Transcripts For WTMJ NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt 20161202

A School Administrator who moves to her own beat. Nightly news begins right now. From nbc news World Headquarters in new york, this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. Good evening. Authorities outside new orleans tonight are defending their decision to release from custody the man who shot to death a former nfl player in an apparent case of road rage. The death of exnfl running back joe mcknight, who was unarmed, is generating a fair amount of outrage over early accounts of how the confrontation played out, and over the release of the shooter without charges. Tonight as questions mount, investigators are cautioning against a rush to judgment. Nbcs jacob rascon is on the story for us. Took somebody life. Reporter tonight a frustrated community demanding answers. What do we want . We want justice. Reporter horrified that Ronald Gasser would be ltd go without charges after running back joe mcknight during a road rage incident. The sheriff says theres more to the story. Mr. Gasser did not stand over mr. Mcknight. Reporter despite early earlier rumors, police say mcknight got out of his suv after a heated exchange. The three casings were located within the vehicle. Reporter mcknight walked up to the passenger side of gassers sedan when gasser fired his automatic handgun from inside his car. Then the futile effort to revive mcknight, as gasser waited for police, handing over his weapon, later giving a statement before being let go pending further investigation. The easiest thing for me would have been being book em, dano. Right . But the fact of the matter is, in trying to flesh out the reporter mcknight was born and raised here, leading his High School Team to several championships, picked up by the jets and later kansas city chiefs. Good dude. He always had a joke and hed make you smile. Just a really good guy. Reporter a source close to the gasser family told nbc news, we pray all will be patient and wait for the facts to come out. It was only eight months ago that another nfl player was killed during a road rage incident in new orleans. Toni state mourning another hometown hero. The sheriff insisted his handling of the case has nothing to do with race, adding that the man who raised mcknight was a sheriffs deputy here once. Tonight the department is also tracking down more witnesses and will work with the d. A. s office to determine what if any charges are appropriate. Lester . Jacob rascon, thank you. Now to the high drama playing out all day inside a courtroom in charleston, south carolina, where a walter scott. Officer Michael Slager, caught on cell phone video shooting a fleeing scott in the back. The shocking images producing angry protests at the time. Today the jury came in and out of the courtroom multiple times, telling the judge they were deadlocked. We get late details from nbcs gabe gutierrez. Reporter tonight jurors in the murder trial of Michael Slager say they are hopelessly deadlocked. A lone juror sending this judge judge late tote. I still cannot without a reasonable doubt convict the defend. At the same time, my heart does not want to have to tell the scott family that the man that killed their son, brother, and father, is innocent. Reporter despite the impasse, the jurors are telling the court, they want to keep deliberating. Slager charged in the death of walter scott, traffic stop last year. Shots fired. Subject is down. He grabbed my taser. Reporter in emotional testimony, slager had told the jury of 11 whites and one black man about the moments not recorded on video. After he pulled scoot over for a broken tail light. Scott bolted from his car, and after a footis cha, slager has scott grabbed his stun gun during a struggle. Has scott broke away, slager said he was in total fear for his i fired until the threat was stopped, like im trained to do. Reporter jurors have deliberated for three days, weighing slager was not guilty, guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter. One of the things in this case is whats not on the camera. And there have been weeks of testimony about what is not on that camera. Reporter within the last few minutes, the jury just came back and asked the judge to return on no matter the outcome of this case, Michael Slager still faces federal civil rights charges. If convicted, he could spend life in prison. Theres late word about president elect trumps phone conversations with foreign leaders, some that are raising eyebrows in washington and around the world, including one that has the potential to infuriate china. Nbcs Peter Alexander has more on this developing story. Reporter exactly seven weeks before his trumps now raising red flags for a series of phone calls with World Leaders whose relationship to the u. S. Remains complicated at best. Today speaking with the taiwanese president , the First Contact between a president elect, or president , and taiwan, since 1979. Likely to infuriate the chinese who view taiwan as a renegade province. In follows controversial calls to the heads of pakistan, kazakhstan and the philippines, whose slandered president obamas mother. The wrong message could be received. So he should be fully briefed by the state department before those communications. Reporter here at home, trumps team is planning a series of rallies in key states that propelled him to victory. Our victory was so great, we have the house, we have the senate and we have the presidency. Reporter the strategy, to harness trumps base of support, sending washington a message that hell remain an untraditional politician. Whats clear, lingeringit will follow trump into office. We did have a lot of fun fighting hillary, didnt we . Reporter that instigating the crowd to chant lock her up. Emotions remain raw, this shouting match between top clnd aide jennifer palmery and Trump Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway during a post Election Forum last night. I would rather lose than win the way you guys did. No, you wouldnt. As for trumps call to the taiwanese official, the white house was not told about that call until after it happened. Also late this evening, president george w. Bushs press secretary is warning, quote, china will go nuts. Lester . Peter alexander in washington, thank you. More now on that surprise announcement from the president elect at his rally last night. James mattis is his pick for secretary of defense. And now a battle is brewing over law that bars him from running the pentagon. Reporter for president elect trump, a sneak announcement. We are going to appoint mad dog mattis as our secretary of defense. Reporter 41 years as a marine, retired general james mattis served tours in iraq and afghanistan, earning four stars and a reputation for blunt talk. Winding the adoration of his marines with battlefield bravado polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. Like the new National Security adviser michael flynn, another general forced out by the obama administration. But hes oppose said to shredding the iran nuclear deal, at odds with trump. Theres no going back, absent a real violation. Reporter never married, hes also known as the warrior monk, with books in his bag and weapons on his wall. Number the ultimate, combat, warfighting marine. Second, hes also an intellectual. Hes deeply read. Reporter but his candid talk, sometimes catching him in political crossfire. You go to afghanistan, for five years. They didnt wear a veil. Guys like that aint got no manhood left anyway. It was fun to shoot them. Reporter the law requires a sevenyear wait from serving in waiver. While i deeply respect the Extraordinary Service of general mattis, i do not believe we should be changing the law for president elect trump. Changing it for mattis will require 60 votes in the senate, a tactical disadvantage for a decorated general. We learned today that the Unemployment Rate is at its lowest level in over nine years. The government says u. S. Employers added 1 78d,000 jobs in november, marking a record of 88 straight the Unemployment Rate fell to 4. 6 . Its not all good news, however, as the drop was partially due to more people dropping out of the workforce. Meaning theyre no longer counted as unemployed. The death toll has risen to 13 in the wildfires in tennessee. Thousands were under mandatory evacuation orders and today we were with residents as they made their emotional return to their homes to discover whether anything was left. We get more from nbcs reporter the panic of escape now gives way to the agony of return. Im just trying to take it all in. Reporter carolyn steker hasnt seen home since monday, unsure if its still there, with her Mobility Limited by a wheelchair, she awaits word from a friend. Darling, youre fine. Reporter flames, charred her house, but left it standing. Thank you, lord, i have a home to come back to. So im luckier than a lot. Reporter the toll of the devastating. 13 people now confirmed dead, including john and janet summers, both 61 from memphis. They were on vacation with their three sons who were recovering in a burn unit. And 75yearold may vance who died of a heart attack. The fire now contained, has burned 27 square miles. More than a thousand structures, damaged or destroyed. Flames skirted the edges of, but ultimately spared dollywood theme park. It reopened today with name sake dolly those who lost everything. A thousand dollars a month to all those families that have lost their homes in the fires until they get back up on their feet. Reporter people like this couple whose nighttime escape down a mountainside was illuminated by a terrifying orange glow. I didnt know of another way to get down from where we were easy. So cover your mouth and run straight through it. Reporter they made it out. Some of their neighbors did not. In north dakota, protests over a Controversial Oil pipeline have reached a critical moment. Demonstrators are up against a monday deadline to clear out. If they stay, they face a new challenge. Temperatures plunging as wintery cold moves in. Tammy leitner is at the protest site. Reporter as the brutal north dakota winner closes in, protesters are gearing up for a long fight. Deadline to vacate camp by monday. Were here for the long haul, as long as we can make it. We have a woodburning stove. We came prepared. Reporter for months, thousands of protesters, who call themselves water protectors, have descended on rural north dakota, to protest against the Dakota Access pipeline. The intense standoff, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Last month, water, tear gas, and rubber bullets were used to disperse protesters. Law enforcement is not the aggressors here. We are only reacting to what protesters are doing against law enforcement. Reporter its a fight over a pipeline that crosses four states, including an area of land along the Standing Rock sioux reservation. Once complete, it would carry roughly 470,000 barrels of oil per day. Proponents say the 3. 8 billion pipeline will provide jobs and help the local economy. But the land is considered sacred by and the pipeline would cross under their only water source. It poses a threat to our culture, our way of line, our land, our environment. Reporter back at camp, protesters face another challenge. The bitter cold will feel like just 10 degrees. Cold weather be damned. As a veteran, im here to protect the people peacefully protesting. Their weapon is prayer. My weapon is training. Reporter 2,000 u. S. Vets this camp this weekend. Were told they will link arms and form a human chain on the front line of the protest. Lester . Tammy leitner, thank you. Still ahead, the terrible tragedy impacting the family of a College Football coach. His 3yearold daughter killed by a hidden danger in millions of homes. . . I found a better deal on prescriptions. We found lower copays. Y. Its medicare open enrollment. Have you compared plans yet . Its easy at medicare. Gov. Or you can call 1800medicare. Medicare open enrollment. Youll never know unless you go. I did it. You can too. . . Its just a cough. If you could see your cough, youd see just how far it can spread. Robitussin dm max is now better tasting, robitussin dm max. Because its never just a cough. No matter how the markets change. At t. Rowe price. Our disciplined approach remains. Global markets may be uncertain. But you can feel confident in our investment experience around the world. Call us or your advisor. T. Rowe price. Invest with confidence. I love my shop, but my back pain was making it hard to sleep and open up on time. Then i found aleve pm. Now im back. Aleve pm for a better am. . . As soon as i became a parent i changed as a person, drastically. . . But when we brought our daughter home that was it. . . Now i have nicoderm cq. The nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release Technology Helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. Its the best thing that ever happened to me. Can you say thanks nicoderm cq . Were back now to hidden home danger. Tragic news in utah, where a 3yearold girl has been killed in an accident that experts say is far too common and easily preventable. Its a tragedy that happens more often than you might think. And one posing a serious danger in homes with children all across the country. Nbcs Miguel Almaguer explains. Reporter 3yearold elsie who her family called sweet girl, fought for her life for a week, before doctors said there was nothing else her father reno, a former nfl running back, confirming elsie was found tangled in a mini blind at home, with cords wrapped around her neck. The accident tragic, but not uncommon. She was special. Reporter cyrus lost his 5yearold son gavin when he was found hanging from the cords of a roman blind. I kept on yelling his name. Because i wanted him to hear me. So he could s reporter according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, nearly one child a month is strangled to death by cords hanging from blinds. One of the top five hidden dangers inside the home. If this story reaches one family that didnt know about this hazard, and if it saves one life, then its worth it. Reporter a known hazard for decades, the Safety Commission began the process to create new standards two years ago. Proposing all stock products be required to be cordless or have inaccessible or short cords. Several major retailers have already stopped selling corded blinds. Safety groups recommend parents use cordless blinds. For those that dont have that option, manufacturers will give you a retrofit kit like this, which can be installed in a matter of minutes. For the mahi family and the obryants, proposed changes in how blinds are comes too late. But for many others, there is still time. Miguel almaguer, nbc news. Well take a break, be back in a moment with a story of snow in paradise. Moment with a story of snow in paradise. Incredible images impressive linda. It seems age isnt slowing you down. But your immune system weakens as you get older increasing the risk for me, the shingles virus. Ive been lurking inside you since you had chickenpox. I could surface anytime as a painful, blistering rash. Will it be you . And thats why linda got me zostavax, a single shot vaccine. Im working to boost lindas immune system to help protect her against you, shingles. Zostavax is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults fifty years of age and older. Zostavax does not protect everyone and cannot be used to treat shingles or the nerve pain that may follow it. You should not get zostavax if you are allergic to gelatin or neomycin, have a weakened immune system or take high doses of steroids are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. N side effects include redness, pain, itching, swelling, hard lump warmth or bruising at the injection site and headache. Its important to talk to your doctor about what situations you may need to avoid since zostavax contains a weakened chickenpox virus. Remember one in three people get shingles in their lifetime, will it be you . Talk you to your doctor or pharmacist about me, single shot zostavax. [burke] hot dog. Seen it. Covered it. We know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. . We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum . Wh only new alkaseltzer plus free of artificial dyesf. And preservatives liquid gels delivers the powerful cold symptom relief you need without the unnecessary additives you dont. Store manager clean up, aisle 4. In california today, a moment of silence held to mark the oneyear anniversary of a terror attack in san bernardino. During a morl at the social services center, where the attack occurred, a killed. 22 people were also injured in the attack, carried out by a county Health Inspector and his wife, who had pledged allegiance to isis and were later killed in a shootout with police. Bad news. If youre planning a trip to the sights in washington, d. C. , the National Monument will remain close said until 2019. s been plagued with problems since an earthquake hit the Nations Capital in 2011. It will remain close repairs and renovate the elevator. Believe it or not, the National Weather service has issued a winter storm warning in hawaii. Up to 30 inches of snow is in the forecast. High up in the mountains through saturday. Dont worry if youre planning a vacation, were talking about 11,000 feet up. Things are still looking pretty beachy down below. If thats a word. When we come back, how a principal with all the right moves is bringing smiles to her students. I know youre my financial advisor, my dad gave me those shares, you know. He ran that company. I get it. But you know i think you own too much. Gotta manage your risk. And youve gotta switch to decaf. An honest opinion, even if you disagree. With 13,000 financial advisors, its how edward jones makes sense of investing. Its easy to love your laxative. And softens to unblock naturally. So you have peace of mind from start to finish. Love your laxative. Miralax. As soon as i left the hospital after a dvt blood clot, i sure had a lot to think about. What about the people i care about . Including this little girl. And what if this happened again . I was given warfarin in the hospital, but wondered, was this the best treatment for me . So i asked my doctor. And he recommended eliquis. Eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. Yes, eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. Eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. Both made me turn around my thinking. Dont stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. Eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. Dont take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. If you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. And it may take longer than usual for bleeding to stop. Seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. Eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. Tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. Eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. Plus had less major bleeding. Both made eliquis the right treatment for me. Ask your doctor if switching to eliquis is right for you. Finally tonight, if you have a tween or remember being one yourself, you know that middle school can be a tough time for kids. But one principal is her inner popstar, and she hopes other schools will follow in her dance steps. Reporter the light beaming upon Gale Ranch Middle School doesnt come from a sunrise. The really source is found in a place you might not expect. The office of principal sue goldman, who every morning lets that light shine. Good morning. Reporter this is her morning routine, turning the schools crosswalk into floor, giving her kids a daily sidewalk sock hop. Do you have favorite dance moves . No, i only have one. Reporter which is . This. She has her own style. Im not a good dancer. They think i am. Its a secret. Dont tell them. I think shes just putting herself down. Shes a great dancer. How did the kids react at first . And honestly it was only me out there dancing. . . Reporter but her relentless groove eventually became contagious. Its a lot of fun because we dont care what other people think and we just have fun. Reporter theyve discovered this positive start carries through the entire day. Its a dance party, so then everyones really excited about everything. Reporter impressive when you consider just how difficult these years can be. Goldman herself had a hard time in middle a dancing principal would have might a little bit of a difference . Would have made a huge difference. At least you know somebody at the top is looking out for you. Reporter which is why goldman hopes every principal will steal her idea. No dance lessons required. Joe fryer, nbc news, san ramone, california. Okay, admit it, you want to dance now, right . Thats going to do it for us on a friday for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and . . Announcer right now, from milwaukee, this is todays tmj4, live at 6 00. Now at 6 00, reports of rape shocked parents on the south side. Police are investigating a reported Sexual Assault in the tippecanoe neighborhood near a park. Lauren residents in the neighborhood. The investigation is still in its early stages, Milwaukee Police werent able to pro avoid much information. The people i spoke with say they are nervous. Residents of the tippecanoe neighborhood on the citys south side are questioning their safety. I think its crazy. Allison mills is referring to a Sexual Assault police say happened thursday evening near the tippecanoe park, which just happens to be steps away from an elementary school. You know, and play basketball at the courts, and like all the neighbors that live near know each other, its a nice well knitted community. I would never picture that Something Like that would happen here. Parents of clement Avenue School are not only shocked, but theyre also upset. Im very concerned about this, because, not getting another from the school, i leave, courtesy, theyre theyre investigating, or Something Like at according to millie, she learned via facebook and questioned why the school didnt notify her first. I would like to know that answer. Im trying to get that same answer from the school. While she waits for that answer, she says she plans to be more proactive and vigilant as she works to protect her community. As a volunteer, you know, like we can actually set up parents in different areas, such to watch for our kids