tonight on "nightline," silent storm. did navy s.e.a.l.s use a secret weapon to take osama bin laden's compound? exclusive new details emerge. and we go inside the president's decision on whether to release images of the terrorist leader's corpse. american outlaw. he was widely loathed for betraying her. now, a year later, yes, sjesse is starting over. he talks about his new life, his upcoming fourth marriage and where things stand with sandra bullock. and, fortune 500. it's official. corporate america is making a lot of money.

and most of us aren't. so, who are the top grossing companies on the list? and where are they getting their money? >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with terry moran, cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city, this is "nightline," may 4th, 2011. >> good evening, i'm terry moran. president obama today explained his decision not to release photos of osama bin laden's corpse. certainly, there's no doubt among al qaeda members that he is dead, the president told cbs news. the fact of the matter is, you will not see bin laden walking on this earth again. the president is to visit ground zero tomorrow to mark the moment so many americans have waited so long for, and new details emerged today of how that incredible mission was pulled off. here's brian ross. >> reporter:er the ri er thterr president chose to send u.s. navy s.e.a.l.s instead of

bombing it to the compound, so there would be no doubt of the bin lad bin l al qaeda leader. but pictures were deemed too gruesome to show and not in the best interest of the country. there does not seem to be widespread doubt that bin laden is dead. the taliban acknowledged his death in vowing revenge against america. we will attack both u.s. and pakistan, a taliban spokesman said. today, despite the threat, the scene outside the bin laden compound was almost festive, with large crowds milling about, amazed their neighbor was the world's most wanted man. officials told abc news that while he was here, bin laden dyed his beard to cover the gray and was found with the equivalent of $800 sewed into his clothes. and two american phoemergency p. his discovery in this city was a

reminder of just how far off earlier u.s. intelligence estimates were about his location. >> if we could find the cave he's in, i promise you he would be brought to justice. wherever he's hiding. >> this is the heart of it. this is where bin laden is. >> he is, as is obvious, in very deep hiding. he's in an area of the tribal areas in pakistan. he's obviously got tremendous security around him. >> reporter: in fact, not only was he in a suburb of the pakistani capital, bin laden had very little security, other than his son and the two couriers who also lived in the compound. today, reuters distributed graphic pictures said showed those three men dead. too graphic to be broadcast in their entirety. and new details made it clear that those men and bin laden may have never seen or heard it coming sunday night. now we know why the s.e.a.l.s last act in the compound was to blow up the damaged helicopter,

leaving behind a huge fire. aviation analysts told abc news today that the remnants of the aircraft reveal they were part of one of the u.s. military's most closely guarded secrets. a stealth blackhawk helicopter, whose existence was only rumored, and had never been seen in public before. >> this is the first time that we've seen operational stealth helicopter. >> reporter: the analysts say photos that emerged on the internet reveal this was no ordinary helicopter. >> one of the things that really stands out is, they have a little disc over the rotor, which is designed to baffle the sound and to deny radar signature. >> reporter: neighbors in abbottabad told abc news they did not hear the helicopters sunday night until they were directly overhead. this is what a standard blackhawk helicopter sounds like. this is the sound of an earlier experimental version of a stealth helicopter. >> it would be a vague sound. it might be the sound of a

helicopter that was going in the opposite direction. >> reporter: one key to the chopper's stealth nature is a secret, heavily coded fabric-lick material, which children in the neighborhood could be seen collecting. >> probably people in the pentagon tonight who are very concerned that peemss of the helicopter may be, even now, on their way to china, because we know china is trying to make stealth aircraft. >> reporter: the chinese military has a close relationship with pakistan. and the remaining large pieces of the secret u.s. helicopter, some hidden under a tarp, were trucked away by pakistani officials to an unknown destination. residents there also told abc news that just before the helicopters arrived, all electricity and cell phone service was knocked out. then came back right after the choppers left. senior pentagon official said today he would absolutely not comment on our report, terry. >> all the highest tools, best capacities used in that mission. thanks, brian, for that report. well, just ahead, we're going to turn to entertainment,

and a man who felt like the whole world was against him, jesse james, talks about sandra bullock and starting over. but when you're driving the new 2011 jeep compass, that gives you up to 29 mpg, you can take all the time you need to figure it out. ♪ the 2011 jeep compass. the evolution of a legendary bloodline. well-qualified lessees can get a 2011 jeep compass sport 4x2 for $239 a month.

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>> a year ago, he was the most hated man in america. for having cheated on america's sweetheart. oscar winner sandra bullock. now, jesse james is turning the corner in his life. he's living in texas and raising his three children and he's got a new love. he last spoke with vicki mabrey a year ago. here she is now with our report today. >> reporter: he's the former star of "monster garage." >> we can't outtrick ourselves. >> reporter: but he's probably better known as the husband who cheated on the megafamous, megaloved sandra bullock. exposed just after she had won the oscar for her role in "the blind side." >> i love you so much. and you're really hot. >> reporter: it was a heavy blow. the man who accompanied her down the red carpet betrayed her. at the time, he seemed like the most hated man in america. stalked incessantly by paparazzi in long beach, california, where he lived with his three children.

he fled to a rehab facility for a month where he says he dealt with childhood and anger management issues. now, a year later, he has a new life and a new love, kat von d, a friend for many years, who shares his passion for tattoos as star of tlc's "l.a. ink." was it too soon to fall in love? was it too soon to start sending out the tweets? people were still saying, you should still be feeling bad about sandra. >> you know what, people are so quick to judge, but all those people are probably having affairs with their neighbors and they've all got a skeleton in their closet that they would never want exposed on a global level. >> reporter: do you think it was hurtful at all to sandra that you moved on so quickly? >> i can't worry about her anymore, you know? i think i've spent a good chunk of the last five or six years worrying only about her and what she thinks and what i should do and, like, you know, controlling

all my movements and everything else and i don't think -- i think it's time to worry about jesse and making sure jesse's happy. >> reporter: after rehab, he shut down his business, packed up and started a new life in austin, texas. so, this is the new place. >> yep. this is it. >> reporter: 15 acres in the texas hill country, complete with ponds, streams and tranquility. so, what does this do for you to get out here with all this open space, fresh start -- >> well, what's it do for you? >> reporter: i'm feeling very zen. >> yeah, that's what i need. like, perfect, just where i can finally breathe. >> reporter: and how has it been for the kids, the family? >> man, it's like a whole new relationship with all of them. i don't know. i think for the first time in their lives, they can depend on me to be there and i think the life here is better, you know,

for a family. >> reporter: he told us it's not the complete blended family he'd hoped for. sandra bullock also has a home in austin, but the two don't speak anymore. you moved to austin, which was kind of her hide away. is that a problem for her that you sort of insaided her space? >> i don't really know if it's a problem for her or was a problem for her. i can't -- i don't want to try to second guess what she thinks or something like that. i mean, i know why i moved. i moved initially so the kids could keep a relationship and i could kind of keep a relationship with louie and then whatever else happened besides that, but i mostly moved to, for me. >> reporter: louie is the baby that bullock and james were adopting when the scandal broke. she later adopted him by herself. does sunny get to see sandra? do you get to see louie? >> no. i've never seen louie since everything happened, so -- a year. >> reporter: and sunny hasn't

seen -- >> seen her a couple of times but that's it. pretty much no contact at all for several months. >> reporter: so, it was here in austin that jesse james started to write about her painful journey. his tough, early life in long beach. his three marriages. about how a welder became one of the most famous names, first in the world of motorcycles, then in hollywood. his new memoir is titled "american outlaw." >> i'm a firm believer that everything in life comes good or bad to teach us some kind of lesson. a marriage ending. all this crazy stuff. that was, like, a lesson to work on myself and fix what's wrong with me. >> reporter: he told us that these days, life is simple. he's a full-time dad. spends his days learning blacksmithing. he's also co-owner of the austin speed shop, restoring vintage cars, mentoring young mechanics. you can't do it with the bearing press here? >> reporter: this is like you

getting back to the old days. don't need billions of dollars and i don't need, you know, licensing deals and all this other stuff. all i need is my welding helmet, a box full of welding rod and something to make and i'm, like, in heaven. >> reporter: he says he plans to marry kat von d this summer. >> she's like 100% the first woman that i've ever trusted. >> reporter: are you going to be faithful? do you think you can? >> yes, yes. >> reporter: is that the new jesse, the old jesse? >> that's definitely the new jesse. >> reporter: you feel like, as the bible says, you are evenly yolks? >> 100%. i met my match with her. >> reporter: and what about that book? that supposed tell-all? what are you telling people in the book? and i have to say, people -- i don't want to give it away, but people who are looking for a lot of dirt, it's not the right book for them, is it? >> those people can [ bleep ] off. i mean -- i don't think they're

going to be happy. >> reporter: yes, he's still unabashedly jesse james, but he's more mellow. maybe he's a man at peace. >> i need to come out of the shadows and regain what i do best and, you know, just because i cheated on my wife and got busted for it, and it became a whole media [ bleep ] storm, it doesn't mean that i'm not valuableme valuable. i'm sorry it happened, but i forgive myself and now i can move on. >> reporter: this is vicki mabrey for "nightline" in austin, texas. >> "american outlaw" is on sale now. thanks to vicky for that. next up, well, the recession might not be over for everyone, but corporate profits are up 81% this year. we've got the fortune 500 list of who is getting rich and how. don't know what to give her this mother's day?

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president obama's overall popularity is up, but approval of the president's handling of the economy is stagnant at just 40%, according to a new poll. $4 gas doesn't help, for sure, but one sector of america has to be pleased with the way the economy is going. corporate america. here's john berman. >> reporter: the 500 biggest, baddest, top earning companies in america. the fortune 500. fortune, of course, is a magazine. but if it were a 19th century novel, it might be "a tale of two cities," because, yes, the headline from the 500 this year, it was the best of times, it was

the worst of times. >> it's the best of times for american big business, profits were up over 80% for america's 500 largest companies. >> reporter: if you are keeping score at home, an 81% jump in profits, that's a lot. the third biggest since fortune started counting. >> business is picking up again and they are minting money right now. >> reporter: so, strike up the band, right? well, hold off on that for a second. because that's where the whole worst of times thing comes in. >> basically big business is making a lot of money right now by making individuals, by making employees work that much harder. >> reporter: there's a word for that, called productivity. some might say a four-letter word. businesses are making more because they're getting more from us. and they're not really hiring yet. 24 million americans are still unemployed or underemployed. it kind of makes you feel like another dickens character, oliver twist, dying to ask this question. >> please sir, i want some more.

>> what? >> what? >> what? >> reporter: no, not yet, but hopefully soon. now, if the fortune 500 were a heavy metal song, it would be ac/dc's -- ♪ back in black >> reporter: because, after number one walmart, the next three on the list, back in black. black gold, that is. >> perhaps the least surprising names on this list in the top ten are the oil companies. oil companies make a lot of money, they make money selling gasoline to americans and we can't get enough of it. >> reporter: con know con phillips profits were up 133%. and, if you are keeping score at home, that's a lot. and guess what? it doesn't even include the recent spike in gas prices. >> what you're suggesting is that the numbers could be even higher next year and you're right. >> reporter: now, if the fortune 500 were a film, it would be "love story."

at least for apple. up 21 places to 35 this year, with a 145% jump in profits. >> apple continues to streak. no big company on the list has the performance of apple. >> reporter: finally, if the fortune 500 were a horror film, it might be "return of the living dead." despite the real estate crisis, two home build earls on are the list, and general motors at number eight, and aig, number 17. the huge beneficiaries of taxpayer bailouts. come to think about it, even if jobs are hard to come by now, with gm and aig on the list, you might say, we all made the fortune 500 this year. i'm john berman for "nightline" in new york. >> back in black. the complete fortune 500 list will be revealed online tomorrow morning. thanks to john for that. hope you watch