Transcript of Top Story with Tom Llamas - Feb. 21 | NBC News NOW

Tonight, the Los Angeles DA dealing a blow to the Monendos brothers bid for freedom. La's top prosecutor arguing the brothers do not deserve a new trial, rejecting their challenge to their murder convictions. His doubts over new evidence and sexual abuse allegations. Will they be staying in prison or is there a chance they'll get out? Our legal expert standing by. Also, tonight, Luigi Mangioni in court. The man accused of killing the United Health Care CEO appearing before a judge in a bulletproof vest. Why his lawyer says her client is being treated unfairly. Haitian migrants stripped of their temporary protected status in the United States. The uncertainty they now face as their country remains under the control of violent gangs. A Hawaii hotel explosion. A live camera capturing the massive blast sending debris flying and critically injuring several people. We hear from witnesses about those terrifying moments. New images tonight showing the nose of a plane smashed after a bird strike, how pilots managed to get everyone safely onto the ground. And a woman rescued from a fiery car crash, getting to meet the first responders who saved her life. The emotional reunion, as she recalls, being on her last breath just as they pulled her from a burning truck.

Plus, the breaking news out of the Middle East, Hamas claims they've released the body of hostage Shiri Bibas one day after handing over the remains of an unidentified person in her place. Top story starts right now. Good evening. I'm Morgan Chesky in for Tom Yamas. Tonight, the Los Angeles district attorney is dimming the hopes for the Menindez brothers to go free. La's new top prosecutor, Nathan Hockman, now asking a court to deny their bid for a new trial. This comes decades after Eric and Lyle Menindez were sentenced to life without parole for the murders of their parents, Jose and Katie Menendez. The DA releasing his own produced video, going in-depth about the case from the very beginning. Take a listen.

The anatomy of the Menindez case starts with the horrific murders that occurred at around 10: 00 PM on August 20th, 1989, in the Menendez's Beverly Hills home.

Now, that's just a portion of the video which analyzes all of the possible pass for the brothers to actually be released. Those routes currently include, re-sentencing, which is in the hands of a judge, the petition for clemency, which could only be granted by Governor Gavin Newsom, and the habeas Corpus petition, which was just denied. Hockman, seeming skeptical of the new evidence introduced, which included allegations from a minuto band member who said he was molested by Jose Menendez, and a letter from Eric to one of his cousins detailing the alleged abuse from his own father. Now, the brothers are still facing the possibility of being released with a resentencing hearing that's still on the calendar for next month. Nbc news correspondent Liz Kreutz starts us off tonight.

Tonight, a major setback to the Menendez brothers and one of their bids for freedom.

What we found out is that Eric and Lyle Monendez had told five different versions of the events of what had happened.

Da Nathan Hockman, who took office in December, says the court should deny a habeas petition filed by Eric and Lyle, one of the three paths the brothers are taking to try to get out of prison for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Katie, in their Beverly Hills mansion. The petition, which is separate from the brothers high-profile resent effort, includes evidence laid out in a 2023 Peacock series about the brothers, which Eric and Lyle say proves they acted in self-defense after years of abuse at the hands of their father.

Sexual abuse in this situation, while it may have been a motivation for Eric and Lyle to do what they did, does not constitute self-defense.

Rca.

In that doc, a former minuto band member alleges Jose Menendez, then head of RCA Records, also molested him.

That's the man here. That's RCA.

There's also a letter Eric allegedly sent his cousin, writing, I've been trying to avoid dad. I stay up thinking he come in.

If they had evidence that would show that that sexual abuse had been communicated not just six years before the events, but nine months before the 1989 killings, that it would absolutely have come out during one or both of their testimonies.

In a new interview from Prison on TMZ's Two angry Men podcast, co-hosted by their own attorney, Margarigos, the brothers acknowledge the Netflix series about them has helped boost public support for their case.

It really did actually move a lot of people to understand the childhood trauma that Eric and I suffered.

But tonight, the DA casting doubt on some of the evidence he's reviewed. Is it fair to say that based on everything you've laid out, you may not Are you recommending a resentence for the brothers?

Again, we haven't decided what to do with respect to resentencing, other than to bring this forward as well. Whatever the DA says to the judge in connection with resentencing, the judge ultimately makes the call.

Liz Kreutz joins us live now outside of the courthouse in LA. Liz, I'm curious, how is the Menindez family reacting to today's news?

Hey, Morgan, they're not happy. Several of the Menindez family members are supporting the brothers. They want them released, and they have put out a joint statement tonight responding to the DA. And then if they say they are profoundly disappointed by the DA's remarks, they're going to suggest that the years of abuse couldn't have led to the tragedy in 1989 is not only outrageous, but also So dangerous. They allege or say that the DA didn't listen to them when they all came and met with the DA earlier this year to make their case for why they wanted them out. And they say that they are grateful that ultimately the resentencing path will come down to a judge. That critical hearing is next month, but the DA here will be making his own recommendation on that. He says he'll do that in the coming weeks. Morgan.

All right. We'll be watching, Liz. We thank you. For more on this, I do want to bring in attorney and NBC legal analyst, Angela Sinadella. Angela, walk us through in simple terms, if possible, what we learned today, how big of an actual setback is this to the Menindas brothers case?

Morgan, in all honesty, it's not that big of a setback, if only because there was never really that big of a chance that this petition would have gone through anyway. This is one of the three angles that the Monendos brothers were using in an attempt to get themselves out of prison. This was a habeas petition, which means that it is based in constitutional arguments that something so big has changed, something so and egregious has happened, that their detainment being behind bars is essentially illegal and also unconstitutional. Now, this is a petition that's filed often by those who've been convicted, and it's really very rarely granted. As a DA, They really went through in his conference today, there are so many procedural just requirements in order to even get past this new evidence threshold that the brothers here, he claims, really did fail to meet. What happened here is that the Ananda's brothers claim these two new pieces of evidence really went to the heart of the case. Had this evidence been available at the time of their trial, they would have likely been acquitted. That's their entire argument here. But the DA said, no, that new evidence, first of all, has credibility issues may not have even been admissible.

Then third of all, he believes, didn't even go to the main legal argument in the case, which he says is really about murder and self-defense, and actually not about sexual abuse, regardless of how tragic it is if it did indeed to happen.

Angela, if I understand you correctly, it sounds like you were not surprised, really, whatsoever by the DA questioning the recent evidence here.

No, I wasn't. First of all, that is also the district attorney's job. Generally, the DA does this consistently, which has poke holes and question any new evidence that is brought up. Second of all, though, I would say this incredible movement and momentum that the Monendos brothers have experienced in their push to be freed wasn't necessarily tied to any new evidence. It was It was really tied to the media. It was tied to a movement that was based in a show. And so any evidence that was going to be considered differently was not necessarily in the cards for them.

So, Angel, put yourself in the shoes of the his brother's defense team. What do you believe the next step could be here as they try to move forward? Yeah.

Actually, look, they did have three options, as was clearly outlined, and of those three now, two remain. The first, which is that of the clemency petition to the governor is also a long shot, and the governor doesn't ever even have to respond, period. So that's not clear that that'll happen. But the second, which is the resentencing, is very possible. That is not even based on any evidence. That is really just based on whether or not these brothers have been sufficiently rehabilitated and will not go back out and commit crimes. So whether or not Hoffman did not agree with this whole new evidence being a habeas petition success is not relevant to whether or not he believes that they should be resentenced. Now, because that is in front of the judge, I think that is their greatest path forward. In fact, very likely that the judge will agree with the last DA and lower their charge to that of a murder charge and then possibly let them walk free, Morgan.

As complicated as it can be, you break it down so nicely. Angela, thanks for joining us tonight. We turn now to another high-profile case we've been following for some time. Luigi Mangioni, the man charged with murdering the CEO of United Health care late last year, appeared in court today in New York with supporters of Mangioni gathering outside. Meanwhile, a fund for his defense has now eclipsed more than half a million dollars. Nbc Stephanie Gosc was in the courtroom.

Luigi Ecege Mangione shackled and silent, making his way into New York State Court today. The defense asking he be uncuffed for the brief procedural hearing, but the judge declined the request.

He's being treated differently because he's being held in federal custody than any other person who would be facing serious murder-one charges in New York State Court.

In December, Mangione pleaded not guilty to murdering father of two, Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health care. He also faces federal murder charges. One count could carry the death penalty.

We, the people, want to be free.

Today, demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse to support the accused killer, others to protest the healthcare system. This is going to be a murder trial. Is that the right venue to make a larger point about health care?

I'm very reasonable, but I think the American people have been pushed really, really far.

The brazen murder in Midtown Manhattan left New York City stunned. This was a senseless act of violence.

It was a cold and calculated crime.

After a five-day manhunt, Mangioni was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald's. Prosecutors say he was found with a ghost gun that matched bullet casings found at the crime scene, along with writings critical of the health insurance industry. Public frustration with the health care system, in some cases, turning to support for Mangione. A defense fund has raised more than half a million dollars. In a statement posted by his defense team, Mangione writes, I am overwhelmed by and grateful for everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support. Mangione is facing three cases, one in Pennsylvania and two here in New York on state and federal murder charges. The legal process could take years. It's only just beginning, Morgan.

All right, Steph, thank you. Turning it out to that major announcement out of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass removing LA Fire Chief, Christian Crowley, following weeks of tension over the response to those deadly wildfires in January, leaving 29 people dead and thousands of homes and businesses destroyed. The mayor explaining her decision at a press conference earlier this afternoon. Take a listen.

A necessary step to the investigation was the President of Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after-action report on the fires. The fire chief refused. We all know that a thousand firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch. These actions required her removal.

Now, Mayor Batch, in recent days, also accused Crowley of not warning her in advance of the windstorm to fan those flames. But on January sixth, the night before the fires broke out, Mayor Bass tweeted in part, there is a expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon. The mayor, of course, has been publicly criticized for being on a trip overseas when the fires did break out. For more on all of this shakeup, NBC's David Noriega joins us now. David, there seems to be an awful lot of back and forth here between the mayor and the former fire chief, really since the flames broke out. Walk me through how we got here.

Yeah, Morgan, the relationship between the mayor and the now former fire chief has been tense, as you pointed out, basically since these fires were ranging. That fraught relationship really started in the days after, a couple of days after the Palisades fire started, when it was still out of control. The fire chief gave a number of media interviews, pretty openly criticizing the city, primarily for its budget cuts to the LAFD, which she said had significantly hampered her department's ability to respond to those fires. From that point on, it was a back and forth, as you put it, of claims and accusations. As you heard from that press conference, Mayor Basses stated justification for removing Chief Crowley from her post was those two things. The fact that she did not activate, according to the mayor, a thousand units within the fire department that could have been present to supplement firefighting efforts that morning. Second, that she did not do an after-action report that was requested of her by the fire commission. That's basically the oversight board of the fire department. Of course, this does also go back to the fact that the mayor was on a trip to Africa.

She was in Ghana when the fires broke out. She is blaming that on Crowley, something that the fire department has in some ways pushed back on. But this is really the culmination of, at this point, many weeks of pretty open tension and conflict between these two officials.

For some additional context, David, I know that while Crowley is accused of not prepositioning those 1,000 firefighters, the LA County Fire Department did, in fact, preposition at least several hundred firefighters prior to those flames breaking out, so there is a bit of contrast there. I'm curious. Today, Mayor Bess appointed the interim fire chief. I know he's no stranger to the department here. What more do we know about him?

His name is Ronny Villanueva, and he is a 41-year veteran of the fire department, in fact, a long, long career with the LAFD. He had actually retired recently and was brought back to act as interim chief while the city works for a more permanent replacement. In the press conference announcing his appointment today, now chief David Yannueva said that he looks forward to moving the department forward, moving it out of this period, the fraught period of recrimination and tension.

To the woman impacted by all of this, David, has the Los Angeles Fire Department or Crowley herself said anything about this removal? I know it was just days after the fire broke out. Crowley goes on TV, blames the mayor for the budget cuts. But as of right now, has she said anything?

We haven't heard from Crowley directly, but we did get a statement from the Los Angeles Fire Department that seems to implicitly push back on that claim by the mayor that blamed Crowley for her not being in town when this historically devastating natural disaster broke out. You and I, Morgan, both live in the city. We both know that the fact that there was going to be a out-of-the-ordinary wind event presenting out-of-the-ordinary fire risk was known before these fires broke out. I don't think anybody knew how devastating and how widespread these fires were going to be, how many structures were going to be burned, the fact that they're going to wipe out entire neighborhoods. Nobody could have predicted that. But the idea that there was a very high fire risk was in no way unknown to the general public. The LAFD put out a statement essentially saying that, saying they had done multiple recorded and live media interviews. They put out two separate media advisories saying, crucially, that they notified city officials about the upcoming weather event. That meaning that unusually strong Santa Ana wind event, which combined with dry conditions, led to those fires. They are implicitly saying there that the mayor was aware that this was happening.

As you pointed out in your introduction, she, in fact, tweeted about this wind event. The idea that she would blame now former Chief Crowley on her supposedly not being aware of the dangers and her not being in the city at the time, which is something that she's been pretty harshly criticized for. That's something that the fire department seems to be subtly pushing back on with that statement. Morgan?

The search for accountability continues. David Noriega, we thank you. A federal judge tonight is deciding that workers for USA USAID can, in fact, be put on administrative leave. That ruling adds to the widespread feelings of dread all across the federal government, with thousands of federal employees worried they're about to get a pink slip after a judge declined to block these sweeping job cuts that have been enacted by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The backlash to those very cuts is being heard all across the country. Garret Hake is at the White House for us tonight.

Tonight, the Pentagon announcing it will eliminate the jobs of some 5,400 employees beginning next week. Musk, the latest and one of the deepest known cuts to any one federal department. A DOD statement saying the termination of as much as 8% of the civilian workforce is to, produce efficiencies and refocus the department on the president's priorities. Late today, President Trump pressed to defend the deep cuts being pushed by ally Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

He's doing something that a lot of people wouldn't have the courage to do. We want to streamline our country.

It comes amid a backlash to the cross country cuts now showing up at Congressional town halls. Constituents confronting Republican lawmakers from Georgia.

We are all freaking pissed off about this.

To Wisconsin.

How can you be represented by you if you don't have a voice in Congress?

Robert McCabe was fired from his job at the IRS in Philadelphia on Thursday. He says he was a Trump supporter who applauded the President's search for wasteful government spending.

I thought that someone with his business acumen would have come in with a a fine-tooth comb and actually found it instead of coming in with a wrecking ball and destroying people's lives for no reason.

A new Washington Post poll shows the President's early actions are unpopular, supported by just 43% of Americans. 57% of respondents telling the post they believe the President has exceeded his authority. The President dismissing concerns about the cuts without providing evidence.

We've polled it and people are thrilled. They can't even believe it's happening.

Earlier, the President's speaking to a bipartisan gathering of governors at the White House, offering this update on his efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

I've had very good talks with Putin, and I've had not such good talks with Ukraine. They don't have any cards, but they play it tough.

The President also budding heads with Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, over her state's refusal to comply with the President's executive order, seeking to ban transgender women from women's sports, threatening the state's federal funding.

You better comply because otherwise, you're not getting any federal funding.

Every state... Good.

I'll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.

And enjoy your life after governor because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.

All right, there you have it from the President, Garret Hink, joins us now from the White House. Garret, Republicans in Congress starting to feel a little bit of the heat from constituents here on these DOGE cuts. Do you foresee that they're going to start pushing back on any of it there.

I don't think so, Morgan, at least not yet. By and large, the cuts are still in line with what conservative Republicans say they want to see happen to the federal government, which is for it to shrink or be brought to heal. Now, they'd rather be doing it themselves through legislation, but their majority is so narrow, they've had trouble doing much of anything really this last two years. I think the pressure that you're seeing is the start, and we showed this in the piece of the polling starting to move away from Trump generally, but there's nothing like the pressure that it take to cause these Republicans to break from the President yet.

Right. And, Garen, on the flip side, I met a gentleman at Yosemite National Park who shared that he didn't believe the cuts were going far enough. So there is still very much an other side as well. We also are getting some news that the Supreme Court preventing President Trump from firing the head of the Office of Special Counsel, at least for now. What more can you tell us about that?

Yeah, this is definitely more of a not yet order than a no order. Here you have the Supreme Court holding this case in abeyance, essentially saying, We like what we're seeing from the lower court discussion on this, the filings and the arguments. We'd like to see it continue. Here you have a special counselor, an Inspector General, who appealed his firing, sued the federal government, saying it was unlawful. The lower courts agreed, The Trump administration quickly kicked it up to the Supreme Court. But again, the Supreme Court saying, let's let this process continue for a little bit longer. This Inspector General gets to keep his job while that plays out.

You're keeping an eye on all of it. Garret Hake, we thank you. You're back. We're following another headline out of Washington tonight, the Defense Department saying it's looking into alternative options besides Guantanamo Bay to house migrants. This is coming as the Trump administration made a major announcement on temporary protected status that will impact about half a million Haitian migrants. Nbc's Gabe Gutieris with that story tonight.

Tonight, the Trump administration is looking for new places to house migrant detaunees. Two sources familiar with the matter say the Defense Department is considering Fort Bliss in Texas. Honduras. It comes after NBC News was first to report migrants had been abruptly cleared out of Guantanamo Bay, most sent to Honduras. The President today, urging governors to help with deportations.

But federal state and local cooperation has to be the backbone of border security.

Other countries also feeling the fallout. Nearly 100 migrants recently deported by the US to Panama were locked in a hotel for days, then moved to a detention camp on the outskirts of a notorious jungle. Now, despite the ongoing violence in their home country, the Trump administration is canceling an extension of temporary protected status for half a million Haitians. That means they'd lose their work permits and could be eligible for deportation by August. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem writing, President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status, temporary. In Springfield, Ohio, which became a flashpoint during the campaign.

They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats.

Tonight, there is widespread concern among the roughly 15,000 Haitian immigrants there who came to the US legally under the TPS program. We work hard, really hard, and we help the community.

We work hard to put food and people plate.

Haitians have had temporary protected status since that massive earthquake in 2010. The Department of Homeland Security says about 57,000 Haitians were eligible for TPS the following year. By 2024, that number had climbed to more than half a million, including a large community in Miami.

How cruel can we be, America?

How callous can we be about the lives of individuals who have contributed to this community?

And Gabe joins us now from the White House. Gabe, we have new reporting tonight on the reassignment of a top ICE official. What have you learned?

Hi there, Morgan. We got three sources tell BBC News that the acting ICE director, Caleb Batello, has been reassigned to another post. I great frustration among the administration about the pace of deportations. Publikely, though, the White House has said that illegal border crossings have dropped dramatically since the President took office a little more than a month ago morning.

And, Gabe, we're also getting some breaking news just in tonight about a new lawsuit by the New York City mayor's office against the Trump administration. Where does that stand?

Yeah, Morgan. For several days, we knew that New York City was exploring this option. But yes, the city has now filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration listing President Trump, Homeland Security Secretary, Christie Noem, and Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent as defendants, essentially saying that the government clawed back $80 million in FEMA funds. They said they did this without any advanced notice. And the President, as well as Elon Musk and Doge, had previously said that that money had been used to house migrants in hotels in New York City. President Trump has floated the idea of getting rid of FEMA. Mortgage.

All right, Gabe, we thank you. Turning it out of Wall Street and the stock sell-off today, sparking new fears about economic growth. The Dow Jones Industrial tumbling 700 points for its worst day of 2025. That decline brought its two-day losses to roughly 1,200 points. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite also seeing a drop-by. This comes as concerns mount over uncertainty in the market with higher inflation and the threat of those new tariffs. Still ahead tonight, the breakthrough in a decades-old cold case. The Facebook group cracking open an unsolved mystery after remains were discovered back in the '80s, how social media helped identify that victim. Plus, dramatic video capturing a hotel explosion in Hawaii. The blast at a beachfront resort, leaving several people injured, and the former Proud Boys leader arrested at the US Capitol. The altercation landing him behind bars. Stick around. We're back now with a new video of an explosion that rocked a beachfront resort in Hawaii. The blast on the patio duck of a Maui hotel left seven people injured. Marquise Francis with more tonight on the ongoing investigation.

Tonight, an investigation underway into this powerful explosion at a beachfront hotel in Hawaii. A webcam positioned to capture the Maui coastline, capturing the blast that rocked the Whaler Resort, sending smoke and debris flying through the air.

Suddenly, there was just this huge Earth shaking boom. You could tell it wasn't a firework or something somebody planned.

Images taken moments after the explosion, showing first responders treating the wounded on the hotel patio, bystanders with medical experience providing first aid until emergency personnel arrived. An image taken from above the scene showing tables and chairs blown back by the power of the explosion. I've been in different war zones.

It sounded like Falluja. It was huge.

Seven people, ranging in age from 18 to 74, were injured, three critically, with one airlifted to the hospital for treatment, according to Maui police. Police marking the debris that landed on the beach with yellow flags. They say liquefied petroleum gas, which is commonly used in grills, may have fueled the blast.

People were just running over there, and I was yelling at them, Stop because the gas is still on. And to me, I'm thinking second explosion, which would have been as catastrophic.

The Whaling Resort declining our request for comment due to the ongoing investigation. Emergency crews clearing the scene without an evacuation, and tonight, telling residents there is no further threat to the public.

And Marquise Francis joins us now. Marquise, as you said, police are still investigating here. So what more do we know about the cause or potential cause?

What we know right now is this explosion happened yesterday around 6: 00, just as the sun was setting in around dinner time. So there was a lot of people in and around this patio area. And according to Maui police, the first phone call came in around 6: 15, and police were on the scene by 6: 21. Witnesses described the scene as gory. One person even saying the explosion sounded like a bomb. Another witness said it sounded as if something really bad had taken place, and one witness even observed a malfunctioning grill just before the explosion. But this remains under investigation, so the exact cause is still up in the air, Morgan.

All right, Marquise, we thank you. Moving now to a breakthrough in a murder mystery, all thanks to the power of social media. Authorities in California discovering the identity of a woman who went missing more than 40 years ago, all with the help of a dedicated Facebook group. Tonight, the victim's daughter now searching for answers as she believes the suspect could potentially be her very own father. Nbc's Los Angeles, Hedy Chang, with more on the investigation.

Her name was Maritza Glean-Grimet, and her daughter Dawn has been looking for her for more than 40 years. Pretty much all of my adult life to the point where I have It's totally consumed me. Speaking to us from Florida, where she now lives, Hamel says now that she knows who her mother was. She's on a mission to find out how she died. I have a feeling I know what happened, but I just want some justice for my mother. She's closer to justice than ever before. A Facebook post on a missing person's page led Hamel to Orange County cold case investigators last year. Then, DNA testing confirmed the skeletal remains of a woman found in 1983 in what's now the city of Lake Forest were those of her mother, Maritza. In a press conference today, Orange County investigators announced they've identified identified two persons of interest in Maritza's homicide. Moritza's ex-husband, Howard Grimmet, who is Hamel's biological father, and Howard's current wife, Isabel Terry Cruz Grimmet.

Did they kill Moritza? What do you think happened?

I asked him that specific question as part of my interview, and of course, he did not, having any involvement. However, the location where Moritz's remains were found were approximately three miles from El Toro, Marine base where Howard was stationed. Investigators learn Maritza is from Panama. There, she married Grimmet, a US Marine. In 1978, they gave birth to a daughter, Dawn Hamel. Investigators say the marriage didn't last, and they got divorced a year later, but Marisa never showed up to the divorce hearing. Hamel says Grimmet, her father, always told her her mother was alive somewhere and that she abandoned Hamel when she was a baby. Hamel says she is certain that is not true. She believes her father is involved in her mother's death. I know deep down in my heart, he did it. And I want him to pay. I want him to pay. Investigators are not calling Grimmet and his wife suspects, but they do believe the couple knows details that could solve Maritza's homicide and how and when Maritza arrived in California. Hamel wants to find the answers, too. What happened? What is the real truth? Though she knows nothing will bring her mother back.

Ultimately, I wouldn't have true closure because I never met her. Even though I have that sense of longing of something missing my life, I didn't get that bonding moment with her.

And we thank Hedy Chang and NBC Los Angeles for that story. Coming up, the scare in the air. The plane forced to make an emergency landing after a bird strike. The startling images of that damage. Next.

Back now with Top Story's news feed, the man charged with stabbing author, Salman Rushdie was found guilty for attempted murder.

After an eight-day trial, 27-year-old Hattie Matar was convicted for the 2022 stabbing of Rushdie at a lecture in upstate New York. Rushdie was left partially blind from the attack. Matar will now be sentenced in April, and he's facing up to 25 in prison. Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio is back behind bars tonight after being arrested for assault at the US Capitol. Capitol police detained Tarrio for striking a woman, protesting a Proud Boys and Oathkeeper's press conference. Police say Tarrio hit the woman's arm as she put her cell phone near his face. He was taken into custody on simple assault charges, and that incident comes after President Trump recently pardoned him for his involvement in the January sixth riots. And the New York Yankees changing a decades old policy on facial hair. Yankees owner, Hal Steinbrenner, announcing the team will now allow players to have beards as long as they stay well-groomed. That's the catch. The new policy reverses the team's facial hair policy adopted back in the 1970s, which banned most facial hair besides mustaches. Steinbrenner says the decision came after discussions with former and current players. Well, next tonight to our top story, Health Check.

We're taking a deeper dive into the rampant flu surge across the United States. This flu season, marking what health experts say is the worst outbreak in more than 15 years. Mbc's Maggie Vespa with that story tonight.

Amid America's monster flu season, tonight, new CDC data showing an increasingly deadly toll, with now 19,000 deaths from the flu overall this season and 18 pediatric deaths reported just last week. While test positivity rates fell slightly, the vast majority of states reported recording high or very high flu levels.

Definitely the most intense flu season in my career.

At Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, Dr. Nicholas Cozy says kids infected with the flu are getting secondary pneumonia infections, a combo typically has served for older patients.

Kids are coming in with difficulty breathing. They're not able to drink, they're not able to eat.

It's making their heart rate elevated.

Twelve-year-old Taylor McGinnis flew from New York to Arizona for a soccer tournament only to get sick for a week.

It felt like I just was very tired and couldn't really move very much.

Meanwhile, chaos rocking federal health agencies with the CDC's Wild to Mild campaign promoting flu vaccines appearing to have been wiped from the agency site. It comes roughly a week after famous vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. Was sworn in as Health and Human Services Secretary. Hhs not responding to NBC's request for comment on the campaign. We have health care workers out here. That agency Agency facing heated protests earlier this week outside its DC headquarters after the Trump administration terminated hundreds of CDC employees, according to two sources at the agency. Hhs saying in response to NBC News' questions about the firings, their following the administration's guidance and taking action to support the President's broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government. Meanwhile, the country's federal health agency is also dealing with a growing measles outbreak in the Southwest. New state data shows Texas now has 90 confirmed cases of the measles, that number nearly doubling in the last week and coming on top of the nine confirmed cases across the state border in New Mexico. Morgan.

All right. Good to know, Maggie. We thank you. Now to Top Story's Global Watch, and we do have some breaking news from the Middle East tonight. Hamas says they have returned the body of Shiri Bibas to Israel through the Red Cross. Israel confirming they did receive a new set of remains, and they will now work to identify them It was believed Hamas returned the body of Shiri yesterday, along with the bodies of her two young children. But it turned out the remains did not, in fact, belong to her. Hamas says it will also release six more living hostages this Saturday. A LATAM flight forced to make an emergency landing in Brazil after a bird strike, and we have new images of the damage in this evening. You can see that plane nose smashed in. Officials say the São Paulo bound flight had just departed from Rio when it was struck by multiple birds. The pilots were able to immediately turn around and land safely. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it is the second time this week a LATAM flight in Brazil did suffer from a bird strike. We have a health update tonight on Pope Francis.

The Vatican is reporting the Pontiff's health condition is no longer threatening, but the 88-year-old remains in the hospital. Pope Francis is being treated for what's being described as a complex respiratory infection involving pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. Doctors say it will take some time to gage whether drug therapies are in fact working. Coming up next, rescued and Reunited, a beautiful thing. The heart-pounding race to pull an Arizona mother from her burning car. What the men who saved her told her as they managed to get her out safely, and what she was able to tell them when they were reunited days later. You'll want to stick around for this one. We're back now with some terrifying moments in Arizona. A mother on her way home from dropping her kids off at school when a cement mixer her spinning right across a highway. Then two men who jumped in to save her, and there was an emotional moment when she got the chance to say thanks. Here, here, here, get out of the way, get out of the way. One Arizona police officer in the right place At the right time. Officer Brian Larison on his way to work when he witnessed this cement mixer slamming into a pickup truck where Amy Ruiz, a mother of three, was since spinning into traffic as smoke began to pour throughout her mangled vehicle.

Officer Larison rolling up on the fiery crash, barely 30 seconds later.

911 emergency. Hi.

There was just an accident on the 60.

I'm not going to let her burn up. I know. I was like, I hit it three times. It seemed like it took ever to try to get this window to break. My thought was, she's not dying. Ruiz, who had been trying to escape through her window, was thrown back inside as the truck flipped right side up, her own hair even catching fire.

I just started thinking about my kids and my husband and how they're going to live without me.

How are they going to live without me if I burn in this truck right now? And as if on cue. Get her out of there. I looked at a corner of my eye, and there was this off-duty fireman, and he's got all his fire retarding gear on. And I'm like, What? Is anybody else in there? Firefighter Assa Pagua also on his way to work, arriving just in time. We got you. Despite having never met, the first responders understood the assignment and worked in sync, pulling off the high-stakes rescue as if they were long-time partners. You good, man? Yeah, we're good.

We're glad you're here, brother. I was just going to...

I just remember just holding on to the officer so tight. So, so tight when he was telling me that he had me and that he's got me. It just was so comforting. I knew right then in there, I was saved. Just watching my truck burn there, it could have been me.

I just held her. I just told her I had her. Shaking. Those three words, I got you, echoing in Ruisa's mind since Tuesday. Again, as she reunited with both Larriison and Pagu.

Holding on to them tight once again.

We got you. Getting the chance to thank them one more time for saving her life.

I thought my life was over.

And keeping her family whole.

There's no way I'm ever going to be repaying it, of course.

This is repayment Good enough. Yeah, this is it. Love that. Despite it being an incredibly frightening scene, it ended up being a seven vehicle crash, leaving four other people injured. That cement truck, meanwhile, the driver cited for failing to control the vehicle to avoid a collision. Unfortunately, everyone involved is expected to be okay. When we come back, what to binge watch and listen to this weekend. Stick around. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Morgan Chesky in Los Angeles for Tom Yamas. Stay right there. More news now is on the way.

Thanks for watching.

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