bond hearing. But you see whats going on here tonight. My goodness. People now singing this little light of mine im going to let it shine. Again, weve seen so many things over the last 48 hours. And were going to be bringing them to you in the next two hours tonight, because there is such grace here such Amazing Grace here. Its not just song it is a sentiment here. It is a belief that we have heard from the mouths of those who have lost their sisters, their loved ones and were going to bring some of those people to you in the next two hours. And in the days ahead, funerals of course will be held for the nine people who were murdered inside the church behind me. Their lives, their legacies will of course be celebrated. Sharonda Coleman Singleton was just 45 years old. She wore many different hats. She was a mom, a coach, a High School Speech therapist. By all accounts beloved no matter which hat she had on. She was incredibly hardworking. She leaves behind three children and countless friends. She was also a reverend here at the church. And shortly before she was murdered here she had visited homebound people who werent able to make it to the church. Thats the kind of woman she was. I spoke to her daughter cameron singleton, and her best friend from college, rita whitney, earlier. Rita for you, youve been lifelong friends. 28 years of friendship. This is probably one of the hardest things ive ever had to deal with. Sharon was like my heartbeat. You met in college . 1987, day one of college. We were both on the track team and thats the day our friendship flourished and began. And youve been friends ever since . We have been the very best of friends ever since 1987. There are actually four of us that are very close. We have been at each others weddings we have been at the delivery room for each others babies. She was in the delivery room she was this the delivery room for five of mine. She was coaching you . No she didnt coach, just there for support. Everybody wants to see whats being born into our new family. So yes, we were in her delivery you were in camerons delivery . Yes. So we have a bond. What do you want people cameron, what do you want people to know about your mom . She was a great lady. Like everyone already knows that she was great. They have no bad things to say about her, you know. I just want them to remember her smile, how good she was, how shed like wake you up in the morning, she was just great. Always happy. Always happy. Yeah. I bet she was the kind of friend you could call up and say, hey, i need you, youd be there . My call to sharonda would be all i had to do when she answered my key words would be when times were tough and i need her to pray all i had to say was, i need to go in the closet and she would sit down and start praying. And her words always changed the situation. But it wasnt just like that for me it was like that for everyone she knows. It was like she was given the gift to be able to give you the soothing word whatever the word you needed for that moment she would be able to give it to you. Thats a power, thats a gift. Its a gift. She was definitely gods child. He sent her here with a purpose. She definitely had a purpose. When you heard the news where were you . We were across the street from the hotel. The day it happened she was doing a lot of stuff. I didnt see her that much that day. She left early in the morning. I saw her in the morning, said by went back to sleep, and she went to work did Summer School because shes a speech teacher, and went to go see visits then went to bible study. Wow. She went to visit people who were sick and shut in. Members of the church. Took care of the community. Is that right . For people who couldnt get to the church she would bring the church to them. Yes. Yes. She was definitely a spiritual woman. And the thing is, she may have received her call to ministry maybe about eight or so years ago, but even in 1987 when we met her, you could see it in her. Is that right . Most definitely. She didnt need to wear the robes. She didnt need to have to be ordained to have the title reverend in front of her name. Its who she was. And you knew it. You felt it through her spirit and saw it in her smile. Everything about her was infectious. No matter what type of day you were having even if you just got close to her, things would be a whole lot better. Thats what sharonda was about. What do you want to i dont want to use this persons name what do you want to see happen to the person who did this . You know, the thing is it is not up to me to decide what your fate is. Thats going to be a conversation he and god are going to need to have. But i just want him to know and understand that he may have taken her from this world, but hell never remove the words she left behind. Hell never be able to change the peoples lives she affected hell never be able to take away the memories that all of us have. These children theyve lost a significant piece of their life. A significant piece of their life but you know the thing about it is she always kept her children in the faith. She taught them well and to trust and believe with the support system they have not only will they flourish they will follow in her footsteps. Is that something you feel you want to do . Follow in her footsteps . I dont know about preaching but i want to make people feel special. If you knew her for five minutes, you felt like yall could have been friends forever. There was this bond hearing today and some people spoke and said things to this person and some people spoke about forgimpbsfor forgiveness forgiveness. Were you surprised to hear that . Um no. One thing she taught us was to love and forgive. When she was punishing us we say, wait yall say we deserve a Second Chance Second Chance. You tried to use that to get out of punishment . Sometimes it would work. We all do deserve a Second Chance. Even somebody whos done something horrific . Yeah. We all deserve to be forgiven. Thank you both so much for talking to us. Appreciate it. Thank you. Imagine that a 15yearold girl who has just lost her mother, talking about giving somebody a killer a Second Chance. Talking about forgiveness. It is extraordinary. A lot more ahead tonight, including the latest on the investigations into the murder that took place here in charleston. Youll hear from a friend of the shooter who took his gun away from him and then youll hear why he gave it back to him when 360 continues. [rob] so weve had a tempurpedic for awhile, but now that we have the adjustable base, its even better. [evie] i go up. Heeeeyyy. [alex] when i put my feet up on this bed my stress just goes away. [announcer] visit your local retailer and discover how tempurpedic can move you. Food should be good. Strawberries should sing. Lettuce should be dirty. Dressing, clean. Debates should be healthy. Hatchets buried. Tables should be full. And good food should be good for you. Were not saying these are the rules we should all live by. But its a good place to start. Panera. Food as it should be. Attention. Did you or anyone in your household work around asbestoscontaining gaskets and packing . 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There are now, i cant tell how many hundreds im guessing 400, perhaps, maybe 500 people here. Theyre just standing in the street Milling Around talking to one another. You hear people kind of greeting each other, friends who maybe havent seen each other since the attack took place. And a lot of it is just strangers, who maybe dont even live near each other or arent even near the same communities here in charleston but are joined here joined here in sorrow and joined here in grief and joined here in sort of defiance. A quiet defiance. We heard people singing Amazing Grace, an impromptu sing. Also also singing this little light of mine im going to let it shine. I, in a way, wish you could be here to kind of take it in for yourselves because its something we rarely see. We often see a makeshift memorial sprout up in the wake of the tragedy. Weve seen that far too many times over the last many years. Thats become a common sight, but Something Like this a Community Coming together thats something you dont see very often. New details tonight about the steps the killer took to carry out the massacre inside the church behind me. Cnn affiliate wbtv is reporting that the shooter told investigators he had a glock handgun hidden behind a pouch around his waist and had 7 magazine clips with him when he entered the church, just two nights ago. Now, you can see that pouch in surveillance photos released by police. Wbtv also reports that the killer told investigators that he had been planning the attack for some time and had chosen his target because he knew it was an africanamerican church with a long and storied history. Weve known for a bit the shooters father and

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