Transcripts For MSNBCW Weekends With Alex Witt 20140816 : vi

MSNBCW Weekends With Alex Witt August 16, 2014

Depression while in the celebrity limelight. No justice, no peace my conversation with dick cabot coming up. No justice, no peace it has been a week to almost the very moment since an officer shot and killed Michael Brown. Hey, there, everyone. Welcome to weekends with alex an unarmed teen in ferguson, witt. A flareup of anger in ferguson, missouri. And this past week the city and missouri. Youre looking at new video from the nation have been on an emotional roller coaster ride. Inside a local store after it was looted last night. We have so many questions still i dont know. And we actually might get more we just got here. This is the second time it answers in just about an hour. Also, were expecting to hear from Texas Governor rick perry happened. We feel really bad because, like today, actually just a short time from now. I said, this is the second time he was just indicted on two it happened. Police are not doing anything felonies. Yet. When some of the residents hes accused of abusing his saw the looting taking place, power. Well lay out the investigation though, they lined up in front of stores to keep it from that led to these charges. Happening any further. I want to say good afternoon to earlier in the night, about 300 you all. Im t. J. Holmes in today for people demonstrated in the streets, police say, after the craig melvin. Protesters went home, the breaking story, it has been the breaking story for the past week. Looters came out. Out of ferguson, missouri. One week now after the Police Law Enforcement officials con nt frommed the crowd, unleashing at shooting that left missouri teenager Michael Brown dead. The demand for answers still least one can of tear gas. Growing. And we still dont have the answer to the central burning question how in the world did no arrests were made. An encounter between a cop and and new reaction today from the an unarmed teen end with the attorney representing Michael Browns family after the yoma controversial release of this Surveillance Video. It was taken at a Convenience Store shortly before the unarmed 18yearold was fatally shot by a police officer. Police say a man who appears to be brown is caught stealing cigars. They were beyond outraged at the devious manner that the police chief chose to decimate this information. In this piecemeal fashion. Even though they were outraged, alex, i told them ive been doing this a long time, i expect that from the police when they cant just few the murder. They try to do smoke and mirrors. In just a few hours, the naacp will hold a meeting on how the group is working for justice for browns family. At the same time, members of the communities are planning a silent protest outside of police headquarters. Joining me now is usa today national reporter. With a welcome to you. Weve seen the store workers today cleaning up in ferguson. What else is happening right now . Right now in ferguson i think people are trying to understand what happened last night. People are calm down, trying to understand how they can move forward. Last night was chaotic to say it at best. There were looters. Mixed in with the protesters. Especially after the protesters left, things got really chaotic. I shot video inside that same Convenience Store. People were saying we needed to be calmer. People stopping those looters wondered why the police didnt stop these looters, arrest people. So answers to some really hard questions, meaning, how are police and protesters going to Work Together to not have violent and looting tonight. One thing that was impressive, you had some local residents that stepped up and they stood in the way of anybody being able to further loot those stores. Talk about that. It was really a sight to see. I was there when these young men, probably about 15 of them, at a store, stood in front of them and said, were not going to let you loot. This is not about looting. This is not about violence. It is about justice for Michael Brown. It was really, really inspiring to see, to really describe it. Step up and say if the police are not going to stop you, were going to stop you. I think i also saw people giving hugs to looters saying please dont do this, please dont make us look bad. Our message is just for Michael Brown and our message is to look at Police Brutality and its not to steal items. As you were talk about the protesters who gathered, they were peaceful for the most part there. There were people playing music. There were others saying prayers. Look at this, chanting in unison there and dancing to a degree. The police are saying that the protesters left, the violence that was conducted was not done by any of the protesters. And that concurs with what you saw as well . I would consider that to be them to be two distinct groups. You had the protesters who i think were on message saying justice for Michael Brown. Saying, look, this is about really look at how the police force is working with the citizens here. And then you had looters. The people who were going to be breaking into the liquor store, carrying bottles of alcohol out. I dont think they were once the protesters left, the looters came. I think they were kind of intermixed. The protesters were stopping them. When the protesters cleared out altogether and everybody went home, then it came about the looters. Thats when you saw people going in and out of the stores. That was about 5 00 in the morning. The police were gone as well. You said the police are trying to work with the citizens. Do you notice a palpable difference from what happened a week ago in through the initial really difficult night monday night, to today . Do you see these two groups working Better Together . I thought they were working Better Together on thursday night. Im sorry, on friday night. When things had gotten a little bit calmer and we had the Highway Patrol come in and people were saying, okay, theyre mingling with the crowd. I took a picture of an officer taking selfies with people in the crowd. I thought, we went from tactical militarystyle police arguing with people and throwing flash bomb grenades to people mingling and taking selfies. Last night, we saw tear it was. We saw armed trucks. We saw people in armored outfits. I think i should say officers in armored outfits. Its gone back to square one. I think we might be back at the beginning. People are saying they look just like the people who were here on tuesday night and on wednesday night when we were clark with the police then. They looked like the same trucks and the same people. So people are really worried this might be backtrack and we might be having more clashes with the police and the calm we thought we were going to achieve is not going to be realized. As you well know, theres been so much reaction to police releasing the Surveillance Video from that store. Heres what Michael Browns cousin had to say about that. Earlier, the chief video that was basically what we think was basically smoke and mirrors to try to divert the attention away from what really occurred. The events that took place on canfield had nothing to do with that Grocery Store michael may have been in or the person that was on the video was in because we dont know that was michael for sure. Whats the latest youre hearing from police . The timing of this video release . At the press conference yesterday, really, thats the latest that theyve talked about it. At least that i know of. The Ferguson Police Department Said we had to or i had to release this information. The police chief said it was freedom of information request that they just gave it out at the same time. They never really quite got to the idea of why do you release it at the exact same time. He really didnt answer that question. And reporters really pressed him on that. I was there. Other reporters were asking why about the timing, why did you release them at the same time. All he would say is we had to release it because of freedom of information request. He was saying it as if he had to release all the information he had at one time. Okay. The reporter from usa today, thank you so much, we appreciate it. In just a few hours from now, the naacp will hold a meeting on how the groove is working for justice for browns family. Other Community Leaders are trying to keep the peace and move towards justice. I want to bring in the president of the board Alderman Lewis read. Give me your reaction to what happened on the streets last night. Well, you know, first off, i think we have to start with the release of that video yesterday. I think that that sparked what we saw last night. I think it was a drastic mistake on behalf of the Ferguson Police department. I think it was a pr stunt that went bad. Part of what you saw last night was these looters coming in trying to, you know, create more havoc but the important thing that happened was the residents and also the peaceful demonstrators stood between the looters and the property, the stores, and said no, youre not going to do that to our community. With that, we take hope away that there is a better tomorrow, you know, on the forefront. Liouis, do you think this isa case of a smalltown Police Department not being equipped, or do you think an attempt to criminalize Michael Brown . Well, i think that yesterday this is just my opinion. But yesterdays pr stunt was just an attempt to soil the reputation of Michael Brown. Because the night before, you saw pictures and media from all over the United States, where people were saying, justice for Michael Brown. Then, you know, the next day we saw this tape come out. Then we saw the chief come out and say well, yeah, the tape had nothing to do with the Michael Brown case because the arresting officer or the officer in the confrontation with Michael Brown knew nothing of the burglary when he approached Michael Brown. So, you know, this is, again, just a pr stunt. I think it was in very poor taste. I think it backfired in really bad form and were all paying the price for that today. I think that someone needs to take leadership in that department. I think that the chief needs to be held responsible for what happened yesterday. He said that part of the reason for releasing the information was for freedom of information act. Ive been involved in a lot of freedom of information acts and that is not a way that you would respond or release information. You provide the information to the party that requested it. And to this day, we dont know who requested it. And i have doubts that anyone requested it. We also found out that, you know, in contrary to what the chief laid out in terms of the time line, that the store owners called in a 911 report. The store owner since then have released their own statement and said we never called 911. Thats extraordinary news right there. Because its been chronicled that 11 51 a. M. Came that 911 call so thats something we all need to doublecheck with. In terms of the leadership youre calling for, lewis, heres some of what missouri governor jay nixon has said about the events in ferguson. Whats gone on here is not what missouris about. Its not what fergusons about. This is a place where people work. Go to school. Raise their families and go to church. A diverse community. A missouri community. But lately its looked more like a war zone and thats unacceptable. Unacceptable but it did take the governor five day, to come to ferguson after Michael Brown was shot. How do you think he has handled the situation so far . I cant speak to the timing the governor took to get to ferguson and get to what were calling ground zero where the quick trip is. But i can say because i dont know what he had done before then. I dont know if he had been in meetings and phone conferences with the state department or anything. I dont know what all happened in the background. I can say this, it made a difference once he did show up and put in place ron johnson. Because the first thing that ron johnson did is participate in a parade with the residents. So by the end of the parade, this new captain, when he came, when the mission was turned other to him, by the end of the parade, we had people taking selfies with him and Police Officers hugging the residents. So people began working together. We had a great evening. People were just in a festive mood all day and all night. And then the next morning we wake up, we get the press conference from the chief, and we everything started all over again. Yeah. It has been certainly a volleying of emotions back and forth, thats for sure. Lewis reed, thank you very much. We want to let you know that governor jay nixon will hold a News Conference with the missouri Highway Patrol. Were going to bring that to you live. Indicted. Texas governor rick perry has been indicted on two felony charges. Abuse of power and coercion of a public servant. The charge alleged the governor tried to force the District Attorney out of office after she was arrested for drunk driving. She refused to resign and governor perry allegedly vetoed 7 million in state funds for her office. The grand jury spoke. At least theres probable cause to believe he committed two crimes, two felony crimes. For count one, its a 5 to 99 years in prison. And for count two, its 2 to 10 years in prison. I looked at the law. I presented Everything Possible to the grand jury. Governor perrys vowed to fight the charges. His personal attorney released a statement that reads, im outraged and appalled. This clearly presents political abuse of the court system. The facts of this case conclude that the governors action was within the authority of the office of governor. Governor perry has announced he will deliver a statement himself at 3 00 p. M. Eastern today. Joining me now, Washington Post National Political reporter shawn sullivan. This investigation was known but was an indictment of this level expected . No, not at all. In fact, i talked to several republicans in the state yesterday who said this really, really caught them by surprise. The investigation itself, the situation is something thats, you know, been out there for a while. I dont think anybody expected that the governor would be indicted. Its such a rare occurrence for a sitting governor to be indicted. So that was truly i think a surprise to, you know, political observers on both sides. Also one that might have political aspirations for the presidency. My colleague casey hunt spoke to perry about the investigation a couple of months back. She asked him if he committed a crime. Lets listen to that. Ive been the governor for coming on 14 year, seven legislative sessions, and i know the constitution and the duties of the governor. And vetoing a line item is certainly within rights and the law and the constitution of the state of texas. Very confident that vetoing a line item, for whatever reason, is an appropriate thing for a governor to do. Sean, its not that thats in question, correct me, constitutionally it is within his right to do that. Thats not whats in question. I think whats important is youre going to hear from the governor and his team, and were already hearing this, he did not do anything wrong. He was just simply exercising his executive powers. He was doing something that president s do. That president obama does. The issue here, was this a did he specifically politically was this a political motivated targeting here in this instance . Which to the prosecution is very different than just your normal veto and normal executive decision as governor. What do you think, whether or not the governors found guilty, should he be running for Higher Office in 2016, what does that do for that . I mean, its clearly a negative for him. Any time the word indictment is mentioned, its not a good thing. It comes really as he tries to rehabilitate his image after a disastrous 2012 campaign. This is his time to sort of rebuir rebuild and sort of rebrand himself ahead of 2016. In terms of the timing, this could hardly be worse for him right now. The question is, what comes of this. Is he going to be convicted of anything. Its too early to talk about that. At this point, nobody wants to have the word indictment, let alone somebody considering running for president in 2016. From the Washington Post, sean sullivan. Governor rick perry, as we said, expected to make a statement today. Were going to bring you his comments as soon as they happen. Theyre scheduled for 3 00 p. M. Eastern time. Aggressive new action taken today to get isis out of a key position in Northern Iraq. Those details next. Ahhh what is it . There are no marshmallows in this box of lucky charms huh. Weird. Seriously . What . Theyre magically delicious [guyi know what youre excited. Youre thinking beneful. [announcer]and why wouldnt he be . Beneful has wholesome grains,real beef,even accents of spinach,carrots and peas. It has carbohydrates for energy and protein for those serious muscles. [guy] aarrrrr [announcer]even accents of vitaminrich veggies. [guy] so happy you love it so much. Yes you do but its good for you,too. [announcer] healthful. Flavorful. Beneful. From purina. Chances are were already there. Or what you want to do, 12 brands. More hotels than anyone else in the world. Like super 8, where every destination is super. For a chance to win one million dollars, visit wyndhamrewards. Com bulldog ibut my friends i are learning skillsnt that can change a life. Thats why mattress discounters good deed dogs is raising money to help

© 2025 Vimarsana