joining us now, elliot williams and cnn contributor and donald trump biographer. i want to start with you. clearly something has changed. the state attorney's office has looked at this as a civil matter. now it's criminal. what does this tell you? >> you know those pictures of memes online of how it started and how it ended, remember, this started, the president's legal woes looking into stormy daniels and payments to porn stars and now it's blown up into what looks like a major financial investigation. what it appears to be doing, john, is in the course of investigating civil wrongs found something that didn't look right and appeared to have some sort of criminal element to it and brought the dchl a.'s office in. it, in effect, helps both offices out. >> and, michael. i imagine there are more than a few people who are looking that and are worried. explain how the trump organization is structured and who might be kind of fearful that this investigation has gone from civil to criminal. >> well, within the trump organization there's always been this effort to allen

cnn legal analyst elliot williams joins us with more.ally said that was justified? >> a couple things. number one, they can sue under their own capacity under federal law, 983 suit, that the officers were acting under color of state law and violated his civil rights. look, also the justice department itself can bring criminal charges here. the challenge is that that's just a really high standard and burden to meet, to bring a criminal charge, the justice department has to establish that officers willfully set out to violate someone's civil rights, willfully set taught to use excessive force, and that's just really, really hard to prove in case like this, particularly where it all happens very quickly. we'll see. again, there's the justice department bringing criminal charges and the personal lawsuit are both avenues for the family. >> let me ask you about what to most people or some people seems leak a conflict here. the da yesterday said the actions of the deputies were justified and reasonable, but now i want you to listen positive she

also, with us, cnn legal analyst, elliot williams, former-federal prosecutor. nvestigation is at? given its office has told one witness to prepare for grand jury testimony? >> they have reached a point in their investigation, that the district attorney believes there is evidence of a crime. you know, it would be responsible for any prosecutor's office to have reached this point, and not believe that there was at least some suggestion that there had been a crime. now, look. in the grand jury, the prosecution has a relatively low bar to clear. it's probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. which basically, means, in plain language, that it's more likely, than not, that a crime was committed. now, it seems, based on the fact that they are calling evidence and where they are, they probably know more than that. and -- and are calling witnesses to establish that. so, this is beyond the point where they're just poking around, and looking for documents. and i think they're, in all likelihood, on to something. >> couldn't it be possible, though, they jus

elliot williams and anthony barksdale. bark, i'll start with you. you did job. you were the basicing commissioner in baltimore. this was the da's decision to put out this footage, this way. he's got access to more. he doesn't want us to have it. this is what he wants them to see. if this is his best reckoning of the situation, do you see where he gets the conclusion that they had to act the way they did? >> chris, i have no idea how this da stands there at the podium and delivers the message that he did today. it is unbelievable. you say i did the job. let me go a little further here. i was what was called a cover man in baltimore. i was in a highly active drug unit so i made the decision as a cover man to shoot or don't shoot in several hundred search warrants. to fire a weapon when you're saying your concerned about fellow officers in these officers are down the corner sitting in vehicles and you shoot at him, that is a huge problem. this da is trying to put a jedi mind trick on the nation and the doj needs to dive in because those shots from behind are a huge

former federal prosecutor elliot williams is here with us.this is what i would call a case of first impression. i've never seen it before and i'm trying to wrap my head around it. i get that they provided an invaluable service. they stood up, they took note, they were willing to testify. but are we somehow setting a dangerous precedent here ? misbehavior but really isn't. it's just people engaging in almost a new kind of economy. like you said, it's a case of first impression. we're just beginning to see it for the first time. >> well, i fully acknowledge that if you were to say it's a problem, i don't know how we'd police it. i don't know how you prevent it. but i'm worried about the future high-profile case where maybe there's a witness who's going to offer testimony that is against popular sentiment. and now they think to themselves, boy, that could ruin a later payday. i get it, if they lie and you can prove it, you can charge them with perjury, but that's a hard thing to prove in many instances.s. >> the issue here is crowd funding. the

elliot williams is here with us. counselor, this is what i would call a case of first impression. and i'm trying to wrap my head around it. i get that they provided an invaluable service. they stood up, they took note, they were willing to testify. but are we somehow setting a dangerous precedent here? >> you know, michael, in the grand scheme of things that ail our criminal justice system, this is not the hill to die on, i think. just increasingly our world is seeing crowd funding as a way of people giving money back and forth to each other. think about all the people you've heard of who have had cancer or lost a job or something like that. it's just becoming a norm in society. now, with respect to witness system, there's a lot of ways to ensure that the law ensures the witnesses are being honest and candid and truthful on the stand. number one, if a witness lies they can be charged with perjury. number two, if someone is seen as bribing or paying off a witness, they can be charged with a crime. number three, if it turns out somebody has behaved improperly in the process, then yo