jones, jim francis contacted the local courthouses and pulled the actual records. he found all those convictions belonged to another man in upstate new york with the same first and last name and birthday. but all the records showed this man had a differenmiddle initial, "m." he also had completely different home addresses. >> there was plenty of information available in the actual public record that would have been able to prove that he was not the person who was the subject of these criminal records, but they didn't get these records. >> reporter: there is no central government database that contains criminal history information from the thousands of local jurisdictions across the u.s., and francis says the massive databases background screeners compile themselves or get from outside data brokers can be incomplete and out of date. >> you have to see that if there's some information that doesn't match, if there are multiple fields that don't match, you have to ask more questions. >> reporter: maneesha mithal is the associate director of the division of privacy and

because pope francis, like jesus, loves, like jim. he understood jim's heart. in deep grief himself and, yet, he reached out. well, that was -- so that touched us very deeply. very deeply. we are so grateful for the prayer of so many people all over the world. >> are -- >> jim's strength. >> are you all going to be speaking in the future? personally, i don't think now is the time to ask you these questions. i know a lot of people want to and we don't just -- don't think now is the time. but are you guys going to be speaking out in the future about what david whoad was on our show yesterday. he said jim was let down by america and europe. they really need to get their act together on negotiating with these terrorists. is that something that you're going to want to do to bring this out to the light of day, or are you going to just remain silent about it? >> no, we are not going to remain silent but we have to understand it is a very difficult issue. david is a good friend of ours and of jimmy's and he raises the appropriate points. we are also going to want to sp

huge comfort, because pope francis, like jesus, loves, like jim. he understood jim's heart. >> isis is now threatening to execute a second miami journalist, he has been held for a year now, he was kidnapped last august. our coverage continues at 5:30. striking back are the margins in this conflict about to be widened? nightly news with brian williams goes in depth. >>> we now know the names of the men found dead in two neighboring backyards in mill valley. the coroner's office identified them as theodore rodin and andreas creeedon. the marin county sheriffs authorities believe the deaths were a murder-suicide, but they are still investigating. they found a rifle next to one man. neighbors say they heard gunshots, but realized it was gunfire. >>> there were some scary things that happened that i thought i dreamt. >> that south bay woman had a unique life and death and life experience. i'm robert handa live in san jose. hear her story of coming back from the dead up next. >>> also, step aside, sonoma and napa, we have details on the new wine trail be

because pope francis, like jesus loves, like jim. he understood jim's heart. >> there may be more sadness coming, though. isis is now threatening to kill another american journalist. steven sotloff. >>> a criminal caper with a strange twist. a california couple. >>> thinking about skipping the drive through wine country? >>> a south bay woman shows a strong heart in overcoming death. hear her story of life and death and life again. >>> there were some very scary things that happened that i thought i dreamt. >> but this was no dream. it was all very real. this woman died and doctors say was brought back to life. we begin at 6:30 with a story you'll only see here on nbc bay area. it's a story only she can tell. a morgan hill woman and her doctors say she was brought back to life after leaving this world. the. >> robert honda is live in san jose to tell us more about her unusual journey, and i bet she plans on not letting this happen again. >> reporter: it is an experience many of us have wondered about, what it's like on the other side

huge comfort because pope francis, like jesus, loves like jim. he understood jim's heart. >> reporter: they're talking about the last email they received from isis terrorists threatening to execute foley. >> i actually hoped we could engage in negotiations with them. >> reporter: u.s. officials say the execution reveals just how brutal isis is. >> they are an imminent threat to every interest we have whether it's in iraq or anywhere else. >> reporter: with u.s. air support iraqis are gaining background, but america's top general insists it will take more than bombs to crush isis. >> this is an organization that has an apocalyptic end of days strategic vision which will eventually have to be defeated. >> reporter: isis is threatening to execute a second american journalist, miami-based writer steven sotloff and call in for attacks on other american targets. it's a fight the obama white house doesn't want, but can't ignore. president obama promises no combat boots on the ground. the state department is now requesting 300 additional american militar

jim donovan. >>> well, something unusual for pope francis on his trip to south korea. he actually skipped evening prayers, while running late during one of his events. now, the pontiff had a very busy day, though, he celebrated mass before hundreds of thousands of people in saul. vatican spokesperson said he was behind schedule because he stopped to personally greet and bless around 60 disable children and elderly residents at a local community. >>> here at homes, south jersey priest is the latest to except the ice bucket challenge. father joseph daniel is the pastor of holy child parish in runnemede camden county. and as you just saw there, he got soak for a very good cause. the ice bucket challenge, raises awareness and money to help fight als. father daniel is challenging eagles quarterback, nick foles now. and the rules, if you didn't know, they're simple. except this challenge or donate $100 to the als association. >> and the time right now, 8:17, 8:18. carol, i'm not sure if you have been challenged, but it is going viral on line. >> no, i'm ready to write a chec

both francis start of a five-day visit to south korea on thursday. he began his jim by urging north and south korea to engage in dialogue to in the decade-long conflict. >> you have goals. thousands of people turned out for him friday to hear the pope for the first time on his trip. soft. has a rapidly growing catholic minority. >> russian armored personnel hit the order. images taken earlier report of the show a russian military column crossing in at the stream. a check lane by separatist. kiev confirmed them. they said they had detected and areas.ed some of the >> we monitor the column. >> meanwhile the convoy remains detained at the ukrainian border. the red cross said it was awaiting instructions on how to proceed. european foreign ministers are formulating a response to the crisis and a wrong. the back the decision by individual countries like britain and france to arm figh ters. >> it'll show the commitment of european countries of pushing back to the threat of civilization. meeting he said he would travel to assess the situation. >> i have said this very openl

because pope francis, like jesus loves, like jim. he understood jim's heart. >> reporter: they're also talking about the last e-mail they received from isis terrorists threatening to execute foley. >> i actually hoped we could engage in negotiations with them. >> reporter: u.s. officials say the execution reveals just how brutal isis is. >> they are an imminent threat to the every interest we have, whether it's in iraq or anywhere else. >> reporter: with u.s. air support, iraqis are gaining background, but america's top general insists it will take more than bombs to crush isis. >> this is an organization that has an apock lip tick vision and it'll have to be defeated. >> reporter: i.c.e. sis threatening to execute a second american journal itself, steven sotloff, and calling for attacks on other american targets. it's a fight the obama white house doesn't want, but can't ignore. president obama still promises no u.s. combat troops on the ground, but the state department is requesting 300 additional troops to guard u.s. facilities th

jim for all the joy he gave us. he was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person. >> pope francis thanks people for prayers today after three members of his family died if a scar accident in -- in a car accident. the phone's remarks come a day after the nephew's wife and two children were killed. his nephew suffered serious injuries after the car slammed into the back of a truck. the two boys were eight months and two years old. >>> a nonprofit filed a federal lawsuit claiming san francisco and other pay area cities are unfairly ex jammed from water cut backs to protect endangered species. the group went to the largest agricultural water district in the country saying the water diversions from the river are jeopardizing endangered species. the river and delta have increased saline. they did not answer whether other interests were involved in its organization. >> the state will vote on a deal whether to restore public access at martin's beach. the bill moved through the appropriations committee on party-line vote. party-line vote. they asked the consideration of access to the beach. lobbyives have lobbied a

. >>> and jim foley's parents are receiving an outpouring of support after their son's death, even a phone call from pope francis. you will hear from them live on the "today" show. >>> i'm molette green at the live desk following a developing story. shots fired near virginia state university, the main entrance to the school is closed. we did know one person is in the hospital. and we don't have any other details on the victim. lots of police still on the scene there, we just got this video into the newsroom. the school is about 20 miles south of richmond. police have been working this investigation for about three hours now. no word yet on how this might impact classes just days in to the fall semester. back to you. >>> the corruption trial of bob mcdonnell will begin today with mcdonnell himself on the stand. this is the third day of testimony. he hasn't faced questions from prosecutor so is far. but he did drop a bombshell saying right now he's separated from his wife. >> i just want the full truth to come out and that's the best for me and my family in the short and long term. >> the other part of the bombshe

i want to hear from you, jim sciutto, i will read your responses on the air. question number three, what does pope francis hope to accomplish by sending an envoy to iraq? cardinal fernando filonni set to leave rome tomorrow to help christians and others displaced flee. and can the cardinal make any impact on the go und? question four will israel and hamas stop shooting at each for 72 hours? who thank is the latest agree until theory. three days until negotiators in cairo try to hammer out a longer term deal, acceptable, of course to both sides that will result in something of a lasting peace. all the players are stubborn. israel says no peace talks until rockets stop launching from gaza and hamas says if israel does not show up, they will walk, too. >>> and question number five, what is next for nascar driver, tony stewart? he pulled out of today's race in watkins glen, new york, after he struck and killed a fellow driver during a dirt track race last night. it is under investigation,ly face charges in the days to come? >>> back to question number one now, will brutal isis militants retaliate for u.s. air

washington we have jim lobe he is the washington bureau chief for intra press service and director of a blog on us middle east policy called low blog dot com and in champaign we crossed in francis boyle he is a professor of international law at the university of illinois college of law are gentlemen cross-talk rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want and i very much encourage it robert to go to you first in washington you wrote an article recently obama's true foreign policy weakness what is that weakness. well president obama has been willing to fall into the control under the control pretty much of the neo conservatives and some of their liberal interventionists friends he has instead of asserting more of a real break from the george w. bush policies he has he has adopted them he has avoided perhaps some of the more extreme problems but in many ways he has not challenge them in any fundamental way so why is that why well it's a good question and he he i think he basically is trying to avoid the kind of hard political battle that would be required to if he were to challenge this what's become a very powerful force in washington the neoconservatives have been

washington we have jim lobe he is the washington bureau chief for intra press service and director of a blog on us middle east policy called low blog dot com and in champaign we cross to francis boyle he is a professor of international law at the university of illinois college of law and gentlemen cross-talk rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want and i very much encourage it robert to go to you first in washington you wrote an article recently obama's true foreign policy weakness what is that weakness. well president obama has been willing to fall into the control under the control pretty much of the neoconservatives and some of their liberal interventionists friends he has instead of asserting more of a real break from george w. bush policies he has he has adopted.

jim. i underestimated that point. i didn't realize how real they were. i hope we can engage in negotiations with them. >> the foleys say they took huge comfort in the phone call they received from pope francis yesterday who offered his support and prayers. >> at the pentagon chuck hagel and joint chiefs chairman general martin dempsey offered a sobering assessment of isis. >> this is beyond anything that we've seen. so we must prepare for everything. and the only way you do that is take a cold, steely hard look at it and get ready. they are imin the end threat to every interest we have whether it's in iraq or anywhere else. >> isis has the sophisticated pr machine aimed at instilling fear and taunting the president. top u.s. military officials wiping out isis could probably require going into syria. >> can they be defeated without addressing that part of their organization which resides in syria? the answer is no. that will have to be addressed on both sides of what is essentially, that the point, a nonexistent border. >>> nbc news chief war correspondent richard engel joins us live. good morning to you. it's scary to consider. joint chiefs chairman martin dempsey saying defeating isis will

jim. i underestimated them at that point. i did not realize how brutal they were. >> the foleys also spoke of their gratitude to pope francis who. >>> two americans who were successfully treated for ebola that they contracted in africa are now out of the hospital and reconnecting with their families. during an exclusive interview here earlier on "today," matt asked the sons of patient nancy writebol if their mother plans to resume her work overseas? >> africa is still in her heart. the people of africa are still deep for them. maybe through this time to recover, it'll give them clarity on what to do next. >> writebol's sons credited her recovery to her faith, the experimental drugs she received and her care at emory university hospital. >>> vigils are planned in ferguson, missouri to mark two weeks since the police shooting of an unarmed teenager, michael brown. his funeral is on monday. meantime jay nixon has ordered the national guard to start withdrawing from ferguson. the streets there were relatively quiet overnight. just a handful of protesters arrested. mostly for failing to disperse. >>> you know that stylishly tall hat