tonight, the death toll from helene reaching a grim new milestone as hopes fade in the

search for survivors. a week after helene made landfall, the growing desperation. the deaths from the storm soaring beyond 200. inside the urgent mission to deliver relief to cut-off communities. and our interview with the administrator of fema. is aid flowing fast enough? and just in, the verdict in the federal trial of three former memphis police officers in the beating death of tyre nichols. the controversy for a new york republican congressman. a photo servicing of him in black face for halloween nearly two decades ago. kamala harris responding in battleground, wisconsin with liz cheney, the former republican congresswoman and fierce critic of donald trump, as the former president hits the trail in another key swing state. plus, his wife, melania trump, coming out in support of abortion rights. her dramatic break from her husband. our report on the

texas death row inmate, convicted in the shaken baby death of his daughter. but was it based on outdated science? did you harm your daughter, nicky? >> no, sir, i did not harm my daughter. >> the fight to stop his execution. and our nation's capital has about 700 park, and he is on a mission to visit every last one. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening and welcome. misery and still more loss in the southeast almost a full week after hurricane helene swept through the region, causing the catastrophic flooding that ripped apart so many communities. at least 215 people are now reported dead in six states, and that number is almost certain to rise. helene now the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland united states since katrina almost two decades ago. rescues still going on almost seven days later. sam brock is following this still unfolding tragedy from asheville, north carolina. and sam, so many people are still unaccounted for.

>> reporter: yeah, lester, that was the real revelation right now. buncombe county saying that figure went from 4 yesterday to 200 tonight. but with homes and debris on the road like the ones behind me, and the communication gap, it's a figure that is constantly fluctuating. almost seven days after hurricane helene battered large stretches of the south, the search for those unaccounted for continues as new stories of survival come to light. >> the water rose so fast and got so strong that i just had to grab a post and hold on. >> reporter: the devastating death totals only expected to grow. so far at least 215 fatalities now confirmed across six different states. from florida's pinellas county, with around a dozen drownings, so georgia's statewide suffering recording more than 30 fatalities. then there is north carolina, where more than 100 have died. and search-and-rescue efforts have taken some miraculous turns. former nascar driver greg biffle using a private helicopter to deliver supplies,

spotting a stranded survivor only because he was hoisting a mirror. also in the mountains, employees of skyfire ai firing up their drone and showing us how they work with governments and even private companies to locate the missing. >> aid for local law enforcement to help search and rescue, to help find routes to better get aid in and out. >> reporter: we take a birds-eye view of the destruction in burnsville, north carolina, an hour outside of asheville. is this the area they've been searching? >> there has been a lot of search and rescue in this area. i know it's been very difficult for them to get up here. this is one of the areas they're saying still needs a lot of supplies to get moved in. >> reporter: on this day, choppers, likely med evacs, fly overhead as the skyfire team shows us roads that have been buckled, broken, and chopped off. all the while families wait. >> we've had conversations with people who haven't seen their loved ones in a week, and that's completely heartbreaking. >> reporter: their efforts even helping companies like

cvs who determine road and bridge status so they can get medications to patients in need quickly and search for several employees who were unaccounted for following the storm. the damage on the ground -- in this case an access bridge by a local quarry that's all but gone -- indicative of the challenges that lie ahead for restoring infrastructure like water. swannanoa fire chief addressing it. >> there aren't words to describe it. i don't know how long this is going to take. >> reporter: for so many tonight, the road is long but their mere survival is something to celebrate. >> the front door pushed in. it pushed in the back door. from 30 seconds it went from the ground to neck level. >> reporter: sam brock, nbc news, asheville, north carolina. now is dee anne criswell, fema administrator. >> joining me now is deanne criswell, fema administrator. administrator criswell, thank you for being with us. i know you were back in the air in a chopper today. are you seeing places that you simply can't get to on the ground still? >> lester, we are. we're seeing

communities that are still isolated and having a difficult time getting commodities. talking to local officials and hearing about how they're getting food and water up into some of these more isolated parts of their communities. but we're seeing everybody come together. local, state, federal, nonprofit, private sector really coming together to make a difference. >> as the lead federal agency on the ground there, what's the order of priority right now? >> it is still life safety. there is a lot of search and rescue teams here on the ground. we want to make sure we're getting them into the communities. the next one is the commodity delivery. keeping that flow of commodities moving into the communities, making sure we're reaching people that perhaps haven't been reached yet. and then the next big one is going to be the water restoration. once we can get that water restored, we know a lot of people are going to be able to start their recovery process. >> you mentioned a search mention. a recovery mission right now. are you accounting for those? we have not heard from since the beginning of all this. >> that's the big focus for the state

and all the local officials here is making sure that they do account for everybody. and so they're still searching and trying to make sure we've reached everybody. we hope to find more and reunite those who haven't been accounted for with their loved ones. >> let me quickly ask you about what people should expect from fema right now. you know there is frustration. what's your response? >> we've been moving commodities, people, resources into these areas since before the storm hit. we are going to continue to bring those resources in, listening to the local officials. one of the reasons i'm here, so i can see firsthand what's needed. and people should know that we are going to be here until every person has everything they need. >> all right, deanne criswell, the fema administrator earlier today. and just in tonight, the split verdict in the federal trial in the police beating death of tyre nichols during a traffic stop in 2023. rehema ellis is with us. rehema, tell us what happened in court. >> lester, it was just

moments ago the verdicts came down for three former memphis police officers accused of federal civil rights violations in the case of tyre nichols. the case stems from a traffic stop last year. police approached nichols for reckless driving, according to a statement from the memphis police department. officers say nichols tried to run away, and then a, quote, confrontation occurred. the 29-year-old died a few days later. the three former officers were among the five fired after last year's beating, which sparked a national outcry. in today's verdict, all three were convicted of charges of witness tampering. demetrius haley was guilty on four of six charges, including a lesser count involving bodily injury. lester? >> rehema ellis, thank you. turn to a story just breaking, a

controversy involving new york congressman mike lawler shown in a photo in black face wearing a michael jackson costume two decades ago. hallie jackson is following this. halle, lawler already responding this evening? >> yeah, lester, he is. he is not denying the authenticity of the photo which was obtained by "the new york times." he says it happened at a college halloween party in 2006. he was 20 years old. "the times" reports lawler was well-known on campus as a big fan of jackson. lawler telling nbc news tonight, and i'm quoting here, my costume was intended as the sincerest form of lattery. for anyone who takes offense of the photo, he adds, i am sorry. lawler seen as a rising republican star in deep blue new york with his house race one of the most closely watched in the country, key to gop chances of keeping control of the chamber. lawler's democratic opponent has not yet commented. lester? >> hallie jackson, thank you. now to the race for president with former president trump speaking on the economy in battleground michigan today, while vice president harris is in wisconsin with a prominent republican, former congresswoman liz cheney. here is gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: she was once one of the most conservative members of congress, but tonight liz cheney is standing alongside vice president harris. >> this year i am

proudly casting my vote for vice president kamala harris. >> reporter: the vice president campaigning today in ripon, wisconsin, the birthplace of the republican party back in 1854. >> he, who violated the oath to uphold the constitution of the united states of america. and make no mistake, who, if given the chance, would violate it again. >> meanwhile, former president trump slamming yesterday's release by a judge of new evidence from special counsel jack smith in the now delayed january 6th case, including trump allegedly responding "so what" to reports mike pence was in danger. >> this was a weaponization of government, and that's why it was released 30 days before the election. there is nothing new in there. >> reporter: trump today in battleground michigan blaming harris for the ongoing port strike that is threatening to raise prices. >> kamala harris has unleashed nothing but chaos and suffering for american labor with historic inflation.

she's made life excruciating for the blue collar workers. >> reporter: here in battleground wisconsin, trump supporters we spoke to are deeply skeptical of cheney, who lost her race in a landslide. do you think liz cheney speaks for the republican party? >> no. absolutely not. >> reporter: but jerry eiler, who once voted for trump, now backs harris. did donald trump drive you away from the republican party? >> absolutely. i'm totally disillusioned with the way the maga group has gone and all the people who stand there and like pretend his lies are truth. >> reporter: while harris has received the most support from organized labor, earlier today the international association of firefighters voted not to endorse any candidate. that's seen as a blow to harris just weeks after the teamsters union did the same. lester? >> all right, gabe, thanks very much. there is breaking news on the dockworkers strike that has shut down major ports along the east and gulf coasts. let's bring in tom costello. tom, what do we know?

>> breaking in the last few minutes. the 45,000 longshoremen have agreed to suspend their strike because the maritime alliance, essentially the employers have agreed to now a 62% pay hike, up from their first offer of 50%. so they're suspending the strike until mid-january. and that means there should be little to no disruption on getting goods to store shelves. and this now will end well before the election. lester? >> all right, tom costello with that breaking news, thank you. in 60 seconds, melania trump's defense of abortion melania trump's defense of abortion rights, break in if you're living with hiv, imagine being good to go without daily hiv pills. good to go off the grid. good to go nonstop. with cabenuva, there's no pausing for daily hiv pills. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. it's two injections from a healthcare provider. just 6 times a year. don't receive cabenuva

if you're allergic to its ingredients or if you're taking certain medicines which may interact with cabenuva. serious side effects include allergic reactions, post-injection reactions, liver problems, and depression. if you have a rash and other allergic reaction symptoms, stop cabenuva and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems, mental health concerns, and if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering pregnancy. some of the most common side effects include injection-site reactions, fever, and tiredness. with cabenuva, you're good to go. ask your doctor about switching. there is a divide between kamala harris and donald trump on abortion rights, and now melania trump is weighing in. here is garrett haake. >> reporter: tonight the trump family a house divided on the issue of abortion rights. former first lady melania trump defending them in an unreleased memoir writing, quote, restricting a woman's right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying

her control over her own body. according to a guardian report unconfirmed by nbc news. and mrs. trump posting today -- >> there is no room for compromise when it comes to these essential rights that all women possess from birth, individual freedom. >> reporter: her position in stark contrast to that of her husband, the republican presidential nominee, who opposes federal abortion rights while supporting exceptions for rape, incest and if the mother's life is in danger, saying restrictions should be left to the states. former president trump regularly boasting about the repeal of roe v. wade, falsely claiming majorities supported that decision. >> democrats, republicans, and everybody else, and every legal scholar wanted it to be brought back into the states. >> reporter: despite the their disagreement on abortion rights, melania trump remains a strong supporter of her husband who spoke out late tonight. >> we spoke about it. and i said you have to write what you believe.

i'm not going to tell you what to do. you have to write what you believe. you have to stick with your heart. i've said that to everybody. >> reporter: but tonight the harris campaign highlighting the split between the trumps, releasing a statement that reads in part, "sadly for the women across america, mrs. trump's husband firmly disagrees with her," and blaming former president trump for abortion restrictions in republican-led states, saying it, quote, threatens their health, their freedom and their lives. garrett haake, nbc news, saginaw, michigan. next up for us tonight, a man on death row who would be the first to be executed for a conviction tied to shaken baby syndrome. now the lead detective says a grave injustice was done. silly! woo! hey! try new robitussin soft chews. packed with the power of robitussin... in every bite. easy to take cough relief, anywhere. chew on relief, chew on a ♪ robitussin ♪ here's to getting better with age. here's to beating these two every thursday. help fuel today with boost high protein,

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we're back now we're back now with the story of a texas man set to be executed in two weeks for a crime many, including the detective who arrested him, believe never occurred. at an exclusive interview, i spoke to him on death row as a movement builds to save his life. robert roberson has spent more than two decades on texas's death row, convicted of fatally shaking his 2-year-old daughter nicky in 2002. did you harm your daughter nicky? >> no, sir, i did not harm my daughter. >> roberson said he woke up one night to find nicky had fallen out of bed. hours later, she was unconscious, her lips blue. he rushed her to the hospital. you told the medical staff that she had fallen? >> yes, sir. they didn't believe my story. >> detective brian

wharton from the palestine police department was called to the hospital. >> they were frantically working on this child, trying to figure out what was going on with her, and somewhere in there shaken baby came into the vernacular. >> the medical staff told the detective that nicky showed signs of abuse and believed she had been shaken to death. and then there was roberson's curious demeanor. >> he wasn't upset. he kind of had a flat affect. >> that was a red flag as far as you were concerned? >> well, it struck us as odd. >> nicky was pronounced dead, her father charged with her death, and a year later he was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to die. >> he is totally innocent, and not just that, there was no crime. >> roberson's current attorney believes nicky was misdiagnosed, and that after detecting bleeding behind her eyes and on her brain, which was also swollen, together known as the triad,

the doctors looked no further for a cause. >> back then it was seen as almost a magical formula. you don't need to look at anything else. you can assume abuse occurred in the form of violent shaking. >> if not shaken baby, then what killed nicky? >> there was this tragic death of a chronically ill child. the doctors missed the fact she had a severe life-threatening pneumonia. >> but at trial, roberson's jury never heard the full extent of nicky's chronic health history. more than 40 doctor visits over the span of her short life, and a fever of over 104 two days before she died. >> and then prescribed medications that could only have pushed her further over the edge by suppressing her ability to breathe. >> information the police never looked into. >> did you have a chance to look into her medical history before arresting robert? >> no.

no, we did not look into her medical history. again, we were chasing an abuse case. >> pediatrician dr. andy asnes, who was not involved in the case says identifying abuse requires thorough investigation. >> when making the diagnosis of abuse of head trauma, contact is absolutely critical. no one can make this diagnosis in the absence of a lot of other important information. >> and neither police nor the jury knew roberson had autism, explaining his perceived lack of emotion. he wasn't diagnosed until 2018. wharton, now a minister, believes he helped send an innocent man to die. why are you here? >> because i owe robert nothing less. and so it's my responsibility to help give him a voice, to help him be heard, because he is an innocent man. >> thousands are fighting to save his life, including a large bipartisan group of texas lawmakers, some even praying with him on death row. all of roberson's appeals so far have been denied.

unless the courts or texas governor greg abbott step in, roberson will be executed on october 17th. >> i know the part of robert that i hear in my head is that childlike commitment to hope, and that he would say that i can't give up hope. >> can his life be saved at this point? >> gosh, i pray it can. if we can't save someone like robert, who is so clearly innocent, then truly, we're lost. >> if you could speak to the governor directly, you know, from the heart, what would you tell him? >> governor abbott, i did not do this, and i'm just hoping and praying you do the right thing. >> how are you

preparing for your own death, your own execution? >> i'm at peace if it happens, but i'm not ready because i don't think i should be executed when i'm innocent. >> we reached out to the governor several times for comment and did not hear back. coming up, the good news. one man's mission to walk in all the parks. >> position of nature. vestmey look like other money managers, but we're different. (other money manager) you can't be that different. (fisher investments) we are. we have a team of specialists not only in investing, but also in financial and estate planning and more. (other money manager) your clients rely on you for all that? (fisher investments) yes. and as a fiduciary, we always put their interests first. (other money manager) but you still sell commission- based products, right? (fisher investments) no. we have a simple management fee structured so we do better when our clients do better. (other money manager) huh, we're more different than i thought! (fisher investments) at fisher investments, we're clearly different. today's biggest feat wasn't booking appointments. it was the fact that the silvas went 4 for 4 on getting all their flu shots with no tears. bravery? rewarded. when it's time for vaccines, it's time for cvs.

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(vo) at verizon new and existing customers can get iphone 16 pro on us. when you trade in any phone in any condition. only on verizon. there is good news tonight about the hundreds of parks in our nation's capital, and one man visiting

every one of them. here is emilie ikeda. >> reporter: between the gridlock on the capitol beltway and capitol hill, jacob benson is on a mission to explore washington, d.c.'s more serene spaces, like kingman island. >> you can hear the freeway in the distance, but if you look in front of you, greenery and the wildlife. >> reporter: biking, eating, and kayaking his way through every single park in the city over the course of this year. we're talking about more than 700 parks. this is an ambitious project. >> it is ambitious that they built north-south streets and these diagonals that create lots of chaotic intersections. there is automatic these little triangles and circles and parks all over the city. >> reporter: he is cataloging those hidden gems as part of a project for a local publication, while also noting where there is for improvement from accessibility to maintenance, sometimes with a dash of humor. >> there is a nice drinking fountain over there for humans. it does not work. but the dog fountain --

>> reporter: benson will check off revered parks like the national mall and the u.s. national arboretum, but also lesser known spots. the city's boundary stones date back to the 1700s. and there is a surprising oasis on the george washington memorial parkway. >> i have gained an appreciation of our local parks that i didn't have before. there are so many places that i thought i knew, but now i realize there is actually a lot that i had to uncover. >> reporter: rediscovering a sense of wonder in your own backyard. emilie ikeda, nbc news, washington, d.c. and that is "nightly news" for this thursday. thank you for watching. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night.

does mark farrell have the right experience to shake up city hall? in nearly ten years as supervisor, mark grew the bureaucracy by authorizing or creating a commission almost every year. he rubber stamped hundreds of millions to homeless nonprofits with zero accountability and orchestrated a pay-to-play scheme that sold out taxpayers to the highest bidder. mark farrell has all the wrong experience for the change we need.