connected tv. i'm elise preston, cbs news, new york. it's wednesday, november 24th, 2021. this is the "cbs morning news." death toll rises. a little boy dies following the deadly christmas parade crash in wisconsin as new video is released of the suspect shortly after the incident. liftoff, falcon 9 -- >> crash test. nasa launches a spacecraft overnight on a very unique mission. why the agency wants it to slam right into an asteroid. free at last. a missouri man who spent more than 40 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit is out of prison. the surprise way he learned about his release.

good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. we begin with new developments in the christmas parade tragedy in wisconsin. the death toll has risen to six after an 8-year-old boy died from his injuries. the number of people injured also jumped to more than 60 after the suspect, darrell brooks, allegedly drove his suv into the parade on sunday. doorbell security footage shows him outside someone's house following the incident. the homeowner said he had no idea what it just happened. elise preston is in new york with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. the wisconsin neighbor who opened that door says he gave brooks a sandwich and a coat, not knowing the 39-year-old allegedly barrelled through a nearby christmas parade killing six and injuring more than 60 people. more criminal charges are likely for the man accused of plowing his suv through the waukesha christmas parade on sunday.

>> the nature of this offense is shocking. >> reporter: during an initial court appearance for the alleged driver, darrell brooks, prosecutors said another victim had succumbed to his injuries. >> today we learned of another death of a child related to this case. we do expect a six count for first-degree intentional homicide to be issued. >> reporter: the complaint says brooks appeared to intentionally target people even as he swerved to avoid other vehicles. bail was set at $5 million. video recorded by a doorbell camera shows the suspect outside a house shortly after the incident. >> hey. i caught an -- called an uber, and i'm supposed to be waiting, but i don't know when it's coming. >> reporter: the homeowner was unaware of what happened at the parade and allowed brooks to use his cell phone. >> he was telling me, oh, is there something going on downtown? i was like, there's a parade today, i know. he's like, oh, that's probably what it is, a parade. he was completely lying about everything.

>> reporter: the video later shows police arriving at the scene and taking brooks into custody. if convicted, he could face life in prison. now the criminal complaint against brooks goes into grim detail of the tragedy.ol g-zag pattern through the parade of people, he made no attempt to slow down. a preliminary hearing is scheduled for january. anne-marie? >> so disturbing, elise. elise preston in new york. thank you so much. well, this morning the nation awaits a verdict in the trial of three men accused of killing ahmaud arbery. the jury deliberated for more than six hours yesterday, weighing murder charges against the defendants who are white. they're accused of chasing down and murdering the 25-year-old black man last year. they claim that they tried to make a citizen arrest after they suspected arbery of burglary.

>> reporter: ahmaud arbery's mother said a prayer and walked into court atz the state closed its rebuttal before handing the case to the jury. >> when three people chase an unarmed man in a pickup with guns to violate his personal liberty, who gets to claim i'm not responsible for that? under the law in georgia, no one gets to say that. everybody is responsible. >> reporter: the prosecutor had the last word telling the jury that even though travis mcmichael shot and killed ahmaud arbery, gregory mcmichael and william roddie bryan are just as guilty for chasing arbery in their trucks. >> doesn't matter who actually pulled the trigger, under the law they're all guilty. even of malice murder. >> reporter: of the nine women and three men on the jury, only one is black. they are deliberating nine counts against each defendant that include murder and aggravated assault. defense attorneys say they feel good about their case. >> we'll see what the jury feels is justice, and we will accept the verdict whatever it is. >> an appeal, we're going to win. roddie's walking out of that

courthouse today. >> reporter: the arbery family is cautiously optimistic for a conviction. >> i know we're going to get the burden on these men. >> god has brought us this far, and he's not going to fail us now. we will get justice for ahmaud. >> that was omar villafranca reporting. each defendant faces life in prison if convicted on any of the murder charges. and the thanksgiving travel rush is on. aaa expects more than 48 million americans to hit the road to get to their destinations. the freeways were already packed in los angeles yesterday as drivers tried to beat the rush. it comes as gas prices in california are the highest in the nation at an average of $4.70 a gallon. yesterday president biden announced plans to cut the cost of fuel by tapping into the country's strategic oil reserves. his administration says it will release 50 million barrels of oil over a period of time. >> so we're taking these steps obviously because we have to

meet the immediate need of affordable energy and protect families from further pain at the pump. oil prices have not been this high in seven years. >> this is a move that's been ut only in response to war or natural disaster. and more than a dozen white nationalists and organizations were found liable in a civil suit over the unite the right rally in charlottesville, virginia. a federal jury yesterday ordered the organizers of the 2017 protest to pay more than $25 million in damages to the victims. the jury did not reach a verdict on two federal conspiracy charges. hundreds of white nationalists gathered in charlottesville four years ago to protest the removal of a robert e. lee statue. one woman died after a self-proclaimed hitler supporter drove into a crowd. >> we are beyond thrilled with this result for our clients today.

>> this verdict today is a message that this country does not tolerate violence based on racial andel are religious hatred in any form. >> both attorneys for the plaintiffs announced that they would retry the federal conspiracy charges. and overnight, nasa launched a spacecraft to test a plan to save earth from a possible asteroid disaster. >> three, two, one, zero, ignition, liftoff. falcon 9 with a dart mission -- >> the spacecraft lifted off on top of a spacex rocket from a base in california. it's scheduled to crash head on into a small asteroid at 15,000 miles per hour next fall. the mission will explore whether slamming a spacecraft into an asteroid can nudge it into a different direction and prevent a potential doomsday collision with earth. a missouri man who spent more than 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit is now free. a judge ruled kevin strickland

was wrongfully convicted of killing three people in 1978. the county's prosecutor and other leaders worked to release the 62-year-old from jail because they said evidence used to convict him had been disproven since his conviction. >> i was actually watching a soap opera, and they -- thing went across, news break, whatever they call them. and i just couldn't believe what i was hearing. >> strickland said he'd like to get involved in efforts to keep this from happening to someone else. coming up now, an emotional return. basketball analyst dick vitale is back in the booth amid his cancer battle. and peering into the mind of a genius. a manuscript by albert einstein sells for millions at auction. this is the "cbs morning news."

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a florida medical examiner says the 23-year-old killed himself with a gunshot to the head. laundrie's remains were found last month in a nature preserve and identified using dental records. he was the subject of a manhunt for more than a month after his fiancee, gabby petito, disappeared and was found died on in wyoming. laundrie was a person of interest in that case. a rare manuscript by albert einstein was sold at auction, and a familiar voice in basketball is back. those are some of the headlines on the "morning newsstand." "usa today" reports basketball analyst dick vitale broke down in tears as he returned to the booth amid his battle with cancer. >> didn't want to cry. i can't believe i'm sitting here. this is thrilling -- a thrill to me. i want to thank all you people, sent me

so many great messages, all my buddies at espn. >> the 82-year-old was on the sidelines last night for the broadcast of the game between number-one gonzaga and number-two ucla. last month vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma. doctors said he had bile duct cancer. he's been given the okay to call games between chemotherapy treatments. and "the hill" says president biden, vice president harris, and their spouses prepared thanksgiving meals at a washington, d.c., nonprofit. the four visited d.c.'s central kitchen yesterday. the organization recycles food from local caterers, restaurants, and hotels. it provides meals to needy people, homeless shelters, after-school programs, and rehabilitation clinics. the bidens traveled to nantucket, massachusetts, last night where they will spend thanksgiving. and "the washington post" says a rare albert einstein manuscript sold for more than $13 million at a paris auction. the 54-page document was handwritten jointly by einstein

and a swiss engineer in 1913 and 1914. it's one of only two known surviving manuscripts containing calculations leading up to einstein's famous general theory of relativity that changed the understanding of the universe. the identity of the buyer was not revealed. still ahead, grammy nominations. the band leader for "the late show" walks away with the most nods while another artist makes grammy history.

here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ on the cbs "money watch," major pharmacy chains are being held responsible for fueling the opioid crisis. and what is your state's favorite thanksgiving casserole? diane king hall is at the new york stock exchange with those stories and more.

good morning, diane. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. this morning the labor department set to release its new weekly jobless claims report a day earlier than usual due to the thanksgiving holiday. there's also a flurry of other economic data including gdp and the latest trade gap numbers. meantime, stocks ended mixed yesterday. at the close, the dow rallied 194 points. the nasdaq lost 79. the s&p 500 added 7. for the first time ever, a federal judge has ruled three major pharmacy chains are liable for their role in distributing opioids. the verdict yesterday found cvs, walgreens, and walmart responsible for not stopping the painkillers from flowing into two ohio counties. the ruling in the case could set the tone for u.s. city and county governments that want to hold the chains accountable for the nation's deadly opioid epidemic. cvs, walgreens, and walmart plan to appeal. you'll soon have to great -- to grab extra change to shop at dollar tree stores nationwide.

the company says it's increasing the price point of its products from $1 to $1.25. executives say lifting the $1 constraint will allow the stores to introduce new products and bring back customer favorites that were discontinued. all stores will see the price hike by the end of next march. what's your favorite thanksgiving day casserole? google is breaking it down state by state. check out this map, you can see the west is a big fan of green bean and broccoli casseroles. more than a dozen like the potato casseroles. another favorite is the corn dish. meantime, north carolina is riding solo. they love pineapple casseroles -- oh, i have to ask you, what is wrong with pennsylvania? apparently they like something called a leftover casserole. i don't know. i know -- >> that sounds very pennsylvania. >> like why -- i do like leftovers, but not leftover casserole. go ahead.

>> hey, look, coming from the woman who suggested leftovers with scrambled eggs or whatever, i don't know -- >> i know, i know, i know. i know, i know. that's fair. that's fair. that's fair. leftover casserole. i don't know. >> i was like -- what is pineapple casserole? i never heard of that before. i looked it up. i don't -- is it a dessert, or is it a side dish? i need an explanation. >> we need answers. >> yes. more questions than answers this morning. diane king hall at the new york stock exchange. thank you so much. >> thank you. all right. you got it. up next, hitching a ride to space. a former pro football player tackles the final frontier. ckle.

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here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ former nfl player and "good morning america" co-host michael strahan is heading to space. he will be part of blue origin's third crude flight aboard its new shepherd spacecraft next month. strahan will be joined by the 74-year-old daughter of the first american in space, the late astronaut alan shepherd,

and four paying customers. the spacecraft is named after shepherd. we're getting another look at the upcoming cbs concert special "one last night: an evening with tony bennett and lady gaga." ♪ i know the way you treated other gals you've been with luck be a lady ♪ >> the primetime special honors bennett and gaga's music and their friendship over the years. it features bennett's last concert before retiring from touring. his family revealed in february that bennett had alzheimer's disease. and you can watch the special this sunday right here on cbs and the paramount plus streaming service. lady gaga and tony bennett received six grammy nominations yesterday including album and record of the year. but topping the list with 11 nominations is jazz musician and the band leader of "the late show with stephen colbert jon batiste. he was also nominated for album and record of the year. and jay-z received three nominations this year making him the most nominated artist in grammy history at 83.

you can watch the grammy awards january 31st right here on cbs. and coming up on "cbs mornings," jon batiste talks with vlad duthiers about his grammy nominations and importance of remembering the purpose of music in the world. ♪ you don't get much time for yourself. so when you do, make it count with crest pro-health. it protects the 8 areas dentists check for a healthier mouth. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. crest. ♪ rich, indulgent chocolate with a luscious caramel filling. with love from san francisco. ghirardelli caramel squares. makes life a bite better.

our top stories this morning -- the death toll has risen to six in the christmas parade tragedy in wisconsin. officials say an 8-year-old boy died from his injuries. the number of people injured also jumped to more than 60 after the suspect, darrell brooks, allegedly drove his suv into the parade on sunday. overnight, nasa launched a spacecraft scheduled to slam into an asteroid at 15,000 miles per hour. it's set to happen next fall. the mission will test whether the crash can push the asteroid into a different direction in an effort to prevent any future asteroid collisions with earth. millions of americans will be flying this weekend for

thanksgiving, and cbs news got exclusive access into how one major airline is preparing at one of the world's busiest airports. here's errol barnett. >> reporter: it's a rarely seen room. a nerve center so crucial it never closed during the pandemic. delta airlines' 24/7 operational control center or occ is staffed by up to 300 people monitoring more than 463,000 passengers with 97,000 flying through atlanta alone. something goes wrong on an aircraft, who does the pilot call? >> the captain instantly messages me. >> reporter: chris nunez plans and tracks dozens of flights at once. if a passenger is disruptive, he has the authority to divert the plane. >> i am the safety person on the ground. so i share the responsibility with the captain to ensure that the flight is safe at all times. >> reporter: nunez works with people like retired marine captain mark garner who after 14

years just earned thanksgiving off. >> it's competitive just to get to delta as a pilot. >> reporter: there's also stiff competition to work in the occ which is overseeing 4,000 flights. heather heightsman leads 26 meteorologists and says posts here are prestigious with staffers staying until retirement. she's been here 16 years. >> out west we do have the next system that we're watching that's starting to kick up in the northern rockies. >> reporter: how many flights have you had to cancel this week? >> zero. >> reporter: as a 36-year veteran of the company, barnett smith manages fleet schedules and says this time of year is intense. >> there's a little more pressure to get everybody home for thanksgiving. >> reporter: delta expects to fly more than 478,000 passengers on wednesday and more than 550,000 on sunday. that will be a pandemic record for the airline. and american and united airlines expect to fly on the sunday after thanksgiving their highest numbers since the pandemic began. errol barnett, cbs news,

atlanta. coming up on "cbs mornings," a warning about holiday shopping scams. anna werner has tips on how to spot fake deals. plus, we'll celebrate 50 years of "soul train" and talk with singer leon bridges and jon batiste talks about his emmy -- grammy nominations and the importance of remembering music in the world. that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day. ♪