Good evening, and we have several breaking headlines as we come on the air tonight. The fireworks on capitol hill today. But first, the verdict coming in late today in charleston. The jury deciding the Death Penalty for dylann roof who walked into that church and shot and killed nine parishioners who invited had imto pray with them. Steve osunsami leading us off. Reporter it took jurors only three short hours. The most appropriate sentence is death the justice delivered to these Church Families tonight is bittersweet. This verdict is a verdict for america. Reporter 22yearold dylann roof will pay for the nine lives he stole from the basement of this Historic Black Church by giving up his, but none of this will bring their loved ones back. The husband and daughter of Myra Thompson tell us tonight they hope roof finds god soon. If there is one thing we want to tell time tonight, we want him to find the lord. Judgment day is coming sooner for him than expected. What happened that sweltering evening was more than painful to charleston. While reverend Clementa Pickney and eight other wonderful people were being executed at a bible study in the name of white nationalism. His wife was locked in a room down the hall with their youngest daughter, hiding from the racist killer. Daddys dead . No, baby no. Just stay quiet, okay . Just stay right where you are. Yes, maam. Reporter in his closing statements, roof sounded calm, and well thought. I felt like i had to do it, he told jurors and i still feel like i have to do it. Its the same lack of humanity he shared in this handwritten jailhouse journal. I would like to make it crystal clear. I do not regret what i did. I am not sorry. In a statement tonight, south said that today that man was rightly sentenced to death. A Justice Department official confirms that the roof case is the first time a Death Penalty verdict has been rendered in a hate crimes case. At the formal sentencing he is asking for an appeal . Reporter yes, but the judge told him the rules are since he chose to act as his own lawyer, he has to file that appeal on his own. David. Steve osunsami has been covering this case from the start. Steve, thanks. We turn now to the showdown on capitol hill. President elect Donald Trumps pick for attorney general, senator jeff educatisessions int seat. Tonight, you will hear how he answers questions on his record on race and civil rights. What he says about those confirmation hearings 30 years ago. He promised he would uphold the law and speak truth to the president elect. Abcs mary bruce on capitol hill tonight. Reporter with just a few paces alabama senator Jeff Sessions walked acss glare of his confirmation. So help you god. Reporter and right off the bat found himself confronted by an explosive issue that has dogged him for decades. No trump. No kkk. Sessions is a racist etc. Reporter in 1986, before the same committee, sessions was denied a federal judgeship over allegations he made a series of racist remarks. Something he adamantly denied. I am not a racist i am not insensitive to blacks. Reporter and today, he addressed the matter headon. These are false charges. I abhor the clan. Reporter still and over again. [ chanting ] reporter he was interrupted by protesters. 25 people in all dragged out and arrested. People have fairly promptly tried to label you as a racist to say. How does that make you feel . Well, it does not feel good. And it was an organized effort to karkture me. Reporter colleagues today coming to his defense. Jeff sessions is a person of integrity, a principled leader and a dedicated public servant. Reporter but in a rare move, three africanamerican democratic lawmakers will soon testify against sessions. One of them, civil rights icon, congressman john lewis. I grew up in alabama. I know the state. I know the south. We need to make America Great again. [ cheers and applause ] reporter sessions was the first senator to endorse donald trump, but today, he made it clear the attorney general must be independent. He or she must be tell the president or other top officials if he or they overreach. He or she cannot be a mere rubber stamp. Reporter he also said he would separate himself from any lingering investigations of trumps former rival, Hillary Clinton. [ chanting ] during the course of this boisterous political campaign, did you ever chant, lock her up . No, i did not. I dont think. I heard it in rallies and so forth. I believe the proper thing for me to do would be to recuse myself from any questions involving those kind of investigations that involve secretary clinton. Reporter sessions grilled on his own record, but also on the positions of the president elect. On waterboarding which sessions once supported. Congress is taking an action now that makes it absolutely waterboarding. Reporter on a muslim ban. Would you support a law that says you cant come to america because youre a muslim . No. Reporter and the nominee, stoic, as this democrat senator asked about the tape. Is grabbing a woman by the genitals Sexual Assault . Clearly it would be. Mary bruce with us. The nominee for Homeland Security being questioned today. Reporter kelly testifying here and weighing in on Donald Trumps campaign pledge. Saying that wall along the mexico border will not be enough to protect the border, and tomorrow, david, rex tillerson. Trumps controversial pick for secretary of state, most likely to be the most watched hearing. Our thanks again to you. We turn to the other bombshell on the hill tonight. One of the heads of u. S. In fbi both answering questions about the russian hacking during the president ial campaign, and the director of the fbi who took heat just 11 days before the election before then saying there was nothing there. Well, today, he was asked about something else. Heres our senior justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas now. Reporter tonight new questions for leaders of Us Intelligence after they publicly pointed the finger today at russia for hacking during the president ial election campaign. They made it clear who putin was out to help. The goals of this campaign were to undermine public faith in the u. S. Democratic process, denigrate secretary clinton and harm her electability. Putin and the russian government developed a clear preference for president elect trump. Reporter democrats and republicans agreeing with the findings. This is not a partisan issue. This is about whether or not to allow somebody nation against each other. We can simply not allow it to stand. Reporter and for the first time publicly, the fbi director talking about the hacking. Saying republicans were attacked too. There were successful penetrations of some groups and campaigns, particularly at the state level on the republican side of the aisle and some limited penetration of old Republican Committee domains. They chose not to release that material yesterday. Reporter and fbi director james comey was pressed further. Asked whether he is investigating if there were any contacts between russian officials and Trump Campaign associates. We neither confirm or deny any pending investigations. I cannot avoid. Reporter that cannot sit well with those who are convinced Hillary Clintons campaign, when it was revealed he was reigniting the election. Only to later say there was nothing there. After the hearing, he wasnt talking. Are you comfortable in the role you played in the election, sir . Pierre thomas with us live from washington. You could see the tension in the room today when the director of the fbi said he doesnt talk in open forums in investigations after he went public about that look at clintons emails 11 days before the election. Reporter he was refusing to comment, and he spoke tone deaf when it came to politics. Pierre, thanks. Now to the message from president elect donald trump tonight to fellow republicans he says repeal obamacare, but replace it right away. Tonight, is that even possible with more than 20 million americans who depend on it now wondering, what is the plan when it goes away . Heres our chief white house correspondent, correspondent, jonathan karl. Reporter david, this speech president obama breaking tradition by speaking from chicago, posting this explanation. We will repeal and replace obamacare. Reporter with the new york times, says it will repeal next week, and be replaced shortly thereafter. He issed a odds with republican plans, and we will be followed with week, if not, months of debate. Why no plan to replace it . We have a plan to replace it. We have plenty of ideas, and you will see as the weeks and months unfold. Reporter its politically risky for republicans because while obamacare isnt particularly popular, it has helped an estimated 20 million americans get health coverage. Donald trump said there were parts he would keep. Are you going to make sure that people with prekons are still covered . Yes. It happens to be one of the also with the children living with their parents for an extended period. Reporter trump acknowledged the tricky politics, saying, be careful. He said that republicans will be blamed for any problems caused by appeal. Now theyre going to own it and all the problems in the health care system. Reporter trump today is promising to campaign against those who stand in his way. Very clear they can repeal this. Jon karl with us. Will they have enough votes from both republicans and democrats to replace it with something . They dont have it now, david. They can repeal it with 51 votes in the senate. They need 60 votes to pass it. There are only 52 republicans. They dont have consent among those republicans yet, let alone getting the democratic votes needed. This idea of getting it done in a couple of weeks, nobody i have spoken to in congress thinks thats possible. Always good to have you with us, jon. In the meantime, president obama has just arrived in chicago tonight where he is preparing to deliver his farewell address. A new poll finding mr. Obama with a 55 approval rating. That same poll on donald trump saying that 51 of americans disapprove at how he is handling his job at president elect. Abcs tom llamas with us, and the president will speak a short time from now. Reporter this is turning out to be quite the event, and the president is going to have this long walk down over to the podium in front of thousands of his supporters. Usually the speech the given in d. C. , but he wanted it here in chicago. He said, for me and michelle, chicago is where it all started, showing the fundamental goodness of the american people. We received excerpts of his speech tonight, and he writes this about chicago. This is where i learned tha people get involved, get engaged and get together to demand it. He will be joined on stage with his family and the vice president. When he is done here, he flies back to washington. His last official trip on air force one as commander in chief, david. Last trip. In the meantime, there have been new indications, tom, of what president obama plans to do after he is in office. Reporter thats right, david. The president has said if Hillary Clinton won, he would basically give her the keys and just leave. But now he feels a responsibility to help elected democrats to help rebuild the dnc and privately in other reports, he said that if president elect trump is anything he vehemently opposes, he will not sit on the sidelines. Abc news will be carrying the farewell address at 9 00 p. M. Eastern here on abc. We have president elect Donald Trumps first formal News Conference tomorrow morning. Also right here on abc. In the meantime, to the other news tonight, and we turn next to orlando. Th killer widening tonight. Master Sergeant Debra clayton, a wife, mother and 17year veteran was gunned down outside a walmart while questioning a fugitive. A second officer killed. Markeith lloyd is wanted for death of his pregnant girlfriend. The reward at 100,000, and police are seeking information from the public, promising to protect the identity of any tipsters. There is much more tonight. The abduction scare, and developments coming in. This child being grabbed, and his father nearby. What we have learned. Also whiteouts in parts of country. Several feet of snow expected. Winds at 50 miles per hour. The storm on the move. Watch this. The danger falling from above. This was a frozen waterfall. The huge chunk of ice, and the park visitors tonight recovering from their injuries. After a dvt blood clot, i sure had a lot to think about. Bout the people i care about . Including this little girl. And what if this happened again . I was given warfarin in the hospital, but wondered, was this the best treatment for me . So i asked my doctor. And he recommended eliquis. Eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. Yes, eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. Eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. Both made me turn around my thinking. Dont stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. Eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. Dont take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. If you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. While taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily. And it may take longer than usual for bleeding to stop. Seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. Eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. Tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. Eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. Plus had less major bleeding. Both made eliquis the right treatment for me. Ask your doctor if switching to eliquis is right for you. When you have 7. 95 online u. S. Equity trades lower than td ameritrade, schwab, and etrade, you realize the smartest investing idea isnt just what you invest in, but who you invest with. [ cougshh. Lize the smartest investing idea i have a cold with this annoying runny nose. Better take something. Dayquil liquid gels doesnt treat a runny nose. It doesnt . Alkaseltzer plus cold and cough liquid gels fight your worst cold symptoms cluding your runny nose. Oh, what a relief it is it is going to be a dangerous night ahead on the roads in parts of this country. Weather alerts in 30 states at this hour from california to maine. Back to back storms battering the west. Blizzard conditions in the mountains and some of those arriving in the east. Heres abcs kayna whitworth. Reporter tonight, a total whiteout in the west. Reporter the california Highway Patrol shutting down interstate80. As you can see, its snowing and its snowing hard. Reporter with up to ten more feet of fresh snow on the way, even a short walk outside, could be disorienting and deadly in sonoma county, flooding the big worry. Some 500 homes damaged. So much rain in the region the land giving way. Another slide. This one in napa county and it hasnt even rained that much but youve got rugged terrain and this sand stone which is brittle stuff. Plus a foot of rain. Its gonna come crashing down. Reporter in san francisco, uprooted trees and the smell of gas forced residents from their homes. And near sacramento, officials opening some flood gates for the first time in more than a decade all in an effort to keep the city dry. The Russian River in guerneville rising again for the second time this week, people have been stuck in this hotel for a couple of days, and this rain isnt letting up any time soon, david. All right, and lets get to chief meteorologist ginger zee tracking the systems for us. Hi, ginger. Reporter hey, david. The mild air is making its way here, but not without consequence. Look at those wind advisories, and high Wind Warnings from mississippi to indiana, and even albany, new york. In the west, those in the high sierra, up to 10 feet of snow possible. You can see gusts of 70 plus. Anywhere in pink and blue tonight in the east, got to watch out for a slick night ahead. Thanks, ginger. When we come back here, we remember a famous reporter tonight who broke the biggest story of her time. The abduction scare. Authorities revealing new information to breaking apart. The park visitor struck by a giant piece of falling ice. Where this happened, coming up. But backed me up big time. Had to talk to my doctor. She said movantik may help me go more often. Dont take movantik if you have or had a bowel blockage. Serious side effects include opioid withdrawal, severe stomach pain, severe diarrhea, and stomach or intestinal tears. Tell your doctor about side effects and medicines you take. Movantik may interact with them causing side effects. Have your movantik moment. Talk to your doctor about opioidinduced constipation. And i smoked while amanda my i was pregnant. This is the view i had of my baby in the nicu. My tip is, speak into the opening so your baby can hear you better. announcer you can quit. For free help, call 1800quitnow. You have to feel healthy to truly feel healthy on the outside at your core. Trubiotics a probiotic from one a day naturally helps support both your digestive and immune health. Money back. Take the trubiotics 2 week challenge. The full value of your totaled new car. The guy says, you picked the wrong insurance plan. No, i picked the wrong insurance company. With new car replacement™, well replace the full value of your car plus depreciation. Liberty mutual insurance. What twisted ankle . Ask what muscle strain . Advil makes pain a distant memory nothing works faster stronger or longer what pain . Advil. Watry. Duo fusiong heartburn relief . Duo fusion goes to work in seconds and lasts up to 12 hours. Tums only lasts up to 3. For longer lasting relief. In one chewable tablet try duo fusion from the makers of zantac youany profession,ob, image matters. I want some gray. But not too much. Only touch of gray uses oxygen to gently blend away some gray, but not all for that perfect salt and pepper look. Ou and the look you want. Just for men touch of gray hi, im erica, and i take movantik for oic, opioidinduced constipation. I used to run, i loved it but a bad injury led to chronic pain. Prescription opioids helped with the pain. But left me constipated. Fiber, laxatives, still constipated. Finally, i let it out, told my doctor. That was my movantik moment. He said movantik is specifically designed for oic and can help me go more often. Dont take movantik if you have a bowel blockage or a history of them. Movantik may cause serious side effects, including symptoms of opioid withdrawal, severe stomach pain and or diarrhea, and tears in the stomach or intestine. Tell your doctor about any side effects and about medicines you take. Movantik may interact with them causing side effects. Let it out like i did. Have your movantik moment. Talk to your doctor about opioidinduced constipation. Tion, astrazeneca may be able to help. To the index of other news, new developments in the kidnapping scare in oklahoma city. Police tonight saying they have identified the man seen grabbing an 8yearold boy during a wrestling tournament at the state fairgrounds. The boy kicking and screaming to get away, but police now say he was with his own son, and was perhaps confusing the boy for his own. Danger overhead in minneapolis. A huge chunk of ice falling from the falls. Hitting a 20yearold woman in the head. He was hurt by her arm, and wrist getting hit. Park Officials Say people ignore the no trespassing signs to take pictures. Passing the note tonight. Former british reporter claire holdingworth has tied. She witnessed the tanks rolling into poland. It was h she was 105. When we come back, look at the home surveillance. The lesson, and the mother who proves she is america strong. I thought i married an italian. My lineage was the vecchios and zuccolis. Through ancestry, through dna i found out that i was only 16 italian. He was 34 eastern european. So i went onto ancestry, soon learned that one of our ancestors we thought was italian was eastern european. This is my ancestor who i didnt know about. He looks a little bit like me, yes. Ancestry has many paths to discovering your story. Get started for free at ancestry. Com and i make dog chow in denver, vcolorado. Es nick one of my fondest memories of khloe is the day we got her. I knew right there she was gonna be a great dog. Khloes a big influence on the family. She loved lincoln from the start. Shes his little protector. I trust dog chow to keep khloe healthy because i see the high Quality Ingredients that go into it. The standards that we follow are top notch. I trust dog chow enough to feed it to my dog every single day. Why pause a spontaneous moment . Cialis for daily use treats ed and the urinary symptoms of bph. Tell your doctor about your medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, or adempas® for pulmonary hypertension, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Do not drink alcohol in excess. To avoid longterm injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. If you have a sudden decrease or loss of hearing or vision, or an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. Ask your doctor about cialis. I am totally blind. I lost my sight in afghanistan. If youre totally blind, you may also be struggling with non24. Calling 8448442424. Or visit my24info. Com. And i used to ask if you could hear me now with verizon. Not anymore. I switched to sprint because their Network Reliability is now within 1 of verizon. And they save you 50 on most current at t, tmobile, and verizon rates. Why is this one twice as much . This one right here has 1 more needles. Why pay twice as much for only a 1 difference . Well take this one. Can you hear that . vo dont let a 1 difference cost you twice as much. Happy holidays to you and your family. For people with hearing loss, switch to sprint today. Visit sprintrelay. Com umm. You wouldnt want your painter to quit part way. I think you missed a spot. So when it comes to pain relievers, why put up with just part of a day . Aleve, live whole not part. Painter you want this color over the whole house . Finally tonight, america strong. A mother to the rescue, and her message tonight to parents everywhere. Heres linsey davis. Reporter the hull sisters love playing with princesses thank you sissy. Reporter and now theyve likely come to appreciate superheroes ever since their mom, jennifer, became one over the weekend when she performed a lifesaving maneuver on her reporter the moment was caught on their nannycam. Her one year old running toward her mom. One minute she was snacking on veggie chips. The next minute mom says she was turning blue. She choked. She choked and mom went into action. I flipped her over and gave her some back blows and nothing happened. So i did the heimlich, and right when i did it popped out reporter jennifer credits infant safety classes with giving her the know how. They were teaching us what to do in these moments. Reporter her hope tonight is this is a lesson for all parents to be prepared. Just glad hollis is okay. Thank you linsey and thank you for watching. Well see you later tonight for the president s farewell speech. Good night. From Sony Pictures studios, its americas game wheel. Of. Fortune ladies and gentlemen, here are the stars of our show pat sajak and vanna white look whos here. Thank you, jim. Look at that, huh . Thank you very much. Appreciate that. Ive gots to go. All right. So, hi, everybody. Grab those devices. Were gonna do a toss up here. Our first of the night. Its worth 1,000. And the category is people. [ bell chimes ] john. Family friends