Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

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.

Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom Yamis, President Biden delivering one of the most consequential speeches of his 50-year political career. The president speaking to the nation from the Oval Office on his decision to drop out of the 2024 race. I hear of this office, but I love my country more. It's been the honor of my life to serve as your But in the defense of democracy, which is a stake, I think it's more important than any title. The president surrounded by his family sitting off camera, but to the left of him, for this historic 11-minute address. President Biden officially passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, giving high praise to the de facto nominee. Just a few months, the American people will choose the course of America's future.

I made my choice. I've made my views known. I'd like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris. She's experienced. She's tough. She's capable. She's been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. So will Harris carry on his policies or carve her own path in Washington?

And how much will President Biden join her on the campaign trail, if at all? The president also laying out his plans for his final months in Washington. office, hoping to reframe this final chapter of his political legacy that's recently been overshadowed by the unraveling of his campaign. We want to get right to NBC News, senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell, for more on this speech and what it means moving forward. Kelly, just take us into the initial reactions that you are hearing from sources, both inside of the White House and on Capitol Hill. What did people make of this speech? Well, in many ways, this was a giant exhale after some weeks of real turmoil for the president, for his family, for his party, and by extension for the nation.

To have a sitting president choose to not run again is in and of itself an historic moment. And so the president using the Oval Office to talk about that. There will be some who will hear the politics of this night, where he is vouching for his vice president, explaining that he is handing off to her, and that she will be the case. candidate. And he implores the American people to make a decision that favors democracy and to lay out the stakes. Some will hear that in political terms. Others will see it as a sitting president who is choosing to not go forward beyond this first term, to not compete for a second term, even though he said he believed his time in office merited a second term. But that he also thought that there is a time for fresh voices and, in fact, younger voices. And so in the In those ways, it's a historic speech capping a half century of public life in different offices

from the U.S. Senate to the vice presidency and then in the Oval Office as president, and laying out what the public should expect over the next several months, that he has plans that he wants to try to execute on issues that are core to his agenda and some new areas that he has not talked about publicly much, including some reforms for the Supreme Court and ideas for dealing with that. But this was a speech about what really inspired him to run in the first place in 2020. He didn't use the phrase in quite the way we've heard him do it before, but the soul of America. He invoked historical figures from George Washington to Benjamin Franklin to Abraham Lincoln

to talk about the importance of the choice and maintaining democracy. Again, those who don't support Joe Biden will hear that as overtly political. But he laid the groundwork now for the final chapter of his public life, for the final months of his campaign. And then he went out into the Rose Garden where staff, the employees that have been a part of his team, and certainly many of them who have supported him politically, were gathered.

They had watched the speech on screens. They gathered for refreshments. And to hear from the president, as you mentioned, his close family members in the Oval Office, which is unusual for a major address. That's typically not the case, but it gives you a sense of the importance and the personal overtones of all of the.

this. The family has always been part of his decision-making structure, and they certainly were when it comes to this decision. And the First Lady and some members of the family will actually leave tonight for the Olympics representing the United States at the opening ceremony and doing some other events at the Olympics on behalf of the United States. So this was a night of a real emotion for the president, difficult decision as he made clear, but one where he says that he is putting the good of the country in front of his own personal ambition. Al. Ellison? Kelly, I do want to play a little more for our viewers and just get your reaction to this one

moment in particular where it in some ways was sort of Biden's final words on the evening where he talked about this idea of America and whether or not we have kings, dictators. Let's listen and then we'll talk right after. The great thing about America is here. Kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands.

The idea of America lies in your hands. We just have to keep faith. Keep the faith. And remember who we are. We're the United States of America. And there's simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. So let's act together. Preserve our democracy.

You know, it's hard given the rhetoric we've heard on the campaign trail to take Trump out of of this speech. But at the same time, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think he mentioned him by name tonight. But in that moment, I'm curious from what you know about this president and his team when he was talking about that idea of kings and dictators and the choice being in the hands of Americans. Do you think he was hoping to just inspire America and Americans about what we could be? Or do you think that was really more directly a warning about the possibilities in his view of another Trump term? Well, he did not mention Donald Trump by name, and from the Oval Office, it would be unusual for him to do so, with the exception of talking about the political violence that took place 10 days ago or so.

Clearly, when he makes a reference to kings and dictators, that is about the forces that are at play in the world currently and what we have seen over time. There are these populist impulses. There are authoritarianes who are seeking to gain advantage. And clearly, Donald Trump has talked about the notion of being a dictator on day one, something that Joe Biden has referenced in his overtly political speeches a number of times. So this does walk right up to the line of politics, but he did try to put it in the trappings of American democracy, the choice for the American people, whatever choice they choose to make, but to exercise that right to preserve democracy. That was really the underpinning of what his remarks were tonight. certainly part of what will be a long national farewell. Kelly O'Donnell, amazing reporting, as always. We might come back to you. Thank you. We appreciate it.

We are going to turn now over to Capitol Hill to get the Democratic response to President Biden's address to the nation this evening. And joining us now is Democratic Congresswoman from California, Barbara Lee. Congresswoman, thank you so much for taking the time. I know you were busy, still working late at night. We appreciate you being here. Let's just get right to this. What do you think was the most significant part?

of President Biden's address tonight? First, let me say it was the epitome of a president as a public servant, a president who fights and has fought for over 50 years to protect our democracy, a president who loves people and who a president who believes in the power of the people. And he was remarkable tonight in terms of his values. You know, not often do you hear presidents, election. officials talk about being happy as a public servant. I mean, this is who he is. And I am telling you, I was overwhelmed with just listening to him tonight because it was with a sense of gratitude

that I listened to him. And here he's thanking us. And so we have to really reflect on his legacy. He laid out some of what he and Vice President Harris have delivered for the American people for our planet. But Lord knows there's a whole lot more. But in doing that, people have to stop. and think about his legacy and what he has done and thank him for it. And that's what I was thinking. I wish I could call him and just say, thank you, Mr. President, as a defender of our democracy and as a true public servant, the integrity, the honesty, and the values that he talked about is extremely important because oftentimes elected officials and public service, public

servant individuals, which we are as elected, forget about. our values of service. And he was truly a public servant tonight. And I think his values touched everyone. And hopefully everyone can kind of search their soul and figure out what they're doing to help this make, help this become a better world for everyone. Because he certainly talked about that in many ways tonight. Congresswoman, when you think about where the Democratic Party is right now, some of the difficult discussions, everyone within the party has had to have both on Capitol Hill and off, I think about a statement just a couple of days ago from Black Lives Matter where the group talked about saying, hey, we feel like this is an undemocratic process.

We wish things had gone differently in terms of how we get to who is the next person at the top of the ticket, not wanting delegates to be leaned on so hard. When you look at those different discussions, particularly the ones that have been happening inside of your own party, do you feel like this speech set the stage to turn the page? Are we going to see a more unified Democratic Party moving forward, or are there still some discussions and debates to be had internally? Look, this is what democracy is all about. Our Democratic Party is very democratic, and so we're going to have people with different points of views. But I can tell you one thing. There are those who are working day and night to unify the party, including the president and our vice president. And so we'll get there. And we have to have these discussions because we want people to vote for democracy. and vote to protect our democracy in November. And so these discussions are good.

We have to listen. We have to take in what people are saying, and we have to honor their values and their viewpoints and move forward to Unify. And I believe that is going to happen. I trust that. I mean, passing the baton to the next generation is extremely important for us to talk about.

And so I'm not worried, but I know we have a lot of work to do, and that's what we all have to do. And I think the president tonight said that framework, and that standard for all of us to try to live up to. And Congressman, I know you do a vote tonight, so please stop us if you need to go and do your job. That is, of course, first priority, and we understand. But if we have time, I do want to just ask you, you endorsed Kamala Harris when she ran for president

the first time back in 2020. You're endorsing her again now. Why do you believe Harris is the candidate, the candidate for America and the candidate right now? She's prepared. She's experienced. She knows what she's doing. She's been the vice president for almost four years. She was our attorney general in California.

She was district attorney. She understands the world in which we live. She's a global leader. I actually have been with her abroad at the global at the Munich Security Summit, for example. World leaders listen to her and she listens. And she's a very great representative for the United States and for democracy and for empowerment and respecting other countries, but also respecting our values on the world stage. So she's very smart, and she's very strategic, and she connects with people.

She's a unifier. I've seen her with people of all backgrounds, and she finds that common ground, and she knows what people need, and that's they want their lives better, and they want peace, and they want security, both here at home and abroad. And so President Biden, once again, we have to be grateful. that he took the step to ask her to be his vice president. And here now, he has endorsed her early to be the next president of the United States. There's no one else as prepared as Vice President Kamala Harris is to take this time and move forward with it.

Congresswoman, I see some people walking by the doors. So I think it might be time for you to go. Is that right? I see her. Thank you so much for your insights and your time on such a historic evening. We really appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you.

All right, for more insight into President Biden's address tonight, let's bring in NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd. Chuck, thank you for joining us. Same courtesy to you, by the way. If you need to go do something, you let us know, and we'll get you out of that chair quickly as well. We appreciate you staying late tonight. What is your first reaction to this address? Do you think the president accomplished what he was hoping to accomplish with this speech? Well, I guess I am curious what he wanted to do with this speech, and I say that because, look, I thought it was a very gracious speech, and I thought certainly it was he was trying to put the best version of himself and of his presidency in that light.

You know, I was looking for two things that he didn't tackle, and I wish he had. One was a little more direct of, it's clear he wanted to run again. and sort of dealing with that issue directly about it. He did not want to deal with that issue. And look, that's very personal, and perhaps we can understand that. And the second, though, was he had, you know, one of the main pillars of his candidacy and one of the main pillars of his inauguration speech was to bring this country together. And he has failed at doing that. Now, perhaps anybody would have failed in the first three and a half years.

Perhaps it was an impossible task. I wanted a little bit more on that. I think there's certainly some allusions to it. It was slightly more political than I expected. He framed, you know, he really wanted to frame an election argument in the best possible way, I think, perhaps for the vice president. But I think it's a reminder, this is how he was framing his reelection bit. And he sort of stayed with that theme. And so that's why when I say political, meaning it did feel as if he was like, look, there's a campaign ahead.

you have a choice to make, and the choice is democracy or not, right? And that's a, those are some pretty stark words. I don't think he was writing that for history. I think he was writing that for this campaign and this moment. But look, it was, it was, it was certainly, you could, there was a, you could tell that he didn't have this sort of weight on his shoulder anymore, though, right? All of his previous speeches, particularly the last two months, Allison, you know, he's been trying to talk faster. He's been trying to, it's almost like he's trying so hard to show he had energy to do it, that it was sort of sometimes distracting.

What I did appreciate tonight, he finally felt comfortable being him again. And I think that was probably the most important tone setter of all. Let's listen to another soundbikes. I want to get your reaction to this one particular moment that stood out to me when he was talking about his record and also why he decided to drop out of the election this year. Let's listen and then we'll talk after. Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.

So I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation. You know, there is a time and a place for a long years of experience in public life. There's also a time and a place for new voices. Fresh voices. Yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now. You know, at times you listen to that and you're like, okay, well, saving democracy, was that really the reason behind why he got out of the race? Or was it just all of the pressure from allies, the call that NBC has reported on with Senator Chuck Schumer, basically saying, hey, you've lost Senate

Democrats and others saying, we really don't think you can win. Was that him trying to sort of rewrite the narrative of why he decided to step out now? Or is this a. multiple things can be true at once. Look, I certainly think it felt like a rewrite of the narrative, Ellison. I'll be honest, and yes, both things can be true. Let me put it another way. Had he uttered those words in March of this year, let's say he had been on the same track as LBJ, and he had done this in March of 2024, allowing for a couple of months and all this stuff,

I think those words would have rang truer to those that were listening. but, I mean, these last three weeks, we can't, you know, particularly us in the media, we can't unremember them, right? We are well aware there was a massive pressure campaign. They were not taking no for an answer, right, on this front. So that's where, look, I think he was trying to put the best version of that story in light. And if Kamala Harris wins, that narrative might have a chance to. to take hold. But if she loses, I don't think that narrative will ever take hold, to be frank.

Do you think Chuck this question, and we're hearing it so much, I think, in terms of just public faces we see on TV from Republicans saying, if he can't finish running for re-election, he shouldn't finish out his term. But I do think those are some questions that I have heard people across the political spectrum also asking in different settings, right? Whether it was when I was in Milwaukee or just out and about with friends. Do you think that question remains moving forward, even though he seemed to really try and stop it by saying, here's what I'm going to do? I think if you want, I think that's a Rorschach test, Allison. I'll be frank on that.

I don't, you know, I think it's one of those things that's very subjective. I don't think he made a strong case on that about the next four years. But I also think it's a silly argument that, you know, he doesn't have six more, you know, be able to do this job for six more months. I think a very much more plausible is trying to campaign for re-election and be leader of the free world at 81 years old. Maybe that was too much. But not doing the campaign, taking that pressure off, I think, frankly, frees him up to do a better job in the next six months than perhaps he felt like he could do in the last six months. Do you think we will see Biden out on the campaign trail with Kamala Harris in the near future? Or do you think

think that will be a wait-and-see and only at the big moments? I think it's only at the big moments. I think the next time we see him in a campaign setting will probably be the Monday night of the Democratic Convention that is a traditional night for outgoing presidents of either party, whatever, whichever convention it is, to sort of have their moment. And I think perhaps, you know, there's a more robust speech there. I'll be curious to see whether that is, whether they want him in that 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock big primetime speech or whether he doesn't want to do that.

He doesn't want to do the big 30-minute stem winder. Maybe he wants to keep it tighter and smaller. But look, I wouldn't be surprised now that he's decided not to run, that he kind of gets a little bit of a thank you honeymoon in the polls, and that his numbers will start to soften up. His personal ratings will go up. You know, if you tell me, Kamala Harris wants him stumping in northeastern Pennsylvania, near his hometown of Scranton, go to Wilkesbury, do some trips to Philadelphia.

that seems to make a lot of sense, have them at fundraisers, that makes a lot of sense. And if you told me he was going to do a big rally, you know, I could see a Biden-Obama Harris event, right, towards the end of the campaign. So, but I do think it'll be more selective. And because part of it is Harris needs to establish her own identity. If she's, you know, look, his poll numbers aren't enough to lean on anyway. But even if they were, I mean, you know, she needs to get out of his shadow. At times, she's going to have to distance herself from some of the more, from perhaps an unpopular policy or two.

I kind of expect it on the border, but we'll see. Okay, I'm going to go completely rogue, and I will get back on to asking you about future steps. But I am just curious, Chuck. You have such a wealth of knowledge. You know the history of presidents of D.C. When people are looking at this moment, and I think we talk so much about young voters right now, and so many people have different emotions, feelings, worries in this moment. I'm curious if we could have you reflect a little on just where our country is right now.

When you talk to, I know your dad, when you talk to your kids and look back at this time, this last year, two years, particularly the last 25 days, what is it that you say to them if, regardless of their politics, they're like, dad, I'm scared. I feel like these are moments I only saw in history books. What are we doing? What's happening? Well, you know, Alison, I actually, that's how I make myself feel better. is I go back and say, look, we've done, we've been through this before. You know, I sometimes, in darker moments, say to myself, is this the 1850s or the 1950s? And the reason I say that is the 1850s didn't end well. The 1950s ended better, okay?

The 1960s were tumultuous, but we didn't end up in a civil war. The 1860s were a different story, obviously. So, look, I actually look at. history as sort of a reminder. We've been here before. The Republican Party has been there before. The 1920s and 30s version of the Republican Party and the conservative movement looks awfully familiar with what we have today. So the point is that, and in some ways, if you know it's happened before, then you know there's a path out, right? And ultimately, you got to trust the voters. I do, I say this to my kids. I say, look, the voters, we eventually get it right.

You know, but one of President Obama's favorite expressions was, you know, the arc of history bends towards justice. But one of the things I like to remind people is that sometimes arcs have to go backwards before they go forwards, right? Just like you ever see one of those overpasses, sometimes you have to go backwards in order to make progress, right? And, you know, I think we're on one of these loops right now, okay? And I will get there. I'm long-term optimistic and always short-term a little bit nervous. All right. And then looking ahead, Harris should be on the campaign trail soon. We had Donald Trump today in Charlotte, North Carolina. How soon do you think we will get a Harris VP pick? I know you've said, take time on this, think about it. But what's the realistic timeline? And who do you think is top? Well, look, the DNC has talked themselves into this idea that they have to do it by August 7th. So they're going to do it by August. You know, it seems pretty clear that they want to do that. I think that they're sort of trumping up this deadline. There's a there's some other reasons. I think that they don't want a roll call at the convention.

I understand that. They're trying to limit the amount of unscripted moments at the convention. There's still a concern. You saw Washington, D.C. today, with all the protests over Gaza, that is still a large concern among organizers for the Chicago convention. So there's been, you know, that's always been an extra feature of the, quote, early roll call is that you limit other, you limit some of the unscripted moments that the convention could provide. You're asking me who I think right now, I mean, when you start to look at the list, and it, you know, ultimately, I hope she spends some time with all of them so she knows for sure if she clicks.

But when you look at her deficits and the attributes of the potential shortlist, Mark Kelly seems to, to me, rise above everybody else. You know, he was critical of the Biden-Harris administration's border policies when he was running for re-election in 22. He's been vetted by those two campaigns. Those were $100 million campaigns in Arizona. Oh, did I say it was in Arizona, right? Swing State. The issue of political violence isn't something that just touched former President Trump. This is something that has touched Mark Kelly and his family and former congresswoman, his wife, Gabrielle Gifford. So when you look at sort of a lot of assets, and you know what's interesting, we had this focus group last night. And, you know, of all the people on the short list, he was the only one voters recognized

without hearing a title. And it's because he's done something else outside of politics. orbiting this Earth, right? And, you know, the first time he appeared on The Today Show was in the late 90s with his brother talking about the twins going up into space. So he's been a part of our culture, which I think in a short campaign, if you're Kamala Harris, it's an added get-to-know-you, right?

It helps. He's already, he already has some seeds planted in the American mind of who he is, and they're very positive. We love our astronauts, right? So I just think you look at those attributes. There's a lot of other good attributes for Governor Shapiro, Governor Bashir, Governor Cooper, but I see why Kelly appears to be first on the short list. It is a unprecedented, unbelievable time that we are living in. And Chuck Todd, we are always so grateful and thankful to have you and your insights here to help us walk through it all.

Chuck Todd, thank you. We're going to stay with the other big political story, the investigation that is still ongoing, and to former President Trump's assassination attempt. FBI director Christopher Ray bringing new light and details to Congress and to the world, talking about a disturbing Google search that was reportedly found on the shooter's laptop. All the while, Trump holding his first rally tonight since that shooting as he years up to potentially face Vice President Kamala Harris in the election. NBC's Garrett Haake has this story.

Tonight, new video showing the moment. a would-be assassin fired on former President Trump as people scream and run for cover. The new video coming to light as FBI director Chris Ray shared shocking new details of the shooting investigation in testimony before a House committee. Ray reporting that the shooter managed to fire eight total rounds and revealing this disturbing evidence extracted from the shooter's laptop. On July 6th, he did a Google search for, quote, how far away was Oswald from Kennedy? It all comes as Mr. Trump holds a rally in North Carolina tonight with security tighter than ever.

More secret service and law enforcement agents on scene, plus a roof over the candidate's head. There will be no more outdoor rallies this year, campaign sources tell NBC News. The Trump campaign has seen a surge of enthusiasm since the attempted assassination, now gearing up to take on Vice President Kamala Harris. We officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country. Crooker Joe Biden. Campaign sources say the former president claims to keep attacks on President Biden front and center and tie Harris to her boss's record on issues like immigration and inflation. She'll destroy our country if she's elected so we won't let her be elected.

We can't let that happen. Mr. Trump boasting to reporters Tuesday, she'll be easier than Mr. Biden to defeat. She's the same as Biden, but much more radical. She's a radical left person, and this country doesn't want a radical left person to destroy it. And saying he'd be open to multiple additional debates. Mr. Trump also attacking Harris in starkly personal language on social media as a liar and, quote, dumb as a rock, posting this image contrasting headlines about her racial identity with no other context. Some House Republicans attacking the vice president as a, quote, diversity hire.

100%. She was a DEI hired. He said he was going to hire, and then she didn't, her record is abysmal at best. Even former Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy warning his party that attack line will backfire. I would say two attacks I've heard Republicans give that are totally stupid and dumb to do is the DEI attack. She is the Vice President of the United States. She is the former U.S. Senator. These congressmen that are saying it, they're wrong in their own instance. All right. The former president clearly very much in attack mode tonight in North Carolina, even jokingly asking his crowd for permission to not be nice anymore. The era of the unity message in the Republican Party appears to be a thing of the past.

Ellison? Garrett Hake, thank you. For more on Trump's return to the trail, let's go to the trail. That is where we find Vaughn Hilliard with the former president at his rally there. Vaughn, we heard a little bit from former President Trump. Talk to us about what else he had to say tonight specifically about. about Vice President Kamala Harris? Right.

Folks that tuned in to the Republican National Convention last week in Milwaukee heard a more subdued tenor from Donald Trump in his convention of speech, of course, just days after the intent of assassination in which he was shot in the ear.

And then on Saturday night, he had a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And that was, of course, before Joe Biden announced that he wasn't seeing a reelection. And he seemed to be back to his old that Donald Trump with a normal intonation

and suggested the crowd. Would you be open to covering or going up against Kamala Harris, and the crowd chanted yes, come Sunday, that's exactly what happened. And now I can tell you here, Donald Trump has answered clearly the question. He has come out aggressively on the attack against Kamala Harris, calling her dangerous, a threat to democracy. As Garrett just mentioned, he asked the crowd whether he has to be nice anymore. He called her incompetent. He mentioned several other demeaning names of her, calling her a lunatic. And I think for this crowd of about 9,000 here, it was clear that Donald

Trump effectively has taken on his Republican and Democratic opponents over the years, and clearly over the next 100 days, and tends to undercut the reputation of Kamala Harris in order to win this general election. Yeah, I mean, Vaugh, 9,000 people, that's a lot, an indoor rally. It is loud behind you. It seems like he still has the same level of enthusiasm he had at previous rallies. This This indoor venue, though, this is going to be sort of the new normal for the Trump campaign moving forward, right? That's a plan as of right now. At the same time, an advisor to the Trump campaign says that they're not ruling out having outdoor events here at some point. Of course, that rally in Michigan Saturday and this rally here, they're inside of these arenas, which hold big crowds.

But I can tell you, we saw outside of the entrance that there were still hundreds, if not thousands of people that were trying to get into this venue. And usually with those outdoor events, the capacity is a little bit. bit more. But of course, after that attempt assassination and the failures of the U.S. Secret Service to protect the principal, Donald Trump, it is heightened concerns for not only Secret Service, but local law enforcement, as well as the Trump campaign. And so for Donald Trump, again, we're just over three months away here. And this comes a point in time in which the campaign is going to ramp up in the number of events it has around the country, which is only going to require more of a presence of Secret Service agents and those law enforcement agencies to be on

Von Hilliard in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thank you. Still ahead tonight, the Black Swan murder trial. A Florida woman and former ballerina accused of killing her husband. The testimony today from the couple's neighbor about the moments after gunshots rang out. Plus, the truck crashing and exploding on a New Jersey highway. What we're learning about the driver tonight and a rocky day on Wall Street. What experts say caused the S&P and NASDAQ to have their worst days since 2022. Stay with us.

back now with the latest on a murder case that's being called the black swan trial a former ballerina accused of shooting and killing her estranged husband but she is claiming it was self-defense NBC's Kathy Park has the details tonight a murder case being dubbed the black swan trial now underway in florida Yes. 32-year-old former ballerina Ashley Benefield is accused of shooting and killing her estranged husband nearly four years ago. Police say Ashley ran to a neighbor's house in September 2020, claiming she shot her husband, 59-year-old Doug Benefield, after he attacked her. In court, prosecutors playing a 911 call placed by the neighbor the day of the shooting. Man, if you're counting 911, what is the address of your emergency? Okay.

One moment. Calm down, honey. that neighbor also taking the stand Tuesday soon as I opened the door before I could say anything she said he attacked me and is that all she said at that point I said who he said Doug he attacked me and I shot him but after a five-week investigation a sheriff's office report found bullet entry wounds on Doug indicating he was shot while facing away from his wife and found no evidence of self-defense the benefields met at a political vet in 2016. She was 24. He was 54 at the time. They married just 13 days after meeting,

according to attorneys for the state, and later formed a short-lived ballet company. At the time of the shooting, the couple was in the middle of a custody battle over their two-year-old daughter. This was a custody battle that this mother was going to win at all costs. And the cost was the life of Doug Benefield. And that is murder. In the weeks and months leading up, up to the shooting, Ashley claimed Doug was abusing her, though not physically. Ashley's result and resource to deadly force was absolutely justified under the circumstances. In a hearing before the shooting, Doug was granted access to their child and said Ashley was lying about these allegations of abuse. A law enforcement report said it appears that Ashley had exhausted

all legal means of keeping the child away from Douglas before the shooting. Last year, Ashley's attorney tried to argue the shooting was a stand-your-ground case, but the court ruled against it. The judge who dismissed that motion, he felt that a reasonable person would not be that scared in that moment to justify using a deadly weapon. But that does not mean that a jury will not agree with her. Ashley is out on bond, but facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison if found guilty. We reached out to Ashley's attorney, but have not heard back. Ashley's story drawing support from some in her community who are using the hashtag We Stand with Ashley on social media.

Among those marching outside the courthouse, Ashley's young daughter, whose future also hangs in the balance. Kathy Park, NBC News. When we come back tonight, a major update to a story we brought you last month. And NBC News investigation finding one New Mexico hospital denied more than a dozen cancer patients care because they did not have proper insurance. Now the Attorney General opening an investigation. What he's telling Top Story about that decision tonight. Stay with us. We're back with Top Story's news feed. An escalator fire at JFK Airport in New York forcing nearly

a thousand passengers to evacuate the building. Video showing passengers waiting on the tarmac as smoke spills out of 8. Officials say nine people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Operations at the terminal have now resumed. New Jersey police identifying the driver that was killed in a dramatic tractor trailer explosion on Monday. New video of the incident showing a plume of fire exploding into the air above a crashed truck on the highway. Police saying Luis Santiago was behind the wheel of the truck hauling flammable chemicals. It clicked the New Jersey transit bus and crashed in the highway barrier. None of the passengers on the bus were hurt.

An armed robbery suspect in Florida evading capture by jumping between hotel balconies. Body camera footage showing the man climbing down from the sixth floor to the second floor, fleeing after police knocked on his hotel door room. He was arrested moments later for his alleged involvement in multiple robberies across the Tampa Bay area. And a big tech sell-off leading to a rough day on Wall Street, the Dow dropping more than five. 500 points. The SNP and NASDA posting their worst session since 2022 shares of both Tesla and Google's parent company Alphabet falling after disappointing earning reports. We're going to turn now to an update on an NBC News investigation that you first saw here on top

story. Our team identifying more than a dozen cancer patients who were denied care at a for-profit hospital. That report getting the attention of New Mexico's attorney general who is now launching an investigation. NBC News correspondent Valerie Castro has this report. Tonight, an NBC News investigation into allegations of cancer patients being denied medical care in New Mexico, prompting an investigation by the state. And now I know I'm not the only one. And people tell me that saw me on NBC, oh, you're the one that was on the news. Well, guess what happened to me? Barbara Corral first spoke to us on camera in June, the cancer survivor and former nurse at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces,

recounting the day she says her former employer wouldn't help her as she sought radiation treatment after her diagnosis. The doctor called back and he said, well, they won't treat you. And I said, why? Well, they don't take your insurance. How did you feel? I felt betrayed. I was heartbroken.

I was scared because what was I going to do now? Where was I going to go get treatment if I couldn't do it here in my own hometown? In addition to Corral, NBC News found a dozen other cancer patients who reported experiencing similar treatment, denied care if they didn't have insurance, or were covered by a provider that MMC told them it didn't accept. Some say they were told they could get treatment if they made costly upfront payments. Under its lease agreement with the city and county, MMC is required to continue providing care to those unable to pay the full cost of health care services rendered to them.

It is apparent to me that the manager, of this facility has failed to place the well-being and safety and care of their patients in the proper place and in the proper priority. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torres announcing last week the state will look closely at allegations that the hospital and its operator LifePoint Health may have violated state laws. What specific laws could they potentially have violated in denying this care? So we have an unfair practices act.

It's a consumer protection law. has to do with misrepresentations about the type of services that are being provided, in this case, medical services. We also have various provisions that require that indigent people be given access to treatment. Torres says hearing firsthand from those affected earlier this month open his eyes to how serious the allegations are. When we arrived, there were 30 or 40 people filling up that room. There were not only patients, but physicians, former administrators, There's other folks who came forward and had some connection, some history with the facility, and just the breadth and depth of the things that they were bringing to our attention was truly

shocking. It is a day of reckoning. Yoli Diaz, a community advocate who provides financial assistance to cancer patients, including Corral, through her nonprofit, Care Las Cruces, says she raised concerns about the issues with Medical Memorial numerous times to city leaders. I am concerned for sick residents who live here. And I'm disappointed that access to needed health care does not seem to be a priority. She's now grateful.

Someone is really listening. It's kind of hard to find those words, but I feel relief that finally something could happen. A LifePoint spokesperson told NBC News last month, it's, quote, very rare that it can't help uninsured or underinsured people qualify for financial assistance, also disputing that they've turned people away. Now in a statement, a spokeswoman for the hospital says, Memorial Medical Center was surprised to learn of this investigation and will be cooperating fully. Thus far, they have told us and have demonstrated that they're willing to cooperate with this investigation, which I think is a good sign. And we are going to, you know, conduct a thorough, fair and impartial investigation into these claims. Corral, hoping it's a first step towards

better care. I'm hoping that people won't get turned away, that they'll help them find a way to get their treatment. And Valerie Castro joins us now in studio. Valerie, you listen to someone like Barbara, just saying so simply when you said, how did you feel? I felt betrayed. Talk to us about what the outcome of this investigation could look like. So the Attorney General says there is the possibility of civil penalties, in other words, fines if violations are found. And he says his office is also looking at the possibility of violations of federal law. And so they will be working with partners at the federal level to see if that's the case. And lastly, he says at this point, he still can't rule out the possibility of this becoming a criminal investigation in the future.

Interesting to note, since they announced their investigation last week, the AG says his office has received more calls from people who say they experience similar things, similar stories, of being denied basic care. Valerie Castro, important reporting. Thank you. Just ahead, the deadly plane crash in Nepal. Shocking video of the moment a plane slams in into an airport runway bursting into flames. The pilot pulled from the wreckage. What we're learning about those who were on board. Stay with us.

We're back now with the deadly passenger plane crash in Nepal. The small plane crashing while taking off from an airport, killing 18 people on board. The pilot is the sole survivor. International correspondent Janice Mackie Freyer has late details and the shocking new video showing that moment of impact. Chilling video shows how the plane veered then crashed in Nepal, bursting into flames at the side of the runway. The crash just after takeoff from Kathmandu, killing 18 people on board, including a child. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the pilot, the lone survivor, pulled from the charred wreckage.

Airport officials say the Soya Airlines plane was heading toward Pokhara, a resort town in western Nepal, for me. Western Nepal for maintenance. Most of the passengers were Nepali mechanics or airline staff. There was no way that anyone could go near the plane and help out when there was so much fire, said this eyewitness. It isn't yet clear what caused the crash that highlights Nepal's poor air safety record, with a string of plane and helicopter crashes in recent years. Experts say unpredictable weather and strong winds make Nepal a risk, with conditions. around many of the world's highest mountains, a challenge for most pilots. Grieving relatives waited at the hospital to collect the dead as investigators combed the debris

for answers. Janice Mackey Frere, NBC News. And we have more international headlines tonight on Top Story's Global Watch, starting with the deadly explosion at a tequila factory in Mexico. That blast taking place at a Jose Cuervo factory in the city of Tequila, Mexico, about 40 miles from Guadalajara. At least six workers killed and two others hurt. Two containers of tequila, each holding 60,000 gallons of alcohol, collapsed in the explosion. The initial cause is under investigation. And in New Zealand, a shocking report on the abuse of children and vulnerable

adults. An investigation finding 200,000 people under the care of state agencies or churches were abused. The crimes committed over seven decades and mostly targeting indigenous people. The findings could leave the government facing billions of dollars in compensation claims. And a powerful typhoon making landfall in Taiwan after wrecking havoc in the Philippines. New video shows people near Manila walking through waste deep water, homes and roads just completely submerged, nearly a dozen people killed and hundreds injured in the Philippines and Taiwan, hundreds of flights canceled and schools closed across the region. We'll be right back.

Finally tonight, we are kicking off our coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics. The Paris Games starting today with sports like soccer and rugby taking center stage, but the opening ceremony is not until Friday. Tennis star Cocoa Golf will join LeBron James as Team USA flag bearers, and at only 20 years old, Goff will be the youngest U.S. flag bearer in opening ceremony history. Up to 300,000 fans are expected to attend. that ceremony, but while they wait for Friday, Arir Simmons takes us to two sites

they can actually visit before, filled with Parisian history. This is the way down. It's only the beginning. Hidden 65 feet underground, a glimpse into the soul of Paris. The Empire of Death, Death, Death, Death. Of McGuinness.

It's kind of goosebumps, really. Yes, some people even cannot believe that these are real bones. These people are just piled up? Yes, and from many, many centuries. By the late 18th century, Paris's graves were full. To combat a public health crisis, the bodies from every grave were transferred to an empty quarry just outside the city. One of the things you really notice is the silence. Yes.

It's just, there's nothing. It's thought up to four million skeletons were moved to the catacombs. But as revolution rocked France, Paris learned to celebrate the individual. Per Les Chés, one of the world's largest and most beautiful cemeteries. Historian and author, Monsieur Jean-Manuel Tremant, has given tours of Per Les Chés for years. The Perlachés is now clearly the most elegant place to be buried in Paris. Even legends chose Perlachez as their final resting place. Oscar Wilde's grave.

The reason why Oscar Wilde is buried in Paris is because he was gay and he could not face London society so he went to Paris to die. So here we have one of the most flowered graves of the whole cemetery, it's always popular, the grave of Edith Piaf. Wow. So now another very famous grave. That famous grave is that, of course, of Jim Morrison. And from day one, that is from 1971, gazillions of young people have come all over the cemetery.

This will be where it is... This is the grave. This is Jim Morrison's grave. The grave surrounded by barriers to keep fanatical pilgrims at bay. I have seen things that I cannot describe, but happening exactly on the grave. Wow. We're really obsessed with the dead. We are really obsessed with the dead.

Us living people. The problem is it will happen to us to become a dead person. So our obsession is a little bit to understand. Not all of us though are as famous or as infamous as Jim Morrison. From the Middle Ages to Jim Morrison. Paris has lessons in life and death. We will have much more from Kier in Paris over the next few weeks. few weeks. And a reminder, NBC is home to the Olympics. Our Tom Yamis will anchor Top Story live

from Paris starting tomorrow night right here on NBC News Now. And you can watch the summer games on NBC and Peacock. Thank you so much for watching Top Story. I'm Ellison Barber. Stay right there. More news is on the way.