Newsroom with jim acosta begins now good morning you were. Alive in this unit newsroom. Im jim acosta in washington and we begin with Breaking News out of michigan. The parents of Oxford School shooter, Ethan Crumbley are in court facetoface with their sons, victims ahead of their sentencing, james and Jennifer Crumbley were both found guilty of four counts. Involuntary manslaughter after their teenage son brutally murdered four of his classmates back in 2021, they are the first parents to be held responsible for a School Shooting committed by their child. Youre looking at a picture is coming from inside the courtroom as we speak, cnns jean casarez joins us now, gene tell us whats happening in court right now. And about this prospect that were gonna be seeing in just a few moments here of the parents of these victims coming facetoface with Ethan Crumbleys parents. That is going to be an incredibly emotional moment that will be the emotional moment because the parents of the four students that Ethan Crumbley gun down an Oxford High School in november of 22 21 that the parents were charged and convicted on themselves because of Gross Negligence. They will come forward and describe how their life have changed. They may address james and Jennifer Crumbley on what they did as parents to help cause all of this. But there has been contention in that courtroom this morning because the Defense Attorneys are already in this Precedent Setting Sentencing because never before in this country have parents of a mass School Shooter not only been charged and convicted of the homicides themselves but now for sentencing because the prosecution is arguing aggravating factors that were four students that were killed. There was an tend to kill more students. There was the fact that there was an aspect of using that gun and intending to kill. But the defense is saying no, thats not correct here. There was a continuum of Gross Negligence thats what the jury convicted them on. We agree with that. But once that gun gotten the hand ends of Ethan Crumbley at that school and he pulled that trigger that those are independent acts. He decided to kill four. He decided that he wanted to kill as many as he could. He intended to do injury to others and that should not be put upon the parents and reflected in the sentencing so its an argument but and well see what the judge does with this yeah. Jeanne, i mean, i just wonder if in the control room can tell me something differently. If we should listen in at some moment, if you think its important to listen and at some moment, let us know we do think that those Victim Impact Statements are going to start within the next several minutes, but gene, what about a authorities asking that there be a No Contact Order between james and jennifer and their son, and that that remains in place. Its sort of remarkable i guess what theyre asking for here is that the members of this family that have been tried and convicted here cant talk to one another. This is fascinating. June, because this has become a constitutional issue this morning. Because youre, youre watching them, they are seated together in that courtroom. This is the first time theyve been in the courtroom together in months they havent seen each other there has been a noncontact orders since 2021 when they were arrested. They cant write to each other. They cant write to their son. They cannot communicate in any way. And the presentence investigation, the Probation Department recommended that that continue the defense is saying, wait a minute, this is a violation of your constitutional liberty to be a family, at least they should be able in prison to write to each other to see how each other is doing. And there has been zero context of the judge wants the prosecution to respond to this. It was a recommendation from the Probation Department and then the judge will make that ruling, but once theyre in the hands of the department of corrections, jim theyre the ones that call the shots. Theyre the ones that will determine and the judge did say that she learned from the prison that James Crumbley and ethan they are considered enemies at this point. And so that very likely there will be no contact and therell be in separate penal institutions. But still that no contact could endure our gene and so many communities across this country have been affected by these mass shootings. And i imagine a lot of families who have been impacted by this outside of michigan are going to be paying attention to this because were going to see those Victim Impact Statement shortly or bring some of that too. You when it happens. In the meantime, jean casarez, thank you very much were following several other developments in the legal cases swirling around donald trump and his efforts to delay them, special counsel jack smith is calling on the Supreme Court to reject trumps sweeping claims of president ial immunity as of now that cases its due to be argued before the high court in two weeks. And in new york, a state Appeals Court has shut down trumps latest efforts to delay his hush money trial. The court refused to chain venue, so juryselection remains on track for monday that we could make trump the first former president to face a criminal trial. Theres a lot to unpack. Let me go to cnns Kara Scannell do you work for forest kara . What about these efforts expected to delay mondays start of juryselection might we see more of those . I imagine well see them throw everything but the kitchen sink at this between now and next monday think thats a fair bet jam. I mean, theres a blitz of activity over the past week with trump making several attempts both at the Trial Court Level and now at the appellate level to try to delay and derail this trial. Yesterdays motion. They wanted to postpone the trial so they could argue that there should be a Change Of Venue saying that the new york market has been saturated, prosecutors opposed that saying this is an International Story and the importance here is focusing on Jury Selection and making sure that they see in unbiased, fair, and impartial jury, the judge quickly agreed with that and that that that effort is now done, but trumps team has several other efforts underway. Theyre trying to get the judge overseeing the trial to push off it because of the Publicity Argument that seems like a long shut now in light of yesterdays ruling, theyre also trying to get the doj to recuse himself. And today, we are expecting some oral arguments as they appeal the gag order that was put in this case to stop the former president from making comments about the judges daughter, a Family Member first of the prosecution team, any of the witnesses in this case, trumps team, is appealing that today were expecting arguments, the details of that still remain fluid at this time, but think youre right, this is not expected to be the last effort by trumps team as they try to stop this trial from happening. Now, just six days away, jim and care when the Selection Process gets underway, what do we think the jurors are going to be asked so the focus of Jury Selection in this questionnaire is to find people who might have opinions about the former president or about the Prosecution Shin or the case, but who can be fair and impartial. They were up 42 questions that the judge has outlined that he will ask the jurors some of them are as basic as how long have you lived in new york . Where do you live in the city . What do you do for a living . Where do you get your news . Others are more focused on donald trump and the specifics of this case to try to find anyone who might have a hidden in bias because that is most important to the judge. So hes going to ask questions of have you ever worked for the Trump Organization that Trump Campaign or the administration have you attended any pro trump rallies or antitrump rallies . Are you members of any Fringe Groups such as the proud boys or q and on or antifreeze, trying to find people on both possible sides here. One thing that the judge made clear is that hes not going to ask anyone about their party affiliation, who they donated to who they voted for because he said the politics are not on trial here though. Its not whether or not you liked donald trump or dont like donald trump. Its about whether you can be fair and impartial and that is what the judge said. He will make very clear in controlling any followup questions that either side wants to ask. Jim all right. Kara scannell outside the courthouse in manhattan for us. Thank you. Now, to the backlash, over 400 your Donald Trumps latest stance on abortion is record on the issue has been somewhat of a moving target over the last 25 years. He has shifted as stands at least 13 times, saying hes quote, pro choice and 1999 pro life 2015. And in 2016, even urgent quote, some form of punishment for women who get abortions. Now, trump is getting some backlash from antiabortion advocates for saying on monday that the issue should be left up to the states as former Vice President mike pence calls that a slap in the face. The president of a prominent antiabortion group is slamming it as a Total Eclipse of reason and republican senator Lindsey Graham says trumps position is a Quote Mistake that drew the ire of trump who accused as ally of doing a disservice to the party and playing into democrats hands do you guys ever learn . They never learn. The democrats want to make the election about abortion. Its a very controversial thing. But everybody wanted it back in the states. We took a great victory and guys like Lindsey Graham they make it controversial and its not controversial. It goes back to the states were all lead legal scholars on both sides wanted all right, lets discuss with democratic strategist chuck roca and former republican congressman joe walsh. Guys, thank you very much for being with me. This werent shuffling. Go to your youre here in the studio with me. Trump has changed his position on this. A lot of times. Just mentioned a few moments ago that has President Biden telling supporters and chicago last night this quote, no one trusts donald trump on this issue how much of i mean, how much of a winning issue is that going to be with suburban and independent voters . When weve seen time and again in states like kansas, ohio voters are coming out in droves on this. Its a really important issue. I think thats exactly why youre seeing this happen. This is why you see them all over the place. Hes chasing this cat and he cant get it in the corner because he knows its going to have a big impact in race after race that im working in in the suburbs. In the suburbs of philadelphia yeah milwaukee, and then these Battleground States are where these suburban voters mainly Democratic Women who are married, republican man are gonna make the difference in this election. They care deeply about this. A lot, like a lot of democrats and republicans and independents in places like kansas. You just saw it get on the ballot in florida of all places, this is going to be a major centerpiece of the election. Thats why can you see him doing exactly what its doing now . Yeah. I mean, it could put florida and play and joe i mean, trump has made a number of controversial statements about abortion, obviously for as dishonest as he is, he can be remarkably candid. Heres what he said. A few years back on, whether women should be punished for abortion do you believe in punishment for abortion . Yes or no is a principal at the answer is that there has to be some form of punishment for the woman. Yeah, it has to be some form ten ten years that i dont know that. Why not . No, i dont. You take positions and everything else. I frankly, i do take positions and everything else. Sounds familiar job and he was tap dancing all around those up until yesterday and then he said leave it up to the states a lot of democrats are saying, hey, if he gets back into the white house, you have a republican congress. They put up a National Abortion ban. You could take trumps statement yesterday, throw it out the window jim look again the headline here is what the headline has always been. Donald trump has no core belief on abortion. Trump has no core belief on any issue trumps only core belief is donald trump whatever will help donald trump, whatever will advance donald trump. So he didnt give a about abortion. What will help get him elected . Thats all he cares about. Thats all these ever cared about. Thats all he cared about jim during covid, he didnt care that americans were dying and getting sick. All he cared about was his reelection the same factor here and chuck, the Biden Campaign released pretty powerful add on this yesterday. Lets take a look, talk about it this is the outfit she was going to maybe were home from the hospital the blanket that she would footprints okay i mean, truck that that is a incredibly powerful spot and it kinda goes back to what trump said to Chris Matthews about there being punishment for the woman. I mean, the reason why so many families are going through so much heartache right now over this issue. And some people have to travel to other states and their doctors dont want to do two reproductive karatay anymore in certain states because of the prospect of being legally punished, punished in court arrested, thrown in jail for providing reproductive care, and some of these states, this is something in politics thats very black and white. Its something thats literally taken away from a woman about their own body, their own safety, their own health you saw that very emotional and half of the electric will be women. And this is a very basic right that they should have about determining what happens with their own body. So when you talk to lots of mothers, lots of grandmothers, and young daughters out there that are having this conversation that women have a mux himself is the most powerful political and policy thing that you could be having with in a community thats why you see my intron to touch the emotion of it because its real, its not just an issue. Its peoples lives. Its their health care, its little babies. I mean, i think thats the reason you see this yes. And joe, i didnt want to talk about this as well because i mean, trump is doubling down on these comments that he made about Jewish Americans who vote for democrats. I think we talked about this you know, hes doing it again. Heres what he said. Any. Jewish person votes for biden does not love israel. And frankly it should be spoken to a lot of a tab. Its all jewish people by habit, and its shaded, yes, they vote for the democrats and black people by habit, vote for the democrats. I know joe, weve talked about this so many times but it literally, any other politician in the history of america had just said that one thing right there theyd be gone if he just said that one, never mind. The trump over the weekend said joe biden did cocaine before the se of the union and over the weekend, he said, if, you know, if we had if only we could have people coming in from denmark just individually, each one of those things if they had been said by any other politician in the history of the United States, theyd be gone in trumps says that one thing hes doubling down and he nothing, nothing will happen. There are no consequences jim, youre so right. Anybody else any other i say this as a former candidate, you would be done the media, not you the media has done such a disservice in rushing by the hundreds of horrible things he says, every day, jim, this is his secret sauce. He throws so much hard me against the wall every day and we normalize it you nailed it. I mean, yes. Over the weekend, he said the president of the United States was high on cocaine during the state of the union. Nobody talked about that. We cant do this. There was eclipsed yeah. It was yeah in shock. I mean, this this leads me to the next thing which i didnt want to get this in. Were kind of bounce around a lot, but rfk juniors, New York State director, had this to say about her top priority in november, it will close on this talk about it the only way for him for bobby to shake it up and to get rid of biden is if hes on the ballot in every state, including new york, whether you support bobby or trump. We all oppose biden my thoughts are that thats the number one priority in the country and the Kennedy Campaign is downplaying this. Theyre saying shes not involved in electoral strategy nationally in new york she was speaking as a private citizen in her statements have no way reflect the strategy of the kennedy camp i was recently recently at the Kennedy Library and massachusetts is just a remarkable place that its just, its anyw