Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Episode Date: July 24, 2025

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.

Breaking tonight, the bombshell new report tying the president to the Epstein Files. The Wall Street Journal's report revealing the DOJ told President Trump months ago that his name is in the unreleased Epstein files. A.G. Pambondi, doubling down, saying nothing in the files warrants further investigation, and this just in, congressional lawmakers issuing a subpoena for Epstein accomplice Galane Maxwell. Also tonight, we'll take you inside that Idaho courtroom as loved ones of Brian Koberger's victims, came face to face with the convicted killer, a surviving roommate sharing the horror and heartbreak in her first public comments. Coburger sentenced to life in prison declining to speak,

could we still learn more about the night of the murders? The Jacksonville man punched her in a traffic stop speaking out for the first time after this video went viral, what he told me about why he didn't comply with the officer's orders. Tragic video of a plane nose diving onto a busy highway in Italy, then erupting into a fireball. A woman accused of using at least 20 aliases to pose as a nurse and treat patients across different states the new details on the elaborate scheme she was up to.

Mem stock revival, Reddit members throwing their money behind GoPro and Krispy Cream sending shares soaring, why investors are willing to risk it all. And Costco return craze customers taking back wilted flowers, used pans, old couches, even a rug covered in slime. So how far can the company's lenient policy be pushed? Plus, children rush to the hospital after experiencing seizure-like symptoms during a choir performance. What happened? Top story. Starts right now. And good evening.

We begin tonight with that bombshell reporting from the Wall Street Journal revealing President Trump's name in those unreleased Epstein files and the Department of Justice told them months ago. The journal finding that the DOJ told the president in May, they discovered that Donald Trump's name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials. We should note that being named in the files is not itself an indication of wrongdoing. The report coming as newly uncovered photos and videos obtained by CNN show Epstein at Trump's 1993 wedding to Marlon Maples and the two together at a fashion show in 1999. The White House responding saying, quote, these are nothing more than out-of-context frame grabs. The White House continuing to distance the president from the convicted sex offenders, saying in part, the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep. And Attorney General Pam Bondi doubling down saying nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.

All this has Congress plans to depose Epstein's convicted associate, Galane Maxwell, who's currently serving a 20-year sentence in prison. We have a lot to get to tonight, so we want to start with NBC's Kelly O'Donnell, who leads us tonight from the White House. Tonight, a new report that President Trump is named in the Epstein files, and the Wall Street Journal states that he was briefed in May by the Attorney General Pam Bondi, that his name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials. The journal writes, the files contained what officials felt was unverified hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialized with Epstein in the past, saying Trump was told many other high-profile figures. were also named. Tonight, neither the White House nor the Justice Department would respond specifically to whether the president's name is included. But a DOJ official points out, a mention of anyone would not necessarily suggest wrongdoing. Further, the Attorney General Pam Bondi did release a statement. Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution. As part of our routine briefing,

we made the president aware of the findings. Asked by reporters last week, if the Attorney General told him his name is in the files, the president denied it. Did she tell you at all that your name appeared in the file? No, no. She's given us just a very quick briefing and in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen. President Trump has said he had a falling out with Epstein two decades ago. The White House says the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep, dismissing the new report as fake news. In a separate update, a blow to the president's call to unseal secret grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, a push made by the DOJ after pressure, including the president's MAGA

base. A federal judge in Florida denied the request, stating the government failed to meet any of the rare exceptions for disclosure, allowed under the law. Kelly joins us now live from the White House tonight. Kelly, you have a lot of the United States. new information for our viewers about efforts to get more information from convicted Epstein accomplice, Galane Maxwell? Yes, of course, Epstein died in custody several years ago. His co-conspirator, Galane Maxwell, who was his girlfriend, and also a co-conspirator, is serving 20 years in prison for her role with Epstein in trafficking underage girls. Now, the new information

is the White House says the Department of Justice expects to meet with Maxwell very soon. And then separately, the House Oversight Committee plans to do a subpoena for Maxwell for a deposition that would happen on August 11th. Now, Maxwell's attorney says she is considering whether she will go forward answering those questions or assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. She's still appealing her own case. Tom? All right. Kelly O'Donnell for us, Kelly. Thank you. Now to the other breaking news we're following tonight. Brian Coburger, sentenced to life in prison as family members of the four slain University of Idaho students come face-to-face with their killer. Sobs echoing through the courtroom as parents, siblings, grandmothers, and friends confronted Coburger.

Their statements raging from pure anger to overwhelming grief. Coburger remaining unfazed and unemotional through it all when given the chance to make a statement, he said, quote, I respectfully decline. The judge handing down four consecutive life sentences for murder, as well as 10 years for felony burglary, calling Coburger a faceless coward now unmasked. Today's sentencing marking some closure for those four heartbroken families, but still so many questions about what happened on that tragic night remain unanswered. NBC's Liz Kreutz was in that courtroom today and has the latest. Tonight, a gut-wrenching day in court. Why did I get to live and not them? as family members and friends of the four University of Idaho students brutally murdered in their off-campus home three years ago you're a joke complete joke face convicted killer Brian Coburger directly ahead of his sentencing there are the panic attacks the guy that slam into me like a tsunami out of nowhere I can't breathe I can't think I can't stop shaking one of the victims surviving roommates does

and Mortensen who saw Coburger in the house that night, speaking publicly for the first time. He is a hollow vessel, something less than human, a body without empathy, without remorse. Coburger expressionless throughout his sentencing hearing as grieving loved ones read emotional victim impact statements. Today we are here to prove to the world that you pick the wrong families. The father of Kaylee Gonzalez, even turning the podium to face his daughter's murderer head on. The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. You're not worth the time, the effort to be remembered.

Later, he spoke outside. When I was looking at him, we had to stare down, and he's just filled with demons. In court, Coburger not flinching as Kaylee's sister taunted the former criminology PhD student. The truth is, as dumb as they come, stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy. weak, dirty. I see through you. You want the truth? Here's the one you'll hate the most.

If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night, like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your ass. The courtroom at times erupting in applause, including for Zana Kurnodal's stepfather. You took our children. You are going to suffer, man. Man, I'm shaking because I want to reach out to you, but I just, I hope you feel my energy, okay?

Go to hell. The plea deal was controversial among the victim's families, some wanting a trial with a potential death penalty and the chance they might get more answers. Zana Kronodal's aunt with a surprising message for the killer. Brian, I'm here today to tell you, I have forgiven you because I no longer could live with that. hate in my heart. Coburger only breaking his silence once when asked by the judge if he'd like to make a statement before sentencing. I respectfully declined. The judge laying into Coburger for his silence and lack of remorse throughout the case, calling him a faceless coward before handing him down four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole. The time is now calm to end Mr. Colberger's

15 minutes of fame. But perhaps the most poignant moments today, the tributes to the four young lives that were stolen. Kaylee Gonzalez, Madison Mogan, Ethan Chapin, and Zana Kronodal. Because of him for a beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason. He took away how they made everyone feel safe, loved, and full of joy. He took away the ability for me to tell him that I love them, and then I'm so proud of them. Royce joins us tonight live from Boise. And Liz, so much emotion in that courtroom. You were there inside for all of that. And you noticed something about Coburger that struck you. Yeah, Tom, there were a few things that were striking. First I'll just say it was striking to see the different ways that the family members approached their victim impact statement.

Some of them ignored Coburger entirely, not wanting to give him any more energy or attention. But then you saw some of the family members took a more vindictive approach and went head to head, looking him in the eye, addressing him. And the other thing that was just so striking, yeah, was watching Brian Coburger sitting there, this entire hearing emotionless, even as you could hear sobbing. In the courtroom, his own mother was there crying, the judge at time tearing up, and yet he showed no signs of remorse as he was then given that sentence, walked out of the courtroom to begin life in a maximum security prison, Tom. All right, Liz Croyd's for us there in Boise. For more on the dramatic co-broker sentencing, I want to bring in legal analyst and trial attorney and good friend, a top story, Misty Maris. Misty's so great to see you here tonight. So, you know, some of the family members, they criticize the plea deal. And we learn from prosecutors. in the hearing today, they never got a motive. Was this plea deal a mistake? What do you think?

I think that you could see it either way, Tom. And I understand why some of the families felt like this did not give them the closure that they needed. But quite frankly, there was probably never a time they were going to get that specifically with the motive. Remember, prosecutors do not have to prove motive at trial. So it's something that they likely would not have found, even if this case had gone all the way through that trial, but understanding the emotion of losing your child. You can see why there would be criticism. By the way, the process was a lot of what was criticized. The families felt like they were left in the dark. So maybe it's more the process than the result, ultimately.

So picking up where Liz left off there, Brian Coburger in court saying, I think, only three words. What was your take on that? I wasn't surprised to see that because there would be no incentive for him to speak. There's no benefit for him to make any sort of statement, and he's not required to. under the law. So the advice would generally be not to make that statement. That being said, it leaves so many unanswered questions, but would he have been truthful if he had said something? From the impact statements, did you glean anything? Was there anything new that you learned? So we learned that Kaylee, actually, there was a second weapon. We only knew about the K-bar knife. We learned that there was other trauma. So we learned that during the course of those victim impact

statements, and at a press conference after, we learned that some of the documents that were under seal were actually shown and spoken to with the families by prosecutors the day before the impact statement. So a lot of what they did not know was revealed, at least to them, before they went into the courtroom today. Was it unusual to see the judge and the prosecutor get emotional in this case? This was very unusual. The judge almost made a victim impact statement himself, visceral as to Brian Coburger saying, you've shown no remorse. And it was really, really moving on every front. Is this it for the family? Is it over? Are we done hearing from Brian Coburger? Can he do any interview later on? Can he ever speak out again? Or is this it?

So he can do an interview later on, Tom. And that's something that the family expressed concern about. If he had gone to trial, there would have been multiple appeals if he was convicted. He would have been a bit stifled from what he could say. Now there's no limitations. Idaho does have laws called son of Sam laws, meaning he cannot profit from anything that he puts out there. but it doesn't stop him from making those statements. All right, Misty, always great to have you on the show. We thank you. Also breaking tonight, three police officers shot in Ohio after reportedly being ambushed.

Gunfire erupting this afternoon in Lorraine just outside of Cleveland. The city's mayor saying that one suspect was killed, but it's still not clear how many suspects there are. Two of the officers were airlifted to a local hospital. No word on their condition. The incident is under investigation. And right here in New York City, a would be bomber indicted. Authorities say in a Long Island man place homemade explosives on subway tracks and several rooftops in bustling downtown Manhattan. NBC Stephanie Gosk has more on the foil plot and the grand jury charges.

Michael Gans' goal was to blow up multiple homemade bombs in Manhattan, according to federal prosecutors. The 55-year-old who was arrested in June was indicted Tuesday on three explosives-related charges. Authorities say he made at least seven improvised devices and brought them from Long Island to New York City. The NYPD says GAN had not been on their radar until receiving a tip. So this was a matter of hours and important for the public to know that we follow leads not only thoroughly but incredibly quickly wherever we need to take them in order to keep the public safe. The bombs, according to the indictment, made with chemicals and components bought online, including 200 cardboard tubes and 50 feet of fuses.

One of the IEDs contained 30 grams of explosive powder, which is approximately 600 times the legal limit for consumer fireworks. The indictment alleges Gann tossed one of the IEDs onto the subway tracks on the Williamsburg Bridge and stored five of the homemade bombs along with four shotgun shells in New York City's Soho neighborhood on multiple apartment rooftops. One of those rooftops is right here, a place where people live, work, where tourists come to shop. It is chilling to imagine what may have happened if Gann had followed through with this alleged plot. We're still working to discern the intent. Authorities do not specifically say what GAN's motive was, but included this social media post in the indictment. Tagging President Trump, it reads in part, here in New York City, it's too bad the wall wasn't built.

They seem to be coming and coming. Gann has not entered a plea, and his attorney would not comment on the case. With that, Stephanie Goss joins us tonight from downtown Manhattan. Stephanie, what else do we know about the suspect's background in this case? Tom, the criminal complaint says that he had a long rap sheet. 30 arrests, 12 of those arrests were felony arrests. And then his neighbors and authorities say he has a history of mental illness, Tom. All right, Stephanie Goss, we thank you.

Now to the severe weather threat as extreme heat pushes across the country, putting 135 million at risk. Summer storms wreaking havoc across the Midwest, torrential rain flooding neighborhoods in Minnesota, and washing out roads in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This pavement here crumbling, you see it there, quickly turning into a rushing waterfall. Let's get right to NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens. Bill, you're tracking a confirmed tornado in Wisconsin? Yeah, associate with these storms that you just show that did all the flooding in areas of Michigan,

Wisconsin, and northern portions of Minnesota. So that's with this line. We don't have any other act of really bad flooding. But this line of storms in northern Wisconsin is about to go through the the Green Bay Area. You're under a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe some wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. So stay inside for about the next half hour or so to those go through. To the north where you see that little icon reporting here. This is where the tornado was reported just to the west side of Oconto. This line of storms has now moved through. The tornado warning

has since been dropped. But again, some strong thunderstorms here with some high wind gusts. And we don't know exactly yet. It just happened how much damage has been done by that public reported tornado as it was approaching those areas. So Tom, what can give you updates if we hear anything else. Yeah, before you go, let's also talk about the heat, because I know it is on for a lot of the country and headed this way. Yeah, it's supposed to be hot this time of year, but the humidity is just making it unbearable at times. At one point today in New Orleans, it felt like 112 degrees. We still got 134 million people are at risk, and now we're starting to add Philadelphia, New York's into it, areas up in southern New England. That'll be more for Thursday afternoon,

definitely on Friday. And even at this hour, it still feels like 107, all the way from New Orleans. It'll go straight up the Mississippi River. That's where the worst of the humidity is. And this heat dome is slowly going to weaken, but not fast enough for many people. Tomorrow, 111 in Memphis, Chicago at 104. And then Friday will be the really hot day on the eastern seaboard. We're from Charlotte to New York. Everyone's going to feel 100 plus during the afternoon. And that's in the shade, remember, in the sun, it's much worse than that. And for everyone in the South time, as we've been saying, the heat is here to stay. Areas like South Carolina feeling like 100 plus, at least through the weekend. All right, Tallahassee there, two hitting 100. Okay, Bill, we thank you. When

Top Story returns, this is a crazy story in the The imposter nurse arrested, police detaining a woman who allegedly used at least 20 aliases to fool her employers, why she was doing it. Plus, the high-profile apology from one of the biggest names in sports months after this old Miss college student spoke exclusively to us on camera about a vicious and false rumor that changed her life forever. And the dream come true for a local kidcaster who's giving the pros a run for their money. Stay with us. Back now with the charges just announced against a woman state police in Pennsylvania say has spent the last five years posing as a nurse. Officials say she used fake identities and documentation and worked in at least six different states. NBC's Aaron Gilchrist has this one.

Tonight, a warning going out to nursing homes and rehab centers to check their records for this woman, Shannon Nicole Womack, who police say has been posing as a licensed practical nurse and a registered nurse. even a nurse, even a nurse supervisor. Shannon Wilmack is not a licensed professional in the state of Pennsylvania or any state that BCI was able to investigate. Pennsylvania State Police say Womack was hired as a nurse in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia. Around 20 different aliases were attached to Nicole, along with seven Social Security numbers.

Pennsylvania authorities started looking into Womack after a traffic stop in April where they say she presented a fake ID. Investigators say nine employers in the state put Womack on do not retain status for professional misconduct before her arrest, including Southmont of Presbyterian Senior Care, where she allegedly diverted oxycodone pills intended for residents according to a criminal complaint. This is a vow act or acts, I should say,

taking not only taking advantage of older citizens in this Commonwealth, but them not receiving the care that they need nor the medication that they need because of someone that puts themselves in this position to defraud them. The Georgia Board of Nursing put Womack on its imposter alert list in October 2022. The state's attorney general also issued a cease and desist order, but could not locate her. Now prosecutors charging Womack with identity theft, forgery, endangering the welfare of care, and several other charges. Womack has not entered a plea. Police say the schemes date back to the early days of the COVID pandemic when the need for nursing staff was critical.

It wasn't uncommon for these different residents, locations, agencies to reach out to host agencies and say, we need some extra shifts filled. That started in 2020, and it was such an easy transition. She just kept going after it. Aaron Gilchrist joins us tonight from Atlanta, Georgia. Aaron, are police concerned that woman may have committed more crimes than the ones you just listed there? Yeah, Tom, I think so. We know that Womack made that first court appearance this week, and despite that, we heard from police in Pennsylvania, over and over again that they are still in the middle of their investigation.

They're still looking into the potential for more incidents here. We know that they've also told health care providers and health facilities across Pennsylvania to go back through their employment records, to look for instances where they may have employed Womack under a different name. They've also published a list of aliases they say she used. They've asked these folks to go back through their employment records to see if they may have had her on the books at some point. And of course, this is now something that's coming to light in all of these other states where police and Pennsylvania say Womack may have worked in health

care facilities. In Georgia, for example, we know, as we noted, that cease and desist order was something that came out after complaints were filed about WOMAC, again, potentially using different names. And the investigation was completed by the nursing board for the state of Georgia, where they said they needed to take some action to list her among the people who were imposters, they say. And so this is something, Tom, that I think these agencies are going to continue to look at to try to see if other people may have been impacted. You think about that one facility in Pennsylvania that we mentioned with the oxycodone that was missing. They said there were 120 pills missing, affecting several patients who were not getting their medication

as a result of those pills having been taken, Tom. All right. Aaron Gilcress, first. Wild story. We thank you for that. Still ahead here on the broadcast, one of Matthew Perry's doctors pleading guilty in the beloved star's ketamine overdose death, the prison time he now faces. Plus, the Costco returns craze. Do you know about this? The backlash erupting online over the items customers are bringing back to the store, rugs covered in slime, soil mattresses, half-eaten food? What? How far are customers willing to go? But first, top story's top moment and the history making return of tennis superstar Venus Williams at the D.C. Open. the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion becoming the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match

since Martina Navratilova did it back at the age of 47 in 2004. Venus doing it, though, at 45. Take a look at this moment. Venus Williams, back with a bang. So great to see her on that court, and how about that smile. Williams, back on the court after a 16-month hiatus in part due to uterine fibroids. Stay with us. We're back in a moment. Back now with Top Story's News Feed, a doctor charged an actor Matthew Perry's death,

pleading guilty to multiple counts of distributing ketamine, despite knowing that Perry was a struggling addict. Dr. Salvador Blasencia, who entered his plea in a federal court today, faces 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. He is now the fourth of five people charged in Perry's 2023 overdose death to plead guilty. And a strange story from Cambridge, Massachusetts, eight children becoming sick during a visit to a local church. The children from a renowned French choir were performing when one child started experiencing seizure-like symptoms. Seven more children quickly then showed similar symptoms. into a hospital and had been released, a hazmat team cleared the church finding no evidence of toxins, I should say, the cause still remains a mystery. And a San Diego man was arrested

after crashing his 65-foot boat into the USS Midway and allegedly fleeing while under the influence. Take a look at this crazy video. It shows the boat colliding with a naval aircraft carrier and museum causing an estimated $100,000 in damage. The boat's operator was later found and arrested. And a dramatic incident unfolding a security footage captured a car crashing into a Baptist church in North Carolina. The footage shows a stolen car speeding into a parking lot, launching over a curb and smashing through the building. Two men step out of the car and flee the scene. One was later arrested. Police are still looking for that second man. An update now to a story we first brought you a few months ago. Pat McAfee

today apologizing live on the air to Ole Miss student Mary Kate Cornett after he amplified a viral and false rumor about her on his show. I sat down with Cornett back in April who told me about how that rumor ruined her life. I deeply regret the pain that was caused. Nearly five months after first talking about a viral internet rumor on his show, ESPN host Pat McAfee finally making a public apology. I have since learned that the story was not true and that my show played a role in the anguish caused to a great family and especially to a young woman. Back in February, Mary Kate Cornett, then a college freshman, found herself at the center of that false rumor, which claimed an old Miss sorority sister slept with her boyfriend's father.

Her name and picture were attached to it. In April, I sat down with Cornett exclusively, where she told us about her nightmare ordeal, including her phone number shared publicly. I was having thousands of calls come through, thousands of texts coming through, calling me a whore, calling me a slut, telling me I deserve to die. All because of an internet rumor. All because of an internet rumor that has zero truth to it, zero. This is what is being reported by everybody on the internet. McAfee later discussed the rumor with his millions of viewers, though he didn't use her name.

Cornett says she hit rock bottom when she realized her name would forever be linked to the rumor spread online. It's awful. It's awful. and having your life ruined by people who have no idea who you are is the worst feeling in the world. Today, McAfee told his audience he met with Mary Kate and her family to apologize, admitting he repeated a story based solely on what others were saying online. As a girl dad, I also was very thankful for the opportunity

to let Mr. Cornett know that I was wildly regretful for the part that our show, our program, played in his daughter. water, Mary Kate's pain. Tonight, Cornett's father, Justin, telling me the meeting did happen. Also writing, it was refreshing to stand by Mary Kate's side and see a man that made a mistake, look her in the eyes, and apologize with sincerity. I also asked her father, Justin, if they had reached a financial settlement. He told me that the matter was settled to each party's satisfaction.

Okay, we want to turn now to Money Talks and the return of, you guessed it, the meme stocks. You may remember the GameStop stock crazed driven by those Reddit traders. Well, now they're latching on to a new set of companies. GoPro and Krispy Kreme both seen massive stock price jumps in the last five days of trading. The iconic donut company rising nearly 40% in share value and GoPro nearly doubling their stock price. Joining us now to break all this down is Ali Kanao. She's a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance. Ali, so good to see you again.

So what is going on with GoPro and Krispy Kreme? Govone Krispy cream. They're the memes du jour. But we saw other meme stocks emerge earlier this week. We had Open Door, which is a financial, a home tech company. We also saw Coles, for example, another stock surge with this meme phrase. So what's going on? So these are companies that are heavily shorted, right? That means investors, particularly institutions and hedge funds, they are betting that the share price will fall because these are companies that are not profitable, right? So you look at the Reddit forums like Wall Street bets, online chatter, vibes. That's what's driving these stock rallies.

It's not anything to do with the fundamentals, not anything to do with earnings. It is simply because a group of folks got together and thought, let's go after these names, and that's what's leading to these insane share prices. Are people making a lot of money, or some people making a lot of money? Some people can make a lot of money, but you can just as easily lose a lot of money. And that's what we saw a few years ago with the GameStop phenomenon. We saw the stock rise at one point at the peak.

It was up over 1,600 percent. But then we saw a very significant crash just a week or so after that. So same type of situation here. You can make a quick buck, and there's totally a lot of risk on sentiment in this market, but you can also lose a lot. Do we know how many people it usually takes to sort of start the meme stock phenomenon? Is it one guy with an idea pointing to one stock and then people just jump in? I mean, is there some type of trend we're seeing already on this?

So Roaring Kitty, this is basically the leader here of the meme frenzy. He typically flags, you know, a particular company or particular stock that he's looking at. And he's still doing it? He's still doing it. And then you have this herd mentality of people that have been following him since 2021. And you see these pops every so often. But this week in particular was intense and probably the most intense that I've seen. seen in the market when it comes to this mean stock resurgence since those 2021 crazy highs.

You know, with Roaring Kitty, you know, if the legend is true, there was also sort of he was trying to beat the big guys, if you will. Is that the sentiment here now? You were mentioning people shorting. Are they trying to beat Wall Street essentially? Yeah, and that is what we saw during GameStop. Melvin Capital actually had to go out of business because they lost billions and billions of dollars betting against GameStop. So that is a mentality here. Let's have this Robin Hood moment where we go after the hedge fund owners and the institutional investors and show them that as retail traders, we can manipulate this market. And it comes at a time where it's really, really easy to trade.

You have sites like Robin Hood, a lot of other brokerage accounts. And these are companies that trade for very little. They are essentially penny stocks, just a couple bucks, and then you're in. Wow. All right, Ali Kanawi, thanks so much. Thank you. Thanks for being here. Now to a fiery debate online over Costco returns. TikTokers say they're returning everything from dead flowers to old couches.

thanks to the wholesaler's famously lenient return policy. But critics say they're taking things way too far, worried it could push the company to change course. NBC Steve Patterson tracked down some of the most outrageous returns and has this one. When TikToker Evelyn Juarez saw that her toddler had done this... Look at what this human did. Jay Lonnie.

She put slime on my carpet. She thought the Costco rug she bought just four months ago was a sunk cost. I, like, gasped. I tried to scrape all the slime with my nails, and nothing worked. But then, she says, she remembered the company's risk-free return policy. I'm kind of nervous to ask, but we're going to see. Yes, it has a stain on it, and I couldn't take it out. To her amazement, she says it worked. Oh, my gosh, they gave me a full refund.

Okay, Costco, you want a forever member. Evelyn's return, just one apparent example of the company's famous, risk-free, 100% satisfaction guarantee to members, allowing customers to return almost anything. With some exceptions for things like diamonds and alcohol and cigarettes and airline or concert tickets, influencers online documenting how far that policy can be pushed. I ate half of a chicken bake, and to my surprise, they let me return it. Returning weeks old flowers. It's my surprise. They were letting me return the dead flowers and I got my money back. Slipp and slide inflatable water toys. We no longer want this.

Even an air conditioner after the summer ended. The greatest heist in the history. Bringing back years old couches, turning into a trend of its own. $900 back after four years. That's insane. With Costco, because they have a membership. That's a huge part of their profit margin. So they have more wiggle room than a classic retailer, for example, to have a generous return policy.

And it is a calling card of theirs. Some of the stunts, including Juarez, getting a lot of flack in the comments, with some TikTokers worrying returns like hers would increase prices for them if too many people did the same thing. The more people who take advantage of generous return policies, the more likely it is that these generous return policies are going to, change or be taken away. Costco, not immediately responding to a request for comment. Juarez, saying the return was a one-off for her. That now I feel guilty into buying way more things with them. I feel guilty into spending more to make up for what I returned with them. And she's already back in the aisles, spending more. All right, with that Steve Patterson, he joins us tonight from Los Angeles. Steve, this is a wild story. Has Costco said anything about whether

these return videos could spark a change in their policy? You know, Tom, we haven't heard anything from the company on that front just yet, but we should say that Costco can cancel any membership for any reason at any time. And there's recent histories of retailers targeting individual memberships without changing the entire policy when something like this happened. So the expert there says it's probably not a bad idea just to return things when you need to rather than trying to abuse the policy. I got one more for you.

So I saw that person was returning to chicken bake. What about a Costco hot dog? Can you return that? I think you can do it. Oh, my gosh. There's no evidence that you can't return a Costco hot dog halfway in. All right. New life hack.

Steve, we thank you so much. We're back in a moment with more breaking news tonight. We'll be switching gears. The college student at the center of that viral traffic arrest caught on camera in Jacksonville, Florida. He'll join Top Story next. What he has to say about the moments before officers broke his car window, then punched him the face. His mother also joins us. That's just ahead. We're back now with Top Stories Global Watch. We begin with horrific video of a fiery plane crash

on a highway in northern Italy. Surveillance video showing the small plane plummeting into the ground Tuesday, narrowly missing a car and a truck. Italian authorities saying both people in the plane were killed, multiple people on the ground were injured but expected to recover. And in the southeast and southeast Asia, at least three people are dead and thousands remain sheltered as tropical storm Wifa floods the region. Video from the Philippines this weekend showing a house sinking into the rising floods. Residents in the capital, Manila, evacuated before the devastating flooding. The storm which has decreased from a monsoon is the first major storm to hit that region this year. And an unexpected discovery on a Scottish beach, a 250-year-old

warship that fought in the American Revolution. A schoolboy out for a jog on a remote Scottish island discovering the ribs of a wooden ship last February after a year of analysis, scientists saying it is the Earl of Chatham, a warship that escorted British ships during the American Revolution. It retired as a whaling ship until its watery fate off the coast of Scotland in 1788. All right. Back here at home and update in the case of that black college student in Florida, punched in the face by a police officer

during a traffic stop in February. That man and his family speaking out today calling for justice and the new details we're learning tonight about that officer involved. Marissa Para has the latest. Can you call your supervisor? Can you call your supervisor? All right, go for it.

For the first time since this video of a Florida traffic stop turned violent captured the nation's attention, the man at the center of it talking publicly about that day. I just really wanted to know, you know, why I was getting pulled over and why I needed to step out of the car and I knew I didn't do nothing wrong. I was really just scared. The driver, 22-year-old William McNeill Jr. posted this video of the February incident already in progress, recorded when Jacksonville officers pulled him over, according to the arrest report in part because his headlights were off in the rain. Body cam video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department shows McNeil received several warnings.

Open the door and exit or we are going to break the window. Foreign officer broke his window and punched McNeil in the face. Exit the vehicle. What he exhibited was a 21st century Rosa Parks moment. Now we're presented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Neil pled guilty to resisting an officer in driving with a suspended license. He could be seen in his booking photo with a bloody lower lip. His family today demanding justice.

And you need to terminate that officer immediately. Immediately. The officer in question, Donald Bowers, had five previous complaints according to police records. Three of them were substantiated, resulting in either counseling or reprimand. Bowers' statement in the arrest report says, quote, the suspect was reaching for the floorboard of the vehicle where a large knife was sitting.

Today, McNeil spoke with Tom about that allegation. I never reached for the knife. The knife was under the seat and I was at gunpoint. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says Officer Bowers has been stripped of his law enforcement authority while the department conducts an internal review. Rissapara, NBC News. We thank Marissa Paro for that story. Joining us now is the man in that video, William McNeil Jr., along with his mother, Latoya Solomon, and one of his attorneys, Harry Daniels.

I thank you all for being here on top story tonight. William, I do want to start with you here. I know your lawyers have said you suffered a number of injuries. in this incident. We have seen the video. We saw what happened to you, how you were punched in the face by that police officer. How are you doing tonight? I'm doing the best I can. Did you suffer injuries to your teeth, to your cheek, to anywhere where you were hit? Yeah, I suffered injuries to my teeth around now. So you shot this video the day of the incident, which is back in February, and yet you just

released it this past weekend. Why did you decide to wait so long to show this video to the world? I didn't feel like speaking out. I told me a lot of emotion, but I needed to speak out for the next person. Is that why you thought it was important to post the video? Yes. Were you surprised by the reaction, or did you know what had happened to you and what that video showed? I was a bit surprised.

Yeah, Latoya, I can't imagine what it was like for you to watch that video. You heard the story from your son and then to see that. Talk to me about that moment. The moment I've seen the story, it was just a very heartbreaking that my son had to endure that kind of, that kind of, that kind of, ooh. kind of course from what's supposed to be protecting us as citizen. He was basically being like an animal. I've been angry ever since. Harry, the sheriff's office says the officer involved has been suspended that they are investigating. What else are you seeking in this case? Oh, thanks something for having this song. First of all, he said that the officer has been

relief of his law enforcement duties. So that may be he's still working and we're still receiving pay, which he can redress justice if that's in a formal federal lawsuit. We also be seeking for the Department of Justice to get involved in this matter. We'd be sent a former letter to the Department of Justice for them to review this matter because we believe this is a clear unconstitutional violation, clear use of force that's not only violate the state of Florida laws, but also the United States federal laws. And we are seeking redress to ensure that the prosecution, federal prosecution of this officer move forward. We cannot guarantee, but we are still going to try. The state's attorney's office looked at this video and determined no criminal

act was done. But Tom, they didn't even talk to Mr. McNeil. How can you make a determination not even talk to the victim? The victim has rights. The state of Florida have rights. at least you, in investigation, we'll talk to the person who's alleged victim in this case. But we're going to seek every angle, every avenue, every alley that we can pursue to find justice for Mr. Camille. Yeah, William, you know, a lot of people are going to be watching this video, watching the news reports. They're going to ask themselves, you know, why didn't he lower the window? Why didn't he open the door?

What would you say to those people? Because y'all didn't see what I see. You were worried about what the police officers may do to you? You're uncomfortable about cars. Yeah. According to the reports I've read, you have pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended license. Did you know at the time your license was suspended? Is that one of the reasons why you were worried about getting out of the car lowering the window? No. No to which one?

Did you know your license was suspended or no about not lowering the window? Both. Both? Okay. Harry, I want to get back to you. Does that concern you at all the reports that have come out about your client that he had the suspended license? And I'm not saying it justified what happened in that video at all, but that the police are saying, because the police have said that there's more to the video or more to the case, I should say, than the social media video. What do you say to that? No, it doesn't concern it at all. And that's a great question, Tom, because, One, even if having a suspended license or driving without light zone and during the rain or not having to sleep at all,

all those things, what you call civil infractions, which you receive fines. They're not necessarily general offenses. You receive fines for these things. So to rise to the level of breaking a window and sucker puncher Mr. McNeil, then to try to create the narrative that he was a knife there, he was trying to reach for it. The video speaks for itself. The fabrication on the lines that was placed on the report is an issue within itself. So the fact that resisting without violence, one, it was an unlawful traffic stop. Let's be clear.

This was an unlawful traffic stop. So everything that stem from this was unlawful. So the question is, can you resist an unlawful act? In order for you to resist arrest, in order for you to resist arrest, It must have to be a lawful arrest. That did not take place. This was a pretextual race-based stop, and their goal was to get the Mr. McHill in his vehicle.

What do you say to the, yeah, Harry, what do you say to the fact about the taillights not working or the headlights? Well, the tail lights were working, the headlights working fine. What I say is that the law says that a person must have headlamps on in Florida if it's raining, smoke or fog.

Neither of those elements exist. In fact, the officers who respond to the same, did not have windshield wipers on, nor do they have headlights. So when the officer come and tell Mr. McNeill that he stopped him because he didn't have his headlights on, that caused concern. It's just like somebody telling you, hey, you need to come outside because it's night, but it's playing day. That would give you caution to deal with that person.

So this is something that needs to be addressed, and not just a sucker punch in the car, Tom. What about the punch when he got him out of the car? What about slamming his head into the ground when he had his hands behind his back? William, what do you say to those allegations about the knife? What were you doing? Did you ever reach for that knife? I never reached for the knife.

The knife was under the scene. I was at the gunpoint. Why would I reach for a knife that says it's probably stupid to me? Yeah. Latoya, I want to ask you, what would you say to the police officer who punched your son? I'd rather not answer that question because it's not nothing nice to say what I would say.

What would you say as a mother, you know, looking out for your son. What would you say to him? I would say, you know, that your dad wrong for treating my son that way and whoever's other child that you have done that way. I'm sure that if the shoe was on the other feet, you wouldn't like it if it was done to any of your kids. William, what's next for you and your future?

I know you're in college. Yeah, I'm in college. Yes, sir. Are you going back to school, or are you going to skip the semester because of this? I'm going back to school. Okay. Okay. We thank you for joining Top Story tonight. We thank you for answering all of our questions. We will stay committed to covering this story as well. Thank you for having us. Thanks, Tom. Take care.

Thank you. And we will be right back. Finally, tonight, the opportunity of a lifetime for the aspiring sports broadcaster, 12-year-old Antonio Veneto Veneziano joining the New York Mets broadcasting booth as a kidcaster for an inning. Our Sam Brock caught up with him after that big break. He does see me and I'm walking down. If a child saw his dreams come true. Hey, Antonio, what's up, man?

Oh my God, he knows my name. I do know your name. You want to know why? It might look something like this. Would you like to be the kidcaster with Gary Keith and Ron on July 22nd? I would love to. Really? Absolutely.

The heart melting moment landing 12-year-old Antonio Venetziano. from Beth Page, New York, in the booth with a trio of Mets' legends. Your tape? It took days. It took definitely days. That KidCaster audition tape. He smacks this one, right in the field. Deliver with his signature line.

Audio signora, chow, baby. Your Amazon package has arrived with special delivery to the seats. Now it's a home run for the Mets and this lifelong fan. What was that sensation like when he asked you of? you if you wanted to be a kidcaster. Definitely a blast of emotions, you know, that I would be able to make my mark in S&Y Met's history. It's just life-changing. And he's out. Before he was calling plays at City Field and partying with Mr. and Mrs. Met. Antonio is basking in the afterglow. The rising seventh grader got his feet wet in middle school broadcasting. Your resume for lead anchor just

got a lot stronger? I think, yeah, I think it definitely boosts me. up in the rankings. His message to kids everywhere is bigger than baseball. Go for that role. Like, try out for that. You never know. I would love to. Sam Brock, NBC News, New York. Think he's going to have a bright future. All right, we thank Sam for that story. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamis here in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way. Thank you.