NBC Nightly News Full Episode - July 21

♪ ♪. >>> TONIGHT, THE. DROWNING TRAGEDY. ACTOR MALCOLM JAMAL. WARNER SWEPT AWAY BY A. POWERFUL OCEAN. CURRENT. WHAT WE'RE LEARNING. ABOUT THE BELOVED STAR. OF "THE COSBY SHOW,". "THE RESIDENCE," AND. SO MUCH MORE. COSTA RICAN POLICE. SAYING HE DROWN. DESPITE BYSTANDERS. EFFORTS TO RESCUE HIM. AND FIRST RESPONDERS. TRYING TO SAVE HIS. LIFE. FANS ACROSS THE. COUNTRY REMEMBERING. HIM TONIGHT. >>> THE NEW VIDEO OF.

THE B-52 COMING TOO. CLOSE FOR COMFORT TO A. DELTA REGIONAL PILOT, SENDING HIM INTO AN. AGGRESSIVE MANEUVER. AND TELLING PASSENGERS. OVER THE INTERCOM, QUOTE, THAT IS NOT. NORMAL. THE LATEST CLOSE CALL. RATTLING FLYERS. >>> TONIGHT, THE. BANGLADESH AIR FORCE. JET CRASHING INTO A. SCHOOL FULL OF KIDS. 20 KILLED AND MORE. THAN 170 INJURED. WHAT WENT WRONG? >>> HUNTER BIDEN'S NEW. REVELATION SAYING HIS. FATHER TOOK AN AMBIEN. BEFORE THAT DISASTROUS. DEBATE PERFORMANCE. THAT MARKED THE. BEGINNING OF THE END. OF THE REELECTION.

CAMPAIGN. >>> THE OUTCRY OVER A. TRAFFIC STOP THAT. SUDDENLY TURNED. VIOLENT. THE INVESTIGATION INTO. WHAT HAPPENED. >>> ETAN PATZ'S FACE. WAS FIRST TO APPEAR ON. A MILK CARTON WHEN HE. WENT MISSING DECADES. AGO. NOW THE MAN WHO. CONFESSED TO HIS. MURDER IS ORDERED A. NEW TRIAL AFTER BEING. SENTENCED 25 TO LIFE. IN PRISON. >>> THE NEW FLASH. FLOOD THREAT IMPACTING. MILLIONS. >>> PLUS --. ♪ TAKE ME OUT TO THE. BALL GAME ♪. >> AND A WHOLE NEW. BALL GAME. WE WILL TAKE YOU.

INSIDE JOHN OLIVER'S. MAMMOTH MAKEOVER FOR A. MINOR LEAGUE TEAM. "NIGHTLY NEWS" STARTS. RIGHT NOW. ♪ ♪. >>> THIS IS "NBC. NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH TOM. LLAMAS. >>> AND GOOD EVENING. TONIGHT AS WE COME ON. THE AIR THE TRAGEDY IN. PARADISE FOR A BELOVED. ACTOR. MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER. KNOWN AS THEO ON "THE. COSBY SHOW" DROWNING. IN COSTA RICA. WARNER, 54, WAS. SWIMMING AT A BEACH ON. A CARIBBEAN FORCE WHEN. AUTHORITIES SAY A. CURRENT PULLED HIM. DEEPER INTO THE OCEAN.

THEY SAY PEOPLE TRIED. TO RESCUE HIM BUT HE. DIDN'T SURVIVE. WARNER BECAME A. HOUSEHOLD NAME WHEN HE. PLAYED THEO HUXTABLE, BILL COSBY'S SON ON. THE SHOW WHICH RAN FOR. EIGHT SEASONS FROM. 1984 INTO THE '90s. HE WENT ON TO STAR IN. "MALCOLM AND EDDIE". AND "THE RESIDENT.". HE ALSO DIRECTED A RYE. CENT PODCAST. CHLOE MELAS WITH MORE. ON HIS SHOCKING.

PASSING. >> Reporter: MALCOLM. JAMAL WARNER WAS JUST. 14 WHEN "THE COSBY. SHOW" CATAPULTED HIM. TO SUPERSTAR DOM. >> HEY. WHAT IS HAPPENING, DAD? >> Reporter: HE BECAME. A HOUSEHOLD NAME. PLAYING THEO HUXTABLE, THE ONLY SON OF THE. PARENTS BILL COSBY AND. PHYLICIA RASHAD. >> "THE COSBY SHOW". HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL. BEGINNING AND A. WONDERFUL. STEPPINGSTONE. >> Reporter: NOW THE. BELOVED ACTOR IS DEAD. AT THE AGE OF 54. INVESTIGATORS IN COSTA. RICA SAY THAT THE. ACTOR DROWNED SUNDAY. AFTERNOON WHILE. SWIMMING IN A PROVINCE. AFTER HE WAS SWEPT.

AWAY BY A POWERFUL. OCEAN CURRENT. ACCORDING TO. INVESTIGATORS WHO SAY. HE WAS RESCUED BY. BYSTANDERS AND TAKEN. TO THE SHORE. HE WAS TREATED BY. FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY. ADDED, BUT PRONOUNCED. DEAD AT THE SCENE DUE. TO ASPHYXIA. HE LEAVES BEHIND A. WIFE AND DAUGHTER. A FEW MONTHS AGO HE. POSTED THIS VIDEO ON. INSTAGRAM WITH A. FLOWER FROM HIS. DAUGHTER TUCKED BEHIND. HIS EAR. >> NO MATTER WHAT IS. GOING ON THERE'S. ALWAYS A REASON TO. SMILE. >> Reporter: WARNER. SPENT EIGHT SEASONS IN. HIS BREAKOUT ROLE ON.

"THE COSBY SHOW.". THEN WENT ON TO BUILD. AN IMPRESSIVE. ON-SCREEN CAREER, STARRING IN "MALCOLM. AND EDDIE.". ♪ ♪. >> I DON'T NEED YOU TO. EXPLAIN. >> Reporter: AND. TAKING ON REOCCURRING. ROLE IN "SUITS" AND. "THE RESIDENT.". >> DO YOU THINK MY. BEHAVIOR IS A. WEAKNESS? NO, IT IS MY. SUPERHERO. >> Reporter: WARNER. WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED. MUSICIAN, EVEN WINNING. A GRAMMY IN 2015. HE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A. PODCAST CALLED "NOT.

ALL HOOD" AIMED AND. TELLING IMPORTANT. STORIES WITHIN THE. BLACK COMMUNITY. THE LATEST EPISODE. DROPPING JUST DAYS. BEFORE HIS DEATH. >> I JUST LOVED YOUR. TAKE AND YOUR REMINDER. THAT THE HOOD SHOULD. BE AS CELEBRATED AS. THE REST OF THE LANES. OF BLACK CULTURE. >> Reporter: AMONG. THOSE HONORING WARNER, FORMER CO-STAR TRACEE. ELLIS ROSS, WHO WROTE. WHAT AN ACTOR AND. FRIEND YOU WERE, WARM, GENTLE, FUNNY, DEEP,

ELEGANT. YOU MADE THE WORLD A. BRIGHTER PLACE. >> I THINK I HAVE BEEN. BLESSED BUT I ALSO. HAVE WORKED HARD FOR. IT AND IT FEELS GOOD. >> CHLOE MELAS JOINS. US LIVE IN STUDIO. CHLOE, YOU HAVE JUST. LEARNED WHO HE WAS. WITH IN COSTA RICA? >> TOM, THAT'S RIGHT. I SPOKE TO A SOURCE. CLOSE TO WARNER WHO. SAYS THAT HE WAS. ACTUALLY IN COSTA RICA. WITH HIS WIFE AND HIS. YOUNG CHILD, AND THAT. HIS FAMILY IS. CURRENTLY IN THE. PROCESS OF TRYING TO. GET HIS BODY BACK TO. THE UNITED STATES AND. MAKE FUNERAL. ARRANGEMENTS. BUT THIS SOURCE ALSO.

TELLING NBC NEWS, TOM, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE. ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS. HAPPENED, THAT IT JUST. LOOKS LIKE A VERY. TRAGIC ACCIDENT. >> ALL RIGHT. CHLOE MELAS WITH THAT. SAD PASSING. THANK YOU. >>> TONIGHT THE FAA. AND AIR FORCE ARE. INVESTIGATING THAT. VERY CLOSE CALL OVER. NORTH DAKOTA ON FRIDAY. WHEN A B-52 BOMBER AND. A DELTA AIRLINES. REGIONAL JET CARRYING. 80 PEOPLE NEARLY. COLLIDED IN THE SKY. IT HAPPENED AS THE. BOMBER WAS PERFORMING. A FLY-OVER AT THE. NORTH DAKOTA STATE. FAIR. HERE IS TOM COST TELL. OWE. >> Reporter: AMATEUR. VIDEO AT THE NORTH. DAKOTA STATE FAIR.

CAPTURED THE DELTA. AIRLINES REGIONAL JET, FLOWN BY SKY WEST, MAKING A SHARP TURN AS. THE BIGGEST BOMBER IN. THE AIR FORCE FLEET, A. B-52, ROARS OVER THE. CROWD BELOW. >> ON THE RIGHT-HAND. SIDE YOU PROBABLY SAW. THE AIRPLANE KIND OF. SORT OF COMING AT US. NOBODY TOLD US ABOUT. IT. >> Reporter: AFTER. MAKING A HARD. 25-DEGREE BANK TO THE. RIGHT AND THEN DIVING, THE PILOT APOLOGIZED. TO PASSENGERS ON. BOARD. >> SORRY ABOUT THE. AGGRESSIVE MANEUVER. IT CAUGHT ME BY. SURPRISE. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AT.

ALL. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY. DIDN'T GIVE US A HEADS. UP BECAUSE THE AIR. FORCE BASE DOES HAVE. RADAR AND NOBODY SAID. ANYTHING. THERE'S ALSO A B-52 IN. THE PATTERN. >> Reporter: PASSENGER. MONICA GREEN SAYS THE. SUDDEN TURN FELT VERY. SHARP. >> I JUST REMEMBER THE. PLANE GOING LIKE. SIDEWAYS LIKE THAT AND. JUST LOOKING STRAIGHT. OUT THE WINDOW AND. JUST SEEING GRASS. >> Reporter: IT. HAPPENED JUST 1,000. FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. IN A STATEMENT SKY. WEST SAYS FLIGHT 3788. HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR. APPROACH BY THE TOWER, BUT PERFORMED A. GO-AROUND WHEN ANOTHER. AIRCRAFT BECAME. VISIBLE IN THEIR.

FLIGHT PATH. THE MINOT TOWER. DOESN'T HAVE RADAR. IT OPERATES ON VISUAL. FLIGHT RULES. THE FAA SAYS THE TOWER. IS RUN BY A PRIVATE. COMPANY AND THESE. CONTROLLERS ARE NOT. FAA EMPLOYEES. >> I'M NOT SURE THE. B-52 CREW EVEN KNEW. THAT THE DELTA. AIRPLANE WAS THERE, SO -- AND THEY WERE. NOT TALKING TO THE. SAME CONTROLLER. >> Reporter: IT COMES. JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER. AN ARMY BLACK HAWK. HELICOPTER COLLIDED. WITH AN AMERICAN EAGLE. REGIONAL PLANE, KILLING 67 PEOPLE OVER. WASHINGTON. TONIGHT THE PRIVATE. COMPANY THAT OPERATES.

THE MINOT TOWER IS. DEFERRING ALL. QUESTIONS TO THE FAA. THE MILITARY SAYS THAT. B-52 WAS FLYING ON AN. APPROVED FLIGHT PATH. TOM. >> ALL RIGHT, TOM. WE THANK YOU. >>> NOW TO THE HORROR. IN MIDDLE OF THE. SCHOOL DAY. A FIGHTER JET CRASHING. INTO THE BUILDING IN. BANGLADESH THAT WENT. UP INTO FLAMES AS. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. SCRAMBLED TO TRY TO. GET OUT. HERE IS RICHARD ENGEL. >> Reporter: THE PILOT. OF THE F-7 FIGHTER JET. WAS ON A TRAINING. FLIGHT AND SMASHED. INTO THE K-12 SCHOOL. JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. FIRST RESPONDERS.

COMBED THROUGH THE. CHARRED BUILDING. THE PLANE CRASH. HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE. OF THE AFTERNOON WHILE. THE SCHOOL WAS FULL OF. TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. [ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL. LANGUAGE ]. >> Reporter: I WAS. PICKING UP MY KIDS AND. I HEARD SOMETHING. COMING FROM BEHIND. WHEN I LOOKED BACK, I. ONLY SAW SMOKE AND. FIRE, THIS TEACHER. SAID. PARENTS RUSHED TO FIND. AND PICK UP THEIR. CHILDREN WHILE OTHERS. WATCHED RECOVERY. EFFORTS IN HORROR. JUUL FOUND HIS. DAUGHTER ALIVE AMID. THE WRECKAGE. [ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL. LANGUAGE ]. >> Reporter: WHEN I.

CAME HERE I SAW THERE. WAS A HUGE FIRE AND. THE DEAD BODY OF A. CHILD, HE SAID. IN A STATEMENT THE. MILITARY SAID THE. AIRCRAFT HAD A. TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT WAS KILLED. ALONG WITH AT LEAST 20. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. >> RICHARD ENGEL JOINS. US LIVE IN STUDIO. FROM WHAT WE. UNDERSTAND THE PILOT. WAS TRYING TO AVOID. MORE POPULATED AREAS? >> SO A STATEMENT WAS. RELEASED THAT SAID. THAT THE PILOT DID. TAKE SOME REVASIVE. ACTION, THAT HE IN THE. LITTLE TIME THAT HE. HAD TRIED TO AVOID A. POPULATED AREA AND HAD. THIS TERRIBLE CHOICE. TO MAKE AND CRASHED.

INTO A BUILDING THAT. ULTIMATELY WAS A. SCHOOL, KILLING. TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND. HIMSELF. >> SPECIAL CHOICE IS. RIGHT. RICHARD, GOOD TO SEE. YOU IN STUDIO. >>> TO THE MIDDLE EAST. AND A DEATH TOLL. RISING AT A FOOD. DISTRIBUTION SITE. AFTER ISRAELI SOLDIERS. OPENED FIRE IN GAZA. SPARKING NEW CRITICISM. OF ISRAEL. MATT BRADLEY HAS THE. DETAILS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. ISRAEL EXPANDING THE. WAR AGAINST HAMAS AND. GAZA IN AREAS ISRAELI. OFFICIALS BELIEVE. HAMAS MAY BE HOLDING. REMAINING HOSTAGES. WHILE ISRAEL FACES.

GROWING CRITICISM OVER. A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. WITH GAZANS DESPERATE. FOR FOOD. THE HAMAS-RUN GAZA. HEALTH MINISTRY SAYING. AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE. WERE KILLED WHEN. ISRAELI SOLDIERS. OPENED FIRE ON AN AID. DISTRIBUTION SITE. WE WENT TO GET FLOUR. SAYS THIS MAN, THAT'S. WHEN THE ISRAELIS. STARTED SHOOTING AT. US. ISRAEL DISPUTES THE. CASUALTY FIGURES AND. SAYS THE IDF FIRED. WARNING SHOTS TO. REMOVE AN IMMEDIATE. THREAT. TONIGHT 28 WESTERN. COUNTRIES INCLUDING. FRANCE AND THE UK.

CRITICIZING ISRAEL. OVER THE DRIP FEEDING. OF AID AND THE INHUGH. MAIL KILLING OF. CIVILIANS AND CHILDREN. AT FOOD DISTRIBUTION. SITES. ISRAEL SAYS THE BLAME. SHOULD BE PLACED ON. HAMAS WHO STARTED THE. WAR AND PROLONGING IT. AN AMERICAN DOCTOR. WORKING IN GAZA FOR. THE PAST THREE WEEKS. >> I HAVE SEEN SO MUCH. MALNUTRITION HERE. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS. MANY PATIENTS STRUGGLE. TO FIGHT OFF AND HEEL. FROM SERIOUS INJURIES. BECAUSE THEY'RE. STARVING. >> I HAVE NEVER SEEN. ANYTHING LIKE WHAT I. HAVE SEEN IN GAZA.

THE LACK OF RESOURCES, THE SIEGE, THE. INABILITY TO BRING. THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED. IS -- HAS REALLY BEEN. CHALLENGING. >> Reporter: GAZAN. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY. AT LEAST 19 PEOPLE. HAVE DIED FROM ACUTE. HUNGER IN GAZA IN JUST. THE PAST 24 HOURS. TOM. >> MATT BRADLEY FOR. US. MATT, WE THANK YOU. >>> BACK HERE AT HOME, IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS. INTO HIS SECOND TERM. PRESIDENT TRUMP. LOOKING TO MOVE PAST. THE CONTROVERSY OVER. THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN. FILES WHILE THE FORMER. PRESIDENT'S SON IS. ALSO MAKING HEADLINES.

HUNTER BIDEN BLAMING. AMBIEN FOR HIS DAD'S. DEBATE PERFORMANCE. HERE IS KELLY. O'DONNELL. >> Reporter: THE. PRESIDENT'S PUSH TO. MOVE ON IS NOT. DISSIPATING DRAMA. AROUND THE DOJ FILES. OF THE NOTORIOUS SEX. OFFENDER JEFFREY. EPSTEIN, INCLUDING TOP. HOUSE DEMOCRAT HAKEEM. JEFFRIES. >> WHAT ARE THEY. HIDING FROM THE. AMERICAN PEOPLE? RELEASE THE FILES. >> Reporter: WHILE. HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE. JOHNSON TODAY STRESSED. REPUBLICAN UNITY. >> THERE IS NO.

DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THE. HOUSE REPUBLICANS, THE. HOUSE AND THE. PRESIDENT ON MAXIMUM. TRANSPARENCY. >> Reporter: BUT MORE. QUESTIONS ON THE WHITE. HOUSE DRIVEWAY ABOUT. WHETHER THE FBI WILL. OPEN ITS FILES, AFTER. THE PRESIDENT SAID HE. WANTS GRAND JURY ABOUT. EPSTEIN RELEASED. FOLLOWING PRESSURE. FROM HIS OWN MAGA. BASE. >> Reporter: IS THE. PRESIDENT SATISFIED. THAT HIS OWN. SUPPORTERS ARE NOT. HEEDING HIS CALL TO. LET IT GO AND TO MOVE. ON? >> I KNOW THE. PRESIDENT WOULD REJECT. THAT, KELLY. IN FACT, HE CITED OVER.

THE WEEKEND SOME POLLS. SHOWING THAT HIS. APPROVAL RATING WITH. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. IS ACTUALLY AT AN. ALL-TIME HIGH. >> Reporter: WILL HE. CALL ON KASH PATEL TO. DO MORE? >> THE PRESIDENT HAS. TOLD THE ATTORNEY. GENERAL AND THE FBI. DIRECTOR TO RELEASE. ANY CREDIBLE EVIDENCE. THAT THEY FIND. >> Reporter: WHILE. EXACTLY ONE YEAR AFTER. JOE BIDEN DROPPED OUT. OF THE 2024 RACE, HIS. SON, HUNTER, OFFERED A. NEW THEORY ABOUT. MR. BIDEN'S STRUGGLE. AT THAT FATEFUL. DEBATE. >> IF WE FINALLY BEAT.

MEDICARE --. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BIDEN. >> Reporter: BLAMING. SLEEP AID, AMBIEN, TAKEN AROUND HIS. FOREIGN TRAVEL FOR HIS. PERFORMANCE. >> HE'S 81 YEARS OLD. HE'S TIRED AS. [ BLEEP ]. THEY GIVE HIM AMBIEN. TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP. HE GETS UP ON THE. STAGE AND HE LOOKS. LIKE HE IS A DEER IN. THE HEADLIGHTS. >> Reporter: HUNTER. BIDEN ALSO LASHED OUT. AT ACTOR AND. DEMOCRATIC SUPPORTER. GEORGE CLOONEY FOR. CALLING ON HIS FATHER. TO DROP OUT OF THE. RACE. ASKED ABOUT THAT. AMBIEN ASSERTION, THE. FORMER PRESIDENT'S. OFFICE DECLINED TO.

COMMENT. TOM. >> KELLY O'DONNELL. OUR THANKS TO YOU. >>> SOME VIOLENT. MOMENTS DURING A. TRAFFIC STOP IN. JACKSONVILLE CAUGHT ON. CAMERA. THE VIDEO VIEWED MORE. THAN 4 MILLION TIMES, RAISING NEW QUESTIONS. TONIGHT ABOUT POLICE. TACTICS. AND A WARNING, THE. VIDEO YOU ARE ABOUT TO. SEE IS DISTURBING. MARISSA PARRA REPORTS. >> EXIT THE VEHICLE. NOW! EXIT THE VEHICLE! SHOW ME YOUR HANDS. >> HERE. >> Reporter: VIOLENT. MOMENTS CAPTURED ON. CAMERA DURING A. TRAFFIC STOP IN. JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

THIS FEBRUARY VIDEO. GOING VIRAL AFTER. DRIVER WILLIAM. McNEIL JR. WHO FILMED. IT INSIDE HIS CAR. POSTED IT SUNDAY, DRAWING SWIFT REACTION. SINCE. IT SHOWS AN. INTERACTION WITH. POLICE ALREADY IN. PROGRESS, INCLUDING. THE MOMENT AN OFFICER. BREAKS McNEIL'S WINDOW. AND STRIKES HIM IN THE. WINDOW. >> CAN YOU CALL YOUR. SUPERVISOR? >> OKAY. GO FOR IT. EXIT THE VEHICLE NOW. EXIT THE VEHICLE! SHOW ME YOUR HANDS. >> HERE. >> Reporter: BUT THE. JACKSONVILLE SHERIFF'S. OFFICE SAYS THAT THE. VIDEO DOESN'T TELL THE. FULL STORY.

>> SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT. REALITY. ONE VIDEO CLIP DEVOID. OF CONTEXT CAN BE VERY. MISLEADING. >> Reporter: THE. SHERIFF TONIGHT. RELEASING OFFICER-WORN. BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE. SHOWING McNEIL PULLED. OVER FOR DRIVING. WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS IN. THE RAIN. THEY SAY HE WOULDN'T. PROVIDE HIS LICENSE. AND REGISTRATION. YOU CAN HEAR OFFICERS. REPEATEDLY WARNING. McNEIL IF HE DID NOT. COMPLY WITH GETTING. OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THEY WOULD BREAK HIS. WINDOW AND PUT HIM. UNDER ARREST. >> OPEN THE DOOR AND. EXIT OR WE ARE GOING. TO BREAK THE WINDOW. OPEN THE DOOR AND EXIT.

OR WE ARE GOING TO. BREAK THE WINDOW. >> STEP OUT. >> WHAT IS YOUR. REASON? >> STEP OUT. >> NO, NO. >> Reporter: THE. SHERIFF SAYS NONE OF. THE INVOLVED OFFICERS. VIOLATED CRIMINAL LAW. BUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE. REVIEW IS ONGOING. >> YES, THERE. ABSOLUTELY WAS FORCE. USED BY THE ARRESTING. OFFICERS, AND, YES, THAT FORCE IS UGLY. JUST BECAUSE FORCE IS. UGLY DOES NOT MEAN IT. IS UNLAWFUL. >> Reporter: NBC NEWS. HAS NOT SPOKEN TO. McNEIL DIRECTLY, BUT. HIS LAWYER SAYS HE IS. STILL RECOVERING. >> HIS TEETH ACTUALLY. WENT THROUGH HIS LIP.

WHEN HE WAS SLAMMED TO. THE GROUND, SO HE'S. STILL RECOVERING AND. DEALING WITH THOSE. INJURIES. >> Reporter: HIS. ATTORNEY SAYS THEY. PLAN ON FILING A. LAWSUIT. MARISSA PARRA, NBC. NEWS. >>> IN 60 SECONDS, HIS. FACE WAS EVERYWHERE. ETAN PATZ WAS THE. FIRST CHILD FEATURED. ON A MILK CARTON WHEN. HE WENT MISSING. DECADES AGO. WHY A COURT JU. >>> BACK NOW WITH A. CASE THAT GRIPPED THE. NATION. THE 1979 KIDNAPPING.

AND MURDER OF. 6-YEAR-OLD ETAN PATZ. TODAY A STUNNING LEGAL. DEVELOPMENT. A FEDERAL APPEALS. COURT RULING THE MAN. CONVICTED SHOULD GET A. NEW TRIAL OR GO FREE. STEPHANIE GOSK REPORTS. ON THE UNCERTAINTY. ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT. >> Reporter: 6-YEAR-OLD ETAN PATZ. DISAPPEARED ON MAY. 25th, 1979 ON HIS WAY. TO THE SCHOOL BUS STOP. IN NEW YORK CITY. THE CRIME SHOCKED THE. COUNTRY. HE WAS NEVER FOUND. >> ETAN SIMPLY. DISAPPEARED. >> Reporter: NEARLY 40. YEARS LATER IN 2017.

THE STATE OF NEW YORK. CONVICTED FORMER SHOP. CLERK PEDRO HERNANDEZ. PATZ'S FATHER SPEAKING. AFTER THE VERDICT. >> I TELL YOU, IT IS. ABOUT TIME. IT REALLY IS. >> Reporter: BUT. TONIGHT A FEDERAL. APPEALS COURT. OVERTURNED THE. CONVICTION. IN THE RULING THE. THREE-JUDGE PANEL SAYS. THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. TO THE JURY DURING. DELIBERATIONS. PREJUDICED THE. VERDICT. >> IT IS REALLY, REALLY RARE THAT THIS. HAPPENS BECAUSE THE. LEGAL STANDARD IS SO. STRINGENT. THERE HAS TO BE. JUDICIAL ERROR, BUT. ALSO THAT ERROR MUST. BE HARMFUL OR HAVE.

MATTERED. >> Reporter: WITH NO. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, THE. CASE FOCUSED ON A. CONFESSION. ACCORDING TO TODAY'S. DECISION, HERNANDEZ, WHO HAS A HISTORY OF. MENTAL ILLNESS, ADMITTED TO THE CRIME. AFTER APPROXIMATELY. SEVEN HOURS OF. QUESTIONING BEFORE. BEING READ HIS MIRANDA. RIGHTS. INVESTIGATORS RECORDED. HIM ADMITTING TO THE. CRIME AGAIN AFTER HE. WAS READ HIS RIGHTS, BUT HERNANDEZ. ULTIMATELY RECANTED. AND QUESTIONS. SURROUNDING THE. QUESTION LED TO A HUNG. JURY WHEN THE CASE WAS. FIRST TRIED IN 2015.

IN 2017 HERNANDEZ WAS. CONVICTED. TONIGHT HIS DEFENSE. TEAM WRITING IN A. STATEMENT, FOR MORE. THAN 13 YEARS PEDRO. HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN IN. PRISON FOR A CRIME HE. DID NOT COMMIT, AND. BASED ON A CONVICTION. THAT THE SECOND. CIRCUIT HAS NOW MADE. CLEAR WAS OBTAINED IN. CLEAR VIOLATION OF. LAW. TONIGHT THE MANHATTAN. DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS. IT IS REVIEWING THE. DECISION. IF THEY DECIDE NOT TO. GO FORWARD WITH A. THIRD TRIAL, TOM, PEDRO HERNANDEZ WALKS. FREE. >> THAT WOULD BE A. STUNNING DEVELOPMENT. ALL RIGHT, STEPHANIE. THANK YOU. >>> WE ARE BACK IN A. MOMENT WITH THE NEW.

FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY. A WOMAN SWEPT AWAY. DURING A MORNING HIKE. >>> PLUS, THE NEW. RECALL. >>> BACK NOW WITH. BREAKING NEWS IN THE. BREONNA TAYLOR CASE. A JUDGE SENTENCING. FORMER LOUISVILLE. POLICE OFFICER BRETT. HANKISON TO 33 MONTHS. IN PRISON. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. SUGGESTED JUST ONE DAY. BEHIND BARS, OUTRAGING. TAYLOR'S FAMILY. PROSECUTORS SAID. HANKISON FIRED BLINDLY. MULTIPLE TIMES INTO. HER APARTMENT BUT DID.

NOT HIT HER DURING THE. DEADLY ENCOUNTER IN. 2020. >>> THE SUMMER OF. INTENSE FLOODS SHOWING. LITTLE SIGN OF LETTING. UP. A 62-YEAR-OLD WOMAN. WAS OVERTAKEN BY A. RISING CREEK ON A WALK. ON A POPULAR NATURE. TRAIL NEAR KANSAS. CITY, KANSAS. FLOOD WATCHES ARE UP. FOR MILLIONS ACROSS. THE DESERT WEST INTO. THE OHIO VALLEY AFTER. A WEEKEND FULL OF. FLASH FLOODS. >>> A MAJOR RECALL TO. TELL YOU ABOUT. IT IMPACTS ABOUT 5. MILLION SWIMMING POOLS.

MAY BID BEST WAY, INTEX AND POLY GROUP. NINE CHILDREN UNDER. THE AGE OF 3 CLIMBED. ON THE POOLS WHEN THEY. CLIMBED IN USING A. STRAP THAT CIRCLES THE. POOLS. >>> WILD MOMENTS ON. THE WATER. CHECK THIS OUT. TWO POWER BOATS. CRASHED SECONDS INTO. THE E1 QUALIFYING. RACE. LOOK AT THIS ANGLE. YOU SEE TEAM BRAZIL. SWERVING TO AVOID A. RACER AND SLAMMING. INTO ANOTHER. BOTH PILOTS SOMEHOW. WALKED AWAY UNHARMED. >>> OKAY. AND WHEN WE COME BACK. GET READY TO SMILE AND.

CHEER ON YOUR NEW. FAVORITE TEAM YOU. NEVER HEARD OF. WE TAKE THE FIELD WITH. JOHN OLIVER AS HE. BRINGS A MAJOR CHANGE. >>> FINALLY, THERE'S GOOD NEWS. TONIGH. >>> FINALLY, THERE'S. GOOD NEWS TONIGHT. ABOUT ONE MINOR LEAGUE. BASEBALL TEAM'S. MAMMOTH MAKEOVER. THANKS TO JOHN OLIVER. WHO IS GETTING A LOT. OF LAUGHS AND FANS IN.

THE STANDS. HERE IS ERIN. McLAUGHLIN. >> CONGRATULATIONS TO. THE SINGLES. YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE. CALLED SOMETHING ELSE. >> Reporter: WHEN THE. ERIE SEAWOLVES WON A. CONTEST FOR A TOTAL. RE-BRAND COURTESY OF. JOHN OLIVER AND HIS. HBO, FEW COULD HAVE. IMAGINED THIS. RIGHT OVER THERE IS. YOUR MASCOT. >> I WOULD ARGUE NOW. IT IS THE PEOPLE OF. ERIE'S MASCOT. THEY HOPEFULLY WILL. ADOPT HIM TODAY AND. THEN RAISE HIM AS ONE. OF THEIR OWN.

>> Reporter: NBC NEWS. WAS THERE FOR FUZZ AND. THE MINOR LEAGUE. TEAM'S FIRST AT BATH. AT THE MOON MAMMOTHS. NOW TEMPORARILY AIMED. AFTER ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA NATIVE. GEORGE MOON, AND THE. REMAINS OF THE. PREHISTORIC MAMMOTH HE. DISCOVERED AT THE. BOTTOM OF A LOCAL. LAKE. >> HE LOOKS BETTER. THAN HE DID AT THE. BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, THAT'S FOR SURE. RIGHT? RIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING BACK. TO THAT TIME. HE IS HERE NOW, YEAH. >> Reporter: NOT GOING. BACK TO THAT TIME. ERIE WENT ALL OUT TO. WELCOME THEIR NEW. MASCOT WITH A SOLD-OUT.

BALL GAME, MOON-THEMED. MERCH AND. MAMMOTH-INSPIRED FOOD. >> Reporter: WHY ERIE? >> IT SEEMED LIKE. THEIR APPLICATION WAS. FUN. >> Reporter: FUZZ IS. ONLY EXPECTED TO. APPEAR AT A HANDFUL OF. GAMES. OLIVER SAYS WHAT. HAPPENS NEXT DEPENDS. ON THE TEAM AND THE. FANS. >> I LOVE AN EXCUSE TO. BE SILLY. >> Reporter: WHAT DOES. A MOON MAMMOTH MEAN TO. YOU? >> I HAVE NO CLUE. >> Reporter: IS THERE. A DEEPER MESSAGE YOU. ARE SENDING HERE? >> I THINK IT IS. IF YOU ARE A MAMMOTH. AND THINGS ARE LOOKING.

BAD. >> Reporter: AND YOU. ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF A. LAKE. >> YOU FEEL YOURSELF. SINKING TO THE BOTTOM. OF THE LAKE AND YOU'RE. THINKING, I'M SURE. THIS IS IT, KNOW YOU. WILL END UP BRANDED AS. A MINOR LEAGUE. BASEBALL TEAM. >> Reporter: THERE'S. HOPE FOR US ALL. >> YEAH, LIFE IS NEVER. FULLY OVER. LOOK WHAT THAT MAMMOTH. GAVE US. ♪ THREE STRIKES YOU'RE. OUT ♪. >> Reporter: ERIN. McLAUGHLIN, NBC NEWS, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA. >>> GO MAMMOTHS. THAT'S "NIGHTLY NEWS". FOR THIS MONDAY.