Combination. Explosion with fire. Hidden beneath our feet, ageing pipes leaking deadly risks. A system so bad we cant afford to fix it. Sara hoy on the dangers we cant see. That right there is a dangerousous combination, if you dropped a match, that could light on fire. An indepth report on crumbling america and behind the seconds ahad of the world cup. What Brazilian Police hope to sweep off the streets. We go to the favellas on the cleanup and the crackdown. Good evening thanks for joining us, im joie chen. We begin with a look at the criminal justice system. Many times it depends on ordinary citizens coming forward and helping investigators to catch the culprit. Its not as easy as it sounds. Studies going back to the 1930s find that witness misidentification is to blame for most. As many as three out of four wrongful convictions. When it comes to crime and punishment, juries almost always convilent if theres convict if theres eyewitness testimony or if the witness has a solid alibi proof they couldnt have done it. When the verdict came back and it was guilty on all counts, the courtroom erupted give him the gas, kill his areas. Reporter thats what they said. Yes, i heard them sniggering and laughing. Everyone thought he had the right man. Police department, prosecutors office. Most of the people thought they had their man. Reporter before prison changed everything kurts story was simply. Raised on the maryland fishing and crabbing like his father and his fathers father before him. Bludsworth left home only to join the marines and was honorably discharged. Hed never been in trouble with the law until the early hours of august 9th, 1934. Bludsworth was 22 years old and sound asleep in his cousins houses. I remember looking at the clock. Flashlight in my face, pistols drawn. Step outside, you are under arrest for murder of dawn louise ham ill dop, hamilton, you son of a bitch, someone said. Dawn had been murdered two weeks earlier. I stuck my made in the place, and that was the last time i saw maryland for 8 years. Reporter thats the time you were in prison. Yes, two years in death row for something i didnt do. Reporter a sketch was put out based on a description by two little boys. The cops used an identikit to help children describe the face. Sounds like mr potato head. It is, its a random box of eyes, ears, nose. They start with an out line, then the hair, eyebrows and nose. Using the accrued tools, kids assembled an image they didnt thing looked like the suspect. They asked the kids what the moustache was like. He said it was a fullman chew. A woman who lived in a complex na bludsworth briefly lived in, saw the drawing and she said it looked lick kurt. His like kurt. His picture was plastered offer the news. By the time witnesses saw him, anyone watching tv in baltimore knew what kurt looked like. Everyone in court said they watched me on television the weekend, before i was in the lineup. Do you remember the lineup. I do. The two little boys never idea me in a line up. Two weeks later they called the police and said look, its number six, their parents. Thats the position i stood in. There were three other witnesses who picked him out. The witnesses were halfheard and mistaken. I never said they were lying, they made a mistake. You were picked out. A photo array. Reporter a photoa array you were picked out. The witnesses believed. I think they believed with a little help. I think they had a little help. Reporter not a shred of physical evidence linked bluds worth to the crime. Five witnesses testified he couldnt have been there. Testimony from eyewitnesss who identified him as the man that took dawn into the woods was enough to convict him. From the time i was arrested to the moment i was released, i told anyone and everyone that i was an innocent man. I used to sign correspondence that way. Respectively submitted kurt nobel bludsworth, aim an innocent man. Every letter. Reporter in prison he was a vor ashes reader. By chance he came across a British Crime story about a prisoner exonerated by a nofel approach in 1992. Reporter science saved you. It was. It was d. N. A. Reporter bludsworth was the first person in the United States exonerated by d. N. A. Testing, which found that despite what witnesses said, kurt did not kill dawn hamilton. I was sitting in the cell. I came out of the yard. It was in april. A guard stuck a postit note ill never forget it saying urgent, call your attorney, urgent. He said kurt, youre innocent man. I though that. When are you going to get me out of here. The d. N. A. Proofed that bludsworth didnt do it, but another prisoner was the real prisoner. Kimberley roughner closely assembled the description with the phoo mann chu moust ash. The county police decline to talk about it. An hours south his name is a reminder to police and prosecutors about what can go wrong. I will tell you theres no police officers, prosecutors, or judges who want to punish the wrong person. A former prosecutor heads the internal affairs unit of the police department. How goods are people as witnesses . Not as good as they think. Reporter he arrived prosecutors to change procedures. In late april this year, Prince Georges County pd became one of the first to do away with a traditional 6pack photo array. The kind used in kurts case. In favour with a line up in which the witness considers each suspect one at a time. We give to to them as six individual photos. We ask them to flip through, look at all of them and make a decision. And take their time. Homicide detective Bernie Wilson says it helps them pick the right subject, not just the one that looks like. He did say officers can unintentionally influence a witness. Even if they are honest, unscrupulous, they may give off an unconscious cue, they may be excited or dejected if you dont select the right person. Reporter he introduced a blind process, where the witness and detective doesnt know if the person is in the pictures. If you do that, well get a truer result. Do you believe what happened to you couldnt happen to a guy today . In, i dont believe it. Depends on the jurisdiction. You cap send a person to death row in the yate by circumstantial evidence. Reporter kurt doesnt get back to the water often. Hes an activist. He was instrumental in getting maryland to repeal the death penalty. Witness identification is a reason wrongful convictions happen in the United States. He want reforms to be more widespread. I tell people if you are arrested dont say anything, shut your mouth, cover your face, you see people hide their face. Theres a reason they do that. Reporter why . Someone could misidentify them and it happened main times. We are not infallible. We make smacks. If this could happen to me, my intellect tells me it could happen to anyone. Looking ahead. They have you have told me it wasnt my fault. They should not have heaped more shame on mow. I was filled to the brim of shame. I did not need any more. A fall from agrees at a South Carolina university, and how the reaction of a Faithbased Community shattered a victims trust. Sara hoy with an exclusive report Hillary Clinton on america tonight. Out and do something heinous its goanna happen. When is enough. Enough . Im not sure why you didnt learn from your last incarceration some prisoners try to get it right im trying to go to school and get a nice job youre only 22, you can turn this around. And some just dont he actually told people in the halfway house, that he was amazed that they had given him parole the system with Joe Burlinger only on Al Jazeera America guns. There are two to three million guns in a population of only 8 million people. And gun laws. After those laws came in, there have been no more mass shootings. How Different Countries decide. Their father had a gun. Their grandfather had a gun. Who has the right to bear arms . 5 days guns around the world a primetime news special series all next week only on Al Jazeera America the crisis facing Migrant Children in the southwest is gaining attention as thousands of undocumented kids cross the border on their own, facing shocking risks. Its hard to imagine making a dangerous journey, even at grade school age. Hundreds do on a Freight Train that attracts criminal gangs and corrupt police. Along the way sometimes they find salvation, as rain adam raney found. Reporter meet the petronus. This group of women feeds migrant riding a train carrying them to the u. S. Border. They semen, women and see men, women and children who dream of a better life in the United States. Their leader has done this for 20 years waiting for the train. Its known as the beast for death and destruction that it leaves in its path as it carries migran migrants. This train is nearly empty. They know another will come, that may be full. At the shelter she meets now arrivals wanting shelter and wants to hear their stories. Translation migrants are considered merchan days. Everyone wants to take merchandise. Everyone wants to take advantage. Do you think you are a criminal to leave your country, why did you leave . I went to lock for work. Life is too dangerous in honduras. My kids cant study. They killed one of my sons. They grab him at school. Reporter thats why he brought his youngest secondful. Where are you from . Gauta malla. Reporter this woman faces a tough chose. Her husband was murdered. I have six children. They asked for what i couldnt buy. All i could do was give them my heart. Whatever happens, im not going back. I cant. My youngest is four years old. It hurts when i cant give them what they need. Reporter these women soothe their pain in the only way they know how offering them a whomcooked meal. The work starts early. Tas rush to prepare food for hundreds of migrants. They dont know what time theyll arrive, but they know theyll come. The train passes once every day translation it doesnt matter where they are from. All we know is they are hungry and want a better life. If they find it in their country, they can leave. Leaving the family is nod easy. Reporter shes convinced people in the town to help, however they can, whether its fresh baked pastries or tortas, norma comes calling. She has gained support from those in power. Recently the mexican president presented the petronas with a human rights reward, a rare moment when the government shined the light on the people. Far from the spotlight are thousands of migrants who disappear unnoticed op their journey through mexico. They are caught up in a world run by criminal gangs. Translation they are easy prey for those that abuse them. Robbing them, taking the little they have. When they dont pay, they are thrown from the train, they are mutilated and sometimes they die that way. Reporter the father from honduras saw people meet that fate. Translation theres a lot of danger along the train, the bodies you see are thrown off by those trying to extort them. We saw people thrown off the train because they didnt have 100. Reporter in april, verra cues sued the Railroad Companies running the beast, saying this were compoliceant in awe bus. The trains speed through stations where they used to stop. Migrants are taking greater risks to jump aboard. Meanwhile, there are more arrests and deportations by mexican authorities. A leading activist says the only way to protect migrants is to give them a visa to cross the country, something the government will never do. The government doesnt want to allow migrants free transport. It goes against u. S. Politics, and much of the money earned its torting, kidnapping migrants goes into the pockets of authorities. The Mexican Government and the private Railroad Company refuse to speak to us despite requests. Activists say women and children are macking the journey, like this boy. We ask where he is from. Honduras. And is he getting on the train, yes. Is he alone . The boy says yes. For the petronas its been another long day. The petronas is approaching. They have a few moments to pack the food and toss to hungry migrants. The work is fast and dangerous. Migrants feel a rush, despite the risks. This day like every other the petronas come to the tracks to give food to the migrants making their way north. Many are not getting on the train because its dangerous some are walking along the highway. Reporter others walk in the trains wake. It is a brutal and long journey. This father and son left home three months ago and have been walking since pt the odds are since. The odds are against them. They hope to reach the u. S. Some day. After a break f. I. F. A. And the favelas. Away from the glitter of the world cup, the cold truth of life in the host country. Brazils bid to clean up crime in the favelas, and why residents say its not enough. Eye first match of the world cup wrapped up. The run up to soccers biggest event plagued by boycotts to bad planning and a controversial programme aimed at making Community Safer generated an angry backlash. The government called it a clean up. Residents say its a clap down. We have this report from the favellas. Reporter these are the images that brazil didnt want to world to see in the lead up to the world cup. Heavily armed police changing fire. Theres 58 people, 38,000 killed by gunshot injuries. Brazil is the world camp yn in football and homicides. Reporter getting ready for the world cup has been costly. Hundreds of millions spent on the favellas, the slums. Raids are driving out drug dealers and drim. Observers say they came at a price. The military police in Rio De Janeiro are some of the most violent in the world. To put it in perspective. Forevery 37 arrests, someone dies among the latest 26yearold douglas pereira, a dancer, tv personality, shot in april. Translation douglas was a happy boy, smiling. He doubt kids in the neighbour hood music. Reporter his body found steps away from the copacabana beach. News of his death sparked protests. Translation the police we have here are killers. Police who kill, who lie. Thugs are the ones in the uniforms. Reporter Rio De Janeiro is home to the favellas, tightly packed communities, with views of the city and the life below. We travelled to this favela to get an assistance on how the world cup and press effort changed the results. Here Pacific Agency reduced homicides. Known as a violent drug haven, its now mostly a haven for the poor. Beyond the overcrowding theres business savvy. This woman lived here her whole life. Translation before the pacification i was a business woman in the community. E i sold sowedas. Translation three years ago the government offered the residents incentive to work with tourism and entrepreneurship. Im working in the community and i spend more time with my family. Reporter as we walk there the favela we come across store after store selling tshirts. Next to it is app open sewer, a reminder that theres a lot of work to do in areas like this. Translation obviously it has pros and cons. Its still a process. Its only been five years. Reporter robert is a security expert based here for a decade. He says a few years ago this business wouldnt have been possible. This is one of the oldest favellas. It had a significant amount of violence taking plates in it. Had you been here 10 years ago, and i had been, and attended a party. Youd duck or dodge and avoid points. Reporter intr the police pass enter the Police Pacification yupd. E perform perform. Its a programme from 2009 to bring a new face to the military police of Rio De Janeiro. They were launched as a reaction to a previous mode of policing which was highly oppressive. It was intended to change the model and doctrine, to put a community face on the police. At the heart of the model is that the police go into a community and move in permanently. Translation today marked five years that i havent lost a friend. Today i dont have to bury friends. Dana is a showcase for the pacification project. Within the favela there are divided opinions. Many are skeptical about the timing of the raids. They say the government cares more about profiting from the world cup than the welfare of citizens. Vick for is a lifelong resident and soccer fan and he says it has soured his love for the game. I lived here all my life. The upp arrived five years ago. Many have not receive investment and services we expected. Victors family lived in an area slated for eviction. Police evicted local families. It comes with a warning, a tag on each house. Reporter what am i looking at . This is what happened in the favelas. They marked the houses without peoples authorisation. Im not not trash. We are human being, favela res gents. On hour outside of rio we found recent victims, they say they have nowhere to go. Translation they came while we were sleeping, kicking us out of our home. We have nowhere to sleep. But the world cup stadiums are being renovated. Reporter with the olympics in 2006 observers say the numbers kicked out of homes will be increased. Teresa runs a local nonprofit and says the government encountered more resistance as it expanded programs to other facilities. These communities are larger, its harder to control. As a result, there has been a huge backlash by residents in the communicate yes. Young people protesting. The Community Stopped calling it classification and are calling it occupation. Reporter this policeman was in charge of security. There was talk that police used excessive, unnecessary force. Can you comment on that . Translation initially when we came in it was with tanks, guns and helicopters. Yes, it was violent. Over time, with 24 hour a day preps, the mission is more about protecting people and keeping them safe. Reporter others say its hard for the favela residents to trust the police force. We have a 200yearold police force that has never been reform. This was a first attempt. You have to look at the history and realise police were created in a time to do a few things, to protect the monarchy and repress rebellion. For thousands of fans, it may be an attraction. But for the people who live here, there are winners and losers, and many wonder what will happen when the eyes of the world are not looking at brazil. Two days after his death, pereiras mother found a note. In the favela many discriminate against us. Theres prejudice and people tolerate it. We are sons of the same father, creator of the earth, in the harts of all the people. Coming up next an unseen threat. Be neath cities large and small. An explosive force how crumbling america endangers all of us. First choice for entertainment. We are ment to be your first choice for the news. It was an explosion that levelled two east harlem buildings that raised concerns about ageing infrastructure across the country as a gas leak was suspected. Beneath so many of our American Cities thousands of miles of old metal pipes are unchecked and unrepaired even though everyone knows they are a risk. How serious is the danger in crumbling america . The report from our correspondent sara hoy. Reporter eight people killed, 70 injured when a building exploded in east harlem one morning in march. This woman was in her apartment in the building next door. Translation when that happened i thought i was going to die. I thought the building was going to collapse, i wondered what would happen to my kids, four were at school. Reporter the blast happened less that 20 minutes after a neighbour reported a smell of knas. Two buildings collapsed. Translation i was hear in the kitchen, i was cooking and heard a big explosion. Reporter outdoors, panic set in. I thought it was a bomb. I dont know what came into moi mind, you couldnt see in the street. It was full of smoke and dust. Reporter the mendoza family were placed in temporary housing provided by the city. The memory of the blast haunt her. Translation with any noise im scared. I was cooking and the alarm wept off. I was about to run out. In one word devastating. Reporter according to the National Transportation safety board which is investigating the explosion, a 125yearold gas main running occupied park avenue was leaking near the buildings that exmeded. The exploded. The spark is a mystery. The deadly blast cast a spotlight on ageing pipes carrying gases in new york and throughout the country. Older cities are vulnerable. If there were a problem, an explosion. We are talking about a residential neighbourhood. This environmental scientist is on a mission. Using a customized car, outfitted with tubes, he and his team scoured boston and washington d. C. Looking for lacks. Like several cities in the northeast. The gas mains are cast iron, outdated technology, prone to lack. How bad a leak is it on 7 . Thats high, 70,000 parts per million, 70 gas. Over the explosion threshold which is about 5 . If you have a spark. Which could be anything, a communication line. That is potentially dangerous. Reporter in january his Team Released d. C. Findings. Nearly 6,000 gas leaks, over 1600 miles of road, 12 potentially explosive pockets in manholes, two the average per cities. Jackson returned to recheck the leaks. Well insert this. Reporter this is what you have done cross the city. You go from mann hole to mann hole. We do that when we find a high concentration, otherwise it would take forever. Reporter natural gas pipeline failures cause an average of 17 fatalities, 68 injuries and 133 million Property Damage annually. Con edison is responsible for the gas mains where the explogs took place, the investigation hasnt determined whether they are at fault. A crew was dispaped at 9 15 dispatched at 9 15am. Two minutes after a call. The gas happened at 9 30. The only indication of danger was 15 minutes earlier when a gas leak was reported to con edison. Conned despatched a team. Since the blast new yorks Public Service commission, overseeing 19 Gas Companies told state legislatures if they are at fault, they could face a loss of 29 million, if performance standards are not met. Con edisons spokesman said its not about the money. Penalties are there, they serve as a strong regulatory message that this has to be taken seriously. Many of our workers, or 15,000 employees, live and breathe in new york. Their neighbours use con edison, they do too. For their safety and everyones, we want to make sure nothing happens. Its in everyones interests to do a good job. Under the commissions regulations they receive a yearly regulation, with performance based on damage prevention, Emergency Response and management. Cop edison con edison was the only company to improve in all areas. Reporter how common and dangerous are leaks . Most of the time we are called by people that smell gas and its a type 1 lack. There are other lacks. They do not pose a threat. They are the vast majority of leeks. Why cant the Utility Company fix it . Is it that simply . No, its not. Its a complicated costly job. A lot of focus is on the hold stuff in the ground, and a lot is performing well. Its not a question of going and remacing something because its old. If we were to replace every piece of cast iron in the system dating back decades, you are locking at a 10 billion price tag, just in our system. You look at enormous costs to customers, something that probably would be like throwing money down the train. Reporter spending the money is not just up to the Gas Companies. Utilities determines how much can be spent on repairs. Weined National Grid while they replaced pipes. We are installing about 2300 foot of 12inch wrap steel pipe, and is part of our programme to increase the reliability. National grid replaces 43 miles per year. In new york city, boston, chicago. They were built and started to grow in the 1800s a lot of the systems were cast irp. Should people be pawniced, worried about the piping under their cities . It is an older system. In the last 10 years we reduced the leak rate by 49 . Almost half. The last was connected to a gas leak. Explosions are not common. They are rare. We take things like that seriously. Part of the programme that we embark upon to replace and modernize the pipes is to do that, operate in a Public Safety manner. The words give little comfort to ms mendoza as she returns to a home though no longer feels safe. Translation im nervous to come back. I dont know if the gas is down properly or not. When him there we were okay. We were scared but okay. And ahead in our final thoughts a salute to the stars and stripes. Long may it wave. The inspiring union in honour of National Flag week is coming up next. You see the blast scars from a bomb that went off. Ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on Al Jazeera America finally from us you may have heard about flag day, june 14th. Did you know a week is devoted to honouring old glory and reminding us of what forged the flag. The star spangled banner stitches the fabric of the past to the future. Adam may looks at the flag and the National Anthem it inspired. It is tattered, it is fragile. We like to think it embodies the idea of america and its democracy, that its still here. Its 200 years later and the flag is still here. Reporter shes talking about baltimores fort mcgart ety flag. Flown 200 years ago and on display at the smithsonian. For a limited time the old flag has a new companion. Borrowed from baltimore. Its the original star ofspangled starspangled flag lyrics. Its a perfect marriage to bring the original lyrics that Francis Scott key penned with the flag that inspired the words. Reporter pairing the flag and the lyrics physically is a first. Emotionally its nothing new oh say can you see by the downs early light. Its familiar to americans, we know the words the first words anyway, but how did the starspangled banner ball the anthem. The anthem gets more publicity. Reporter this ranger devoted his life to history. Hes the chief of interpretation at baltimore maryland Fort Mckenzie monument. His mission is to bring the distant past to life. This is the power of place, people love the anthem and the flag. They need to understand is the fort mchenry, literally on the exact original ground on which we stand. The starspangled banner flag is turning 200. The Historical Society researched the original play, and recreated it as accurately as possible, down to the very last stitch. One of the major sources i looked at was the report from the smithsonian. Looking at what it looked like. Taking it to a weaver and saying can do you this . I wanted to fly it. Its important or Something Like this. Away we went. Reporter a team of devoted seamstresses attend, assisted by others wanting to continue a strip much there was a divvying up of duties, who worked on the stroips and who sowed the stars. From a quilters point of view, the stripes are passed and sewn in long centres the the stars are apply cade on top. Shes stars, omstreeps, that was the im stripes. That was our nickname. She was responsible for stars, me for stripes. Get the hand underneath and the thumb on top. You want that a quarter inch, go down and touch the finger. Using the thumb and finger, backhand the fabric, it pops up and thats a stitch. You are going to let me put a stitch in this. Absolutely. Rmps we go down. Put it all the way through so we dont bend it. Reporter oops, i made a mistake. 200 years ago baltimore was a boom town. The prish had not given up the idea of getting former colleagues back in line. Angered by the British Trade restrictions america declared war on the british in what is known as the war of 1812. This is what they were shooting. Its an ball. It didnt explode. They didnt call them canon balls. Reporter what did they call them . Shot. Reporter in 1814 it inspired a National Anthem. The beginning of the war was not plain sailing. We were not doing well. To have a symbol visible to the british is important basically just to say were here, we are not going anywhere. Reporter the commander of fort mchenry wanted to raise a garrison flag, 30 feet by 42 feet large enough to be visible to the amarda of ships. A local flag maker was commissioned. She was maid 405. Shes making a flag for a fort. How many teems has she done this before. She expect the flag to last two or three years and sheway make a new one. Reporter mary worked in a small area located outside downtown baltimore. Mary, five family members and a servant worked for six weeks, peacing toot the flag, sometimes working by candlelight. Reporter the material called budgeting cost about 12,000. Add in labour cost for the 2,000 that worked on it. Theres a price tag in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Talk about inflation. There could have been more work involved if the state count was accurate. 15 stars and 15 stripes. When thats new state, theres a new star and stripe. Reporter sailing on a schooner brings americas past within arms reach. 200 years ago marks an important anniversary. The star spangled banner was written, an ode and a victory of the british bombardament on fort mchenry. How did the guys react. It must have been intimidating . There were three teems as many ships in that invasion than in the United States navy. Reporter Francis Scott key was in a ship in the river, negotiate ag prisoner release. He was four miles from fort mchenry, its marked with a buoy. Mop do not know that Frances Scott key could not see the outcome of the battle. Its muddy, raining, americans are feeling helpless. Say can you see. He can not see the flag by dawns early light. Can you see the flag by downs early light. And then he reflects. Reporter out on the water where we see the key bridge, key wrote a poem called the defense of fort mchenry, setting the words to the tup of a favourite song. He had a thing for a british drinking song called anac rrk e, mrk. He liked the tune a lot. I think he composed other poetry it fit it. He had it in mind. Reporter you know the song. Ip do. Reporter will you sing it. Ill try to anacreun in heaven has he sat in full glee the true songs of armony. Instead instead. So say can you see by the dawn said early flights. Reporter do you see the American Flag differently now before you started working on the projects. Yes, this is personal. Its my flag. This will fly soon. Thats our flag. Its very emotional. It was the first True National symbol that we had. We didnt have national architecture. We couldnt say we invented the english language. What do you have . You have a flag, a red, white and blue representing what the country stands for. A flag flying in the face of an enemy with simply beginnings. Its the starspangled mapper. Long may it wave, the land of the free and the home of the braf. Our correspondent adam may saluting the flag. Thats it for us here. Monday a fall from grace at a christian university. We have a report into the investigation underway. That is monday on america tonight. If youd hike to comment on the stories log on to the website aljazeera. Com americatonight. You can meet the team and tell us what youd like to see. Join in the conversation on twitter or facebook. Goodnight. Well have more of the america tonight tomorrow. This is where the typhoon came ashore. Giving you a real global perspective like no other can. Al jazeera, nairobi. On the turkeysyria border. Venezuela. Beijing. Kabul. Hong kong. Ukraine. The artic. Real reporting from around the world. This is what we do. Al jazeera america. This is Al Jazeera America. Im Thomas Drayton in new york city, lets get you caught up on the top stories. The iraqi army says it recaptured two towns as it beefs up security at its embassy in baghdad. People gather in ukraines capital to honour 49 servicemen killed by separatists in a plane crash. A mothers prayer as the