on the broadcast tonight, extreme weather on the last day of winter, heat where it's supposed to be cold and snow where people go for the sun, and now colliding weather systems for making for a rough night. >> how did a soldier become a war crime subject? tonight, as more is known about his story, he meets with his attorney with the first time. >> an unarmed teenager is killed by an arm ed neighborhood watch volunteer. and are we redded for the day when a skinned nee could be fatal? >> and the world stage. an important debut for arguably the most closely watched woman in the world. "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. this is the strangest season. many folks can remember. it has confused plants and animals and a good many humans across a good portion of this country. it has turned traditional seasons upside down. it has set thousands of new records. and think of it this way, both chicago baseball teams hold their spring training in arizona, to escape the harsh cold chicago winters. tonight, on the last day of winter, there's snow in arizona and in chicago, families are heading outdoors for what feels like a summer evening. that's where weather channel meteorologist mike seidel joins us. good evening. >> hey, brian. good evening to you. it was another day of phenomenal warmth in northern michigan.

they hit a high of 83 degrees. this has many wondering, has the weather lost its cool? it's a study in contrast and extremes. on the last day of winter, in normally chilly chicago, the city of the big shoulders has seen five consecutivedyes of record breaking 80-degree temps. >> no reason to go to florida anymore. stay right here in chicago. >> and the heat wave continues. >> i have never seen people playing volleyball on the beach in march. >> minnesota's march has been extraordinary, too. the low temperatures have been warmer than the previous record highs. in north dakota, lightweight clothing was enough for ice fishing near fargo in 70 degree weather. >> 70 degrees up here. down here, you're sitting on an ice cube. >> meantime in arizona, flag staff is digging out of its second largest snowstorm in

march. nearly 20 inches. >> we never drove in snow before. this is the first time. >> in northern california, skiers have been waiting a long time for this snow. >> there's no bad timing for snow for us here in the mountains. we love it, we crave it, and we're stoked it's here. >> what is causing these extremes? its the jet stream reaching into northern canada, blocking cold air from moving south, leaving much of the country seeing red with many of the states hitting at least 70 while all of the west is colder than average. adding to the weather drama, high pollen counts in atlanta. 35% higher than the previous record. also wildfires in colorado, and tornadoes in oklahoma and nebraska. downing power lines and damaging property as residents start the le cleanup. and there is a tornado watch this evening in central texas stretching from del rio to the dla/ft. worth area. these are slow moving storms which will drop heavy rain.

>> what is this doing to the cycle of nature? all of the flowers that have come up and out already that may still see some snow on them? >> yeah, that could happen, but we're in this trend right now where it's going to be fairly mild for most of us east of the rockies. let's talk about the storm. that's going to be the serious threat. the huge flood state for parts of four states, oklahoma, and i arkansas. we have had flash flooding, cars stranded, roads closed, and look how slowly the storm moves. it's going to take two days get the rain out of here. this could be historical flooding in parts of the state. meanwhile, to the north, the records continue to go by the wayside. a lot of them will be broken. 86 in chicago wednesday and thursday, in new york, the temperatures will stay in the 70s. >> last day of winter, what a

wild season. mikes, thanks. >> the army staff sergeant accused of killing 16 civilians met with his defense team for the first time today as we're learning more about this decorated combat veteran, this married father of two small children. >> 38-year-old army staff sergeant robert bales spenldz his day in a facility in ft. leavenworth. he's in a special cell by himself, solitary confinement. he's using the recreation facilities, there are narrow windows, and he may have books and magazines. >> he has a loney existence. his primary contact is going to be with the prison guards. >> his friends struggle to reconcile the horrible accusations with the man they know. >> this is not our bobby. they sway thir is a major

mistake. you have the wrong name. >> he gave up the job as a stock broker. since 2003, he has been sent overseas 4 times. three times to iraq where his lawyer said he was injured twice. in a blog, his wife detailed the strain at home, writing about bad dreams when he left for one deployment. last year, when her husband was pass over for a promotion, she wrote ability the disappointment, after all of the work bob has done and all of the sacrifices he has made for his family, and friends. chris allen was his platoon leader. >> he was one of my best guys. i never had any issues with him. you could give him any job and he would get it done. >> his lawyer suggests bales may have post traumatic stress disorder and said his repeated deployments will be part of there defense. >> i get stopped all the time by people since i took this case

asking me whether i think in the long run it's going to have ramifications on the length of the war. i certainly hope it does. >> analysts say ptsd defenses are rare in military trials. >> it would be a hard row to hoe to make hidway on that. >> bales' attorney says he expects charges to be filed later this week. they could include murder and could include the death penalty. bales' wife called the shootings a terrible and heart breaking tragedy. she said, polilease respect me n i say i can nlt shed any light on what happened that night so please do not ask. i too, want to know what happened, she says. i want to know how this could be. >> john lange, thanks for your reporting on that story today. now to a bizarre and terrible story overseas. there's a man hunt for a gunman who opens fire outside a jewish

schoolering killing four people. a rabbi, three children, then fled the scene on a motor scooter. police say there's a connection to two other shootings in the same area just days ago. nbc's jim maceda is on the scene tonight in toulouse, france. >> it was mayhem and cold blooded murder carried out in a jewish school right behind me. as children were arriving for the beginning of a new school week. the shooter, wearing a helmet and driving a scooter began firing allegedly at whatever moved. first, he kills a 30-year-old teacher and his two sons, then he got off the scooter, walked ina court' yard and kept firing. one woman saw graphic surveillance video of what happened next. this is not released by french police, but here is what he saw. >> he grabbed an 8-year-old girl, put a gun to her head and blew her brains out. >> in all, four were killed.

last week, three french soldiers wi were killed by someone on a motor bike or a scooter. and one of the weapons was identical. and now there are counterterrorism and serial murder experts, but that's brought little to the city. >> now to a story in this country that exploded largely to the thanks of social media. a teenager shot and killed by a man carrying a gun. tonight, the dramatic 911 tapes that captured the young man's last moments and the growing calls for justice in a state with a spryi surprising law alog those lines. pete williams. >> reporter: outside a florida prosecutors office today, students demanded criminal charges in the death of

17-year-old tray sean martin walking through a gated community. he was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer. it all began when he called 911 worried about recent break-ins. >> this gooks like he's up to now good or he's on drugs or something. he's got his hands in his waistband. and he's a black male. >> are you following him? >> yeah. >> okay, we don't need you to do this. >> reporter: what happened next is captured by 911 calls by neighborhoods. >> what's going on? >> so you think he's yelling help? >> yes. >> what is your -- >> there's gunshots. >> that was my baby. and he was pleading for his life. and i just don't understand how that is self defense. >> zimmerman actually did claim self defense and police declined to arrest him. friends say he's not gun happy or a racist.

>> george is savery congenial person. he never showed up to meetings dressed in camouflage or looked like rambo. >> florida has what's called a stand your ground law, giving people the right to use deadly force if they reasonably fear for their safety. but some legal experts say the man who fired the shots in this case was the aggressor. >> he was in a car, he was told to stay in his car. he got out and confronted a young man who was merely walking home from the convenience store. >> he was carrying only a bag of scand candy and a can of iced tea. social media are buzzing over the case. this twitter page gets a new entry every 20 seconds. prosecutors say the police gave them the case file just a week ago and insist it's still under investigation. pete williams, nbc news, washington. >> there's another gop primary tomorrow. this time, in the crucial state of illinois. mitt romney, rick santorum, were

both barnstorming there today because every delegate counts. it was romney who made news first today on the economy. andrea mitchell with us tonight from our d.c. news room. good evening. >> good evening, brian. mitt romney is hoping to get most of the 54 delegates up for grabs in illinois tomorrow where rick santorum didn't even file in four districts. romney did get some attention who he acknowledged that the economy improving, but an torem also raised hieyebrows when he said he's not worried about the government. and santorum was also asked today about a louisiana pastor who introduced him outside of batton rouge with fiery words. >> if you don't love america, you don't like the way we do things, i got one thing to say. get out! i said we don't wurshm have due, we don't worship mohammed.

we don't worship allah. we worship god, god's son jesus christ. >> this afternoon, santorum responded. >> i think i made that pretty clear throughout my campaign, that i believe very much in freedom of religion. >> with another distraction on the day before another krielsh primary showdown. >> anld rhea mitchell, thanks. >> apple announced today it will be sharing some of that giant pile of cash on hand with its investors. company will pay a dividend of $265 a share beginning some time in the quarter that starts in july. that's a first for apple. they also announced they'll buy back $10 billion worth of its own stock. which closed today above $600 a share for the first time ever. company also said today it sold 3 million of the new i pads just since they went on sale friday. still ahead for us here on this monday night, the strongest warning yet about antibiotics and why modern medicine may be

set back decades if things don't change. and later, the new first for kate middleton and why it is that what she wore today got as much attention as what she said. . yep, i'm sending the dancing chicken to every store in the franchise to get the word out. that could work. or you could use every door direct mail from the postal service. it'll help you and all your franchisees find the customers that matter most -- the ones in the neighborhood. you print it or we'll help you find a local partner. great. keep it moving, honey. honey? that's my wife. wow. there you go. there you go. [ male announcer ] go online to reach every home, every address, every time with every door direct mail. the amazing alternative to raisins and cranberries with more fiber, less sugar, and a way better glycemic index. he's clearly enjoying one of the planet's most amazing superfruits. hey, keep it down mate, you'll wake the kids. plum amazins. new, from sunsweet. but if i grow this out a little bit, i look too much like an english country gent...

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you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job. so why are you doing his? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious... like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach acid can damage the lining of your esophagus. for many, prescription nexium not only provides 24-hour heartburn relief, but can also help heal acid related erosions in the lining of your esophagus. talk to your doctor about the risk for osteoporosis-related bone fractures and low magnesium levels wi long-term use of nexium. possible side effects include headache, diarrhea and abdominal pain. other serious stomach conditions may still exist. let your doctor do his job, and you do yours. ask if nexium is right for you. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. as we mentioned, theerize health news having to do with the most dire warnings on this growing problem of infections that are totally resistant to treatment with antibiotics. nancy snyderman is here with

more on this. >> it's a prove new world because imagine smns as simple as a strepthroat, a scratched knee, a time when you can't go in for chemotherapy or a hip replacement because it's too dangerous for fear of a deadly infection. this is sareport, a warning from the world health organization that antibiotic resist nls could mean the end of modern medicine. it's made us dangerously prone to all sorts of infections, staph infections known as mrsa, e. coli, tuberculosis, hiv, this is the tip of the iceberg, and the concern is this list is growing day by day. >> absent the invention of a new group of medicines, what are we to do? >> the pipeline is drew because there's not a lot of money. there's more money in alzheimer's and cholesterol. what to do?

only take medication when you need it. skip it for the common cold. use it as directed by the doctor, for every day you're supposed to, watch out, and avoid them in food. they probably don't belong in chicken and meat as we have, and watch out for counterfeit medications. it's physician, industry, and patient lining up. >> a clear and present danger. thanks. >> if you watch any tv at all, you have seen patrick cox, the guy with the beard on the commercial that airs all day every day especially on cable. his company, tax master, has just filed for bankruptcy protection in houston after a league challenge from state prosecutors who say the commercials are misleading for consumers. up next here tonight, is it possible we're going to be allowed to leave a few things on during taxi takeoff and landing? [ male announcer ] every day thousands of people are choosing advil®. here's one story.

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william charette has died. he was a recipient of the medal of honor for his actions in the korean war. it's described as indominable courage. he used his body to shield a fellow marine from an incoming mortar. he remeeved his flak jacket to cover another man, and removed his shirt to make bandages for yet another. he went on to spend 25 more years in the service. he was given the towering honor of selecting the unknown soldier from the tomb of the unzones. he was 79. his death now lives 81 living recipients of the medal of honor. >> there was a reason that president bush 43 gave the medal of honor to brian lamb. he changes congress forever.

he's stepping down as ceo after running the place for 33 years. after graduating from purdue, he was in the navy in vietnam, a student journalist, a dj, a musician, a social aide to lbj and the white house and a campaign aide to nixon. he hatched the idea for c-span on his own. he went on the air in 1979. it's now seen in over a100 million households. a new pew survey confirmed texing is the way of communicating between teenagers. voice calls are way down again since the last measurement in '09, and the faa is going to review what we can use and what we have to power down on planes in taxi takeoff and landing. this is partly in response to complaints that people have turn off what they're reading in tablet form, on ereaders. they're going to test for

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choppers in the military. that means even more attention back home for the wildly popular kate middleton. today, she gave her first public speech as a member of the royal family. it was only three minutes long, but it was her own work and everything from the venue to what's she wore was under intense scrutiny. from london, our report. >> the duchess of cambridge, in control of an event all her own. a children's hospice where she chose where she spoke, and to little girls, they adored her. >> so friendly, so approachable. >> then a milestone for the duchess, her first speech. >> thank you for not only accepting me as a patron, thank you also for inviting me here today. >> her voice, a little wavering. >> i'm only sorry that william can't be here today. >> it reminded many of princess

diana's first tentative public address, partly in welsch. and of the queen. it has been extremely rare that we have heard kate's voice at all. now this marks the start of what should be a long career representing and speaking for the royal family on her own. she has taken her place at the queen's side. >> the queen is really taking her under her wing. >> and kate has relaxed. last week, field hockey, teaching prince charles to iron. and laughing with soldiers, one of whom couldn't bear the excitement. people like how normal she seems. a fashion icon who does her own hair and makeup, buys inexpensive clothes, even seconds hand. her dress today, borrowed from mom. kate manages to represent two worlds. and many now speak quietly, have

found a powerful voice in her. michelle kaczynski, nbc news, london. >> that's our broadcast on a monday night. thank you for being here with us as we start off a new week. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. it's oysternomics 101. you start with a u.s. senator named ben. by helping restore thousands of acres of oyster beds, he kept hundreds of oystermen on the job... which keeps wholesalers in business... and that means more delivery companies... making deliveries to more restaurants... which hire more workers. and that means more oystermen. it's like he's out here with us.