Bernie Sanders: Donald Trump is a Pathological Liar

U.S. Democrat presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders told the sister of Sam DuBose, who was killed by a police officer in Cincinnati, that if elected president, he would hold the police accountable for killings.

“Any police officer who breaks the law must be held accountable,” he told participant Terina Allen at the Democrat Town Hall in Ohio.    

“If elected president of the U.S. my department of justice will investigate the death of any American held in custody.”    

Sanders added that fundamental changes had to happen within the police force.    

“We need to demilitarize the police so they don’t look like occupying forces,” he said.    

Sanders came back swinging after Donald Trump accused him of paying his supporters to disrupt his events.

The Vermont senator said on Sunday, "Donald Trump is a pathological liar. Our campaign will never encourage anyone to disrupt anything."    

Commenting on the fact that Trump offered to pay the legal fees of one of his supporters who punched a protester in the face, Sanders said, "What that means is that Donald Trump is literally inciting violence among his supporters."    

"I hope he tones it down and tells his supporters that violence is not acceptable in the political process."    

Two days before fives states hold critical primary elections, the two Democrat candidates are meeting with voters in a question-answer Town Hall hosted by CNN and TV One.    

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are appearing at the event at the Ohio State University after giving separate speeches Ohio Democratic Party dinner. Ohio is in one of the crucial states that they will battle for next week.    

Unlike in debates, the two hopefuls will not directly exchange, but questions will come from CNN and TV One moderators, as well as Ohio voters.    

Liker her Democratic counterpart, Clinton condemned Trump in her initial statements to the Town Hall.

"You don't make America great by tearing down everything that made America great. We have to stand with one voice and reject that," she said.    

The comments come after Clinton was heavily criticized on social media for a statement that seemed to blame protesters for violence at Trump rallies. The senator appeared to use her platform to take a harder line against Trump.    

“Donald Trump is responsible for what happens at his events he is the person who for months not just inciting but applauding violence,” she added.    

@telesurenglish #DemTownHall | Clinton: "Donald Trump has been applauding violence and inciting violence." http://bit.ly/1poB9aA

She sought to allay fears by Town Hall participants who questioned whether she may continue policies promoting war. Clinton has been criticized as a war hawk and promoting instability throughout the world including Latin America.    

“Force should always be a last resort and not a force choice,” she said.    

Ricky Jackson, a Town Hall participant who spent 39 years in prison and who was exonerated by Ohio’s Innocence Project also questioned Clinton’s support for the death penalty.    

“I came perilously close to my own execution,” the unfairly incarcerated former prisoner said. “In light of that and the documented cases of innocent people who have been executed and in light of of what you know right now Senator. How can you take your stance?”    

Clinton appeared taken aback by the emotional question qualifying her support for the death penalty in only federal cases where there has been “mass killings,” while expressing her regret about Jackson’s ordeal.    

“What happened to you is a travesty and I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through. We are all so regretful that any person has to be what you went through,” she said.    

Clinton has been criticized heavily before by many who believe her the former administration of her husband, Bill Clinton, enabled the expansion of mass incarceration.    

The increasingly contentious race comes after Sanders’ surprise win in the Michigan primary, raising hopes that he could beat Clinton to the nomination.    

According to the most recent NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll, Clinton leaders Sanders 61 percent to 34 percent in Florida, 51 percent to 45 percent in Illinois, and 58 percent to 38 percent in Ohio.    

But though Clinton is winning among Black voters, Sanders in making ground among Latinos,and is beating his rival in Illinois among Latino voters, 64 percent to 30 percent.    

In Florida, Sanders, is up by eight points against  Donald Trump, 50 percent to 42 percent, and seven points versus Ted Cruz, 48 percent to 41 percent.    

As of Sunday, Clinton has won 1,231 delegates, which include 465 superdelegates, while Sanders has 576, of which 25 are superdelegates. A candidate needs 2,383 to win the nomination. There are 2,958 still up for grabs. For Tuesday's primaries, Florida has 246 delegates, Illinois 182, Missouri 84, North Carolina 121 and Ohio 160.