[ cheers and applause ] >> jiminy: what a wonderful night it has been! i want to thank -- melissa mccarthy, nick kroll, and the warning. "nightline" is next. thank you for watching. good night, america! ha ha ha! ♪ this is "nightline." >> byron: tonight, alec baldwin

stunner. the involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor dismissed mid-trial. >> your motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted. >> byron: the key evidence that flipped the case. what the family of "rust" cinematographer halyna hutchins is saying tonight. is alec baldwin finally in the clear? plus, gypsy rose with news to share. >> i am 11 weeks pregnant. >> byron: released from prison just months ago, telling abc exclusively she has no fear of motherhood. >> with the circumstances that i have been through, i have learned what not to do. >> byron: how she plans to reconcile her future with her past. >> juju: how do you plan to tell your child about your own childhood and the role you had in your mother's murder? >> byron: now a behind the scenes-visit to the taco bell test kitchen. >> it's a lot of trial and error, it's a lot of eating. >> byron: from the kit kat quesadilla to the baja blast

gelato, thousands of contenders come through the kitchen. >> it's cheesy, crunchy, spicy, melty. >> byron: only a fraction make it to the drive-thru. we got a first taste. >> this is not on the menu yet, is it? >> it is not. can neuriva support your brain health? mary. janet. hey! eddie. no! fraser. frank. frank. fred. how are you? support up to seven brain health indicators, including memory. search neuriva on amazon for the best deals of the summer. we all need fiber for our digestive health, but less than 10% of us get enough each day. good thing metamucil gummies are an easy way to get prebiotic, plant-based fiber. with the same amount of fiber as 2 cups of broccoli. metamucil gummies the easy way to get your daily fiber. when we're young, we're told anything is possible...

...but only a few of us go out and prove it. witness the greatness of anna hall on a connection worthy of gold: xfinity mobile. only xfinity gives you the most powerful mobile wifi network, with speeds up to a gig in millions of locations. and right now, xfinity internet customers can buy one unlimited line and get one free for a year. get the fastest connection to paris with xfinity. ♪ >> byron: good evening. thank you for joining us. real-life drama playing out in the trial of alec baldwin.

after a day of tension-filled testimony, the moment that brought the actor to tears. here's abc's mola lenghi. >> reporter: tonight, a stunning and dramatic end in the trial for alec baldwin charged with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cin cinematographer halyna hutchens on the set of the film "rust." >> your motion to dismiss with pledge is granted. >> reporter: baldwin crying in court as the judge announced her decision. the shocking ruling after a contentious day in court as baldwin's attorneys asked the judge to throw out the case, accusing prosecutors for failing to turn over key evidence, bullets they say may have connected the film's ammunition supplier to live rounds found on the "rust" movie set. >> they buried it. they put it under a different case with a different number. >> reporter: during a pretrial hearing the defense claiming santa cloint investigators were given ammunition by a retired police officer who alleged the

bullets were from the same batch that killed cinematographer halyna hutchins. >> this is critical evidence in the case that was never disclosed to us. it's time for this case to be kills missed. >> reporter: the prosecution pushing back, arguing those rounds did not match the bullets on the set and the defense was aware of them. >> this is a wild goose chase. this has no evidentiary value whatsoever. >> reporter: prosecutors alleging the retired police officer, troy teske, who turned in those bullets, is a family friend of convicted armorer anna gutierrez and likely has ulterior motives. this tense exchange with the lead investigator about whether the prosecutor was involved in the decision not to enter that ammo into evidence. >> when you say that there were discussions and the decision was made by all of you to put that ammo in a separate file, right? is that correct? you said that? >> yes, ma'am. >> was ms. morrissey part of

that discussion? >> yes. >> thank you. >> reporter: in a dramatic twist, that prosecutor then taking the stand as her own witness. >> i was not aware at that point in time that a doc report would not have the same case number as "rust." >> it was like a train wreck that just kept getting worse and worse and worse. a dismissal with prejudice means that a prosecution can't bring back this case. it's done. it's over. alec baldwin is the equivalent of not guilty. >> reporter: the hutchins family releasing a statement saying, "we look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding mr. baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of halyna hutchins." outside the courthouse, the prosecutor asked if she lit the hutchins family down. >> no, we didn't. we did everything humanly possible to bring justice to halyna and to her family, and we're proud of the work that we did. again, we disagree with the court's decision, but we have to respect it. >> byron: our thanks to mola. we turn to gypsy rose

blanchard this week sharing major news with her millions of followers. my "nightline" coanchor, juju chang, traveled to new orleans for an exclusive interview. >> i'm happy to announce that i am 11 weeks pregnant. ken and i are expecting our very first child come january of 2025. >> juju: what's the next chapter for gypsy rose plan clard? motherhood. how do you feel? >> i'm excited. at first i was very nervous. but i'm very excited. >> juju: you talked about a roller coaster of emotions? >> yes. mood swings are wicked. >> juju: the 32-year-old reality tv star and formerly incarcerated felon sharing the big news with her millions of social media followers. it seems these days, wherever you go, all eyes seem to be on gypsy rose with people following her every move. >> i understand that the way we're doing things is, like, it will happen in its own timing. but right now, it's just not

that timing. >> juju: her latest show on lifetime, "gypsy rose: life after lockup," depicting her day to day after spending eight years in prison for her role in her mother's murder. >> you know my story. now let's see what i do with my life. >> juju: since her release just six months ago, she's embraced her freedom. fixing her teeth. getting a nose job. filing for divorce from her husband, ryan anderson. while she still lives with her dad rod and stepmom christie, she's rekindled a relationship with her former fiance, ken irker. to be clear, you haven't been with your ex for -- this is clearly ken's baby? >> march, early -- it was mid-march when i left ryan. so this is absolutely 100% ken's baby. there was never any question of paternity. >> juju: what was ken's reaction? >> his reaction was shock. like, he was very shocked. but that shock wore off and faded off into happiness.

so he was very happy. we're both very excited for this next chapter in our lives. i don't think either one of us thought, six, seven months ago, weirdern in this position. >> juju: blanchard knows motherhood will be fraught. she pled guilty for second-degree murder after plotting to have her own mother killed after years of abuse. her mother deedee forced her to undergo unnecessary surgeries, shaved her head, kept her in a wheelchair with a feeding tube for much of her childhood. after years of medical trauma, she had concerns about her own ability to have a family. >> i think the one thing that i had wanted to know was, am i able to have children after all the surgeries and the medications that i had been put on and put through? i didn't know in that had any effect on my fertility. >> juju: you had fears about not being able to get pregnant. do you have fears about being a mom? >> i don't have any fears about being a mother.

i think with the circumstances that i have been through, i have learned what not to do. i understand that with my past, there's going to be a lot of people that kind of question if i even should be a mother or even have children in my care. >> juju: if your critics are wondering that, how do you feel confident that you'd be able to teach your children right from wrong? >> i know that i'm not perfect. i know that i have made mistakes in the past. and i will probably make minor mistakes going forward. but at the same time, i do know right from wrong. and learning from past mistakes is a growth that comes with time. >> juju: after a lifetime of hardship and trauma, she sees this as a chance to right the wrongs of her own childhood. >> i'm getting emotional. i'm sorry. all the things that i've wanted in a mother, i want to give to

this baby. my mother did not want to see me meet those milestones that every child should have. like going on a first date, a prom. you know, a bike ride. all of those little milestone moments that make life worth living, i didn't get to have that. and so i want my child to have all of the things that he or she could ever want in life. >> juju: how do you plan to tell your child about your own childhood and the role you had in your mother's murder? >> that question has plagued my mind for a long time. and i've come to a point where i understand that that question is going to be asked by my child someday. so i feel like when that time comes, ken and i will sit down and have that conversation, and i will explain in the most honest way possible.

>> juju: in the meantime, she's focusing on her future and building the life she says she never had. and will there be another docuseries down the road? will the cameras continue to roll? >> i don't know. i don't know yet. that's -- you never know what the future holds, in fact. but once the baby's born, i really feel strongly that i don't want my baby to be in front of a camera. there is a level of responsibility that i have to make sure that my child is protected. >> byron: our thanks to juju. when we return, our behind-the-scenes visit to the billion-dollar birthplace of bowls, burritos, and big cheez-it boxes. the taco bell test kitchen. urgh! i bet noah lyles doesn't get smoothie on his jersey. aw, come on. i bet carl lewis doesn't get tomato sauce on his jacket. dang it. urghh!

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♪ >> byron: welcome back. for millions of taco bell fans, the company's test kitchen is a mythical place. a behind-the-scenes visit uncovered lots of cheesy, crunchy goodness but also the rigorous process behind each of those soon to be favorites finding their way into a taco bellmen ewe. here's abc's ashan singh. >> reporter: when you're sitting in the drive-thru wondering where all those tasty concoctions come from -- look no further than this ordinary office building in irvine, california. >> ooh! >> reporter: here on the second floor, the taco bell test kitchen. i feel like i'm in willy wonka's chocolate factory right now. >> you're behind the curtain right now. >> reporter: the place where million-dollar menu decisions

are made. fiery toke coes. kit kat case dina. jalapeno popper queserito. all created here. although items aren't available just yet. >> street chalupas. >> reporter: this is not on the menu, is it? >> is it not. see the cheese column? >> reporter: no way. >> it's a cheese-stuffed chili. >> it's a lot of trial and error. it's a lot of eating. >> reporter: liz matthews is the global chief food innovation officer. >> experimenting all the time, listening to consumers, finding out what they want, making sure we can deliver it. >> reporter: in an ultra-competitive industry, competing for razor-thin profits, all the major chains doubling down on deals. kfc announcing their promotion first with mcdonald's -- >> and the price makes five. >> reporter: wendy's, and arby's quickly following. even taco bell offering

something for the inflation-pinched wallet. >> introducing the $7 luxe cravings box. >> the category that we play in, it is a fight for consumers' attention. it is competitive. >> it's kind of like rocking around the clock. to the stra, now you put on the wheel -- wow. >> reporter: not bad, right? last year, liz and her team tested over 2,000 ideas. less than 50 made the cut. >> we're always looking at sauces, what's the next hottest sauce? looking at different tics tour. crunchy, crispy, cheesy. >> reporter: any menu food items come to mind when it comes to the fact that, we have to come back to this, bring it back? >> we tested fries probably ten times before it actually made sense. nothing seemed to work for us. until we really paired it with our signature chili seasoning. >> reporter: the company is constantly changing the mix. >> the biggest factor is it's

got this cravable flavor. it's got to have that twist. >> reporter: also thinking about the crunch. how much of it is not just about taste when you guys are actually coming up with products but the texture and the experience of consuming an item? >> that's totally what it's about. it's cheesy, crunchy, spicy, melty. it's all of those sense sorial things when you eat taco bell, "i remember that i love that." crunch is massive and we're always thinking about it. >> reporter: from one store in 1962 -- ♪ when you're hungry for a burrito supreme ♪ >> reporter: then decades of that infamous bell -- [ bell tolling ] >> reporter: today it's viral ved videos. >> giant taco alert, here's a hack. >> that's the secret sauce for taco bell is, we know what our brand is all about. we know who we are. >> reporter: how much of it is you guys reading the tea leaves of what's going on in the zeitgeist and trying to ride that wave, versus trying to set the tone? >> it's both. you've got to have a really

clear point of view on who you are as a brand. then you've got to have your eyes and ears open to what's going on in culture. when you get the magic is when those two things come together. >> reporter: tilla montgomery is the chief marketing officer in charge of making sure the magic is successful. their slogan, "live mas," is being expanded into a life side of brand, including events like this one during super bowl activities. >> of course we're going to let you in on all the secrets. >> loyalty members, sold out in less than 20 seconds. >> it starts with something that's crazy cravable, unbelievably, undeniably innov innovative, and if you create it, people will talk about it. >> the big cheeses. >> reporter: there it is for scale. >> 16 times the size. >> reporter: like unique collabs with a famous cracker. >> the backbone is a big cheez-it. >> the cheez-it crunch wrap is exactly one of those things. i was like, i don't know, i'm not sure if consumers are going

to like it. but we said, put it in one store. consumers loved it. it was that perfect combination of things that they love about a tostada and crunch wrap with a little twist. >> reporter: high hopes for another collab. >> mountain dew baja blast gelato. >> later this year we're going to do a drop of this at all our restaurants. >> reporter: new menu item muller, reimagining the notorious baja blast drink. >> this is a two-year dream at least for me. >> reporter: looks exactly like baja blast, that's for sure. legit good. >> so fun, right? >> reporter: yeah, this is refreshing. really refreshing. when one idea is good, why not double down? >> that's not baja blast in a pie crust? who the heck thinks of putting baja blast in a pie crust? >> i was going hard through a key lime phase. and i just wanted to -- i started adding different things to the template. >> reporter: cheers, man. you know, i wasn't sure what i was expecting.

but this is bomb, man. this is really good. they've even entrusted my taste buds for a test. >> so this is a sensory panel. this is where we have our panelists come in, they taste our product. they're kind of our expert tasters. they give us guidance for what we're doing on the products. >> reporter: wheeled crunch wrap slapper with queso. i like it very much. overall flavor of the product, that was bomb. it was unique. it's not like the crunch flush supreme, it's totally different. that just sounds like a dream job, professional taster. >> well, we could talk. >> we get that crispy well as the melty cheese. >> reporter: remember the street chalupas i sampled when i first came into the kitchen? you don't have to wait much longer. the chalupas will be available for you to taste test very soon.

it's all we're allowed to say. that's one of my favorite things of the evening. >> byron: our thanks to ashan. when we come back, a commute to work like no other, down a river. with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, my skin was no longer mine. my active psoriatic arthritis joint symptoms held me back. don't let symptoms define you. emerge as you. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 4 months and the majority stayed clearer, at 5 years. tremfya® is proven to significantly reduce joint pain, stiffness and swelling. it's just 6 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge as you. emerge tremfyant®. ask you doctor about tremfya®. ( ♪ ) what's up, you seem kinda sluggish today. things aren't really movin'.

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♪ >> byron: finally tonight, a work commute that will really float your boat. it's the coolest commute in the country, tube to workday in boulder. saying good-bye to road rage and hello to river rapids. >> it is my favorite day of the year. we don't take vacation or use a workday. >> byron: commuters swapping the interstate for inner tubes, a tradition that began in 2008. >> we both worked in east boulder, wanted to see if we could get to our offices without using any fossil fuels. >> byron: more than 500 this year joining the free-floating fun. i like walking to the office, personally. that's "nightline" for this evening. catch full episodes on hulu. see you back here same time monday. thanks for the company, america. good night.