john hendren, abc news. >>> news now from around the nation. tragedy in arlington texas. a man who was at a texas rangers game with his son died after falling from the stand while trying to catch a baseball tossed from rangers left fielder josh hamilton. that man fell 20 feet headfirst landing just beyond the left field wall. >> i don't think as any of us would be, josh is very distraught over this. as the entire team is. >> well, last july at rangers ball park a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck. he was trying to catch a foul ball. he suffered a fracture skull and nolan ryan says it's too willy to talk about changes that might be made at the ball park because of the two accidents. >>> a deadly plane crash inwatsonville, california. it crashed into the hospital unoccupied office building and burst into flames. two people were on board and they were killed. the officials say the plane had taken off from a nearby airport. there's no word on what caused that crash in the first place. >>> a dangerous situation a fuel line broke out on an truck igniting a fire that trapped

john hendren, abc news. >>> an oklahoma woman started online not create caylee's law there. are nearly 200,000 signatures. that petition exist on change.org calling for a federal lawmaking it a felony nor a parent or caretaker not to report the death of a child or report a child's disappearance. we want to know what you think about this. go to the facebook fan page or get there through abc2news.com and back to facebook and leave your thoughts on this possible law. >>> 5:34. making news around the nation this morning. in georgia a. controversially -- controversy over displaying stars and stripes. disabled war veteran david bone says he was told to take down the united states flag because of rules at his apartment complex in augusta. >> i said this is where we served in wars to have that right freedom of speech. that's why i am a american citizen don't live in cuba this is not russia or china. >> he also says property managers refused to let him put up a flag shaped welcome sign and a patriotic sticker on his own car. bones says he received an eviction notice from property man

it happened yesterday in grand rapids michigan on the western side of the statement john hendren has more. >> reporter: a deadly shooting rampage, a police stand off and high-speed chase puts a michigan city on edge. seven people shot and killed. then the suspect got himself in the middle of a drama in grand rapid. >> while our negotiators were talking to him trying to give him instructions as to how he can turn himself in, we heard agunshot and it turned out to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. >> reporter: 34-year-old roderick danceler shot 9 people killing 7 at two different houses and led police on a high- speed chase through downtown grand rapid. four people were found dead in one home, three victims killed in another house in another neighborhood. two victims were children. >> we believe one was his daughter. one was an ex-girlfriend and the other one was an ex- girlfriend. >> reporter: the ordeal began when he opened fire in two grand rapid homes late thursday afternoon. as local and michigan state police gathered evidence, neighbors and eyewitnesses expressed the

john hendren is joining us with new details on this. john, just an incredible story. >> reporter: it is, peggy. good morning. the fishing vessel is called "the eriri" it was built in holland, so it had stabilizers to handle the north sea but no match for what's being described as a freak storm. the american tourists got their most chilling wake-up call ever. >> passengers were awaken by other passengers and crew members and alerted that the ship was sinking. >> reporter: survivor charles gibson said it happened in the dead of night while most were sound asleep. >> extremely large winds and wawar contributed to the dangerous conditions most likely causing the ship to take on water and sink. passengers were in the water for over 16 hours. >> reporter: the boat left san felipe on saturday for a seven-day fishing trip, but early sunday morning 60 miles south of san felipe it hit a flash storm off the baja peninsula. the navy says two giant waves struck the boat capsizing g . at 2:30 monday morning, the vessel sank. michael ing was one of two

. >> so now thanksgiving could be released froroprison as soon as tomorrow, and john hendren is joining us live this morning with more details on this closely watched case. john. >> reporter: good morning, daniel and peggy. casey anthony could still do time for lying to police, but on all the major charges she was completely vindicated. a nation transfixed by the trial was left stunned by the verdict. >> as to the charge of first degree murder, we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty. >> reporter: not guilty of murder, manslaughter or child abuse. for the defense there was relief. >> casey did not murder caylee. it's that simple, and today our system of justice has not dishonored her memory by a false conviction. >> reporter: there was also champagne for casey facing just four convictions for lying to police and a sentence of up to a year in prison, nearly h hysterical joy that it's over. >> she could confess in the future. she could say i did it in a year from now and it would still be over. >> reporter: for her family her father and brother accused of sexually molesting and her mo

john hendren is joining us now from washington with the latest. morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, peggy. good morning, dani. jurors tell abc news with no cause of death, no murder weapon and no motive, there was just something missing from the prosecutor's case. casey anthony's lawyer says the first verdict was the sweetest. >> really the happiest moment came after the first not guilty because i knew i had saved her life. >> reporter: but in another exclusive interview with abc news, juror number three says the case does not remove all suspicion. >> not guilty doesn't mean innocent. it doesn't mean innocent. >> reporter: jennifer ford says there were too many unanswered questions. question number one, how did little caylee die? >> how can you punish someone for something if you don't know what they did? >> reporter: in the 31 days casey waited to report her daughter missing, why? >> it looks very bad. the behavior is bad but bad behavior is not enough to prove a crime. >> reporter: in the end this single nursing student says prosecutors fa

john hendren, abc news, washington. >>> new developments in the other tense talking.ld this finally be the day that the nfl's lockout comes to an end? the owners have already approved a new tentative ten-year deal, but the players have not signed off on that agreement just yet, and their union chief says there's no final agreement. if they approve it, team facilities would open tomorrow. one game that was already canceled, and that's the hall of fame game, which traditionalall opens the preseason. >>> upstate new york, another tour bus crash overnight. we are still getting information on this, but we know that a bus full of people was rear ended by a tractor trailer. as many as 20 ambulances and 4 medical choppers were sent to the scene. we'll keep tracking the story. >>> in suburban chicagagtwo women are dead after an accident involving a commuter train and a car. investigators in oak forest say that the victims were in that was draggar that was dragged about a quarter of a mile after the crash. the front of the commuter train derailed. none of the passengers were se

. >> don't you love these john hendren tours?for the whole press corps, get a bag of doritos, sort of like around here. we sort of eat out of the vending machine every night. >> great for our waistlines. all right. >>> but first, casey anthony could be just hours away from freedom. she's expected to be released from jail later today after being sentenced on four minor charges. people lined up outside the courtroom to grab tickets to see the hearing firsthand. >> isn't that hard to believe? now one of the jurors who voted to acquit anthony of murder is now speaking out. diana alvear is joining us from orlando this morning with more. diana? >> reporter: peggy and daniel, good morning. this is what the nation has been waiting for. a look into the deliberations of those 12 jurors who decided to acquit casey anthony of murder. and one tells abc news their decision was not easy. not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child. jurors acquitted casey anthony of the most serious charges against her. a

abc's john hendren is in washington with details. rning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya. president obama used a primetime address to talk past republican negotiators straight to american voters. >> i'm asking you all to make your voice heard. if you want a balanced approach to reducing e deficit, let your member of congress know. >> reporter: he said the amican people may have voted for divided government but they didn't vote for a dysfunctional government. he blamed republican leaders, who want spending cuts alone. and he warned of catastrophic consequenc if the government defaults on its debt. skyrocketing credit card and mortgage rates. he urged viewers to let members of congress know they want what he calls a balanced approach to cutting the deficit, some spending cuts, some tax increases. >> the o only reason this baland approach isn't on its way to becoming law right now is because a significant number of republicans in congress are insistinon a different approach. a cuts-only approach. >> reporter: boehner struc

reporting live in washington, for abc 7 news, i'm john hendren, back to you. >> if an agreement is not reached, experts say the economy sat risk of slipping into another recession. defaults pressure pushing up mortgage rates, and that worries people here in the bay area. >> if rates increase this may put some of us not being able to meet mortgage payments again. >> i think borrowing rates goring to be higher for everybody in the end. i think it will probably worsen the image of the united states and the rest of the world. >> for now, fed is keeping short term rates near zero without an agreement, the government won't have enough money to pay all bills after tuesday. and on wednesday, bond holders and social security and medicare recipients are the most likely to get paid. possible losers, federal workers and jobs that are deemed to be nonessential such as private contractors and local governments. and if you're living on the edge financially, surviving on unemployment, your checks could stop and that is just the beginning of the bad news. our capitol correspondent joins us live to expl

john hendren has more details. >> reporter: good morning. after several shootings police had hope the standoff without another death. the gunman went from talking surrender to asking police to shoot him. in the end he shot himself. the deadly shooting rampage, a police standoff and a high speed chase put a city on edge. seven people were shot and killed. then the suspect got himself in the middle of a tragic drama in grand rapids. >> our negotiators were talking to him, trying to give him instructions as to how he could go about turning himself in and surrender. but we heard a gunshot and turned out to be self-inflicted. >> reporter: roderick shonte dantzler led police on a high-speed chase. four were fnd dead in one home. three were killed in another house in another neighborhood. two victims were children. >> we believe one was his daughter. one was an ex-girlfriend. the other one was an ex-girlfriend. >> repororr: the ordeal began when he opened fire in two grand rapids homes late thursday afternoon. as local and michigan state police gat

one passenger died and john hendren has the details. >> reporter: the american tourists got their mostwake nd by other passengers and crew members and alerted that the ship was sinking. >> reporter: survivor charles gibson ace it happened -- says it happened in the dead of night. >> large winds and water contributed to the dangerous conditions most likely caused the ship to take on water and sink passengers were in the water for over 16 hours. >> reporter: the boat left san fellipe on saturday for 57-day fishing trip but sunday morning about 60 miles south of san flee pi it -- san fellipe it hit a storm. two waves struck the boat capsizing it. at 2:30 monday morning, the vessel sank. michael was one of two dozen americans on board and he swam to safety clinging to a cooler. >> they had life jackets on and they did have time to put on life jackets. so, that's a good thing. and he is a strong swimmer. so i am glad. >> reporter: 44 passengers and crew were on board. 27 of them americans. when the boat flipped over and sank in the storm. at least one american is dead and several others mis

abc's john hendren explains exactly what happened. tanya. the vote was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. then came the notes from the republican leadership sounding like a pilot saying stand by. after that, inevitably, came the cancelation. the votes simply weren't there. in the end, house speaker john boehner could not rally his troops. >> the bill's not perfect. i never said it was perfect, nobody in my caucus believes it's perfect. but what this bill reflects is a sincere, honest effort to end this crisis. >> reporter: some tea partyers like presidential candidate michele bachmann did not go along. >> i cannot, i am committed to not raising the debt ceiling. >> reporter: after hours of delays while boehner sought to round up votes, members of congress still could not resolve the issue. the measure never r d a chance in the senate. all 53 democrats signed a letter to boehner saying they would vote against it. >> republicans cannot get the short-term band-aid they will vote on in the house today. they will not get one democratic vote in the se

john hendren, abc news. >> and even though the verdict came in yesterday, likely we will be talking about this story for a while. so many of you reacting talking to your neighbors and coworkers about the verdict and sounding off on our facebook fan page at the wment mar facebook -- wmar facebook fan page comments have been pouring in i can't believe the ruling. emma sis the -- emma sis the jury is not at fault -- emma says the jury is not at fault. the comments keep coming n one person said where could they find the 12 dumb peoplep we want to know what you -- people. we want to know what you think. findous-abc2news.com -- find us on abc2news.com. the story that we will be talking about for a while right? >> absolutely right. it's #:35. and -- 4:35 and whether you followed every second of the trial or hung around for the verdict, few of you would have predicted not guilty. the only conviction she receivedwas lying to police four counts of that. for additional insight we spoke with byron who says it's not always about the truth in the matters. it's about due process of law. >> we would rath

john hendren, abc news, the white house. >> they have snacks?ve a well out back where we go get our water. >> that's right. it sort of takes the shine off the diamond. >> a little, kind of. >> he said the scenes there. not a lot of the eating going on there except for the vending machines. that is a bit of a buzz kill. >>> when we return a seagull takes off with a photographer's camera. >> wait until you see this birdseye view. or this tiger's nose. what a wild sight. you're watching "world news now." >>> i beat you to it. it's our favorite story of the day. we're talking about animals with cameras. >> that's right. you'll be amazed at what kind of pictures animals can take when one gets his hands, paws or claws on a camera. here's abc's john berman. >> reporter: a offly evening -- lovely evening tableau in cannes, france when -- here comes a seagull! he's taking the camera? up and up and up he goes for, yes, a birdseye view of the city. it must be said it's a bird with a nice eye for detail and nice legs. more outstanding critter camera work. t

ab's john hendren is in washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya.ed debt negotiators for compromise, they seem farther apart than ever. and americans are angry. americans are answering president obama's call to make their voices heard. they crashed the websites of house speaker john boehner, senate republican leader mitch mcconnell and others. they clogged capitol phones, saying the deadlock on the nation's debt is not acceptable. >> we're in the thousands here where the staff is besieged. >> reporter: and they lined up outside the offices of congressmen, like florida republican jeff miller. >> i think it's irrelevant whether they come up with it tuesday or not. i think it's a farce that it's gone on so long. >> reporter: it's not just ordinary americans who are worried. >> to have a default would be very, very, very, very serious event. not for the united states alone. but for the global economy at large. >> reporter: still, after the president called for compromise, the two sides seem further apart than ever. there is a house plan with dwindling c

abc's john hendren has the latest. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya.en cracking the whip. he told fellow republicans in a closed-door meeting, including wavering tea party freshmen, to get in line behind his debt plan. it seems to be working. some walked out saying they would now support that plan. >> i've moved from lean no to undecided to lean yes. >> i'll be voting yes. >> reporter: elsewhere on capitol hill, credit rating agencies warned they will downgrade the nation's credit without a deal that cuts the debt. >> there has to be a credible plan to reducecehe debt burden, as well as reduce the deficit level. >> reporter: boehner's plan to increase the debt limit for half a year has until now failed to garner the support of tea party conservatives in his own party. the congressional budget office says it saves $917 billion, far less than the $1.2 trillion he originally advertised. it has little chance of support in the senate or the white house. >> it underscores their desire to hurt people. >> reporter: senate majority leader harry reid's plan cuts

john hendren looks at the doomsday scenario. >> reporter: if the debt talks fail, the government willn less than three weeks. >> we're running out of time. and the eyes of the country are on us and the eyes of the world are on us. >> reporter: next month the government will take in $172 billion in taxes. but it will owe $307 billion. after paying the interest on the debt, the government could pay for social security, medicare, medicaid, troop salaries and veterans' benefits, homeland security, unemployment insurance, tax refunds, education, and the faa. but that means it could not fund the centers for disease control, food stamps, aid for needy families, federal housing, energy and highway programs, the fbi, and much more. as the clock winds down on the nation's credit, a war of words is boiling over. >> if they bring this economy down, they've broken it and they own it. >> republicans will not be reduced to being the tax collececrs for the obama economy. >> reporter: democrats have found their villain. >> house majority leader eric cantor has shown he shouldn't even be at the table.

abc's john hendren reports from the nation's capital. >> reporter: this is a portrait of gridlock.ocrats and charts and news conferences say they're giving republican what's they want. >> we have moved in their direction so many different times. and they don't budge. >> all republicans have to do is say yes. >> republicans who are now seeking saichl-month temporary increase in the credit limit say the president won't move. >> i would suggest that the president reconsider their offer, rather than veto the country into default. >> reporter: the president says this. >> this is a sitting where compromise is becoming a dirty word. where there is more political upside is doing what is easier for reelection. what is easier for an attack ad than what is best for the country. >> reporter: republicans want a bill deel to cut spending by a dwrinl dollars and that would only allow the government to pay bills through early next year. >> we believe it's axd responsible plan that meets our obligations to american people and preserves full faith and credit of the united states government. >> repor

john hendren, abc news, the pentagon. >> by the way, not so secret after all. they do give tours.tour every year. i think i want to sign up. >> i would love to do that because it's really one of the super-secret places. now we had the inside peek. >> we'll be right back. e peek. >> we'll be right back. >>> welcome back. there is a new extreme underwater pastime, it's called free-diving and it's making quite a splash. >> it's part blood sport, part zen, and something like snorkeling on steroids. abc's matt gutman took the plunge. >> reporter: they go places humans shouldn't go. 60 feet under water, no oxygen. it's man at the speed of shark. meet the first generation of human torpedos, hurtling through the subaquatic race course, clinging to these three-foot, 50-pound scooters. >> it's basically where free-diving meets formula one meets "top gun." >> three, two, one, go! >> reporter: this new sport takes free-diving -- diving as deep as you can on one breath -- and turbo-charges it. kirk crock, a free-diving guru and the sport's founder, calls it formula three free-diving. you're ta

john hendren has details now from washington. ohn. >> reporter: good morning, daniel and p >> reporter: good morning, daniel and p wanted a big debt deal. now he still wants aise nation's debt limit. he just doesn't want any credit for it. call it plan "b." >> this is, again, not my first choice. >> reporter: mitch mcconnell calls a last-choice option. it's a kind of doomsday scenario that raises the nation's credit limit before we run out of money on august 2nd, without republicans having to vote for it. >> i would advocate that we pass legislation giving the president the authority, the authority, to request of us an increase in the debt ceiling that would take us past the end of his term. >> reporter: it works like this. congress would pass a bill giving the president the authority to ask for $2.5 trillion in debt limit increases between now and 2013. congress would then pass a bill disapproving it, allowing the president to veto that and get the extension. that, after president obama expressed newfound pessimism in an intervie

abc's john hendren has the very latest. ns are getting downright angry with washington over the debt crisis. president obama says there's now reason to hope it could all be over. across the nation, voters are fed up with all sides in the debt crisis. >> they need to get off the dime. >> we've had enough and we want you to work together. >> get it done for god's sake. >> reporter: now, at last, there may be hope for an 11th hour break in the impasse. >> i think we now are seeing the potential for a bipartisan consensus. >> reporter: a bipartisan group of senators -- the gang of six -- has crafted a plan that would include cuts to entitlements, medicare, medicaid, and social security, and close tax loopholes. >> my hope is that we can start gathering everybody over the next couple of days to choose a clear direction and to get this issue resolved. >> reporter: on wall street, stocks rallied within minutes as investors seized on the newfound hope of an agreement that would raise the nation's credit limit before the government r

abc's john hendren has the latest now. , john. >> reporter: good morning, daniel and peggy. those debt talks continue by the day. but now there is a new and urgent incentive to come to a deal. the nation has been put on warning. moody's credit rating service warned that if the united states fails to make substantial progress on raising the nation's credit limit by mid-july it would downgrade the country's debt. even if the debt ceiling is raised, moody's went on, it would downgrade the nation's credit unless the deal puts future borrowing and spending on a more sustainable path. that after an impasse in debt negotiations seemed to grow worse. >> if these debt negotiations have convinced of us anything, it's that we can't leave it to politicians in washington to make the difficult decisions they need to get our fiscal house in order. >> reporter: an ironic statement from a politician in washington. fed chairman ben bernanke warned that failing to raise the debt ceiling before the government runs out of money on august 2nd wo

abc's john hendren is followinin those developments. er: good morning, daniel and peggy. to go big or not to go big? that is the question when it comes to raising the nation's debt limit. and after another meeting at the white house, the president and congress appear no closer to a deal. if the president and congress fail to agree to raise the nation's debt limit, the forecasts sound almost apocalyptic. >> stock prices are going to fall, bond prices are going to fall, you're going to notice that when you logon to your 401(k) or check y yr retirement or college savings account. >> reporter: already family businesses like the feinbergs' bathroom fixtures company in ft. lauderdale, florida, have taken down the help wanted sign, waiting to hear if the u.s. government becomes a deadbeat. >>>>e want to hire employees. we want to grow our business. we want to spend money doing advertising. so it's just difficult. >> reporter: a new u.s. chamber of commerce survey says two-thirds of america's small businesses have no plans to hire in the coming

abc's john hendren is following the latest developments. . >> reporter: good morning, rob and peggy. it is another day that begins without an agreement on the nation's credit limit. but president obama says it could be different. president obama says if washington were more civil, crises like the debt debacle on capitol hill would be rarer. >> i do think that the slash and burn, take no prisoners, no compromise no matter what approach to politics is one of the reasons why congress has such a difficult time getting things done. >> reporter: in anannterview with abc's los angeles affiliate kabc, president obama says he still has hopes for changing the tone in the capital. >> the way we run campaigns these days, the language that's used, the demonization of the other side, i think that has broken down some of that trust here in washington. but the american people expect us to rebuild it. >> reporter: that message doesn't seem to have reached capitol hill where tempers, especially democratic tempers, are flaring. >> america no longer has a two-p

abc's john hendren has the latest on that. gust 2nd deadline is approaching fast and there is still no break in those debt talks. but that hasn't stopped either side from looking for what they're calling the big deal. after another day of debt talks and no deal, the market sent an unmistakable message. >> 3.5 million for sale -- >> reporter: stocks tumbled nearly 100 points, setting off a modern-day gold rush. >> listen to that. that's the sound of security. >> reporter: gold is a safe haven in bad times. >> the same concept of taking momoy out of the market and putting it under your mattress. investors are taking the money out of the market and putting it straight into gold. >> reporter: earlier this year the university of texas even put $1 billion of its endowment into gold, literally storing more than 6,000 gold bars in a vault. still, president obama is hopeful. >> we're making progress. >> reporter: he's still holding out for a big deal with $4 trillion in spending cuts. >> the president still believes that we should push