plus, two jewish men shot outside of synagogues in los angeles on different days. tonight authorities say they re connected. the victims targeted for their religion. the federal hate crime charges just filed. the outrage in ohio. families waiting in long lines for help in east palestine two weeks after that toxic train derailment and new details on what may have caused this crash. the tragedy on the field. a 12-year-old dying after collapsing at football practice. the family says the ambulance took 30 minutes to arrive. what his mother says could have saved his life. and the book of 125,000 names, the story it tells and the deep connection for our correspondent. announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. and good evening. i m tom llamas in for lester tonight. they were sworn to protect, but today five fired memphis police officers were in a courtroom facing charges of murder that they beat tyre nichols so badly during his arrest last month that he died
eyewitness in the case recanted, but the circuit attorney could do nothing about it mostly because of a law that only allowed motions for new trials within 15 days of a conviction, too late for johnson. have you given up hope that you ll get out? no, because that s all i have. reporter: and then last year the missouri legislature passed a bill to make it easier for prosecutors to get hearings in cases like johnson s and just this week it is hereby ordered that the motion by the circuit phone of the 23rd judicial circuit filed within for the benefit of lamar johnson is granted. reporter: a judge vacated his conviction setting him free. johnson listening to the theme from rocky on his first ride home. rising up back on the streets back on the streets. reporter: everything is different now. the cars, the cell phones, the daily routine. i worked in prison all my life. but that was for 30 years. i have no savings, retirement or