horrific crash. a 15-car pileup at a las vegas indy car race. a top driver among those rushed to the hospital. monumental day, remembering the life and legacy of dr. martin luther king jr. at the dedication of his memorial. to the streets as the demonstrations grow, just what do the protesters want? tonight, what's behind the movement. homeward bound. an ailing american woman is finally evacuated from the south pole. and an unlikely player helping young people excel. and making a real difference in their lives. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. we start tonight with a late breaking story from the world of sports where tragedy has taken the life of one of car racing's most well known names. it happened before thousands of stunned fans in a motor speedway in las vegas. a massive pileup that we have just learned killed veteran indy car racer dan wheldon. tonight, the racing world is in deep mourning. nbc's john yang is with us in new york with late details. >> reporter: this was a horrific crash. many drivers saying it is the worst they have ever seen. 15 cars, only the 12th lap of this race, 15 cars involved, wheldon's car went flying over the top of another car, into the fence that runs above the barrier on the outside of the track. he was taken by helicopter to the hospital where he died later. at least three other drivers

have been taken to the hospital, though the early indications are that their injuries are not life threatening. wheldon, twice won the indianapolis 500 including this year. this was the final race of the indy car season. and many drivers had expressed concern, the field was especially large, 34 cars in the -- on the track. it was a very crowded track. the race was called off. the drivers are performing -- decided to perform a five-lap salute to wheldon. dan wheldon, 33 years old, dead after this horrific crash in las vegas. >> john, thank you. in washington today, it was as president obama described it a celebration of martin luther king jr.'s return to the national mall. today in the shadow of a place he delivered his famous i have a dream speech, 48 years ago, a statue and national monument honoring dr. king was formally dedicated, the first nonpresident and

african-american to be memorialized there. the ceremony came almost two months after the original dedication event was postponed by hurricane irene. nbc's mike viqueira has our report. >> reporter: today it was picture perfect. the first african-american president and his family, touring the first memorial to an african-american, in a place the national mall, where until now, only presidents had monuments. moments later, mr. obama spoke to an enormous crowd. >> that is why he belongs on this mall, because he saw what we might become. >> reporter: on a day of music, reverence and reflection, many icons of the civil rights movement spoke of the man and his legacy. >> martin luther king jr. must be looked up on as one of the founding fathers of the new america. >> reporter: it is steps away from the lincoln memorial where dr. king gave him i have a dream speech in 1963. >> with this face, we can come

out of the mount of despair. >> reporter: that is the inspiration for the memorial design. the stone of hope cut from its center and drawn to the horizon, with the likeness of dr. king. >> he was always getting upset with tall people who looked down on him. now he's 30 feet tall looking down on everybody. >> reporter: it was dr. king's own children who made the connection between their father's struggle and today. for all the joy and celebration of this day, it was equality and justice that speaker after speaker are coming back to. >> i hear my father say, what we see now all across the streets of america and the world is a freedom explosion. >> the young people of the occupy movement, all over this country and throughout the world, are seeking justice. ♪

>> reporter: it was a day of inspiration and a reminder from leaders past and present the work of martin luther king is not yet done. mike viqueira, nbc news, washington. >> and if you heard mentioned that today's ceremony, the viral occupy wall street movement blossomed into a worldwide expression of general dissatisfaction this weekend after massing some of its biggest numbers. yet protest organizers have proven their ability to grab attention. but toward what end? nbc's maria schiavo campo reports. >> reporter: at the occupy wall street base camp in lower manhattan, time to regroup. >> we're getting the job done. >> reporter: after the largest day of events the movement has seen since starting a month ago. yesterday, protests moved from this park to times square. thousands gathering for a mass demonstration against economic inequality. 92 were arrested and scuffled with police. it was a similar scene in chicago.

where overnight over 175 were arrested, some literally carried out as police tore apart a tent camp in grant park. while the demonstrations are attracting many, unlike most popular movements there is no consensus on demand. >> i wanted to be part of a movement that affects kids and economic justice can be spread around. >> level the field. the field is the problem, not the politicians. >> there has to be a change in the way that government is handled. >> reporter: this weekend, occupy wall street occupied the world with protests in dozens of cities including london and berlin. >> we're here to fight against financial crimes. >> reporter: the most violent were in rome, where today they're cleaning up after groups of protesters rampaged through the city, burning cars and smashing windows. back in new york, donated supplies and cash continues to

pour in from around the world. organizers say the global support shows just how far they have come. >> we have shown that we have enough connections in the community and enough support among unions, community groups, local politicians and just individuals to say this is a legitimate national issue. >> reporter: most camping here say they have no plans to leave anytime soon and they certainly set up the infrastructure for a long stay. lester? >> thank you. as you know, one of the often mentioned concerns among young protesters on wall street and around the country, their crushing debt from student loans. scott cone with us for that part of the story. >> reporter: 22-year-old rose swider took time out from her studies at state college in upstate new york in to be part of occupy wall street. she'll graduate in may with a degree in agriculture, $35,000 in student loans with no idea how she'll pay it back. >> we did what we're supposed to do, go to college, get an

education, get a job, you'll get a house, like you'll be cool, it will all be settled and you'll be stable and you'll have, like, some sort of security. >> reporter: the average college graduate this year has more than $27,000 in student debt, a record high. but with the worst job market in years, student loan defaults are up 25% in the last year. that's led some protesters in the streets and on twitter to demand relief. >> i think the bank has got s g bailout, the students should get a bailout. >> reporter: this symbolizing the growing gap between rich and poor. college tuition is rising twice as fast as inflation, leaving a college education for many increasingly out of reach. ryan rice joined the protesters in los angeles. he'll graduate more than $30,000 in debt. >> i'm eating rice and beans and i'm -- living paycheck to paycheck.

>> people with student debt are rightly concerned about whether they'll be able to pay it back and what impact it is going to have on their lives, on their ability to buy a home, start a family, save for retirement. >> reporter: unlike most forms of debt, student loans generally can't be refinanced or wiped out by declaring bankruptcy. leaving many feeling trapped and some move to take their frustration to the streets. scott cone, cnbc, new york. and as we turn now to presidential politics, herman cain faced some tough new questioning today on his policies including his 9-9-9 tax plan, the war in iraq and abortion. nbc's kristen welker reports. >> reporter: under the strongest microscope yet, newly minted gop front-runner herman cain appeared on nbc's "meet the press" and acknowledged his controversial revenue plan would increase taxes on some americans. >> that's right. some people will pay more, but

most people will pay less is my argument. >> who will pay more? >> who will pay more? the people who spend more money on new goods. the sales tax only applies to people who buy new goods. >> reporter: but he went on to say his plan would not raise taxes for the poor and middle class. >> that doesn't make any sense to me. if i'm already paying state taxes and have a new cain administration national sales tax, i have more state taxes. >> no, i don't. >> how so? you're not saying they're going away? >> david, the state taxes are the same. your federal taxes in most cases are going to go down. >> reporter: and when the conversation turned to iraq, cain drew a stark contrast with president obama. >> i don't agree with the president's approach to draw down 40,000 troops. >> president cain would want beyond the deadline, leave american troops there. >> leave american troops there if that's what the commanders on the ground suggested and i believe that that's what they are saying. >> reporter: today, cain said he was opposed to abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.

called clarence thomas an ideal supreme court justice and explained why his wife is not on the campaign trail with him. >> i'm running a different kind of a campaign. my wife and i, we have a family life. and she is maintaining the calmness and the tranquility of that family life. >> good to see you all. >> reporter: cain is the latest contender to reach the top slot in a volatile republican field. the question is, will he burn out under this new national spotlight? >> the question is, can he end up surviving the scrutiny and if he does, he will remain that front-runner at least among conservatives. >> reporter: now, cain says he also has about a million dollars on hand. that amount is dwarved by mitt romney and rick perry. political analysts say the reality is if you want to remain a serious contender, he will have to start raising more money soon. lester? >> kristen welker at the white house tonight, thank you. good news for the american woman who suffered a stroke in the south pole. she is finally on her way home

tonight. nbc's anne thompson here is here with the latest. >> reporter: good evening, lester, the first two cargo planes of the season landed at the south pole in 190 degree below zero windchill to drop off supplies and pick up renee-nicole douceur. this say picture of her before she left her dorm at the south pole after suffering what is believed to be a stroke weeks ago. she's been trying to leave to get appropriate medical attention, saying her condition was not life threatening, the national science foundation, which runs the base, and her employer raytheon polar services refused to send a rescue plane, waiting instead until the cargo planes began regular service. she will first fly to the mcmurdo station on the antarctic coast and then to christchurch, new zealand where she'll be evaluated. she will be in an unpressurized plane that could affect her conditions. when i spoke to her this weekend, she said the pilots

agreed to fly at a lower altitude if needed. >> i think i'm fairly comfortable that this plan they have will work if i run into some difficulties and i'm crossing my fingers and hoping to dwod thgod that i will not r any problems. >> reporter: if there is a problem, she is accompanied by the base doctor on this trip and they should land at the mcmurdo station tonight. lester? >> anne thompson, thanks. up next on "nbc nightly news," the defense gets ready to present its case in the trial of michael jackson's doctor. and tips on succeeding from a man who knows how to win and is making a big difference. [ male announcer ] you never know when a moment might turn into something more. and when it does men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment's right. ♪ [ man ] tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications

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expected to take center stage and the question is, will murray's lawyers try to in effect put jackson himself on trial? we get the story tonight from nbc's george lewis. ♪ >> reporter: the defense will try to show it was michael jackson acting on his own who took a lethal combination of drugs that quickly killed him, a theory that murray's lawyer laid out in his opening statement, blaming jackson. >> he died so rapidly, so instantly, he didn't even have time to close his eyes. >> reporter: the defense contends that jackson gave himself a mixture of the antidepressant lorazepa mm and propofol which murray was using to treat jackson's insomnia. they have to tread lightly here in their depiction of jackson as a drug addict. thomas mesereau defended jackson

at the singer's child molestation trial where jackson was acquitted. the judge in the murray case ruled that subject off limits to the defense. >> they seem to be grasping for any possibility that might suggest that dr. murray is not a substantial factor in the death of michael jackson and i don't think it is going to work. >> reporter: the prosecution tried to show jackson in a sympathetic light, playing a recording murray made of the singer sounding heavily drugged, talking about children and the pain of his own youth. >> i love them because i didn't have a childhood. i had no childhood. i feel their pain. i feel their hurt. >> reporter: the defense will try to show that to ease his pain, jackson and not dr. murray administered the lethal drug overdose. >> i don't think it is beyond the pale for this jury to come back and acquit dr. murray, given what the -- what has been produced so far. >> reporter: and as murray's lawyers go to bat, they'll

hammer away at their contention that prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that murray killed michael jackson. george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. up next here tonight, states and cities fighting important new revenue in liquid assets. ♪ [ male announcer ] hey, have you heard? it's bring your happiness to work day. ♪ campbell's microwavable soups, right where you work. in three minutes, the deliciousness that brings a smile to any monday. and soup has what you need at work, to work. make any place, your happy place. ♪ campbell's -- it's amazing what soup can do.

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but are delivered. from person to person. and, sometimes, even face to face. have a great day. you too. for some of the best ways to connect and protect... it's all in the mail. learn more at usps.com/mail. in these challenging times, state and local governments are constantly looking for new ways to generate much needed revenue. one area they're now tapping into is alcohol sales. nbc's thanh truong has that story. >> reporter: at this tavern in atlanta, beer and business are flowing steadily, even during a rocky economy. >> the reason that alcohol survives so well, people still need to see other people.

you can't spend your life hiding inside of your house. >> reporter: so state and city governments strapped for cash are tapping into the lucrative alcohol market, economists saying in lean times booze can be an easy source of new tax revenue. >> it is not a good subsidy for these things. the products where there are not good substitutes are products we can continue to tax, generate more revenue. >> reporter: to make up for short falls, more than a dozen states adjusted their liquor laws since the recession. maryland will bring in more money after recently raising its alcohol sales tax from 6% to 9%, igniting opposition from restaurants and bars. >> they're putting these -- this tax on the back of our customers. >> reporter: in tennessee, officials hope the loosening of alcohol loss will attract a new brewery to the state. it also means visitors to the jack daniels distillery can soon sample the world's famous whiskey with higher sales and tax money in mind. and in georgia, they're looking at changing old law to deal with new fiscal challenges.

voters here in atlanta and throughout the state of georgia will soon decide in referendum whether a long-standing ban on the sale of alcohol on sundays should be repealed. >> you have no idea how many times i went to a supermarket trying to buy a bottle of wine, coming to the cashier and somebody tell me, no, it is sunday, you can't do that. >> reporter: atlanta city councilman says georgia's so-called blue law is outdated. only connecticut and indiana have similar laws. sunday sales in georgia could generate an extra $5 million a year. >> to just allow people to do what they already do but for the city to be able to generate additional revenue as a result of it, who loses? >> reporter: the next time you raise your glass, you may also be helping the economy. here's to better times. thanh truong, nbc news, atlanta. it was a big saturday night in los angeles for former president bill clinton. a packed house at the hollywood bowl as a parade of a-list celebrities including bono and

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the students of the chicago public school, where this hard hitting defensive lineman is making a difference. here's nbc's peter alexander. >> reporter: 13 miles south of chicago's soldier field, in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods sits alex haley academy, a public middle school where chicago bears veteran spends much of his limited free time. the day after a game, while most players sleep off sunday soreness, adonajai heads here to inspire his biggest fans. >> you guys hold a special place in my heart. everyone in this room, no exceptions, is going to have opportunities throughout their lives. >> a lot of these kids lack someone to say to them, good job. you're sort of that guy for them, aren't you? >> yeah. i'm one of those. i remember i used to get a slurpee when i did well academically. and not everyone has that. >> reporter: the son of african

missionaries has become the motivator for these students who call themselves izzy's kids. >> they had other things in life that made school and education kind of second on their list of priorities. >> reporter: alex haley's principal was skeptical of the 6'6", 275 pound athlete. >> how long are you going to stay? are you going to come in here, say hi, get a picture for publicity and disappear. >> how are you doing, partner. >> reporter: he has stayed, visiting the school once a month for the last four years. >> it is not everyday you see a big time nfl player. he just gave us that good spirit. >> reporter: he rewards students with high attendance with perks like roller skating parties and bowling trips. and if you never miss a day, tickets to see the bears. >> it is just such a heart warming feeling. you want a guy that will play harder. >> reporter: since 2007 when he first arrived, alex haley's attendance soared to 96%.

and he has a new focus making this neighborhood safer by inviting chicago police officers to mentor the kids. >> are you ready? are you ready? that's a message, you're going to get an opportunity and when that opportunity comes, you know, will you be ready to seize that moment. >> reporter: these days the answer is almost always yes. thanks to a one of a kind athlete who is there for his biggest fans. peter alexander, nbc news, chicago. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. coming up next, "football night in america" followed by "sunday night football," the vyingings versus the bears. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

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