surgery. >> yes, in a way. >> jennifer gesen spent a lifetime becoming more and more isolated. suffering a disability that got her further and further away. >> i couldn't touch her because i'm dirty.

for years. >> adam, for years, suffering psychiatric disorders. >> the patients suffering from these disorders are really the worse of the worse. they have tried everything but have failed. >> could we be witnessing the moment that changes jennifer's life? also, watching the detectives. "america tonight"'s christof putzel, taking on allegations of police brutality with their own brand of justice. on the beat, with cop watch. >> we just getting started. we have the new and improved black panthers. we're the new and improved 81 lords. we're the new freedom fighters and there's no stopping. >> and the riches of the 1%. >> all i can see was, my own need for a million dollars. my need for my next bonus. i was using money to fill this hole inside me.

>> but it wasn't enough. we consider wealth, poverty and a life money couldn't buy. good evening, welcome to "america tonight," the weekend edition, i'm joie chen. severe psychiatric illnesses. diseases like parkinson's, but now doctors are beginning to move deep into the brain carefully stimulating parts of it in a way that can change a patient's thoughts, moods and behavior. the impact on people with severe depression or

tourettes, mayo clinic "america tonight's" special correspondent adam may. he begins with her story and the illness that has ropped her of an ordinary life. >> reporter: jennifer desen is about to undergo a radical surgery. a radical procedure called deep brain stimulation. >> how you doing? we're almost done. >> she hopes it will cure a mental condition that is taken control of her life. jennifer has severe obsessive compulsive disorder. it first surfaced when she was a young girl. >> i'm going to go to the zoo but nothing's going to

be, i'm going to be -- >> reporter: growing up in suburban chicago jennifer said her mind was overwhelmed by numbers. she counted unusual objects. and repeated behaviors. >> i had this thing where if i saw like a stone in a book or passed one i had to count them and have them end on a certain number and also i had to open and close things multiple times to make sure, just to end on a good number or just till it feels right. >> reporter: by the age of 8 jennifer was in therapy and prescribed medication. but throughout her childhood, the condition got worst. her ocd is now so bad she says it's a living nightmare. at the age of 24, she constantly thinks about death and germs. why are you wearing gloves? >> because i don't want to touch

anything that i don't have to. and if there's some things that i feel are so contaminated that even if i wash my hands afterwards, that's not good enough. like i would want to burn my hands off. >> when you say contaminated what do you mean by that? >> there's certain things in my mind that make other things dirty. so like funeral homes are contaminated so if i go by a contaminated. >> do you feel that your upbringing had anything to do with your ocd? >> when i was in second grade, my mom got really sick. and she almost died. and so therapists in the past have said you know it could be my obsession with funeral homes and stuff could have to do with her being hurt, almost dying. >> reporter: this is jennifer's one safe spot. her bedroom. >> i kind of like live in this room. >> she keeps her food here to avoid contamination.

her laundry basket is filled with gloves. >> this one's not going to work because it's on the inside so i contaminated it by touching it so i have to wash that one. >> she wears these gloves 24/7. >> was colleen that was her first friend. >> jennifer's mother julie remembers the brighter days when her daughter would play outside with friends unafraid of contamination. julie says she's tried everything to stop her daughter's downward spiral. >> how hard is this? >> it's horrible. her whole family is affected but to see her go through this, there were years i couldn't even touch her, kiss her or hug her. even now i'm lucky if i get a little kiss in. she would be crying, i'd be

crying, if i touch her she'd freak. because i'm dirty. >> to not get close to your own daughter. >> for years. >> jennifer showed us some glass art she made on a recent family vacation. >> i do fuse glass. one of the things that i like to do and i -- >> can i touch it? >> yes. actually, never mind. you can't touch it. >> sorry. >> that's okay. >> how tired are you of dealing with this? i mean it's almost like -- i don't really remember what happiness is like. i don't remember what it's like to be normal and do normal things. >> what do you want? like when you say normal things what do you want to be able to do? >> do normal things is like being able to shower in your house, to not wear gloves and be able to do 100 things that everyone else takes for granted and thinks is so easy. >> reporter: jennifer has been searching for a cure for years.

her journey has now led her to the mayo clinic in rochester minnesota. deep brain stimulation for psychiatric disorders. >> the patients enrolled in these studies are really the worst of the worst. these are patients that have tried everything and have failed. >> dr. kendall lee has been performing deep brain stimulation for mood disorders for a decade. >> what is deep brain stimulation? >> it's state-of-the-art technology where doctors are able to implant electrodes, for a variety of disorders. >> dr. lee has seen some dramatic results. like case of minnesota orchestra violinist roger frish.

he developed a tremor and was unable to perform. >> you only noticed his tremor when he played the violin. >> dr. lee had fresch play his instrument when he tested the electrodes implanted in his brain. when the electric troasd electrodes were implanted his tremor disappeared and he was able to play. >> what was that like? >> it was amazing. but because this particular gentleman was a concert master he had to get the music perfect. so we inserted the second lead and when we did that we got that perfect note he wanted and that was very exciting. >> that's pretty cool. >> yes very cool. >> dr. lee which now perform a similar procedure on jennifer. she says it's her last hope for a better life.

>> when we return, more of correspond adam may's exclusive look at deep brain stimulation and how it may change the thoughts, the moods and the jennifer. >> are you going to be able to take off your gloves? >> i probably would -- don't do that. >> okay. >> we'll have more of adam may's look at deep brain stimulation and its possibility of turning off and on life changing disorders. on tech know, >> i landed head first at 120 mph >> a shocking new way to treat brain injuries >> transcranial direct stimulation... don't try this at home... >> but some people are... >> it's not too much that we'ed fry any important brain parts... >> before you flip the switch, get the facts... >> to say that passing a low level of current is automatically safe, is not true >> every saturday, go where technology meets humanity... >> sharks like affection >> tech know,

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>> protestors are gathering... >> there's an air of tension right now... >> the crowd chanting for democracy... >> this is another significant development... >> we have an exclusive story tonight, and we go live... >> now following up with our "america tonight" exclusive. before the break we brought you to story of jennifer gesen, a

young woman suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. worst of the worse. she's now considering.an operation at the mayo cling. "america tonight's" special correspondent adam may on a procedure that could transform her life. >> it's the morning of the operation for jennifer gesen. >> cu tell me how you're feeling for this major change? >> i'm like looking forward to it. just want to get there right now. >> it's finally time for jennifer to head into the operating room. >> all right my dear here we good. we're going to introduce you to the surgical team waiting for you. >> reporter: hundreds of these deep brain stimulations have been performed here. now doctors have been performing this on people with various psychological disorders. in fact jennifer is one of the

first people to undergo this procedure for ocd. the first step of the operation is the most painful. jennifer is affiliated with a head prays. her skull must -- brace. her skull must remain completely still during the entire procedure. >> put the head frame on. how you doing? okay. we're almost done. >> reporter: dr. lee prepares for surgery as jennifer understand goes a series of high resolution mris. these are crucial to avoid hemorrhaging. later on when dr. lee will place electrodes millimeters in diameter inside her brain. >> it's like gaining x ray vision. so as we're inserting we can look through the brain and avoid where the vessels are. >> reporter: inside the operating room, the procedure gets underway. >> there should be a little bit

of drilling sound but this should not hurt. now this is x ray and we have both electrodes in. >> at jennifer's side is psychiatrist dr. abosaud. he controls the voltage on each electrodes on a hand-held device. jennifer's voice changes as each of the electrode charge changes. she is awake and describes how she feels. >> i feel horrible. >> horrible? i'm sorry for that. >> reporter: within minutes the horrible feelings go away as the doctor continues to adjust the voltage going through her brain. this is the result. >> i can't help laughing. >> what is that like for her to go through those highs and lows so quickly in such a manic way? >> it's dramatic, and i would assume that very uncomfortable to feel that you're not in

control of your own mind. and someone else can take control of your mind. through this device. >> jennifer's ocd is so severe she insisted often keeping on the gloves she -- on keeping on the gloves she wears everywhere even in the operating room. but the gloves provide a unique way for the doctors to measure whether the electrodes are on the right place. >> cu take off the gloves? >> i could take off the gloves but i don't want anyone touching me. if somebody wants to take my gloves, i would probably start crying. don't do that. >> we won't do that. >> you wouldn't expect someone to turn off a switch that would say i have no more ocd i am cured, we do not have that. the effect is cumulative. then therapy comes and add a

little bit. function. >> the highs and lows are an emotional roller coaster for jennifer. >> you are hoping i'm going to be happy and smiling? >> i hope so. >> but a few minutes later. >> how does this feel? >> makes me feel depressed , rolling up in a ball and dying. >> dbs is modifying the brain circuitry. we have the opportunity to potentially modify that function to improve human health. >> so with the electrodes implanted, the surgery moves into its next phase. a battery pack a little bit smaller than a pager will be implanted this her chest. she's off to the recovery room. >> jennifer, hi, good morning.

>> the morning after surgery and jennifer is doing quite well. doctors have closed the holes in her skull and electrodes are permanently implanted insider brain. they are connected -- inside her brain. the device has been switched off. jennifer is part of a clij trial. half the -- of a clinical trial. half the patients will have the device turned on and the other half will have what the doctors call placebos. >> tell me about the surgery. what do you remember? >> all of it. >> tell me about the smiling and laughing. >> i couldn't help it, my mind was thinking about something hilarious and i didn't know what it was. >> you are pushing the buttons. >> that's a very powerful tool, makes you feel very worried. makes you wonder, where is the science going to take us?

>> what does it feel like when your emotions were on a high during that? >> well, i didn't want them to adjust it after that, i'm like if i -- i don't want that to go away. it made it harder when it got bad because i just had such a positive experience, that it was really difficult to accept that now it was not just normal but worse than normal. >> reporter: doctors say here about two-thirds of ocd patients who are involved in the clinical studies have seen their ocd symptoms reduced by half. docialghts have talked about the -- doctors have talked about the possibility of using these devices for a host of psychiatric difficulties, maybe even addiction. >> this changes lives. if you look at jennifer this is a very, very difficult situation. not only for her but for her family as well.

and so to be able to modify that and give her hope, real hope, this is amazing and it is very exciting. >> jennifer says she doesn't remember the last time she felt as happy as she did inside the operating room. >> it's been a long time since i've felt like there was hope and that there was a chance that i could, you know, push the ocd away and be able to enjoy life. >> reporter: when jennifer goes over to the mayo clinic doctors could switch her device back on. until then it's a waiting game to find out if and when her surgery was a success. >> correspondent adam may has been in touch with jennifer and is happy to report she is recovering quite well. this week she was back at the mayo clinic, where doctors may or may not have turned on her device.

no one knows. all patients in the clinically study will have their devices turned on. we'll follow jennifer every step of the way and let you know how she's doing. when we return, community and the cops. new allegation i s of police brutality. have. >> police brutality. >> while local authorities find a worrying trend with the police. leading community to take things into their own "america tonight" correspondent christof putzel. on policing on the streets. >> since garner's death, how have you seen policing change on the street? >> it has changed a lot to where police are now more afraid of the camera and like i said they don't want to be the next

danielle pantalerio getting caught on camera doing something like this. >> cop watch and whether it is making a difference. >> consider this: the news of the day plus so much more. >> we begin with the growing controversy. >> answers to the questions no one else will ask. >> why did so many of these people choose to risk their lives? >> antonio mora, award winning and hard hitting. >> people are dying because of this policy... >> there's no status quo, just the bottom line. >> but what is the administration doing behind the scenes? >> real perspective, consider this on al jazeera america

>> we pray for the children in the womb >> a divisive issue >> god is life , so it's his to take >> see a 10 year old girl who's pregnant, and you tell me that's what god wants... >> a controversial law >> where were you when the babies lives were being saved? >> are women in texas paying the price? >> who's benefiting from restricting access to safe abortions? >> fault lines... al jazeera america's hard hitting... ground breaking... truth seeking... breakthrough investigative documentary series access restricted only on al jazeera america >> welcome back to "america tonight," the weekend edition. the

embattled new york city police department finds itself, in the middle of a extreme use of force allegation. caught on video. witnesses said officers are trying to clear out vendors after a street festivity but when they failed to move quickly enough, eyewitnesses said officers got physical and several were wrestled to the ground. one officer has been suspended without pay on this case. on the choke hold death of eric garner, "america tonight" correspondent christof putzel returns to an area where two people are trying to fix a broken system.

>> the rain fell on staten island, but friends of eric garner gathered where he last fell, celebrating in mourning a light cut short. >> garner died in july after being placed in a choke hold by nypd officer daniel pantaleo. enraged residents hold garner up as one more name in a long list of victims of police brutality. two months later as they await results from the city's investigations into the incident residents here say they're left with little trust in the nypd. >> we've been coming out here since eric garner. >> one man has taken matters into his own hands. jose la salle is the founder of cop watch. >> cop watch is a group of brothers and sisters who basically volunteer to go into

the community and document police their encounters with civilians. >> you ain't giving connect to search you. >> by the way he's an employee of new york city's parks department. but as the sunsets, he and his team roam the streets, they become an inverted neighborhood watch with eyes, ears and cameras pointed at the cops. >> we feel through cop watch in our own way community and activists like ourselves can make police officers accountable for their action because what we do we'll put them on social media and we'll blast it. >> for la salle the mission is personal. >> i'd say close to half my life i've spent in prison in and out of jail and it took a long time for me to find myself. >> la salle was arrested multiple times on drug dealing charges. after his last stint in jail he left his wife nancy the woman he said saved him from the streets.

but his stepson alvin would put him back on the streets, as an activist. one of the first public documentations of stop and frisk in action. it quickly went viral. >> why you touch me for, you always stop me for no reason. you going to break my arm for what? >> it was traumatizing when we heard that and the mother heard that. as soon as we heard that appeal we didn't know what to do, i wasn't really an activist. i didn't know what to do. we went to the police station. >> reporter: he said he got no relief from internal affairs, filing a complaint that went nowhere. just weeks later his wife died of a heart attack. >> it was a roller coaster and now for the community i felt luke i needed to be a superhero. i feel like there is a crime a police crime being committed by

a police officer somewhere, i need to be there. i need to put my uniform on which is the cpu cop watch parole uniform and i'm out there. >> la salle and others in the community believe that others in the community have stepped back since the sta staten island death. falling almost 40%, the data also shows a similar decrease in major crimes, with robberies assaults and burglaries down between 30 and 40%. bus mayor bill gloi deblasio, said. >> it has changed to a point where police now are more afraid

and like i said, they don't want to be the next daniel pantaleo actually getting caught on camera doing something like this. >> richard emery is fighting against system. by day, emery is often battling the police. >> we are a private law firm here and we often do civil rights cases of all variety. often police cases pursuing rykers island right now. >> now he is another side to the system. in july the mayor tapped him to head the civilian complaint review board or ccrb. >> effective policing is by definition constitutional and respectful policing. >> the ccrp is essentially the bridgen -- ccrb is essentially the bridge between the communities and the police

department and it arises out of the fact that people don't trust police to police themselves. >> emery admits he was brought in as a major overhaul of the organization which has never gained traction or trust from the public. >> how effective has it again? >> it has never been effective to put it bluntly. in the early days it was an internal police function. it was suspected. in the mid 90s, for 20 years it has operated as sort of a back water operation in any view and certainly the police have always viewed it as a kangaroo court, they were forced to participate, and the public had nowhere to go. >> i got searched in front of the catholic school. >> it was raucous. it was actually amazing when you think about it and i think it was a real great lesson in what we ought to be exposed to. to heck with the people.

we have to be exposed to these meetings. we sit there on this podium talking about ccrb processes and talking about improvements and talking about how we're going to allocate resources and talking about all this kind of mumbo jumbo government-talk. >> everyone in this room knows we're here staten island specifically because of what happened to eric garner. >> then we have a public session and people get up and spill their guts about the sadness of their situation when they've been confronted by police officers. >> i got ran into by police this front of my house and got my leg broken and i got falsely arrested. >> the biggest critique the ccrb has no authority to discipline nypd officers. after substantiating complaints, they can only write recommendations, up until there it's up to the police commissioner. >> between 25 and 40% of our recommendations have been thrown out.

>> but the ccrb doesn't have authority to police the police. what's the point at the end of the day? >> it has the power to require police officers to justify themselves. to bring them in. to face the complaintants. and to explain the circuits that led to the allegations of misconduct and either be accepted or not accepted. that's -- process is power. it's not only outcome that's power. >> emery is candid about the challenge he faces. he's already made public an array of intended reforms. from the promises of ccrb offices in each neighborhood to the faster turn around of complaints. >> all can i do is see what i think is needed and see if i can get the bureaucracy to respond. i'm in the early stages of this so i don't know for sure. do i think i can be successful, who knows. do i think can i improve it? yes. >> for la salle it will take more convincing.

>> we need to let john know and let the people out there know, what's going on here. >> when we look at the face of the board members when we were speaking and when other people in the community were speaking it was priceless. they had no choice but to take these punches and stand there and take these hits. but these hits that was taking, is the reality of what's happening in these community of color with police officers when they go in to patrol them. >> reporter: not willing to wait to see if the system can reform itself la salle will continue to dole out his own form of justice. >> once they understand and fear what that has to be going through and that patrol guy to be honest has given us that power. >> you think cop watch is just getting started? >> we are just getting started. we are the new and improved black panthers we're the new and improved young lords we are the new freedom fighters and there's no stopping. >> christof putzel, al jazeera, new york.

>> after the break, when justice isn't done tens of thousands of rape victims and untested evidence could be justice denied. >> rape is a crime that's treated very differently than any other crime. it's really the only crime where police kind of make a judgment call, as to whether or not they believe the victim. >> now "america tonight" correspondent lori jane gliha says, there's more to it. can washington put an end to a backlog of remain investigations with just -- with of of rape investigations with just one >> every saturday, al jazeera america brings you controversial... >> both parties are owned by the corporations. >> ..entertaining >> it's fun to play with ideas. >> ...thought provoking >> get your damn education. >> ...surprising >> oh, absolutely! >> ...exclusive one-on-one interviews with the most interesting people of our time. >> you're listening because you want to see what's going to happen. >> i want to know what works what do you know works?

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>> this is al jazeera america, i'm not thomas drayton in new york. let's get you caught up on the top stories this hour. >> climate change is a defining issue of our time. there's no time to lose. >> the head of the united nations joins protesters in new york city for what organizers say was the largest climate change march in historiry. leaders gather for the 69th session of the united nations general si sem bli. tonight in the week ahead we look at the