here, we expect she's going to give a press conference, perhaps. read a statement and then be whisked away. there's an overwhelming sense of relief and joy in this city that she's been released. there's a host of challenges, the family has been made nearly bankrupt by the legal fees. her grandmother has spent as much as $250,000 of her own money. she said she's deep in debt.

and ammanda now 24 years old, hs to pick up the pieces of her life and try to move on. she wrote in her journals that she wants to spend time and help out convicts that have been wrongly imprisoned. and that she has a dream of being a mother one day. nbc's keith miller, who has been following this story from the very beginning, has more on the last 24 hours and amanda knox's journey home. >> reporter: amanda knox's long journey home started at rome's international airport where she was whisked through the terminal accompanied by security guards. and she left behind a country reeling from the stunning reversal of her murder conviction. a judicial system humiliated, and the victim's family wanting answers. in court late monday night, there was emotional relief. but outside, there was visible anger at a verdict many see as bending to american influence. the media village outside the perugia courthouse is being dismantled. even as the prosecutor said today he will appeal the verdict to italy's highest criminal court.

knox will not be returning to italy any time soon. it will take months for the paperwork to move through the italian judicial system. and even if the appeal is granted, knox is not required to return to italy to attend court. the one person still convicted of the crime, rudy guede, did not act alone, according to police. that left the victim's family asking, who else helped kill meredith kercher? >> we were released yesterday, we are not the guilty party. we're left, obviously, wondering who is the other person or people? >> reporter: knox's defense lawyer said there were no winners. >> in the end, there was no victory. it was a tragedy. a tragedy of a young girl found dead, as well as two young kids that have been in jail for four years with no reason. >> reporter: amanda knox was a 20-year-old exchange student when she arrived in italy looking for the experience of a lifetime. four years later she left with more experience than most people

get in a lifetime. keith miller, nbc news, perugia. there was breaking news here in new york late today, word arrived of a chopper down in the east river, parallel to midtown manhattan. and immediately the rush to find and save the five people on board was underway. nbc's mara schiavocampo live tonight from the scene has the very latest. mara, good evening. >> reporter: brian good evening. that accident happened around 3:30 this afternoon. one witness tells us the helicopter appeared to be in trouble right away, crashing upside down into the east river almost immediately after takeoff, killing one and injuring four others, including the pilot. law enforcement sources tell nbc news that all of the injured were british citizens. rescue divers appeared on the scene almost immediately and were able to pull three of the survivors from the water. the pilot, however, was reportedly able to make his own way to the riverbank. and now all the survivors are being treated at area hospitals.

the woman who died, however, was reportedly trapped under 50 feet of water for an hour before being pulled out and pronounced dead on the scene. the wreckage of the helicopter has not yet been recovered and is still in the waters of the east river. brian? >> another air disaster here in new york. mara schiavocampo, thanks. and across the country in the arizona desert, about halfway between phoenix and tucson, a huge hazard along the i-10 today. a blinding dust storm rolled in, causing pileup crashes involving about 30 vehicles. both sides of the roadway. one man was killed, 15 other passengers were injured in all that. now to the safety of air travel in this country. after all the backlash over the tsa's full body scans and aggressive patdowns, the agency announced today it's testing a more focused approach to security, just for some passengers at first, giving the most frequent flyers a way to fast track through tsa checkpoints in airports. what does that mean for the rest

of the flying public? our report from nbc's tom costello. >> you don't have to take your laptops out any more. >> reporter: at a tsa checkpoint in atlanta today, a sudden change. >> no shoes? >> no shoes. >> reporter: new security requirements for the most frequent flyers, shoes, belts and jackets can stay on. laptops can stay zipped up, and a dedicated express screening lane. >> we'll scan your boarding pass. and if you're eligible on that day, you will allowed expedited screening processes. >> reporter: the tsa calls it precheck, a trial run for domestic travelers in only four cities. only offered to elite frequent flyers on delta airlines at its hubs in atlanta and detroit. elite american airlines passengers in dallas and miami. and anyone already in the government's trusted traveler programs. in atlanta, we timed frequent flyers moving through the expedited lane in just 15 seconds, compared to 1:40 in the regular lane.

>> it's fantastic. >> reporter: really? >> oh, my god, it was so easy. >> reporter: those passengers who participate provide the tsa with full name and date of birth, agree to a full security background check, including their flight history and airline elite status. >> if you've been traveling for 25 years and we -- you're willing to share that information with us, then we can make a judgment about you to say, yes, it's possible you're a terrorist, but probably not. >> reporter: if this program works, it could be rolled out to other cities and other airlines in the coming months. the goal here is to get away from this one size fits all approach to security. and recognize that the tsa and security see some passengers regularly, and maybe they should be focusing on the passengers they don't see all that often. but brian, they do insist the elite passengers will still get random inspections and random patdowns. >> well, let's hope we all qualify for the probably not a terrorist flying category. tom costello in d.c. tonight, thanks.

from south carolina tonight, there are troubling questions about justice. there's a new effort to right what many believe was a terrible wrong that dates back 67 years, when a 14-year-old african-american boy was executed after a hasty trial and no defense. the story reported on our partner website thegrio.com generated so much interest, we sent our own mark potter to talk with some people who are trying to clear the child's name. >> reporter: for years, george friarson has been haunted by the case of george stinney, jr. the youngest person executed in the united states in the 20th century. >> everyone wanted blood. and they got blood. >> from a child? >> from a 14-year-old child. >> reporter: in the spring of 1944, in the tiny milltown of alcolu, south carolina, stinney was accused of brutally beating to death two white girls, ages 11 and 7, who were picking flowers along the railroad tracks that separated the white

and black sections of town. >> their bodies were found in this area somewhere? >> their bodies were found just a little further down where it turns into a ditch. >> reporter: the local sheriff says stinney confessed to the crime. although there is no account of that or any physical evidence. the trial records have disappeared. stinney's brother charles, a retired new york bishop, and his sister say george was with his family the day of the murders, that family run out of town right after the arrest. >> we had to leave that same night. >> reporter: on the day of the trial, this courthouse was packed with an overflow crowd of 1,500 people, all white. blacks were not allowed. the trial itself lasted only two and a half hours. the defense put on no case. the all white jury convicted stinney in ten minutes. his court-appointed lawyer never filed an appeal. on june 16, 1944, stinney, the prisoner on the right, walked into an execution chamber. at 95 pounds and only 5'1", he was too small for the electric chair and had to sit on books to

be electrocuted. his tiny fingerprints still on file in state records. >> we're asking for an apology from the state of south carolina for actually putting a child to death. a barbaric practice. >> reporter: through friarson's research he believes stinney's confession was coerced. and he's agreed to help clear his name. >> had he been tried today, this case would never have even seen a jury. a judge would have thrown this case out. >> reporter: the decision on reopening an investigation rests with county solicitor, ernest chip finney, who worries there's not enough evidence to prove stinney's guilt or innocence. >> i would need to have something in order to move the case back to court. something more than just the emotion in the community about it. >> reporter: many in that community are convinced stinney's trial itself was a travesty of justice, a horrible stain on american history. mark potter, nbc news, manning,

south carolina. we have more news to tell you about this tuesday night. and still ahead, hip replacement surgery. a lot of patients discovering big problems with their new replacement hips. and later, a game unlike any other. the homecoming queen kicks it through the uprights for the win. s for the win. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal.

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failing faster than devices made of other materials. in these implants, the ball and socket of the device are both made of metal. >> those hips were going to last me 20 years, i was told. >> reporter: within just five years of getting this kind of implant, lewis had to have both hips replaced with nonmetal components. >> i was experiencing 102 fever every night and pain in my right hip, much more painful than what sent me to have my hip done in the first place. >> reporter: the metal ball and cup slide against each other, and over time tiny metal particles can wear off, causing damage in the implant and the joint. in rare cases the debris can enter the blood stream and cause a reaction. >> if you start to get any symptoms around the hip such as pain or swelling, then you really should consult with your orthopedic surgeon. >> reporter: so far this year, the fda has received nearly 11,000 complaints about metal on metal implants. one model, the asr xl was

recalled in the u.s. after reports of a high early failure rate. in a statement, depuy says, metal on metal remains an important hip replacement option. h hip system is not indicative of all metal on metal devices. critics say more needs to be done to regulate medical devices. >> the main problem with medical device regulation is they're not held to as high a standard as prescription drugs. >> reporter: this spring the fda began requiring 21 manufacturers to inspect the safety of this type of hip replacement. it's always important that you exhaust all kinds of pain management, including physical therapy before seeking any kind of surgery. increasingly, we're seeing hip replacements in women. they're living longer and more active in their senior years. >> boy, are we going to be hearing more about these. >> yes, we are. >> nancy snyderman, thanks, as always. perhaps because consumers

have been accustomed to being dazzled by apple, today felt like a letdown. new product rollouts usually mean just that. today's new iphone is really a better version of the old iphone. while it's faster and better and runs longer. it's still not anything close to the all new iphone 5 rumors fans had hoped for. it will be much discussed and already is on the web, because it's really the first rollout of the post-steve jobs era at apple. up next here tonight, another woman making history at the white house. house. my name's jeff. i'm a dad, coach... and i quit smoking with chantix. knowing that i could smoke during the first week was really important to me. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix reduced my urge to smoke -- and personally that's what i knew i needed. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these,

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he said today he's sorry if it, quote, offended anyone. speaking of the white house, they're getting their first ever female chief usher, that's the job of running that house. angela reid comes from the high end hotel business. she replaces coast guard admiral stephen rochon, the first ever african-american chief usher. the folks at sesame street are rolling out a new character. her name is lily, she's 7. she's from an impoverished background. she's meant to represent the 17 million children growing up threatened by hung ever. the special airs october 9th. this picture is not from an african game reserve, it's a suburb of l.a. and those would be two full sized mountain lions. imagine coming home, coming down the drive way and seeing them. a neighbor looked out, saw these guys who likely came down to sierra madre from the nearby san gabriel mountains. the advice to homeowners, in a situation like this, keep pets inside, call the authorities. up next, the crown and the

glory for a high school girl who deserves both. h school girl who deserves both. police. a girl who deserves the crown and glory. we're having mexican tonight, so another pill then? unless we eat later, then pill later? if i get a snack now, pill now? skip the snack, pill later... late dinner, pill now? aghh i've got heartburn in my head. [ male announcer ] stop the madness of treating frequent heartburn. it's simple with prilosec otc. one pill a day. twenty-four hours. zero heartburn. no heartburn in the first place. great. from centrum. omega-3s go beyond heart health. probiotics go beyond digestive balance. and fruit & veggie has antioxidant properties. new pronutrients from centrum. help make nutrition possible. can become romantic just like that. a spark might come from -- a touch, a glance -- it can come along anywhere, anytime.

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part of the country, especially around homecoming time. this year's homecoming game was unlike any other, because of what one very talented student managed to do. her story tonight from peter alexander. >> reporter: these days, bree amat has plenty of reasons to smile. a straight a student and for years star of the girl's varsity soccer team. with the best foot in the school. so good, she impressed pinckey's high school football coach. >> she was just banging them through. >> reporter: who signed her up to be the team's kicker. >> they treat me like a member of the team. they're not sexist at all. >> reporter: then last night, the pirates hosted a homecoming game, a game they hadn't won in ten years. >> at half time i was in the locker room. and then one of the assistant coaches came in and said they needed me on the field. >> reporter: she was selected as one of the top three homecoming queen finalists. still wearing her jersey when the winner was announced. >> announcing the 2011

homecoming queen, bree amat. >> i was totally shocked, i didn't see it at all. >> reporter: there was still another half to play. and she traded her tiara for a helmet. >> i wanted to get it over with, so i could run back in the locker room and be with the team. >> reporter: in the third quarter she would get her shot to extend the pirates lead. just like in practice, she wiggled her fingers and took a deep breath. >> the kick is up, and it is good. >> reporter: the pirates went on to win 9-7, bree's field goal the game-winner. but she credits the team. >> it doesn't make a difference, we're all wearing the same pads. well, kind of. i don't have the cup, but that's it. >> reporter: as always, quick on her feet. >> it is good! >> reporter: peter alexander, nbc news, chicago. that's our broadcast for this tuesday night, thank you for being here with us. and one other note from around here tonight. we have a new broadcast on the way, and now a new home to announce. it's a new prime time news magazine called rock center, as a tribute to or headquarters here. and its new home will be monday

nights 10:00 eastern, starting october 31st. something tells me we may mention it a time or two between now and then. i'm brian williams, we hope 20 see you right back here tomorrow evening, good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com right now at 6:00, digging deeper to make ends meet. the cost of living in the bay area continues to rise with more and more people struggling to keep up. good evening, everyone. i'm jessica aguirry. >> and i'm roger mathie. a number of families across the bay area