Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Episode Date: November 15, 2023

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, tensions in Congress hitting a breaking point and nearly coming to blows in the Senate. Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullina, former MMA fighter, face-to-face with a union boss, standing up in the middle of a hearing, challenging him to a fight. Senator Bernie Sanders stepping in, smashing the gavel for order, and on the other side of the Capitol allegations of physical violence. A Tennessee congressman saying former Speaker Kevin McCarthy elbowed him in the kidneys, while giving an interview. McCarthy is saying,

if he did do that, that other representative would be on the ground. What we know about a new ethics complaint. Tale of the tape, a massive leak in Georgia in that election interference case against former President Trump, video-going public of lawyers accused of trying to help Trump

overturn the election, flipping for prosecutors. The Georgia DA frustrated with the leak filing an emergency motion to guard evidence in that case, what this mean for Trump's legal battle in Georgia. Fight for hostages in Israeli soldier in Hamas custody killed after terrorists took her hostage on October 7th. The news coming the same day of the largest pro-Israel rally in the U.S.

since the war broke out, tens of thousands rallying against Hamas and pushing for the release of those other kidnapped hostages. In the line of fire, harrowing videos of the moment a man saves a police officer from a gunfight dragging him to safety on a highway as bullets fly by. Plus, sheriff versus Target, a California sheriff working a bus shoplifting, blasting Target stores for their policies. What he says Target told his deputies to do that sounds more like public relations than crime fighting. One alleged shoplifters stealing multiple items that immediately going to customer service to return them for a profit. All of it leading to items locked up and customers fed up. You'll hear directly from him coming up.

A truck in Florida smashing into a game stop, just missing a pedestrian, what the driver was trying to do when he hit the gas and launched into the storefront. Top story starts right now. Tonight, that major vote in the House of Representatives taking a key step to avert a government shutdown, but that's getting overshadowed by tempers on Capitol Hill and even threats of a physical fight in the middle of a Senate hearing. Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullins, a Republican on a committee handling labor rights. He's also a former MMA fighter and wrestler, sparring with Teamsters President. You see him here, Sean O'Brien. They've but heads before, both online and in Twitter

and previous hearings, but this time it came close to actually coming to blows. Take a look. Well, staying your butt up, then. You stand your butt up. Oh, hold on. Oh, stop it. Is that your solution to every poll? No, no, sit down. As you saw right there, committee chairman, Senator Bernie Sanders, keeping the situation from turning really ugly. Then there are these allegations of a physical altercation on the Hill. Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett, you see him there on the left. He was one of the Republicans to vote Kevin McCarthy out of the speakership. Today, Congressman Burchett says McCarthy elbowed him right in the kidneys while walking by.

The former speaker says it didn't happen. An NPR reporter, though, interviewing Burchett caught the audio of it happening. you'll hear that in just a moment. And another Republican to vote out McCarthy, Florida's Matt Gates, well, he filed an ethics complaint about that alleged altercation, but notably, Gates wasn't even there when it happened. Republican infighting on full display in ways we have not seen before. NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Noble starts us off tonight there.

Tonight chaos on Capitol Hill. Oh, hold on. Stop it. Is that your solution to Republican? A fight, nearly breaking out at a hearing of the Senate Health education, labor, and pensions committee between Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen of Oklahoma and Teamsters union president, Sean O'Brien. Mullen, a former MMA fighter, challenging O'Brien after he seemed to threaten the senator on Twitter following a labor union hearing in June, writing, quote, greedy CEO who pretends like he's self-made, in reality just a clown and a fraud.

Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these Senate hearings. You know where to find me. any time, any place, cowboy. Sir, this is a time, this is a place. If you want to run your mouth, we can be to consenting adults. We can finish it here. Okay, that's fine. Perfect.

You want to do it now? I'd love to do it right now. Well, stand your butt up then. You stand your butt up. Committee chair, Senator Bernie Sanders, stepping in, where the two men could come to blows. You know, you're a United States senator. Actively. Sit down, please.

All right. Can I respond? Hold it. Hold it. If we can, no. I have the mind. I'm sorry. This is what he said. You'll have your time. Okay. Can I respond? No, you can't. This is a hearing. And God knows the American people have enough of contempt for Congress. Let's not make it worse. Mullen, unapologetic after the hearing, citing Congress's at times violent past. Are you concerned that that's the way the conversation is happening here on Capitol Hill? People's been fighting for a long time. I mean, go back to 1800s. They should have canings. It was legal to do duels. If you have a difference, you have a difference.

I have no hard feelings. It's not personal to me. He just challenged me, and I accepted the challenge. And in the House, a physical altercation between former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and one of the eight Republican congressmen who ousted him from power, Tim Burchett of Tennessee. Kevin McCarthy walked by, elbowed me in the kidneys, as he walked by. An NPR reporter interviewing Burchett, capturing audio of that moment. Sorry, Kevin, didn't mean to elbow. Why'd you elbow me in the back, Kevin? Hey, Kevin, you got any guts? Jerk. I said, hey, Kevin.

And he didn't answer, and he heard me. And then I checked after him. We had a few words. He just acted like, oh, I don't know what you're talking about. McCarthy late tonight denying he ever hit Birchett intentionally. I did not run and hit the guy. I did not kid me, punch him. If I would hit somebody, they would know I'd think.

And now Matt Gates, the Florida congressman who led the revolt against McCarthy, filing an ethics complaint against him over the incident. despite not witnessing it in person and facing his own ethics complaint for alleged sexual misconduct and misuse of funds. I think ethics is a good place for Gates to be. All right, Ryan Nobles with that. He joins us now live from Capitol Hill. Ryan, I can't get over this part anytime, anywhere, cowboy. It's just, it's incredible where the dialogue has gotten there in Capitol Hill. I do want to transition to something more serious, right? We're just three days out from that looming deadline to avert a government shutdown. What do we know has happened in the house

tonight. Well, it looks as though, Tom, we're in a situation where they're going to be able to avoid that shutdown by Friday. The House passing a short-term spending plan that will get them through mid-January. It actually will have two separate deadlines, one for mid-January, one for mid-February, and the Senate could take it up as soon as tomorrow and have it on the president's test by Friday. But make no mistake, even though we'll avoid the shutdown this week, it's not going to solve any of the problems. Republicans and Democrats remain really far apart on a long-term spending package. In fact, Republicans and Republicans remain pretty far apart on a long-term spending package. So while we're not going to have a shutdown this week, there is still the

distinct possibility that there's one coming our way in the next couple of months, Tom. All right, Ryan, and as the entire country gets to know the new Speaker of the House, I know you and your fellow reporters probably know him pretty well, but, you know, most of America's learning about him. We now know who he's going to support in the race for president. Let's take a listen. I was one of the closest allies that President Trump had in Congress. He had a phenomenal first term. Those first two years, as you all know, we brought about the greatest economic numbers

in the history of the world, not just the country, because his policies worked. And I'm all in for President Trump. Okay, good. I expect he'll be our nominee, yeah. And he's going to win it, and we have to make Biden a one-term president. We have to do that. Representative Mike Johnson there on CNBC endorsing former President Trump. Talk to me about what this means for both Johnson and Trump going forward into the election, Ryan.

Well, it did come as a bit of a surprise that Johnson just decided to announce his plans on CNBC. In general, the Speaker of the House, particularly if it's a competitive primary, tries to stay above the fray. I mean, in many respects, the Speaker of the House is the highest-ranking Republican in any elected office right now. And we saw Kevin McCarthy, who was a Trump ally in every way, ship and form, stay new. during the primary, for the exact reason that if Trump were not to win, he didn't want to, in any way, tarnish the eventual Republican nominee. Johnson, not taking that route. Probably a clear indication of where Donald Trump stands in the polls, but also where he stands within the Republican caucus. Perhaps the strongest bastion of support for Donald Trump, at least among elected leaders, is in the House Republican caucus. And that's where Mike Johnson is the leader right now. Tom.

All right. Ryan Noble's covering literally every angle of Capitol Hill tonight for us. Ryan, we appreciate it. Now to the Georgia election interference case against former President Trump and the major leak. Video interviews with several witnesses who have made plea deals to give testimony against Trump now going public. Vaughn Hilliard with the fallout and what these witnesses are saying. Tonight, the Georgia District Attorney in the Trump election case expressing frustration publicly after a major leak of video interviews. Surprising, no disappointing, yes. The confidential videos like this, obtained by the. the Washington Post and ABC News show defendants that have entered plea agreements in the election

interference case. No, his instinct was he had won. District Attorney Fannie Willis filing an emergency motion with the court today to prevent those charged in the case from publicly sharing evidence, saying the order is needed to protect witnesses and to safeguard sensitive and confidential information. Ms. Powell, were you ever around when someone, anyone told Donald Trump, that he had lost the election. Oh, yeah.

Sidney Powell, the one-time lawyer for then-President Trump in the weeks after his 2020 election loss, pleaded guilty last month and sat down for this proper with prosecutors as part of her agreement, offering to provide accurate and truthful statements, which could be used against Trump and others. He never told you, like, this is crazy, stop giving me this information. No.

The Washington Post also reports that Kenneth Chesbrough, the architect of the fake elector scheme, testified that he had a separate White House meeting with Trump, debriefing him on the effort and advising him about the plans to send competing or fake electors to be counted in Washington on January 6th. If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these post-election challenges.

Another video that went public, the statements from Jenna Ellis to prosecutors, another former Trump lawyer who was often at the side of Rudy Giuliani. She also entered a plea agreement and told, prosecutors that she was told by longtime Trump aide Dan Skavino in December of 2020 that Trump had no intention of leaving the White House. And he said to me and I kind of excited tone, well, we don't care and we're not going to leave. And I said, what do you mean? And he said, well, the boss, meaning President Trump and everyone understood the boss. That's what we all called him. He said,

the boss is not going to leave under any circumstances. We are just going to stay in power. And I said, well, it doesn't quite work that way, you realize. And he said, we don't care. In a statement, Trump's lead Georgia attorney slamming, quote, any purported private conversation as meaningless. A month before Skavino's alleged comments, just after the 2020 election, Trump in a heated exchange with the reporter when asked about leaving the White House. I think it's a possibility. They're trying to look, between you people, don't talk to me that way. You're just a lightweight.

Don't talk to me that way. Don't talk to, I'm the president of the United States. Don't ever talk to the president that way. Now, Tom, that hearing for that possible protective order in Georgia is scheduled for 1.30 tomorrow afternoon in Atlanta. And as for the potential federal gag order stemming from the federal election interference charges from the special counsel, Jack Smith's office, that hearing is going before the judge this upcoming Monday in Washington, D.C.

Tom? Okay, Vaughn Hilliard for us tonight. Vaughn, I appreciate that. for more legal analysis on what this leak means for former President Trump's case down there in Georgia. I want to bring in NBC News legal analyst Danny Sabalos, who joins us now in the studio. Danny, there was some legalese, if you will, in that piece. A proffer. Explain to our viewers what exactly that is. So proffer is a sneak preview.

It's a meeting that you typically have with your client and the government, the prosecutors, and the deal is this. My guy will come in and tell you what he knows. That way you'll know government, prosecutors, whether or not you are, interested in extending to him a deal. Because like any other business transaction, the government, the prosecutors, they don't want to buy in or invest in a cooperating witness if they don't like the story he has to tell. So that's what a proffer is. The person, the client has to come in and speak truthfully, honestly, and it's got to be something that impresses the prosecutor.

Normally they give them some form of immunity only for what they say in that room, not overall blank in immunity forever and ever. So we have two videos, right, of lawyers who were working for former President Trump and a third lawyer. We have his words reported by the Washington Post. Why do you think this was leaked? Who does this help? There's an argument that maybe this was leaked to intimidate other potential witnesses. It may have been leaked instead to show that these witnesses are not as, for example, I can't help but notice that Ellis. We talked about Jenna Ellis, right? I don't think her evidence that she gives him that proffer, is all that...

Talking about Dan Scavino, it's almost hearsay. Okay, the social media director said he's not leaving. I don't know how that hurts Trump in that courtroom. You're talking like a lawyer, Tom. It's almost double hearsay. It's what somebody told to somebody who then told to Jenna Ellis. It'd be difficult to even get that into evidence. And it makes me wonder what made the Fulton County DA so interested in Jenna Ellis's testimony

that they were willing to give her, which by any analysis was a very good deal. All the lawyers who have pleaded guilty, all the defendants who have pleaded guilty in Fulton County, have gotten good deals. So what is the cooperation that they're giving in return? We're getting a glimpse here. And so far, it's a mixed bag. But the Chesboro stuff from the Washington Post, that is incredibly damning

because he testifies that former President Trump knew fake electors were going in. That's hard to walk back from, I've got to think. That is difficult. So any evidence that shows what Trump actually knew, not what people maybe told him, not what someone told him, and then he told someone and then he told somebody else.

But any evidence that tends to show that Donald Trump was aware that what he was doing was wrong, that he had, in fact, lost the election, and that he was pursuing a lie. That's going to be evidence that's going to be helpful to the Fulton County DA. How does this impact Trump's case? Not really. I mean, the proffer evidence is stuff that the defendants had to get. They're going to mine it for... And Trump's attorneys would have known about this. They would have seen this stuff. Absolutely. That would have been turned over to them as part of what's called Jenks material, discovery disclosures. So this is information that they must have known about. They have to look at it

and they're going to scour it for inconsistencies from these witnesses. That too could be a reason this helps the defense. You put this video out there and you show that, hey, these people aren't as ironclad in their accusations of Trump. And just because they're cooperated, one more thing to the thing I notice as a defense attorney, notice how in those proper videos, there's always a theme that. It's strange how the cooperators always like, and I told him, don't do that. That is wrong. Look, cooperators, they're in there, not for a public service. They're in there to help themselves. Finally, the DA here has filed a motion, right, to sort of secure this evidence.

But I don't think it's been ruled on yet. You know why it's taking so much time? I mean, it's state court takes longer to do everything. If you're used to dealing with federal court, things move lightning fast. This could be state court. Judge may have a lot on his plate. He probably has other cases, other things to look at. So I'm sure it's got a priority, but it is something that should be dealt with relative

quickly because this really could have an impact on witnesses and their testimony. Danny Savalas, always a pleasure to have you on. Thank you so much for that. We appreciate it. We want to turn out to the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces insisting that Al-Shefa Hospital, Gaza's largest, is host to some of Hamas's military infrastructure. This is the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, says Israel has informed them that it plans to storm the Shifa complex in the coming minutes. The IDF confirms it is carrying out a precise and targeted operation in the Shifa. Hospital right now. NBC's Ralph Sanchez has more from Israel tonight. Tonight, Israel says its military is now in control of Gaza City Center, as the largest

hospital there is becoming a graveyard. Without power, water, or basic medical supplies, staff at El Shifa Hospital tell NBC News they buried 80 people today in a mass grave. In nearby streets, other Palestinians lie where they were killed. And as fighting rages all around the hospital, Time is running out for dozens of premature babies whose incubators can't run without power. How are you caring for these little babies? Okay, we cover them from below and from above. So to cover them to keep the temperature, okay. Israel's military says it's prepared to evacuate them using mobile incubators.

But the hospital says it's received no firm offer from the IDF. Tonight, the U.S. says its intelligence shows Hamas and Palestinian. and Islamic Jihad are using hospitals to conceal operations, a claim Hamas denies. Hamas and PIJ members operate a command and control node from Al-Shefa Hospital in Gaza City. They have weapons stored there and are prepared to respond to an Israeli military operation against the facility. Gaza's remaining hospitals struggling to serve the estimated 180 women giving birth every day. And the newest arrival, Razan's little daughter, born

Just a few hours earlier, the family fled Gaza City by foot. My fear and my exhaustion are what made me give birth before my due date, she says. Fragile new life emerging into the horror of war. All right, Raf Sanchez joins us tonight from Tel Aviv. Raf, you reported in your piece there about U.S. intelligence essentially confirming Hamas has a center, command center, beneath the Al-Shefa hospital. And we saw this video last night that the IDF release. We're showing it to our viewers now.

what they say is a Hamas fighter using this hospital as cover. What new reporting do we have on this? Because this has been such a critical issue in this war. Yeah, Tom, so this is significant. The U.S. is saying it has its own independent intelligence that both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are hiding their fighters inside of hospitals, storing weapons there, in some cases,

even keeping hostages there. We do not know exactly how the U.S. knows this. We know that there are American reconnaissance drones that have been flying missions above Gaza, specifically looking for any sign of the hostages. And we know that the United States has enormous capacity to intercept phone calls, to collect electronic communications. But we're not used to hearing about American intelligence inside of Gaza itself. And it is worth saying, even though the U.S. is now confirming this militant activity inside Al-S.

hospital and other hospitals, they are still urging Israel to show restraints militarily around those medical facilities. Ralph, so much of the reporting, so much of our questions have been about the hostages, right, and what's happened to those hostages. And I know you have some new reporting about an Israeli soldier that was taken hostage. That's right. So the Israeli military is confirming that a 19-year-old soldier, Noah Marciano, has died in Hamas captivity.

That is significant because it's not. first time Israel is confirming the death of a hostage. Hamas released a claim last night saying that this young woman was dead. They blamed her death on an Israeli airstrike. Israel is not confirming that. And they say they hold Hamas solely responsible given that she died while in captivity. Tom. New reporting for us out there, Raf, thank you. For more on the military analysis of what's happening right now. I want to bring in NBC News, military analysts and retired four-star General Barry McCaffrey. General, thanks so much. I want to start with that breaking news we've just learned about the news that the IDF is carrying an operation at the Shifa Hospital. What do you make of

this? Well, look, a great tragedy is unfolding, obviously, in Gaza. Conducting high-intensity combat operations in an urban area is bound to have devastating effect, not just on infrastructure, but also innocent civilians. The good news is the overwhelming majority of civilians are now, out of North Gaza, and indeed, I think probably a targeted ground attack by the IDF. Most of these Hamas fighters will be underground, will result in almost immediate improvement in the humanitarian capabilities to support the people, not just who are patients and the medical staff, but also the tens of thousands who have congregated in nearby to hospital schools, UN designated areas. So I think there's actually by the end of this week probably good news

that the violence will diminish in central Gaza. General, do you see Israeli soldiers essentially taking over that hospital and running it, or at least monitoring it to make sure that Hamas is not using that as a command post? That's sort of a strange scene when you think about it. Yeah, well, of course, we've seen it before. And they're going to obviously try and comply with international law, not attack civilians or disrupt the operations of a chaotic, desperate situation in the hospital.

Most of those Hamas fighters, I'm relatively sure, will not choose to shoot it out on wards. They'll be underground. So I wouldn't think this is a pending disaster, but instead probably a dramatic improvement in the likelihood of this medical staff being able to carry out their responsibilities. You know, General, we had spoken about this, and the big fear in Israel was that some of these bombings would essentially kill hostages.

Hamas tonight saying that, indeed, the bombing from Israel hasn't killed one of their own soldiers who was a kidnapped hostage being held in Gaza. We don't know if that's true. That's coming from Hamas, but, you know, it stands to reason that with all this bombing, there's obviously going to be casualties. We know so many in Gaza have died, so many civilians, and there might be hostages that die. As a general, as somebody who thinks about battle plans, how do you sort of make that calculation? Well, Tom, it's impossible to make a rational analysis. I think what the IDF and Israeli political

leadership that's decided is they must eliminate Hamas as a governing agency in Gaza. That's what they're going to do, one way or the other. They've got to do that, or they'll be We've watched the Hamas leadership in recent days on TV in Lebanon saying we promise more 7 October attacks. So that's what their purpose is. But at the same time, I think, you know, we need some pan-Arab solution. There needs to be a security force that comes in to administer Gaza and probably the West Bank. But these political solutions, given the levels of hatred on the part of Hamas and the Palestinian population, toward Israel, maybe a decade in the making.

So this is a miserable, dangerous situation, but for sure, it's going to get better if Hamas is eliminated. They're a cruel, despotic group to their own people, not just Israel. On that last point, though, Israel has said they will have overall security responsibility in Gaza. That's a quote from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

from last week. What do you think that is? Do you think that's, as you just mentioned, an indefinite period of war in Gaza? And how long do the Israelis have to commit to doing that? Well, I think it's sort of self-evident at face value that if Amos owns, runs, administers, and has the security forces, maybe 30,000 fighters max, that if they're eliminated, the IDF will sit on the ground until somebody replaces them.

Either Palestinian new leadership emerges or pan-Arab group goes in there, but Israel couldn't possibly just go in, conduct high-intensity combat operations, devastate a lot of the infrastructure in Gaza, and then withdraw immediately. So we need a diplomatic pan-Arab solution. Where is Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. They have billions of dollars. where they must step forward and help in the reconstruction and the administration of Gaza. It's a great point. Okay, General McCaffrey, we thank you for joining Top Story tonight. Staying with the war and the show of solidarity for Israel here at home, tens of thousands of demonstrators condemning anti-Semitism at a march for Israel in Washington and demanding for the release of those hostages held by Hamas. NBC's senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez has the details.

In the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, a dramatic show of solidarity, the largest pro-Israel demonstration in the U.S. since the war began. The amount of anti-Semitism in America is something that in my life I never, ever thought I would see. Around the National Mall ramped up security. Overnight, Jewish groups bust in members from around the country. When you first saw the images coming out of Israel on October 7th, what went through your head? disbelief. Hedy Milgram came here from Cleveland. Her parents survived the Holocaust.

We are standing up for our people and for what we know is right. Speaker after speaker, calling for an end to anti-Semitic attacks around the world and for the safe return of Hamas' captives. Today, President Biden with a message for the hostages families. Hang in there, we're coming.

But as the fighting rages in Gaza, the worldwide outcry has intensified. Over the last few days, a massive pro-Palestinian demonstration. in London and rallies in New York, Boston, and Miami Beach. Just yesterday in Chicago, more than 100 arrests, as this group called for a ceasefire. We don't want the United States to continually fund ethnic cleansing. Tonight, here in Washington, there is uncertainty on the home front.

This couple has a son fighting with the Israeli defense forces in Gaza. They haven't heard from him for a week and a half. My sleepless nights are hoping that I don't get a phone call. and hoping that he comes home soon and that they're all safe. The Department of Homeland Security had raised a security threat level for today's event, but there were no arrests and no major counter-demonstrations. Tom? Okay, Gabe, we thank you for that.

Next, we want to head to Ohio and a fatal collision between a bus carrying high school students and a semi-truck. At least three people are dead and 15 more are injured in that accident. NBC's Maggie Vespa has the heartbreaking details. Tonight, chaos and carnage on an Ohio interstate. We have heavy fire. Authorities say a charter bus filled with students and chaperones was apparently hit by a semi-truck.

We are being advised that there is children trapped on the bus. We didn't know it was children. We found out later. I mean, that's even harder. It happened just before nine this morning, investigators say, on a busy I-70 east of Columbus. NBC affiliate WCMH reporting the bus. bus was carrying students from Tuscarus Valley High School in Northeast Ohio on their way to a conference.

This is our worst nightmare when we have a bus full of children involved in a crash. The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the crash involving five vehicles total sent 18 people to the hospital, 15 of them children. County officials confirm at least three people have died. Authorities tonight declining to release names, adding their working to reach families. Investigators close the interstate, diverting traffic for hours. We have to break down, you know, what exactly caused the crash? Tonight, the superintendent of Tuscarus Valley local schools calling the news devastating and heartbreaking, writing, our Trojan family is strong. Maggie Vespa, NBC News. Next to a dramatic rescue out of Houston, an officer shot in the leg by a suspected carjacker,

stranded on the middle of a highway. A bystander now being hailed a hero for pulling that officer to safety during a gun battle on the side of the street. All of it captured by his own camera. NBC Stephen Romo has this story. As Officer John Gibson sat bleeding on this Houston highway, a barrage of bullets soared through the air around him. An unlikely hero springing into action, bystander John Lolley, dragging the injured 29-year-old. behind his truck and out of the line of fire. And I saw him get shot and I knew he got shot because he like buckled to the ground

and then he tried to stand back up and then he buckled again. Look at me. Lally comforting officer Gibson who was shot in the leg during the exchange of fire with a suspected carjacker. Hey, I'm still here with you, buddy. You hear me? What's your name? My name's John too.

I said, I want to let you know that you're going to be okay. the officer already put a tourniquet on your leg. I knew he was going through pain. And I know when you're going through that type of pain, like just somebody talking to you and being there with you and like holding your hand is probably going to take your mind off a lot of that. Police say the suspect who was wanted for multiple carjackies and aggravated robbery fled when officers began trailing him early Saturday morning. There was a violent crash. He crashed in several vehicles. He got out the vehicle and the officers got out. He engaged and shot one of our officers.

He went down at that time. After a 10-minute shootout with officers, the suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police now heralding Lally, who in the past found himself on the wrong side of the law, a hero. There's one citizen out there who has had some trouble with law enforcement in his life. But today, he and a few other citizens, alone with our officers. And that officer went down. they pulled him to safety. And I want to celebrate that.

Officer Gibson tonight, in stable condition, expected to make a full recovery. I hope that I wouldn't have to do it again, but if I had to, like, I will. And I encourage anybody that can help anybody to continue to help people, especially if y'all take pride in this city. All right, we thank Stephen Romo for that.

Still ahead tonight, a crash caught on camera in Florida. A truck crashing into a game stop store, injured at least seven people what the driver was trying to do at the time of that crash. Plus, a warning for parents tonight, a popular kind of applesauce, linked to lead poisoning and toddlers, the symptoms to look out for. And an update tonight on Dexter Wade, a Mississippi man who was killed by an off-duty cop, then buried in an unmarked grave, why his mother is furious over how and when his body was just exhumed.

Stay with us. We're back now with the latest in the death of Dexter Wade, the Mississippi man who was struck and killed by an off-duty police officer and then buried in an unmarked grave without his family's knowledge. Questions continue to mount this week when Wade's mother went to the scheduled exhumation of her son's body and found he had already been moved. NBC's Maura Barrett reports. Tonight, a mother's anguish turning to anger. Betterson Wade thought she'd finally get some peace of mind, working with Hins County Mississippi officials to exhume the remains of her son, Dexter, who was killed and buried without her knowing.

But Public Works officials went ahead with the plan hours before she arrived. I didn't get to see him come from the ground. Okay, cover up. I mean, y'all keep telling me, y'all didn't do it on intentionally? This is not the intention to me. But how is this as y'all child? What would y'all think? Her son's remains had already been dug up and put into a body bag.

Wade says the county made her feel like she doesn't exist and that it didn't matter she's a mother looking to honor her son. The Public Works Department did not return a request for comment. She had to fight for transparency just to get to this point. And even though it's emotional, she ain't no way's tired. For us, it's almost a funeral in reverse. Wade had filed a missing person's report in March, only to find out six months later her son had been struck and killed by an off-duty Jackson police officer while crossing a highway. He was then buried in an unmarked grave behind the county jail. Only thing I could say, Dexter, I tried to find you and I could. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry you are here.

Jackson Police have not responded to NBC's questions about the case. But according to the coroner's office, an investigator did identify Dexter. and shared contact information for his mother with the police. But Beterson says she never got a call. At no point have we identified or did any investigation reveal that there was any police misconduct in this process and that there was any malicious intent. The premature exhumation, another insult for a grieving mother. And as her attorneys see it,

a situation that now makes it impossible to know the condition in which Dexter's remains were buried. And it begs the question about all those other unknown bodies in that graveyard. How many of those families that think their loved ones are missing? We're going to get to the truth. Not just for your son, but for other children. All right, with that, Mara Barrett joins us now live in studio. So, Maura, my question is because we don't really know this. I don't know if we know this yet.

There was an off-duty officer who hit that man who sort of led to all this. Do we know if that person has been investigated, are they charged? Do we even know their name? Well, as of right now, all that we do know is that the officer was off-duty at the time all of this unfolded. I called the city and the police department looking for clarification on whether the officer is still employed, what that status is, and whether or not this could be involved as part of the larger federal investigation that the family is calling for. We still, like you said, don't know who this officer. officer is. Now, as for next steps for the Wade family, their attorneys are setting up an

independent autopsy and are planning a funeral for next week. So to be clear, we call, we try to figure out who the soft-duty officer was to see how this whole thing happened and we've gotten nothing so far. No details yet. Okay. More Barifers. It's more great to have you here in studio. When we come back, a dramatic day in court for Paul Pelosi's alleged attacker, in a surprise move, David DePap testifying in his own defense, breaking down and crying multiple times on the stand, what he claims drove him to attack Nancy Pelosi's husband and their San Francisco home. That's next. Back now with Top Stories Newsfeiting, we begin with the trial of the man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi.

The suspect surprisingly taking the stand. 43-year-old David DePape testifying in federal court, where no cameras are allowed, saying he regretted beating Pelosi because they had a, quote, good rapport than breaking down in tears multiple times as he claimed he was radicalized by political podcast and online conspiracy theorists. De Pap is facing charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official's family member. A truck slamming into a game stop in Margate, Florida. Check this out. Surveillance video showing the moment a city parks and recreation truck

barreled into the store, narrowly missing a guy was walking by. Authorities say the driver stepped on the gas instead of the break while trying to avoid another collision in the parking lot. At least seven people were hurt in this crash to remain in critical condition. And a health alert, the CDC warning parents and doctors about lead poisoning in toddlers linked to applesauce pouches. The agency saying at least 22 toddlers in 14 states have been sickened. The outbreak tied to recalled cinnamon apple sauce from the brand's Wanabana, Shucks, and Wienabana. twice. CDC officials say doctors should be on the lookout for symptoms including headaches and stomach cramps in kids and should test for lead levels if they've eaten those products.

All right, time now for money talks, what consumers and investors need to know from the business world and beyond. A new government report revealing today that inflation, while still high, appears to be cooling down. That's the good news. The October consumer price index, remember, that measures the average change in prices over, time did increase 3.2% from a year ago, but that number is down from 3.7% in September and way down, you may remember, from the COVID area peak of 9.1% in June of 2022. These new numbers showing that while prices are still rising, it's at a slower pace. To break down what this all means, I want to bring in senior business correspondent Christine Romans making her top story debut.

First, Christine, welcome to the network and NBC. Okay, so tough question. What does this mean? This is obviously good news, but when will consumer? consumers start to feel it. So I think the important thing here is the trend is your friend in these inflation numbers. We want to see them continue to cool. They're still too high. The Fed wants 2 percent, Tom, and 3.2 percent is not that. And the core inflation, which strips out food and energy, is still at 4 percent. So still too high. But it shows you that the pain of the worst of the inflation nightmare is behind us. And maybe it means the Fed can slow down out all those rate hikes and start thinking about keeping rates steady or even taking their foot off the

Yeah. I want to talk about that in a moment. we know they're not directly related to mortgage rates, right? But they do sort of influence them and impact them. And we saw it's already affecting mortgage rates, right? Yeah, so a lot of people think that mortgage rates, if this trend continues, you're going to see mortgage rates start to drift lower. The chief economist of the National Association Realtors today telling reporters maybe 6% mortgage rates by some time in the spring, if you continue to see inflation cool and market interest rates come down and then the Fed not having to raise interest rates anymore. That's pretty quick.

It springs right around the corner, so that could be great for people shopping to buy a new home, or people wanting to sell their home and downsize and are afraid about these interest rates. So where do you see this going, right? Because the Fed has been monitoring this. They've obviously been implementing increases, Wall Street, all of America watching this, really the world. Where do you think the trend goes from here? So it's interesting. The Fed kind of got it wrong in the beginning when they said that inflation would be, you remember, transitory.

And so now the Fed chief is saying, look, we've had some headfakes on inflation. So I think that they're going to be quite cautious. The Fed will be quite cautious here on changing policy based on one report. Again, the trend is your friend. You're going to want to continue to see these numbers, a trend lower. 3.2 percent. I mean, I never thought I'd be cheering a 3.2 percent inflation rate, quite honestly. So when you put it sort of historically, people are still paying more for stuff today than they were even a few years ago.

So even though Wall Street's so happy about the Fed, the direction of interest rates, the level of prices is still higher than more. most people would like to feel. Ken Griffin, who's a billionaire, obviously a hedge fund investors, made a lot of money, a lot of people say he has the mightest touch. He said something that made a lot of headlines. I want to play it for our viewers, and I want you to explain where he was coming from. So there's many trends at play right now that are pushing us towards de-globalization. And with that is almost certainly a trend towards higher baseline inflation. For over what period? It could be for decades. So the headline that was really written about and retweeted and all that was about inflation, high inflation sticking around here for decades.

Is that what he's saying? Is that what's going to happen? He's talking about a change structurally in the U.S. economy and the global economy. When he talks about de-globalization, look, if we start bringing all the supply chains back to the United States, it's going to cost more, right? It's going to cost a little bit more, and that's going to be inflation in the pipeline. He also talks about, you know, the peace dividend being gone. And you look at the world around us today. That's part of that story as well. Not everybody agrees with him.

The Fed is still saying it's going to stick to its guns and try to get back to 2% inflation, and that these painfully high interest rates are going to help get us there. We just have to wait to see if that medicine starts working faster. And real quick, give us a quick economic lesson here. Why will people who own businesses bring prices back down once inflation comes down? If people are buying that cheeseburger in New York City, in some cases, for $40, why are they going to bring that back down in the menu? Well, so here's the thing.

if their prices go down and they're competing with other people to sell the hamburger, anybody else who lowers the price a little bit is going to get the business, right? So they're going to have to know what their own competitive situation is there overall.

I think, though, when you talk about higher prices, look at a gallon of milk, for example. It costs more today than it did two or three years ago. It's off the peak, but the level is still a little bit higher, and that's the inflation that so many American families

are so concerned about. Christine Roman, great to have you on top story. Thank you. Coming up next, the sheriff versus Target, a California cop pushed to a breaking point by a wave of shoplifting in his county. While he's blasting Target over its controversial policy for dealing with thieves, you'll hear from him directly. That's next. All right, we're back now. Does it drive you crazy when you go to stores like Target, CVS, and Walgreens, and hundreds of items are locked behind security glass, preventing you from easily getting everyday

products. This has done in an effort, of course, to prevent shoplifting, and this is not a new story, but it doesn't seem to be going away. We've shown you the videos. You can see people shoplifting at stores all over the country, walking into stores, just picking up items and just simply walking out, not even being stopped in some cases. But now, tonight, we're getting inside into the crackdown on crime, and we couldn't believe it. The Sacramento County Sheriff, Jim Copper, speaking out on social media in a post about an operation involving his department. And it was about target security to prevent shoplifting. Sheriff Jim Cooper posting, we were told by their head of regional security that we could not contact suspects inside the store.

We could not handcuff suspects in the store. And if we arrested someone, they wanted us to process them outside behind the store and the rain, continued to say. We were told they didn't want to create a scene inside the store and have people film it and put it on social media. They didn't want to have negative press. The Sheriff's Post comes after Target said earlier this year that the company was expecting to lose $500 million due to rising theft and announced the closing of more than a dozen stores. In a statement to NBC News, Target says the incident in question happened eight months ago and doesn't represent company policy. We have been clear on our intensive efforts to combat theft and organized retail crime, which includes investing and comprehensive security measures in our stores and partnering every day with law. law enforcement agencies in communities across the country.

Sheriff Jim Cooper joins Top Story Live tonight. Sheriff Cooper, I read your post. I want to say I was surprised about it because you were so blunt, but I've been reporting on this, so I shouldn't be that surprised. When you hear your own statements in real time and you sort of were pulled this by target when you heard this from your fellow deputies, I mean, what was going through your head? Frustration. We all see it every day.

You walk in the store. Things are behind plastic glass. We've got to push the button to get them. And that is a new normal, and that's not okay. We try to be proactive with Target, get our folks out there, and catch some of these folks, and have Target tell us no, it was just very disheartening. So, you know, you posted about an incident that this one really blew my mind that your team saw. Your deputies watched a lady.

Here we have with this on full screen. Quote, our deputies watched a lady on camera bringing her own shopping bags. Go down the body wash aisle and grab a bunch of native body washes. Then she went to customer service and returned them. Target chose to do nothing and simply let it happen. Sheriff, this one blew my mind because, I mean, at this point, like, what are we even talking about here? It goes on daily. I think because of the environment, these folks have no accountability.

They don't care. The thieves coming day and day out, they're very brazen. And it really puts the employees at risk and also the customers. And at the local level, loss prevention does a great job. Who it is, it's the corporate folks. The folks in the corporate, in the big house, the board members. That's who's making these decisions that really don't reflect what the public wants. How did we get here?

And I know we could probably do a three-hour documentary on this, but how did we get here? Bad laws. Bad laws. Here in California, if you steal less than $950, the most you will get a citation all day, every day. You can do that 20 times a day. You will not go to jail. You can steal $950 worth of merchandise 20 times a day every day for an entire year. You won't go to jail?

Correct. You're going to citation. That's all you will get. And you can't aggregate theft because of the way it was written and voted on by the voters. So to change it, it has to go back to the voters. And the retailers have to invest in that and really do an initiative to change it. Do you think that's going to change? Do you think that's something voters want?

I mean, you talk to people and they're frustrated. You walk into these stores. It takes 8, 10 minutes to get somebody there to then open it. Then you just want some deodorant. You want some toothpaste, shaving cream. It's crazy to live this way. Tom, the public is fed up. It polls very high.

The measure will pass right now. The big issue is if the retailers are talking about all these losses and how much money they're losing and closing stores, do they have the wherewithal to invest that money and put in roughly $100 million to run that initiative, which is a winner. Sheriff, you know, I know you're aware of the broken window. theory in policing. It was something that was used here in New York City back in the 80s and 90s, whereas where it basically said, and I'm probably going to chop this up, but you got to sort of fix every crime, right? And if a window is busted, you have to fix it and make sure that they

don't leave a broken window up, essentially making sure that you cover everything, you cover all the bases. How do we fix the situation? And do you think these types of crimes are leading to bigger crimes outside the stores? They are. We're dealing with fentanyl all overdoses. We're doing human and then the retail theft. We want to nip it in the bud. Here we are trying to help these big box retailers, and that's who's causing the problems, and they don't want to help themselves,

who really suffers in the small mall and pop stores that can't afford them, that don't have insurance. They're suffering the most. The retailers have weathered this for a long time and continue to. From your experience and from what you were hearing from Target when you dealt with them in that incident, do you think these big corporate stores are more afraid of a social media post going viral

than actually taking down criminals? You hit the mill on the head, 100%. They're aware of social media, what goes on, the activists, reformists, they don't want to do anything to cross them, and that's so important. And that's part of the reason we got to where we are right now is because of that. They're putting that over people's safety,

and profits come first. If you could sit down with the CEOs of these companies, these big box stores, because they're closing stores. I mean, and I don't want to, they're not blaming the police. or sort of, I guess, blaming the cities, if you will, but not directly. But if you could sit down with these CEOs, what's one thing you would tell them they had to change? Engage. Take your fate in your own hands. You have control over it totally.

The public is behind you 100%. Go ahead, spend the money, do the initiative. And we talk about the shrink's in the hundreds of millions. This is nothing for all the big box retailers to come in and put in money to qualify this initiative. They can do it. They've got to have the guts to do it, though, Tom. Sheriff Cooper, it is a pleasure to have you on Top Story. Thank you so much for talking to us tonight.

When we come back honoring a friend, the emotional tributes from Matt LeBlanc and Courtney Cox, how they're remembering their beloved friend's co-star, Matthew Perry. Stay with us. Finally tonight, the emotional tributes from Matt LeBlanc and Courtney Cox to their beloved co-star Matthew Perry, the late actor being remembered by his closest friends for more than just his famous roles. NBC's Miguel Almaguer has this one. You? And you?

Though they played friends on television, their connections were far more than just an act. You don't think we'd buy a house and not have a joey room, do you? Oh, my God. Tonight, Matt LeBlanc and Courtney Cox paying tribute to a television roommate, a co-star and most important, a real-life friend. Matthew, it's with a heavy heart I say goodbye, writes LeBlanc. The times we had together are our our own.

Honestly, among the favorite times of my life, sharing a series of photos from some of their funniest scenes. You ready? Wait, wait, wait. LeBlanc and Matthew Perry's talents were only matched by their admiration for one another. LeBlanc saying, spread your wings and fly, brother, you're finally free. I'm getting married. Oh, woo-hoo! Do you think you knew I was here? Cox also shared this iconic scene with Perry.

The cast saying goodbye publicly for the first time. I am so grateful for every moment I had with you, Maddie, and I miss you every day. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you, and I'll never forget you, never, the best of friends till the end. Miguel Almaguer, NBC News. All right, that does it for us. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York.

Stay right there. More news on the way.