last ones out we're two slow dancers last ones out ♪ this is "nightline." >> tonight, free tyra. sentenced to more than 40 years in prison for a murder she says she had nothing to do with. the victim's own sister coming to her defense. and the campaign to set tyra patterson free. >> i am tyra patterson. >> how she transformed herself in prison. >> the only way i couldfying is educate myself. >> how she's using her story to change lives. the jaw-dropping outbursts. >> god [ bleep ] -- i got the [ bleep ] -- >> the controversial comments. >> when i was a kid that was okay as long as you were dressed as a character -- >> a look at the cringe-worthy

moments of 2018. but first the "nightline 5." alexa, find dramas. >> wait, why are you speaking like that? >> alexa, scroll right. >> you do know alexa understands normal voice? >> i know but when you want to watch dramas you need to get into the mood. >> no, you don't, that's not a thing. >> alexa, play "ray donvan." >> there's a doctor at sloan kettering. >> does the doctor have a name? >> sharon bernstein, she's a neuro surgeon. >> you know you're a weird guy, right? >> i know. >> number one in just 60 seconds.

it gives you super fast speeds for all your devices, xfinity xfi. a more powerful way to stay connected. enhanced coverage, and lets you control your network with the xfi app. it's the ultimate wifi experience. xfinity xfi. simple. easy. awesome. xfinity xfi gives you the speed, coverage and control you need. manage your wifi network from anywhere when you download the xfi app today. good evening. thanks for joining us. we begin with president trump's surprise trips to u.s. troops abroad. his first stop, al assad air

base in iraq. the president along with the first lady making his first-ever visit to a combat zone as commander in chief, while vowing to keep u.s. troops in iraq, defending his controversial decision to withdraw all troops in neighboring syria. a move that triggered defense secretary mattis to resign in protest. the president's next stop, germany, greeting service members at ramstein air base. we turn now to a story of hope and redemption. today marks the start of a second year of freedom for tyra patterson after two decades in prison. based on a confession she says was coerced. her unlikely allies, a group of high school students in cincinnati. here's another look at her story from abc's deborah roberts. ♪ free free tyra >> reporter: this is a moment tyra patterson has dreamed of. finally embracing these teens who she says helped save her

life and campaign for her freedom. >> hi. >> reporter: tyra wasn't much older than them when she was imprisoneded for murder. even though she didn't pull the trigger, didn't even have a gun. her confession coerced, she says, raising questions about the issue of mass incarceration. leading to a campaign to set her free, celebrities even joining the cause. >> i am tyra patterson. >> reporter: then a stunning turn. the victim's sister coming to tyra's defense. >> do you think tyra patterson is in any way responsible for your sister's death? >> no, i don't. not one bit. >> reporter: for tyra the nightmare began 23 years ago when she and her friend becky are hanging out smoking pot in 19-year-old tyra's apartment in dayton, ohio. they head out to look for a set of missing car keys and meet up with a few acquaintances and wind up in an alleyway. sitting in a car, 18-year-old holly lay, 15-year-old sister michelle, and three other friends.

>> i had a really bad feeling that told me something was going to happen. >> reporter: they were approached by a rowdy group, among them tyra and 22-year-old lashauna keeley who had a gun. >> she reached her head out the window, make them stop, tell me you don't have anything. >> what did you say? >> i walked up to lashauna, whyy don't you chill out? that's when she brandished a gun. >> reporter: tyra heads home. back at the car, a situation is escalating. >> there was a girl at my sister's girl trying to get a necklace off my sister and couldn't do it. she took the gun across me, and i turned and she shot her right in front of me. >> we heard a gunshot. becky and i ran the rest of the way home because we actually thought they were shooting at us. >> reporter: holly's sister michelle shot dead right in front of her eyes. >> i remember falling to the ground, why? please somebody help us! and i start running door to door to door, pounding on doors, someone call 911! we got doors shut in our face, nobody would listen. >> reporter: what she doesn't

know at the time is tyra did call 911. >> please hurry up and come. i think they got robbed. it was some girls in a car. >> it was some girls in a car? >> yes. >> your name, please? >> i was very scared. they said, what is your name? i lied and said tiara. >> why did you do that? >> i knew somebody had got hurt and i didn't want to be a part of it. >> reporter: the next day tyra is brought in for questioning. >> the investigations office with tyra -- >> tyra lashaun patterson. >> tell the events that took place this morning. >> reporter: she tells the detective she stole a necklace off the victim. >> i seen a girl with a necklace on. i took the necklace. >> reporter: tyra says under pressure of the interrogation she falsely confessed. >> what are you thinking at that moment? you look like a deer in the headlights. >> i thought he was about to save my life. and when we were done, i said am i allowed to go home?

he said, no, you're being booked for murder. >> reporter: she's among five people arrested. four would be charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated murder. because when someone's killed during the commission of certain crimes, in this case robbery, those committing the crime can be held responsible. >> so you're being charged with murder and robbery and sent to jail. what were those hours like? >> they were long. sca scary. >> reporter: on trial the next year she says her lawyers advised her against testifying, but that confession tape is played. montgomery county prosecutor leon dedon said the tape was key in proving guilt. >> a powerful piece of evidence that shows not only is she guilty in this, but also it's not a coerced statement. the tone is calm. they're sitting next to each other. they're talking. >> reporter: he makes it clear that tyra patterson is no victim in this case. >> the victims in this case were

those five girls in the car with another gang of five people, including tyra patterson, attacking them. >> reporter: at 20 years old, tyra, found guilty, sentenced to 43 years to life in prison. as for the trigger woman kuehne, she would take a plea deal, 30 to life. >> i looked at the jury and said, i didn't do anything. >> reporter: from the moment she went behind bars, tyra vowed to fight her conviction. a middle school dropout, she uses the confinement to improve heard, learning to read, earning her ged, becoming a paralegal. >> the only way i could fight was to educate myself. >> reporter: remarkably she becomes a mentor, reaching out to tell her story to high school students. >> stay in school. >> reporter: then after 17 years in prison, she meets david singleton of the ohio justice in policy center. >> we've got transcripts. >> reporter: tyra tells david she made a false confession. that necklace she was convicted of stealing? she picked it up off the ground.

>> i couldn't believe the level of representation that she got was so bad. >> reporter: in an affidavit, tyra's public defender says he was disappointed when she was convicted and at the time we did not have the means, resources, or expertise to help the jury understand that tyra's confession was false. >> what was the biggest omission as far as you're concerned? >> the 911 call should have been put before the jury. period. >> reporter: incredibly that 911 call placed by tyra was never played in court. patterson's trial lawyers say they didn't introduce the call because they felt it was incriminating that she gave a false name. but it's evidence, some jurors say, that would have swayed their votes. >> looking back now, i know she is not guilty. i'm just so sorry that it happened to her. >> no, not guilty. not guilty. it bothers me someh now, it sur does, to take that away from an individual, over half of her life. >> reporter: david creates a social media movement with

politicians and celebrities joining the effort to free a woman they feel was wrongfully convicted. >> and i am tyra patterson. >> reporter: then holly lay, who saw her sister shot right beside her, hears of those revelations and writes a letter to governor kasich. >> i feel bad that tyra has been in prison for so long for crimes i now believe she did not commit. >> reporter: it came at a price. >> i had no longer -- i no longer speak with any family member on my dad ace side or my mother's side. they all disowned me. no matter what they said, i was not going to let her sit in that prison. >> reporter: holly's sacrifice likely the game changer. after 23 years, tyra patterson was finally granted parole. >> i felt vindicated. >> reporter: now she's starting over, trying to regain those lost years with family. >> did you think this moment was

going to happen? >> i would lie to her and say i had faith. but it was diminishing. >> reporte >> the best advice is to stay in school -- >> reporter: tyra continues to use her story as a cautionary tale for others. >> surround yourself with people who will challenge you. >> reporter: sharing hermesage at schools and colleges across the nation. >> no drugs and alcohol, i'm living proof it does not work. my main message is to tell them to stay in school, graduate, reach your goals. >> reporter: she's stayed in touch with that group of high school students who she says gave her hope during the dark days of prison. >> when you start toded to skyp with her, this was a woman in prison. was that weird? >> it wasn't weird but it was amazing to see how she could contain -- still have happiness in her life. >> what have you wanted to stay to her? >> thank you for everything. >> yeah. >> you want to say thank you to

her? >> yes. >> even though you helped her? >> yes. she helped us. >> we think she helped us more. >> she's been out of prison now a couple of months. >> yes. >> we thought it's probably about time that you meet tyra. >> oh my god, i'm so happy right now. hi, girls. oh my goodness. you all look so beautiful. >> so you call these folks your kids? >> yeah, they're my babies. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. do you all remember everything that we talked about? >> yes. >> stay in school. >> and don't do what? >> drugs. >> that's right. >> i believe in my heart that if it wasn't for holly lay and my babies, that our voices would have been a little dim.

so thank you. >> reporter: soon more students anxious to meet the woman they worked so diligently to help free. >> hi! >> reporter: emotions spilling out on both sides. >> you remember me, huh? >> yes. >> i'm so happy! thank you! >> reporter: then a special chant. ♪ free free tyra ♪ free free tyra >> what's next? >> a pardon. got willing, a pardon. failure is not an option for me. it has never been an option ever since i became conscious. yeah. i'm woke. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm deborah roberts in cincinnati. >> tyra is now traveling the country sharing her story and is currently seeking a pardon from

governor kasich in ohio. up next, what were they thinking? the moments that made our skin crawl in 2018. ♪ toyland, toyla ♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhoods, joyland never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the glc 300 for $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. there are so many toothpastes out there... ...which one should i use? choose one that takes care of your gums and enamel.

crest gum & enamel repair cleans below the gum line and helps repair weakened enamel. gum & enamel repair. look for a $1 coupon in this sunday's paper. i'm missing out on our family outings because i can't find a bladder leakage product that fits. everything was too loose. but depend® fit-flex feels tailored to me. with a range of sizes for all body types. depend® fit-flex underwear is guaranteed to be your best fit.

♪ ♪ connecting people... ...uniting the world. ♪

united. official airline of the golden state warriors.

♪ and now to the moments in 2018 that we're still scratching our heads from. here's my "nightline" coanchor dan harris. >> reporter: this year's reboot of "roseanne" -- >> what's up, deplorable? >> reporter: was the highest-rated comedy in four years, almost instantly renewed for a second season. >> will you tell her how stupid

she's being? >> that's never worked out for me. >> reporter: one racist tweet from its star and everything changed. >> roseanne compared an african-american woman, former adviser to president obama, to an ape, which did not sit well with abc management or anyone with a brain, really. >> reporter: abc, hulu, and viacom pulled roseanne's shows off the air within hours of the tweet, and her cast and crew blasted the star. roseanne offered more than one excuse. there was the tweet blaming it on her meds. >> what was roseanne thinking? i don't know. probably, happiness is really great, i love ambien. >> reporter: a teary podcast. >> i never would have wittingly called any black person a -- say they are a monkey, i never would do that. >> reporter: then this. >> [ bleep ], [ bleep ] was white! >> this was the year of people

doing terrible/stupid things. and then insulting everybody by trying to convince you that they did it for completely different reasons. >> reporter: roseanne's tweet one of many foot in mouth moments of 2018 that left many saying what were they thinking? >> you get in trouble if you are a wake person who puts on blackface at halloween -- >> reporter: what was megyn kelly thinking taking on blackface on an all-white panel on her show? >> when i was a kid that was okay as long as you were dressed as a character -- >> it is inconceivable to me that you could be the host of a national news program and not understand why that's offensive. >> reporter: after a seismic uproar and a public apology -- >> i was wrong, and i am sorry. >> reporter: megyn kelly was also booted off the air by her network. and what about barbecue becky? >> it's illegal to have a charcoal grill in the park here. >> reporter: online 2018 saw

many white people calling the police on black people over seemingly trivial or nonexistent offenses. their calls caught on video and posted by onlookers, led to the #live serving whileblack. golf cart gail. >> then it got like nasty -- >> reporter: corner store caroline who accused a 9-year-old boy of groping her. >> no, i want the cops here right now. >> reporter: the boy was terrified he'd go to jail. surveillance footage showed it was his backpack that had grazed her. >> i gave her the name, corner store caroline. i was like, please let this go viral. the world had to see what was going on. >> i really love that black people have named these white people who are calling the cops on them, it's like the blackest thing they can do. you're calling us because of -- all right, barbecue becky. >> reporter: a heartwarming story captivated the nation. >> what if we started a gofundme

for this guy to get him off the streets? even for a weekend? >> reporter: this new jersey raised over $400,000 for a homeless man they say helped them in need. >> like winning the lottery. >> reporter: turns out this tale was too good to be true. >> a stunning twist in what started as a hopeful story. >> reporter: the homeless man cried foul, saying the couple spent the money on lavish trips and a new car without giving him his proper cut of the ante. >> the entire campaign was predicated on a lie. >> reporter: then another twist. all three arrested. authorities say it was all a scam from the start. and the three now face trial on charges of theft by deception. >> i hope they go to jail. and if they needed bail, just start a gofundme. see how many people donate. >> reporter: after an online dating match, jacqueline atis was certain she met the one. >> i felt like i met my soul mate and everything was just the way it was. i thought we would do what everybody else did, get heart and everything would be fine.

that's not what happened. >> reporter: no, it didn't. police say that after just a few dates, atis broke into his home. >> if you want something, you have to go out and get it. she was trying to get it. >> reporter: showed up at his job. >> it's only stalk figure not interested in them. otherwise -- it's just going the extra mile. >> reporter: and sent him thousands of texts. 65,000, actually. >> what? was that my mom? >> reporter: atis has pled not guilty and the trial is pending. >> when you send that 64,000th message, you think the next one's going to work out? >> no, seriously, what were they thinking? >> you can catch abc's full year-end special sunday at 3:00, 2:00 p.m. central. up next, the household item that may be the reason why your kid is getting straight as.

there are so many toothpastes out there... ...which one should i use? choose one that takes care of your gums and enamel. harmful plaque bacteria hide below the gum line and plaque can lead to weakened enamel and other problems. so now i use this... crest gum & enamel repair works below the gum line to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and helps repair and strengthen weakened enamel. gum & enamel repair, from crest. healthier gums, healthier mouth. crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life. stop fearing your alarm clock... with zzzquil pure zzzs. a drug-free blend of botanicals with melatonin that supports your natural sleep cycle so you can seize the morning. zzzquil pure zzzs.

finally tonight, hey, alexa,

what's one way to get in big trouble? a new jersey 6-year-old getting busted by his mom. >> alexa, what's 5 minus 3? >> asking alexa to be his homework helper. the video posted to twitter has more than 8 million views. hopefully his teacher wasn't one of them. thanks for watching "nightline." we've got full episodes streaming now on hulu. good night, america. ♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhoods, joyland never let go of your dreams.

the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the glc 300 for $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.