1 00:00:04,647 --> 00:00:08,317 Captioning funded by CBS and FORD. We go further, so you can. 2 00:00:11,988 --> 00:00:18,327 >> SUSPICIOUS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, GUN RIGHTS ADVOCATES ARE LOOKING TO THEIR STATES TO KEEP THEIR RIGHTS, 3 00:00:18,394 --> 00:00:26,269 RIGHT WHERE THEY WANT THEM. HAVE YOU HEARD FROM LEGISLATORS IN OTHER STATES WHO SAY, "WE WANT TO DO THE SAME THING"? 4 00:00:26,335 --> 00:00:32,241 >> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY MULTIPLE LEGISLATORS, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. 5 00:00:32,308 --> 00:00:38,247 >> OPPONENTS TO THE MISSOURI LEGISLATION AREN'T WHO YOU MIGHT EXPECT. SEVERAL POLICEMEN AND SHERIFFS 6 00:00:38,314 --> 00:00:42,518 THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO HAVE TOLD US THAT THIS LAW BENEFITS CRIMINALS. IS THAT TOO STRONG OF A 7 00:00:42,585 --> 00:00:46,322 STATEMENT? >> NO. I DON'T THINK IT DOES, I KNOW IT DOES. 8 00:00:46,389 --> 00:00:48,157 ( TICKING ) 9 00:00:50,326 --> 00:00:56,265 >> MY FIRST REACTION WAS, "THIS ISN'T MICRON DROPLETS THAT'S COMING OUT FROM THE SEA FLOOR-- THIS IS AN UNDERWATER VOLCANO." 10 00:00:56,332 --> 00:01:04,540 >> HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE LONGEST RUNNING OIL SPILL IN U.S. HISTORY. AND TONIGHT, YOU'LL HEAR HOW 11 00:01:04,607 --> 00:01:13,382 THIS HOMEGROWN CAJUN ENGINEER AND THIS NO-NONSENSE COAST GUARD CAPTAIN SAID "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH," AND HATCHED A PLAN-- FIRST TRIED 12 00:01:13,449 --> 00:01:18,154 IN A BACKYARD POOL-- TO STANCH A SPILL THAT HAS SULLIED THE GULF OF MEXICO FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES. 13 00:01:18,221 --> 00:01:18,754 ( TICKING ) 14 00:01:20,323 --> 00:01:27,864 >> HOW DO YOU DEFINE "HERO?" >> WE DEFINE IT AS-- AT LEAST IN TERMS OF OUR MEDAL-AWARDING REQUIREMENT-- AS A MAN OR A 15 00:01:27,930 --> 00:01:32,435 WOMAN THAT WILLINGLY AND KNOWINGLY RISKS THEIR LIFE, TO AN EXTRAORDINARY DEGREE, TO SAVE OR ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE LIFE OF 16 00:01:32,502 --> 00:01:42,311 ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. >> THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN AWARDED THECARNEGIE HERO MEDAL, ALONG WITH A $5,500 PRIZE. 17 00:01:42,378 --> 00:01:49,318 WE WONDERED WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE HEROIC, SO WE WENT TO GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY TO SEE THE NEUROSCIENCE FOR OURSELVES. 18 00:01:49,385 --> 00:01:50,319 ( TICKING ) 19 00:01:52,455 --> 00:01:56,392 >> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. >> I'M JON WERTHEIM. 20 00:01:56,459 --> 00:02:02,365 >> I'M NORAH O'DONNELL. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES AND MORE, TONIGHT, ON "60 MINUTES." 21 00:02:02,431 --> 00:02:07,537 ( TICKING ) 22 00:02:11,274 --> 00:02:18,147 >> Norah O'Donnell: A NEW AND POTENTIALLY PRECEDENT-SETTING STATE GUN LAW PASSED IN THE SPRING IN MISSOURI. 23 00:02:18,214 --> 00:02:23,586 IT'S CALLED THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT, OR SAPA FOR SHORT. IT PROHIBITS STATE AGENCIES FROM 24 00:02:23,653 --> 00:02:31,227 HELPING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENFORCE ANY LAW, RULE, OR REGULATION WHICH MISSOURI CONSIDERS AN INFRINGEMENT ON THE 25 00:02:31,294 --> 00:02:39,168 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. EACH VIOLATION CAN CARRY A $50,000 PENALTY. THINK OF IT LIKE THIS: FOR A 26 00:02:39,235 --> 00:02:45,474 POLICE OFFICER IN MISSOURI, FEDERAL GUN LAWS, EFFECTIVELY, NO LONGER EXIST. MISSOURI DEMOCRATS AND LAWYERS 27 00:02:45,541 --> 00:02:54,116 AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ARGUE THE NEW LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT WHAT GOT OUR ATTENTION IS THAT A 28 00:02:54,183 --> 00:03:00,356 SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CONSERVATIVE POLICE AND PROSECUTORS WHO LOVE THEIR GUNS, DON'T LIKE THIS LAW. 29 00:03:00,423 --> 00:03:04,360 >> Kacey Proctor: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT THIS BILL-- AT LEAST A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MISSOURI THAT HAVE 30 00:03:04,427 --> 00:03:07,763 HEARD-- THEY THINK, "THIS IS GREAT. THE STATE OF MISSOURI'S TOLD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GO MIND 31 00:03:07,830 --> 00:03:13,603 THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND STAY AWAY FROM OUR GUNS." BUT WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS IMPACT A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 32 00:03:13,669 --> 00:03:19,208 OFFICER'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB. >> O'Donnell: KACEY PROCTOR SERVES AS THE PROSECUTOR FOR 33 00:03:19,275 --> 00:03:23,646 RURAL BUTLER COUNTY. STEVE SOKOLOFF IS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE MISSOURI ASSOCIATION OF PROSECUTING 34 00:03:23,713 --> 00:03:30,019 ATTORNEYS. DO YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF OPPOSING LAWS THAT WOULD EXPAND SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN 35 00:03:30,086 --> 00:03:35,224 MISSOURI? >> Proctor: ABSOLUTELY NOT. I'M A MEMBER OF TWO DIFFERENT GUN CLUBS. 36 00:03:35,291 --> 00:03:43,232 I SHOOT ONCE A WEEK, AT MINIMUM. MY KIDS SHOOT. MY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD OWNS MULTIPLE FIREARMS. 37 00:03:43,299 --> 00:03:51,073 I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE OWNING FIREARMS, AND RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO OWN FIREARMS RESPONSIBLY. 38 00:03:51,140 --> 00:03:55,745 AND SO, YEAH, I'M 100% IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS. >> O'Donnell: SO, THEN, WHY DO 39 00:03:55,811 --> 00:04:02,385 YOU OPPOSE MISSOURI'S SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT? >> Proctor: WHAT I OPPOSE ABOUT IT, AND WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR, TO 40 00:04:02,451 --> 00:04:07,223 BE-- TO BE LOOKED AT AND POSSIBLY FIXED, IS THE ABILITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO INTERACT WITH THEIR FEDERAL 41 00:04:07,289 --> 00:04:12,662 PARTNERS, TO GO AFTER PEOPLE WHO ARE VIOLENT IN NATURE AND ARE COMMITTING CRIMES IN OUR COMMUNITY. 42 00:04:12,728 --> 00:04:17,767 >> President Joe Biden: WE SHOULD ALSO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES IN THIS COUNTRY. 43 00:04:17,833 --> 00:04:23,205 >> O'Donnell: PRESIDENT BIDEN'S REPEATED CALLS FOR STRICTER GUN CONTROL LAWS MOTIVATED REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS IN 44 00:04:23,272 --> 00:04:31,213 MISSOURI TO PASS THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT. AND, THIS PAST JUNE, AT A GUN STORE OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY 45 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:37,520 CALLED FRONTIER JUSTICE, GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON SIGNED IT INTO LAW. SUPPORTERS HAILED THE BILL AS A 46 00:04:37,586 --> 00:04:43,459 LEGAL SHIELD TO SAFEGUARD MISSOURIANS' GUN RIGHTS FROM WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE FEDERAL OVERREACH. 47 00:04:43,526 --> 00:04:49,498 I MEAN, MISSOURIANS DID OVERWHELMINGLY ELECT A REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE AND A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR. 48 00:04:49,565 --> 00:04:54,970 I MEAN, ISN'T THIS JUST DEMOCRACY? >> Steve Sokoloff: I THINK THAT- - THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IF 49 00:04:55,037 --> 00:05:00,976 THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS IN THIS STATUTE, THAT-- THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF IT. >> O'Donnell: AT THE CORE OF THE 50 00:05:01,043 --> 00:05:07,216 BILL LIES A BOLD PROCLAMATION: "ALL FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT INFRINGE ON THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR 51 00:05:07,283 --> 00:05:14,757 ARMS, AS GUARANTEED BY THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF MISSOURI, SHALL 52 00:05:14,824 --> 00:05:21,163 BE REJECTED BY THIS STATE, AND SHALL NOT BE ENFORCED BY THIS STATE." THE BILL OUTLAWS MISSOURI STATE 53 00:05:21,230 --> 00:05:29,472 RESOURCES FROM BEING USED TO FURTHER FEDERAL GUN REGULATION. BUT THE SWEEPING LAW DOESN'T STOP THERE. 54 00:05:29,538 --> 00:05:35,578 IT ALSO DICTATES UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES A MISSOURI OFFICER CAN HELP A FEDERAL AGENT INVESTIGATE OR PROSECUTE A GUN 55 00:05:35,644 --> 00:05:43,753 CRIME. THE PROSECUTORS SAY IT'S THESE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW THAT ARE VAGUE, POORLY WRITTEN, AND 56 00:05:43,819 --> 00:05:51,460 CREATE A LEGAL MINEFIELD FOR MISSOURI LAW ENFORCEMENT. AGENCIES THAT BREAK THE LAW ARE "SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY OF 57 00:05:51,527 --> 00:05:57,166 $50,000," PAYABLE TO A MISSOURIAN WHO BELIEVES THEIR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED. 58 00:05:57,233 --> 00:06:03,172 >> Sokoloff: AND THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT-- THAT IT HAS A TREMENDOUSLY CHILLING EFFECT ON- - ON-- LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 59 00:06:03,239 --> 00:06:07,309 BECAUSE THEY'RE PUT IN A POSITION OF GUESSING ABOUT WHAT CONDUCT IS PROHIBITED BY THE STATUTE. 60 00:06:07,376 --> 00:06:11,647 >> O'Donnell: IT SEEMS LIKE THIS LAW WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE WAY IT WORKS HERE IN 61 00:06:11,714 --> 00:06:18,554 MISSOURI. >> Sokoloff: IT ALREADY HAS. >> O'Donnell: WE'VE LEARNED MISSOURI LAW ENFORCEMENT 62 00:06:18,621 --> 00:06:23,225 AGENCIES PULLED AT LEAST A DOZEN OFFICERS FROM FEDERAL TASK FORCES THAT TARGETED ILLEGAL GUNS. 63 00:06:23,292 --> 00:06:31,200 IN ADDITION, THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL'S INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS CENTER WILL NO LONGER PROVIDE INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT TO 64 00:06:31,267 --> 00:06:39,175 THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND FIREARMS, OR A.T.F. KANSAS CITY MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS TOLD US THIS COULD NOT BE 65 00:06:39,241 --> 00:06:47,216 HAPPENING AT A WORSE TIME FOR MISSOURI, WHERE THE MURDER RATE IN THE STATE IS NEARLY TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. 66 00:06:47,283 --> 00:06:54,256 BEFORE THE LAW PASSED, IT WAS ROUTINE FOR LOCAL POLICE TO WORK WITH THEIR FEDERAL PARTNERS. WHY DOES LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 67 00:06:54,323 --> 00:07:00,796 WANT THE HELP OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH GUN VIOLENCE? >> Quinton Lucas: THE VOLUME OF 68 00:07:00,863 --> 00:07:07,236 CRIME, THE VOLUME OF INCIDENTS. ON A NIGHT IN KANSAS CITY, YOU CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE SHOT. IN THE SAME WAY THAT, IF YOU 69 00:07:07,303 --> 00:07:12,875 HAVE A SEVERE STORM HIT A CITY, WE BRING IN FEDERAL RESOURCES TO HELP US WITH THAT CRISIS. THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH GUN 70 00:07:12,942 --> 00:07:18,881 VIOLENCE RIGHT NOW IN SOME OF AMERICA'S MAJOR CITIES-- PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDWEST, PARTICULARLY IN MISSOURI. 71 00:07:18,948 --> 00:07:25,020 >> O'Donnell: MAYOR LUCAS SAYS HE'S CONCERNED THAT UNDER MISSOURI STATE LAW, PEOPLE CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 72 00:07:25,087 --> 00:07:31,293 MISDEMEANORS ARE STILL ALLOWED TO HAVE A GUN. >> Lucas: THERE'S BEEN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LOOPHOLE IN 73 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:39,168 MISSOURI LAW FOR YEARS NOW. THE SAVING GRACE ALONE WAS THAT THERE WAS A FEDERAL LAW THAT A POLICE OFFICER COULD SAY THEY'RE 74 00:07:39,235 --> 00:07:45,474 VIOLATING. NOW THAT WE LOSE THAT, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SO MANY MISSOURIANS? 75 00:07:45,541 --> 00:07:51,180 SO MANY SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? I HOPE IT DOESN'T MAKE THEM VICTIMS. 76 00:07:51,247 --> 00:08:00,589 >> O'Donnell: SINCE 2017, THE F.B.I. HAS IDENTIFIED 744 PEOPLE IN MISSOURI CONVICTED OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MISDEMEANOR 77 00:08:00,656 --> 00:08:06,795 WHO THEN BROKE FEDERAL LAW WHEN THEY TRIED TO BUY A GUN. ACCORDING TO THE A.T.F., LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS KEY TO 78 00:08:06,862 --> 00:08:13,602 INVESTIGATING THESE CASES ON THE GROUND IN MISSOURI. IF THOSE SAME OFFICERS HELPED THE A.T.F. WITH CASES LIKE THAT 79 00:08:13,669 --> 00:08:19,208 TODAY, THEY WOULD BE BREAKING STATE LAW. ARE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ESSENTIALLY GOING TO STOP AND 80 00:08:19,275 --> 00:08:25,748 THINK TWICE BEFORE TRYING TO STOP SOMEONE WITH AN ILLEGAL GUN? >> Lucas: YES. 81 00:08:25,814 --> 00:08:32,488 NOW, IF YOU STOP SOMEONE WITH A FIREARM, YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, "DO I WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO LITIGATION? 82 00:08:32,554 --> 00:08:38,794 DO I WANT TO SUBJECT MY DEPARTMENT TO LIABILITY?" AND IN MANY CASES, THE ANSWER'S GOING TO BE NO. 83 00:08:38,861 --> 00:08:45,167 >> O'Donnell: ST. LOUIS AND JACKSON COUNTY ARE SUING TO STOP MISSOURI'S SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT IN STATE COURT- 84 00:08:45,234 --> 00:08:49,939 - SO FAR, WITHOUT SUCCESS. IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI, POLICE AND PROSECUTORS STARTED A CAMPAIGN TO HAVE THE LAW 85 00:08:50,005 --> 00:08:56,845 CHANGED. CHIEF DANNY WHITELEY IS LEADING THAT EFFORT. >> Danny Whiteley: SOMETHING 86 00:08:56,912 --> 00:09:03,185 BAD'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, "I TOLD YOU SO." >> O'Donnell: HE'S THE LONGEST- 87 00:09:03,252 --> 00:09:09,191 SERVING POLICE CHIEF IN THE HISTORY OF POPLAR BLUFF, A SMALL CITY NEAR THE OZARKS THAT HE SAYS HAS A BIG-CITY GUN VIOLENCE 88 00:09:09,258 --> 00:09:15,164 PROBLEM. CHIEF WHITELEY TOLD US, HE'S NO LONGER WORKING WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTORS, AND MISSES THE 89 00:09:15,230 --> 00:09:23,205 HELP. >> Whiteley: NUMBER ONE, THEY HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT WE DON'T, MANPOWER-WISE AND 90 00:09:23,272 --> 00:09:31,213 FORENSICS-WISE. AND, IF THEY GET CONVICTED IN FEDERAL COURT, THEY'RE GOING TO DO 85% OF THE TIME. 91 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:37,086 >> O'Donnell: HE SHARED WITH US SUMMARIES OF NINE RECENT ALLEGED GUN CRIMES HE SAYS HE WOULD USUALLY REFER TO THE NEARBY U.S. 92 00:09:37,152 --> 00:09:43,258 ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR PROSECUTION. YEAH, I'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THEM, AND ONE OF THEM IS A GUY 93 00:09:43,325 --> 00:09:48,097 WHO SHOT AT HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND, SHOT AT HER VEHICLE IN A 6CONVENIENCE STORE. >> Whiteley: CORRECT. 94 00:09:48,163 --> 00:09:50,899 >> O'Donnell: BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REFER THAT TO A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR? >> Whiteley: THAT'S CORRECT. 95 00:09:50,966 --> 00:09:57,172 >> O'Donnell: WHY? >> Whiteley: BECAUSE OF THE $50,000 FINE. >> O'Donnell: SEVERAL POLICEMEN 96 00:09:57,239 --> 00:10:03,078 AND SHERIFFS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO HAVE TOLD US THEY THINK THAT THIS LAW BENEFITS CRIMINALS. IS THAT TOO STRONG OF A 97 00:10:03,145 --> 00:10:07,216 STATEMENT? >> Whiteley: NO. I DON'T THINK IT DOES, I KNOW IT DOES. 98 00:10:07,282 --> 00:10:14,390 >> O'Donnell: BUTLER COUNTY PROSECUTOR KACEY PROCTOR SAYS THE NEW MISSOURI LAW MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO CATCH UNKNOWN 99 00:10:14,456 --> 00:10:19,194 ASSAILANTS WHO'VE COMMITTED GUN CRIMES. >> Proctor: PROBABLY TWO MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A MURDER THAT WAS 100 00:10:19,261 --> 00:10:25,901 BEING INVESTIGATED HERE IN POPLAR BLUFF. WHILE THAT MURDER WAS GOING ON, ABOUT 10:00 AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY 101 00:10:25,968 --> 00:10:30,172 67, TWO VEHICLES PARKED ON THE HIGHWAY AND DROPPED ABOUT 17 ROUNDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. 102 00:10:30,239 --> 00:10:33,175 >> O'Donnell: AND WHEN YOU SAY "DROP," YOU MEAN "FIRE". >> Proctor: I MEAN FIRE, CORRECT. 103 00:10:33,242 --> 00:10:39,481 >> O'Donnell: KASEY PROCTOR SAYS HE RUSHED TO THE SCENE OF THE GUNFIGHT, WHERE ONE PERSON HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE STOMACH. 104 00:10:39,548 --> 00:10:47,222 HE FOUND POLICE DEBATING WHETHER THEY SHOULD SEND SOME OF THE 17 SPENT SHELL CASINGS FOUND ON THE ROAD TO THE A.T.F. FOR ANALYSIS 105 00:10:47,289 --> 00:10:53,595 AND TRACING. >> Proctor: SO, WE HAD TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AFTER WE WERE INVESTIGATING A MURDER, WHILE 106 00:10:53,662 --> 00:10:58,434 INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AT 10:00 AT NIGHT. AND THE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION FROM 107 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,771 THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT WAS, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEND THESE TO THE A.T.F. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO RISK VIOLATING SAPA." 108 00:11:02,838 --> 00:11:07,443 >> O'Donnell: BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF INVESTIGATIVE WORK, IS TO PICK UP THE ROUNDS, PUT THEM IN A DATABASE, AND SEE 109 00:11:07,509 --> 00:11:13,615 IF THEY MATCH ANY OTHER CRIMES. >> Proctor: CORRECT. >> Sokoloff: IT SHOULD BE. >> O'Donnell: FOR SMALLER POLICE 110 00:11:13,682 --> 00:11:20,189 DEPARTMENTS, LIKE POPLAR BLUFF, WHICH DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THEMSELVES, A.T.F. CAN ANALYZE SHELL CASINGS IN ORDER TO MATCH 111 00:11:20,255 --> 00:11:27,162 THEM WITH GUNS FROM OTHER CRIMES. POPLAR BLUFF IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WHO'VE 112 00:11:27,229 --> 00:11:32,701 STOPPED SHARING EVIDENCE WITH THE A.T.F. BALLISTICS NETWORK, FOR FEAR OF VIOLATING MISSOURI'S NEW GUN LAW. 113 00:11:32,768 --> 00:11:36,071 >> Proctor: ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, THEY HAD ANOTHER SHOOTING. AND, WHILE THEY WERE 114 00:11:36,138 --> 00:11:39,174 INVESTIGATING THAT SHOOTING, THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE. AND THAT WAS ALL IN THE CITY OF POPLAR BLUFF. 115 00:11:39,241 --> 00:11:43,245 >> O'Donnell: AND YOU THINK IT COULD'VE BEEN THE SAME PEOPLE. >> Proctor: COULD'VE BEEN, BUT WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS. 116 00:11:43,312 --> 00:11:50,586 >> O'Donnell: THIS PAST JULY, THE FIRST PLAINTIFF TO TRY OUT THE NEW LAW IN COURT WAS AN ACCUSED DRUG DEALER WHO POLICE 117 00:11:50,652 --> 00:11:57,192 SAY WAS BUSTED WITH 58 GRAMS OF COCAINE AND FOUR FIREARMS. HE PLED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES, AND THEN TURNED THE LAW 118 00:11:57,259 --> 00:12:03,198 ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, SUING THE OFFICERS TO PREVENT THEM FROM TESTIFYING AGAINST HIM IN FEDERAL COURT. 119 00:12:03,265 --> 00:12:09,204 KACEY PROCTOR VOLUNTEERED TO REPRESENT ONE OFFICER. THE LAWSUIT WAS DROPPED, BUT IT SENT A MESSAGE. 120 00:12:09,271 --> 00:12:16,945 >> Proctor: I COULD TELL YOU FOR A FACT THAT TWO OF THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE SUED OVER THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION 121 00:12:17,012 --> 00:12:21,016 ACT IN RIPLEY COUNTY TOLD ME THAT, AS SOON AS THEY CAN RETIRE, THEY WILL. THEY'RE TIRED OF THIS STUFF. 122 00:12:21,083 --> 00:12:24,153 I'M AFRAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT NOBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO 123 00:12:24,219 --> 00:12:29,625 DO IT. ( GUN FIRING ) >> O'Donnell: MISSOURI STATE SENATOR ERIC BURLISON AND STATE 124 00:12:29,691 --> 00:12:35,631 REPRESENTATIVE JERED TAYLOR CO- SPONSORED THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT. THEY SAY THERE ARE PLENTY OF 125 00:12:35,697 --> 00:12:43,238 MISSOURI LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO SUPPORT THE LAW AND ARE NOT HAVING ANY ISSUES. THOSE HAVING PROBLEMS, THEY SAY, 126 00:12:43,305 --> 00:12:47,309 DON'T YET UNDERSTAND IT, OR ARE RECEIVING POOR ADVICE. >> Jered Taylor: I THINK THERE'S BAD INFORMATION. 127 00:12:47,376 --> 00:12:51,180 I THINK THAT THEY'RE GETTING BAD INFORMATION. IF YOU ASK TEN DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE 128 00:12:51,246 --> 00:12:57,186 YOU 15 DIFFERENT ANSWERS ON ANY NUMBER OF ISSUES. >> O'Donnell: SOME OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE SPOKE WITH 129 00:12:57,252 --> 00:13:03,192 IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI, THEY SAY IT'S PREVENTING THEM FROM PUTTING BAD GUYS AWAY WITH FEDERAL HELP. 130 00:13:03,258 --> 00:13:09,198 HOW DO YOU RESPOND? >> Eric Burlison: I THINK THAT THE DUST NEEDS TO SETTLE. ANY BILL THAT COMES OUT, 131 00:13:09,264 --> 00:13:15,304 ORIGINALLY THERE MIGHT BE AMBIGUITY FROM UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE INTENT OF THE BILL WAS. OUR INTENTION IS TO MAKE CERTAIN 132 00:13:15,370 --> 00:13:21,176 THAT-- THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT HINDERED IN ANY WAY. >> O'Donnell: YOU'RE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL POLICE 133 00:13:21,243 --> 00:13:26,415 DEPARTMENTS AND COUNTY PROSECUTORS WHO HAVE STOPPED WORKING WITH THE A.T.F. AND U.S. ATTORNEYS ON GUN CRIMES 134 00:13:26,481 --> 00:13:30,319 ALTOGETHER? >> Taylor: AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE STILL WORKING WITH THEM. 135 00:13:30,385 --> 00:13:34,957 >> O'Donnell: WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE NOT WORKING WITH THEM? >> Taylor: I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE I DON'T 136 00:13:35,023 --> 00:13:39,194 THINK THAT THIS LAW PROHIBITS THAT. >> O'Donnell: POPLAR BLUFF POLICE CHIEF DANNY WHITELEY 137 00:13:39,261 --> 00:13:47,202 DISAGREES. LAST MONTH, HE JOINED FIVE OTHER POLICE CHIEFS, SIX COUNTY SHERIFFS AND EIGHT COUNTY 138 00:13:47,269 --> 00:13:54,209 PROSECUTORS IN A LETTER TO GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON THAT ASKED FOR A MEETING TO DISCUSS HOW THEY MIGHT AMEND THE LAW. 139 00:13:54,276 --> 00:13:58,313 THE GOVERNOR, A FORMER COUNTY SHERIFF HIMSELF, HAS SAID HE MIGHT BE OPEN TO CHANGING IT. >> Mike Parson: I THINK THAT 140 00:13:58,380 --> 00:14:03,418 THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE WE CAN CORRECT. I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB MAKING SURE WE'RE OUT 141 00:14:03,485 --> 00:14:07,389 HERE TALKING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, UNDERSTANDING THE EVERYDAY ISSUES THEY'RE FACING. >> O'Donnell: WOULD YOU BE 142 00:14:07,456 --> 00:14:13,061 WILLING TO GO BACK AND SAY, "OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAW AND MAKE THE CHANGES?" >> Taylor: I'M NOT WILLING TO-- 143 00:14:13,128 --> 00:14:19,067 TO EVEN CONSIDER THAT, AT THIS POINT. BUT OF COURSE, I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK WITH LAW 144 00:14:19,134 --> 00:14:25,440 ENFORCEMENT AND-- AND, YOU KNOW, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WAY THAT THEY OPERATE AND WHAT THEY DO. >> O'Donnell: SO FAR, 17 STATES 145 00:14:25,507 --> 00:14:31,213 HAVE LAWS ON THEIR BOOKS SIMILAR TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT, THOUGH NONE GOES AS FAR AS MISSOURI. 146 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:38,287 HAVE YOU HEARD FROM LEGISLATORS IN OTHER STATES WHO SAY, "WE WANT TO DO THE SAME THING"? >> Taylor: ABSOLUTELY. 147 00:14:38,353 --> 00:14:45,193 I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY MULTIPLE LEGISLATORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, ASKING FOR HELP AND ASKING FOR THE RESOURCES THAT WE 148 00:14:45,260 --> 00:14:51,199 USED IN ORDER TO PASS OUR LEGISLATION. >> O'Donnell: THE FUTURE OF THAT LEGISLATION WILL BE DECIDED IN 149 00:14:51,266 --> 00:14:57,172 COURT. ST. LOUIS' SUIT AGAINST THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT SHOULD GET TO MISSOURI'S 150 00:14:57,239 --> 00:15:04,346 HIGHEST COURT NEXT YEAR. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER TO FILE ITS OWN LAWSUIT. 151 00:15:04,413 --> 00:15:09,151 THE CO-SPONSORS OF THE LAW SAY THEY'RE READY. DO YOU THINK THIS GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT? 152 00:15:09,217 --> 00:15:13,388 >> Taylor: ABSOLUTELY. >> O'Donnell: YOU DO? >> Taylor: I DO. >> O'Donnell: DO YOU LIKE YOUR 153 00:15:13,455 --> 00:15:22,531 CHANCES? >> Burlison: I LOVE OUR CHANCES. ( TICKING ) 154 00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:31,340 >> Jon Wertheim: THE HURRICANES KEEP COMING WITH INCREASED FORCE AND INCREASED FREQUENCY. EVEN BEFORE HITTING LAND, 155 00:15:31,406 --> 00:15:39,247 THEY'RE OFTEN WREAKING HAVOC. KATRINA, SANDY, MOST RECENTLY IDA-- NAME A TROPICAL STORM, AND ODDS ARE GOOD IT'S CAUSED AN 156 00:15:39,314 --> 00:15:47,055 OFF-SHORE OIL SPILL. AND THESE MESSES AREN'T EASILY CLEANED UP. TONIGHT, WE BRING YOU A 157 00:15:47,122 --> 00:15:52,961 DISTINCTLY LOUISIANA STORY, THE SAGA OF THE TAYLOR ENERGY OIL SPILL, A STORM-CAUSED ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS THAT'S 158 00:15:53,028 --> 00:15:59,935 SULLIED THE GULF OF MEXICO SINCE 2004. THEN, ALONG CAME AN UNLIKELY DUO: A NO-NONSENSE COAST GUARD 159 00:16:00,001 --> 00:16:07,909 CAPTAIN WHO SAID "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH," AND A HOMEGROWN CAJUN ENGINEER WHO BROUGHT WITH HIM THE POWER OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. 160 00:16:07,976 --> 00:16:16,151 TOGETHER, THEY WOULD RESIST A DEEP-POCKETED ENERGY COMPANY AND HELP STANCH THE LONGEST RUNNING OIL SPILL IN U.S. HISTORY. 161 00:16:16,218 --> 00:16:21,056 HOW MANY MILES OFFSHORE ARE WE NOW? >> Timmy Couvillion: WE'RE ABOUT 12 MILES OFFSHORE FROM THE COAST 162 00:16:21,123 --> 00:16:26,661 OF LOUISIANA. >> Wertheim: A SEVENTH- GENERATION CAJUN, TIMMY COUVILLION GREW UP ON THE 163 00:16:26,728 --> 00:16:32,000 LOUISIANA DELTA, WHERE RIVER MINGLES WITH SEA. EVEN AS AN ENGINEERING STUDENT, HE MOONLIGHTED AS A FISHING 164 00:16:32,067 --> 00:16:37,339 CAPTAIN. >> Couvillion: I'VE CAUGHT, YOU KNOW, 150-POUND TUNAS THIS CLOSE. 165 00:16:37,406 --> 00:16:42,244 >> Wertheim: HE SHOWED US THE PRECISE SITE OF A GROUND- BREAKING CONTRAPTION THAT'S CONSUMED HIM LATELY. 166 00:16:42,310 --> 00:16:46,381 WE'RE RIGHT ABOVE IT NOW, AREN'T WE? >> Couvillion: YES, SIR. THE TAYLOR ENERGY PLATFORM WOULD 167 00:16:46,448 --> 00:16:51,953 BE LAYING ON ITS SIDE, JUST BELOW US. >> Wertheim: HIS ENGINEERING COMPANY HAS CONCEIVED OF AND 168 00:16:52,020 --> 00:16:59,361 INSTALLED A SYSTEM TO HELP CONTAIN A STUBBORN OIL SPILL. IT'S DIRECTLY BELOW THIS SPOT, NEARLY 500 FEET UNDERWATER. 169 00:16:59,428 --> 00:17:06,234 >> Couvillion: IF WE DIDN'T HAVE G.P.S. COORDINATES, WE WOULDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD A FUNCTIONING SYSTEM THAT WAS ACTIVELY 170 00:17:06,301 --> 00:17:12,073 COLLECTING 1,000 GALLONS OF OIL A DAY. >> Wertheim: CATCH THAT? AN AVERAGE OF 1,000 GALLONS OF 171 00:17:12,140 --> 00:17:19,347 OIL A DAY, THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE CONTAMINATING THE GULF OF MEXICO. IT'S BEING CAPTURED BY TIMMY 172 00:17:19,414 --> 00:17:27,355 COUVILLION'S SYSTEM AND TRANSFERRED TO THESE TANKS TO BE SOLD LATER AS RECYCLED OIL. >> Couvillon: 100,000 GALLONS IS 173 00:17:27,422 --> 00:17:35,464 A MAJOR OIL SPILL. THIS IS SEVEN MAJOR OIL SPILLS THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, SINCE APRIL OF 2019. 174 00:17:35,530 --> 00:17:40,202 >> Wertheim: HOW MANY YEARS YOU BEEN DOING THIS? >> Couvillon: TWO YEARS. >> Wertheim: THE MOUTH OF THE 175 00:17:40,268 --> 00:17:47,776 MISSISSIPPI FORMS THE HEART OF LOUISIANA COMMERCE. THIS REGION IS NOURISHED BY A MIX OF FISH, WATER, GAS AND OIL. 176 00:17:47,843 --> 00:17:55,350 BUT INCREASINGLY, BOTH THE TERRAIN AND THE ECONOMY ARE GETTING BEATEN UP BY MOTHER NATURE. 177 00:17:55,417 --> 00:18:03,358 IN 2004, HURRICANE IVAN DEVASTATED THE GULF, INCLUDING BRINGING DOWN THIS MASSIVE OIL PLATFORM OPERATED BY TAYLOR 178 00:18:03,425 --> 00:18:09,531 ENERGY. COUVILLION MADE THIS VIDEO SIMULATION OF WHAT LIKELY HAPPENED. 179 00:18:09,598 --> 00:18:13,935 >> Couvillion: TO SEE THE ENERGY THAT IT TOOK TO SHEAR THE LEGS OF THIS EIGHT-PILE PLATFORM, THE TAYLOR ENERGY PLATFORM, IT'S 180 00:18:14,002 --> 00:18:19,941 HARD TO COMPREHEND. >> Wertheim: THE UNDERWATER MUDSLIDE TOPPLED THE OIL PLATFORM, DAMAGING THE 181 00:18:20,008 --> 00:18:27,349 CONNECTIONS TO AS MANY AS 28 OIL WELLS BELOW. TO THIS DAY, THE STRUCTURE LIES HORIZONTALLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE 182 00:18:27,415 --> 00:18:35,223 GULF. THE SHEEN CAUSED BY THE OIL SPILL SPREAD FOR MILES. FOR YEARS, SHIPS TRAVELING 183 00:18:35,290 --> 00:18:41,530 THROUGH WERE COATED IN THE SLICK POOLS OF OIL THAT BUBBLED UP TO THE SURFACE. AND MARINE LIFE, LIKE THESE 184 00:18:41,596 --> 00:18:49,371 SCHOOLS OF GIANT AMBERJACK, HAD TO SWIM THROUGH THE MUCK. HOW COULD THIS SPILL HAVE GONE ON FOR 17 YEARS AND COUNTING 185 00:18:49,437 --> 00:18:57,112 WITHOUT MUCH PUBLIC AWARENESS? FOR ONE, TAYLOR ENERGY IS NOT A FORTUNE 500 GIANT, BUT A LOCAL COMPANY-- AND A BELOVED ONE AT 186 00:18:57,178 --> 00:19:01,383 THAT. FOR PEOPLE NOT FROM HERE, WHO ARE THE TAYLORS OF TAYLOR ENERGY? 187 00:19:01,449 --> 00:19:11,359 >> Pat McShane: THIS IS A FAMILY WHICH HAS BUILT ITS REPUTATION AS A BENEVOLENT COMMUNITY CORPORATE CITIZEN OF THE HIGHEST 188 00:19:11,426 --> 00:19:18,667 ORDER. >> Wertheim: PAT McSHANE IS A PROMINENT LOUISIANA MARITIME LAWYER, WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE 189 00:19:18,733 --> 00:19:23,572 TIMMY COUVILLION. HE SAYS THAT IN NEW ORLEANS SOCIETY, THE TAYLORS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL 190 00:19:23,638 --> 00:19:27,342 PHILANTHROPY. >> Pat Taylor: HOW YA DOING, MAN? I'M PAT TAYLOR. 191 00:19:27,409 --> 00:19:31,446 NCE SEEING YOU. HOW YA'LL BEEN? >> Wertheim: IN 1989, "60 MINUTES" REPORTED ON THE 192 00:19:31,513 --> 00:19:37,385 TAYLORS' GENEROSITY. WHEN THE SPILL OCCURRED, LOCALS ASSUMED THE TAYLORS WOULD CLEAN IT UP. 193 00:19:37,452 --> 00:19:42,891 >> McShane: TAYLOR HAS BEEN TASKED UNDER THE FEDERAL OIL POLLUTION ACT WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTAINING 194 00:19:42,958 --> 00:19:47,796 THE OIL AND COMING UP WITH A PERMANENT SOLUTION. AND DURING THAT TIME, THEY WORKED HAND AND GLOVE WITH THE 195 00:19:47,862 --> 00:19:55,370 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. >> Wertheim: THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MAKES MONEY-- BILLIONS, IN FACT- - LEASING OFFSHORE OIL RIGHTS. 196 00:19:55,437 --> 00:20:01,376 SO, WHEN THERE IS AN OIL SPILL, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY. BUT WE WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN 197 00:20:01,443 --> 00:20:07,349 HOW MUCH THE GOVERNMENT RELIES ON THE LEASING OIL COMPANIES THEMSELVES TO LEAD THE RECOVERY EFFORTS. 198 00:20:07,415 --> 00:20:13,388 PEOPLE MIGHT HEAR THE STORY AND SAY, "WAIT A SECOND, IT'S UP TO THE OIL COMPANIES TO GIVE THE ETIMATE HOW SEVERE THIS IS?" 199 00:20:13,455 --> 00:20:20,929 >> Kristi Luttrell: IT IS. AND, IN GENERAL, THE INDUSTRY'S VERY RESPONSIBLE IN REPORTING THOSE TYPE OF AMOUNTS AND EVEN 200 00:20:20,996 --> 00:20:27,168 CLEANING UP THE-- THE SPILL AND SECURING THE SOURCE. >> Wertheim: CAPTAIN KRISTI LUTTRELL, A VETERAN OF THE COAST 201 00:20:27,235 --> 00:20:34,075 GUARD, WAS PLACED IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THE TAYLOR ENERGY SPILL IN 2018. >> Luttrell: THIS IS THE BIGGEST 202 00:20:34,142 --> 00:20:42,417 POLLUTION RESPONSE CASE I'LL SEE IN MY 28-YEAR CAREER. >> Wertheim: TAYLOR ENERGY WAS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW TO SET 203 00:20:42,484 --> 00:20:49,391 ASIDE $666 MILLION IN A TRUST TO FUND CLEAN-UP COSTS. TAYLOR SAYS THAT BY 2011, IT HAD SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS TO 204 00:20:49,457 --> 00:20:57,766 PLUG NINE OF THE MOST ACTIVE WELLS AT THE SITE. THEN, IN 2013, TAYLOR ENERGY, ALONG WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT 205 00:20:57,832 --> 00:21:03,438 AGENCIES INCLUDING THE COAST GUARD, ISSUED THIS REPORT CONCLUDING THE BEST OPTION WAS TO LEAVE THE UNDERWATER SITE 206 00:21:03,505 --> 00:21:11,346 ALONE. IT SAID ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF OIL-- "ABOUT THREE GALLONS PER DAY"-- WERE LIKELY FLOWING, AND 207 00:21:11,413 --> 00:21:18,887 FURTHER ACTION COULD HURT THE ENVIRONMENT. FOR YEARS, THEY WERE CLAIMING THIS WAS ABOUT THREE GALLONS A 208 00:21:18,953 --> 00:21:23,858 DAY, NOT 1,000. THREE GALLONS A DAY THAT WAS SEEPING OUT. >> Luttrell: I HONESTLY COULD 209 00:21:23,925 --> 00:21:30,465 NOT SPEAK FOR THEIR OPINIONS ON THEIR SCIENCE. >> Wertheim: BUT MEASURING OIL SPILLS DEEP UNDERWATER IS 210 00:21:30,532 --> 00:21:35,503 DIFFICULT, AND ESTIMATES VARIED WILDLY, DEPENDING ON THE SOURCE OF THE DATA. CAPTAIN LUTTRELL SAYS THAT BY 211 00:21:35,570 --> 00:21:43,278 2018, THE COAST GUARD HAD ACCESS TO IMPROVED SONAR, REVEALING THAT OIL WAS STILL ESCAPING-- A LOT OF IT. 212 00:21:43,344 --> 00:21:47,348 >> Luttrell: WE BELIEVE THERE'S MULTIPLE WELLS STILL LEAKING INSIDE THE EROSIONAL PIT AT THE SITE. 213 00:21:47,415 --> 00:21:51,219 >> Wertheim: AT WHAT POINT DID YOU SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? ENOUGH. THE COAST GUARD'S GOING TO TAKE 214 00:21:51,286 --> 00:21:58,927 OVER THIS CONTAINMENT"? >> Luttrell: I CAME TO THAT DECISION SOMETIME IN LATE SUMMER OF 2018. 215 00:21:58,993 --> 00:22:04,799 IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO REALIZE THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE TO FEDERALIZE THIS CASE, WHEN I DIDN'T FEEL 216 00:22:04,866 --> 00:22:10,004 LIKE I WAS GETTING A TIMELY RESPONSE OUT OF THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY. >> Wertheim: LUTTRELL SAYS SHE 217 00:22:10,071 --> 00:22:15,343 WAS CONCERNED THAT TAYLOR ENERGY WAS, IN HER WORDS, "NOT ACTING IN A TIMELY MANNER," AND SHE TOOK OVER CONTROL OF THE 218 00:22:15,410 --> 00:22:22,050 CONTAINMENT, PUTTING OUT A CALL FOR BIDS FOR A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO COLLECT ANY FLOWING OIL. 219 00:22:22,117 --> 00:22:27,455 TIMMY COUVILLION'S LOUISIANA FIRM COMPETED WITH OTHER ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS TO COME UP WITH AN INVENTION. 220 00:22:27,522 --> 00:22:33,895 >> Jack Couch: I'VE WORKED WITH TIMMY AT OCEANEERING. >> Wertheim: COUVILLION SUMMONED TWO FRIENDS, FORMER COLLEAGUES. 221 00:22:33,962 --> 00:22:39,367 THEY BEGAN WITH A BASIC CONCEPT: OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX. >> Couch: I HAD INVENTED THE UNDERWATER SEPARATOR. 222 00:22:39,434 --> 00:22:47,342 >> Wertheim: JACK COUCH IS A LONGTIME EXPERT DEEP SEA DIVER; DR. KEVIN KENNELLEY, A.K.A DOCTOR K, IS AN ENGINEER. 223 00:22:47,408 --> 00:22:53,348 THE "THREE AMIGOS," THEY CALLED THEMSELVES, HUNKERED DOWN IN TIMMY COUVILLION'S MAN CAVE IN BELLE CHASSE, LOUISIANA, TAKING 224 00:22:53,414 --> 00:22:58,553 BREAKS ONLY TO SHOOT POOL AND EAT PO' BOYS. TAKE ME BACK TO WHEN YOU GUYS WERE USING THIS ROOM TO SOLVE 225 00:22:58,620 --> 00:23:02,991 PROBLEMS. >> Doctor K: WELL, I REMEMBER JACK SAT THERE, TIMMY SAT THERE, AND I SAT OVER HERE. 226 00:23:03,057 --> 00:23:08,062 WE EACH HAD A DESK. >> Wertheim: IT TOOK THE THREE AMIGOS FIVE DAYS BEFORE, AS THEY PUT IT, THEY WENT "FROM CAN'T TO 227 00:23:08,129 --> 00:23:12,867 CAN." >> Couch: THERE WAS EVEN NO MOVING PARTS. THERE'S NO PUMPS, NO NOTHING. 228 00:23:12,934 --> 00:23:17,739 WE JUST USED THE NATURAL BUOYANCY OF THE FLUIDS AND STUFF. >> Couvillon: I LOOKED AT THEM, 229 00:23:17,806 --> 00:23:22,610 AND I'M LIKE, "IS THERE ANY REASON WHY THIS WON'T WORK?" ( LAUGHS ) >> Wertheim: THEY EVEN TESTED 230 00:23:22,677 --> 00:23:29,851 THEIR INVENTION IN THE BACKYARD POOL. >> Doctor K: WE DID EVERYTHING, FROM TEST IT IN A SWIMMING POOL 231 00:23:29,918 --> 00:23:35,390 TO FULL-SCALE TESTS IN-- IN VERY, VERY LARGE TANKS, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKED. >> Wertheim: AGAINST STEEP 232 00:23:35,456 --> 00:23:41,563 COMPETITION, THEIR PROPOSAL WAS CHOSEN BY THE COAST GUARD IN LATE 2018. THE BLUE BOX WOULD ACT LIKE A 233 00:23:41,629 --> 00:23:47,836 CAP, WHICH COLLECTS THE LEAKING OIL AND GAS. THAT WOULD GET SEPARATED IN THE WHITE TANK, AND THEN THE OIL 234 00:23:47,902 --> 00:23:54,876 WOULD GO TO STORAGE IN THE YELLOW TUBES. FROM THERE, IT WOULD BE PUMPED OFF TO A SHIP EACH MONTH. 235 00:23:54,943 --> 00:23:59,814 BUT COUVILLION HAD TO MAKE THE CONCEPT A REALITY, AND THE CLOCK WAS TICKING. >> Couvillion: IT WAS ABOUT 236 00:23:59,881 --> 00:24:07,188 DECEMBER-- DECEMBER 15. WE WERE ONSITE WITH OUR R.O.V.s, WHICH IS A REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE. 237 00:24:07,255 --> 00:24:13,394 SO, AN UNDERWATER ROBOT. >> Wertheim: COUVILLION'S TEAM DROPPED THE R.O.V. TO GET DETAILED SONAR IMAGES OF WHAT 238 00:24:13,461 --> 00:24:19,868 WAS GOING ON 470 FEET DOWN. HE SAYS HE WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT HE SAW IN HIS IMAGES. THE RED REPRESENTS PLUMES OF OIL 239 00:24:19,934 --> 00:24:25,473 AND GAS SPEWING IN FRONT OF THE DOWNED PLATFORM. THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AFTER YOU HAVE THE CONTRACT. 240 00:24:25,540 --> 00:24:34,949 >> Couvillion: THAT'S RIGHT. MY FIRST REACTION WAS, "THIS ISN'T MICRON DROPLETS THAT'S COMING OUT FROM THE SEA FLOOR. 241 00:24:35,016 --> 00:24:41,356 THIS IS AN UNDERWATER VOLCANO." >> Wertheim: COUVILLION'S CREW PUT MORE THAN 200 TONS OF STEEL PIECES TOGETHER USING ENORMOUS 242 00:24:41,422 --> 00:24:49,230 CRANES, TEAMS OF EXPERT SEA DIVERS, AND MULTIPLE REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLES. TO GET A SENSE OF PROPORTION, 243 00:24:49,297 --> 00:24:55,370 NOTE THE SIZE OF THE MEN COMPARED TO THE EQUIPMENT. >> Luttrell: I DID NOT SLEEP VERY WELL THOSE NIGHTS THAT I 244 00:24:55,436 --> 00:25:01,376 KNEW THE DIVERS WERE OUT AND ABOUT ON THE SEAFLOOR IN ALMOST 500 FEET OF WATER. AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 245 00:25:01,442 --> 00:25:09,083 CRANE FAILING AND THAT MUCH WEIGHT DROPPING. >> Wertheim: SPRING OF 2019 BROUGHT THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. 246 00:25:09,150 --> 00:25:15,356 THIS WASN'T TESTING A SIMULATION IN A BACKYARD POOL. THIS WAS THE REAL THING, A $43 MILLION SYSTEM IN THE GULF. 247 00:25:15,423 --> 00:25:23,364 >> Couvillion: WHEN WE OPENED UP THE VALVES AND, LESS THAN A DAY LATER, THE SHEEN HAD LARGELY DISAPPEARED, WE KNEW WE HAD 248 00:25:23,431 --> 00:25:29,137 REALLY DONE SOMETHING. IT WAS AWESOME. >> Wertheim: A GOOD DAY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? 249 00:25:29,203 --> 00:25:35,376 >> Couvillion: OH, NO DOUBT. LOOK, NOBODY WANTS OIL IN THEIR BACKYARD, RIGHT? WE PROVED THAT WE CAN CLEAN UP 250 00:25:35,443 --> 00:25:39,347 OUR MESS, RIGHT? >> Wertheim: YOU SEND IT 500 FEET DOWN AND, DANG, IT'S WORKING. 251 00:25:39,414 --> 00:25:47,255 >> Luttrell: IT WAS SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE. AND I GIVE THE ENGINEERS CREDIT FOR COMING UP WITH THAT DESIGN. 252 00:25:47,322 --> 00:25:53,795 >> Wertheim: BUT LIKE THE MUDDY MISSISSIPPI ITSELF, THIS TALE HAS NO CLEAR ENDPOINT. TAYLOR ENERGY HEADED STRAIGHT TO 253 00:25:53,861 --> 00:25:59,200 OURT. IN TOTAL, IT'S FILED MORE THAN TEN SEPARATE SUITS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OIL SPILL, 254 00:25:59,267 --> 00:26:04,906 INCLUDING ONE AGAINST COUVILLION. THE CLAIM: HE WAS TRESPASSING, AND WAS NEGLIGENT. 255 00:26:04,973 --> 00:26:10,311 TAYLOR'S LAWYER ALSO TOLD THE COURT: >> WE VERY MUCH DISPUTE THAT THESE ACTIVITIES NEED TO BE 256 00:26:10,378 --> 00:26:15,350 GOING ON OUT THERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, OR THAT THIS IS EVEN TAYLOR ENERGY OIL OUT THERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. 257 00:26:15,416 --> 00:26:22,256 >> Wertheirm: IN RESPONSE, COUVILLION'S MARITIME LAWYER, PAT McSHANE, CHARACTERIZED TAYLOR'S ALLEGATIONS AS 258 00:26:22,323 --> 00:26:27,662 "PERNICIOUS." AND HE POINTED US TO A WEALTH OF EVIDENCE INDICATING THAT THE OIL WAS INDEED TAYLOR'S. 259 00:26:27,729 --> 00:26:35,370 >> McShane: THE NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD, HAVE TAKEN ALL MANNER OF VISUAL 260 00:26:35,436 --> 00:26:41,876 EVIDENCE OF THE PLUMES COMING OUT OF THE SEABED RIGHT AT THE PLATFORM. WHEN YOU SAY "THAT'S NOT OUR 261 00:26:41,943 --> 00:26:47,515 OIL" AGAINST THIS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE, YOU'RE PLAYING SOME DIFFERENT KIND OF GAME. >> Wertheim: COUVILLION, A 262 00:26:47,582 --> 00:26:54,255 FORMER LOUISIANA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPION, SAYS HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN FROM THE FIGHT. YOU'RE WORKING TO FIX A PROBLEM 263 00:26:54,322 --> 00:26:59,360 THAT AN OIL COMPANY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND NOW THEY'RE SUING YOU? >> Couvillion: KIND OF CRAZY, 264 00:26:59,427 --> 00:27:06,934 ISN'T IT? IT'S INTIMIDATION BY LITIGATION. >> Wertheim: TAYLOR ENERGY ALSO FILED LEGAL ACTION AGAINST 265 00:27:07,001 --> 00:27:11,372 CAPTAIN KRISTI LUTTRELL, ARGUING THAT SHE OVERSTEPPED HER COAST GUARD AUTHORITY. YOU'VE BEEN NAMED PERSONALLY. 266 00:27:11,439 --> 00:27:16,677 HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE THIS SITUATION? >> Luttrell: AS THE FEDERAL ON-SCENE COORDINATOR, I USED MY 267 00:27:16,744 --> 00:27:23,351 AUTHORITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. >> Wertheim: PHYLLIS TAYLOR, C.E.O. OF TAYLOR ENERGY, 268 00:27:23,418 --> 00:27:30,224 DECLINED OUR INTERVIEW REQUEST. THE COMPANY SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT IT, "HAS RETAINED AND RELIED UPON THE WORLD'S FOREMOST 269 00:27:30,291 --> 00:27:37,365 EXPERTS TO STUDY AND THEN RECOMMEND A PLAN OF ACTION. WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR A RESPONSE DRIVEN BY SCIENCE." 270 00:27:37,432 --> 00:27:45,740 TAYLOR LOST ITS CASE AGAINST COUVILLION AND AN ACTION TO RECOVER THE $432 MILLION STILL LEFT IN THAT CLEAN-UP TRUST. 271 00:27:45,807 --> 00:27:50,878 "60 MINUTES" HAS LEARNED THAT TAYLOR IS NOW IN MEDIATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO CONCLUDE ALL THE OUTSTANDING LITIGATION AT 272 00:27:50,945 --> 00:27:59,353 ONCE. ASKED WHY HE THINKS TAYLOR RESISTED SO INTENSELY, TIMMY COUVILLION DOESN'T HESITATE. 273 00:27:59,420 --> 00:28:07,161 >> Couvillion: THAT'S THE $432 MILLION QUESTION, YOU KNOW. IN THIS CASE, IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOU FOLLOW THE MONEY, YOU'D HAVE 274 00:28:07,228 --> 00:28:10,364 A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING YOUR ANSWER. >> Wertheim: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PHYLLIS TAYLOR, IF SHE WERE 275 00:28:10,431 --> 00:28:13,768 SITTING RIGHT HERE? >> Couvillion: I'D JUST WANT TO KNOW, WHY? WHY ARE WE AT THIS POINT? 276 00:28:13,835 --> 00:28:23,344 SOMEONE THAT HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO OUR STATE-- WHY WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW THIS OIL SPILL TO HAPPEN IN OUR GULF WATERS? 277 00:28:23,411 --> 00:28:29,984 >> Wertheim: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT SOME OF THE OIL WELLS BURIED IN THE MUD STILL NEED TO BE SEALED 278 00:28:30,051 --> 00:28:35,656 PERMANENTLY. MEANWHILE, COUVILLION'S SYSTEM PLUGS AWAY, SO TO SPEAK. AS OF THIS PAST WEEK, IT'S 279 00:28:35,723 --> 00:28:44,432 CAPTURED MORE THAN 800,000 GALLONS OF SPILLED OIL. ( TICKING ) 280 00:28:49,170 --> 00:29:00,114 ( TICKING ) >> Scott Pelley: IN 1904, 180 AMERICANS WERE TRAPPED BY FIRE IN A PENNSYLVANIA COAL MINE. 281 00:29:00,181 --> 00:29:09,023 TWO HEROES WENT IN TO SAVE THEM, BUT THE RESCUERS AND ALL BUT ONE OF THE MINERS PERISHED. STILL, THAT ACT OF HEROISM 282 00:29:09,090 --> 00:29:15,129 TOUCHED ONE OF THE RICHEST AMERICANS OF ALL TIME-- A MAN WHOSE STEEL MILLS WERE FIRED BY COAL. 283 00:29:15,196 --> 00:29:25,106 ANDREW CARNEGIE DONATED MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN TODAY'S MONEY TO RECOGNIZE HEROES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. 284 00:29:25,173 --> 00:29:33,080 A GOOD DEAL HAS CHANGED IN 117 YEARS. THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE CARNEGIE HERO MEDAL, AND 285 00:29:33,147 --> 00:29:39,153 ADVANCES IN NEUROSCIENCE ARE REVEALING WHY SOME OF US MAY BE HEROIC. WE'LL GET TO THE SCIENCE. 286 00:29:39,220 --> 00:29:48,329 BUT FIRST, MEET SOME OF THE CARNEGIE HEROES, INCLUDING TERRYANN THOMAS. >> Terryann Thomas: I REMEMBER 287 00:29:48,396 --> 00:29:55,336 THINKING JUST ALMOST INSTANTLY, "I AM NOT GOING LET SOMEBODY DIE." >> Pelley: TERRYANN THOMAS WAS A 288 00:29:55,403 --> 00:30:03,144 CIVILIAN OVERSEEING CONFISCATED PROPERTY AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE TOPEKA POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN 2015, AN AGITATED MAN CAME 289 00:30:03,211 --> 00:30:12,220 INTO THE BASEMENT PROPERTY ROOM TO DEMAND HIS BICYCLE. THOMAS TURNED TO FIND IT. >> Thomas: AS SOON AS I TURNED 290 00:30:12,286 --> 00:30:19,694 AROUND AND STARTED TO WALK OFF, I HEARD A SCREAM. >> Pelley: THE SCREAM CAME FROM OFFICER TAMMY WALTER. 291 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:27,134 FOR REASONS WE DON'T KNOW, SHE'D BEEN ATTACKED BY THE MAN IN THE PROPERTY ROOM WAITING AREA. THOMAS HIT A PANIC ALARM AND 292 00:30:27,201 --> 00:30:37,078 CHARGED OUT OF HER LOCKED ROOM. >> Thomas: AND SO, AS I RAN OUT THERE, I SAW THERE WAS BLOOD ON THE WALL, AND SHE WAS DOWN. 293 00:30:37,144 --> 00:30:45,086 AND SHE WAS NOT MOVING. AND I WENT OVER THERE, AND I PULLED HIM OFF OF HER. HE LOOKED AT ME, AND HE PUNCHED 294 00:30:45,152 --> 00:30:53,094 ME IN THE FACE. HE TURNED AROUND, AND HE STARTED BACK ON HER. HE'S KICKING HER WHILE SHE'S ON 295 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:59,834 THE GROUND, AND CONSTANTLY PUNCHING HER, SO I WENT AND GRABBED HIM AGAIN, AND I PULLED HIM OFF. 296 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:06,540 >> Pelley: HELP WAS SLOW IN COMING. IT SEEMS NO ONE HAD TRIGGERED THE PANIC ALARM BEFORE, SO THE 297 00:31:06,607 --> 00:31:13,547 COPS UPSTAIRS WEREN'T SURE WHAT IT MEANT. >> Thomas: HE GRABBED SOMETHING OFF HER GUN BELT, AND I THOUGHT, 298 00:31:13,614 --> 00:31:21,188 "OKAY, HE HAS HER GUN. THIS WHOLE THING HAS JUST CHANGED." HE HIT THE ELEVATOR BUTTON, AND 299 00:31:21,255 --> 00:31:28,763 HE LOOKED AT ME, AND HE SAID, "YOU'RE COMING WITH ME." >> Pelley: LATER, IT TURNED OUT IT WAS THE OFFICER'S RADIO THE 300 00:31:28,829 --> 00:31:34,502 MAN HAD, NOT HER GUN. BUT THOMAS DIDN'T KNOW THAT IN THE FIGHT. WHAT HAPPENED THEN? 301 00:31:34,568 --> 00:31:42,677 >> Thomas: AND SO, I PUT MY FOOT IN THE DOOR. IT OPENED UP. AND WITH EVERYTHING I HAD, I 302 00:31:42,743 --> 00:31:51,152 GRABBED HIM, AND I PULLED HIM OUT OF THE ELEVATOR. AND JUST AS SOON AS WE GOT OUT, I RAN TO THE DOOR. 303 00:31:51,218 --> 00:32:00,895 I OPENED IT, AND I JUST STARTED SCREAMING. AND THAT'S WHEN ALL THE OFFICERS CAME IN AND TOOK HIM DOWN. 304 00:32:00,961 --> 00:32:07,968 >> Pelley: A TOPEKA COP REPORTED THAT STORY TO THE PITTSBURGH HEADQUARTERS OF THE CARNEGIE HERO FUND COMMISSION. 305 00:32:08,035 --> 00:32:12,940 ERIC ZAHREN IS PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION. HE'S A FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT. 306 00:32:13,007 --> 00:32:19,146 >> Eric Zahren: WELL, WE LOOK AT UP TO 1,000 CASES A YEAR, AND WE AWARD ABOUT JUST A LITTLE OVER 10% OF THAT. 307 00:32:19,213 --> 00:32:23,517 SO, IN RECENT YEARS, THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 80 CASES A YEAR. >> Pelley: HOW DO YOU DEFINE 308 00:32:23,584 --> 00:32:29,090 "HERO"? >> ZAHREN: AND WE DEFINE IT AS-- AT LEAST IN TERMS OF OUR MEDAL- AWARDING REQUIREMENT-- AS A MAN 309 00:32:29,156 --> 00:32:36,130 OR A WOMAN THAT WILLINGLY AND KNOWINGLY RISKS THEIR LIFE TO AN EXTRAORDINARY DEGREE TO SAVE OR ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE LIFE OF 310 00:32:36,197 --> 00:32:39,233 ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. >> Pelley: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOUR INVESTIGATORS GO THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE 311 00:32:39,300 --> 00:32:45,539 INVESTIGATING A CASE? >> Zahren: WE WRITE TO OR CONTACT POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE VICTIM IN THE 312 00:32:45,606 --> 00:32:52,113 CASE WHO WAS THE RESCUED PARTY, AND OTHER EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACT, AND WE START TO BUILD AN UNDERSTANDING OF EACH CASE. 313 00:32:52,179 --> 00:33:01,122 >> Pelley: AND THIS IS THE MEDAL. TE CARNEGIE MEDAL, MOLDED IN BRONZE, COMES WITH $5,500, AND 314 00:33:01,188 --> 00:33:07,061 OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT. >> Zahren: WE ALSO PAY FOR FUNERAL COSTS FULLY FOR A HERO THAT IS KILLED IN THE ACT. 315 00:33:07,128 --> 00:33:12,967 WE PAY ANY MEDICAL COSTS FOR ANY INJURY THAT THEY INCUR, TO INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTER- EFFECTS, P.T.S.D. 316 00:33:13,033 --> 00:33:20,007 WE DON'T PRESENT A MEDAL AND WALK AWAY. WE STAY THERE, AND WE STAY THERE FOR THE HERO'S LIFETIME AND 317 00:33:20,074 --> 00:33:25,312 SOMETIMES FAR BEYOND. I MEAN, WE WERE RECENTLY LOOKING AT A CASE THAT, YOU KNOW, A GENTLEMAN WAS KILLED IN HIS 318 00:33:25,379 --> 00:33:31,819 HEROIC ACT, AND WE SUPPORTED HIS WIFE AND THEN ONE OF HIS DAUGHTERS FOR A TOTAL OF 72 YEARS UNTIL HIS DAUGHTER DIED. 319 00:33:31,886 --> 00:33:39,126 >> Pete Pontzer: ON THE BEACH, ON THAT DAY, I JUST REACTED. >> Pelley: PETE PONTZER FIT THE CARNEGIE DEFINITION OF HERO. 320 00:33:39,193 --> 00:33:45,099 HE WAS ON A NORTH CAROLINA BEACH IN 2015 WHEN SOMEONE POINTED TO A BOY SWEPT AWAY BY A RIP CURRENT. 321 00:33:45,166 --> 00:33:53,707 PONTZER AND ANOTHER MAN SWAM ABOUT 150 YARDS. >> Pontzer: AND WE FOUND A YOUNG TEENAGER, 13-YEAR-OLD BOY, AND 322 00:33:53,774 --> 00:34:01,182 WATER WAS STARTING TO WASH OVER HIS FACE. >> Pelley: THIS IS THE BOY AFTER THEY SWAM HIM BACK TO SHORE. 323 00:34:01,248 --> 00:34:09,190 >> Pontzer: AS WE GET TO THE BEACH, A CHURCH YOUTH GROUP LEADER COMES OUT AND MEETS WITH US, AND HE SAYS, "THANK YOU. 324 00:34:09,256 --> 00:34:17,097 THERE'S ANOTHER ONE." >> Pelley: A SECOND BOY WAS DROWNING. PONTZER RAN, BROKE HIS FOOT, 325 00:34:17,164 --> 00:34:25,473 IGNORED IT, AND SWAM OUT. HE EVENTUALLY LOST SIGHT OF THE BOY, BUT THE CHILD WAS PULLED FROM THE WATER BY OTHERS AND 326 00:34:25,539 --> 00:34:32,980 FLOWN TO A HOSPITAL. SO, WHY YOU? >> Pontzer: I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT. 327 00:34:33,047 --> 00:34:39,153 IT'S KIND OF LIKE, IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND ON A HOT STOVE AND PULL IT BACK RIGHT AWAY WITHOUT THINKING-- THAT'S KIND OF WHAT 328 00:34:39,220 --> 00:34:47,394 IT WAS LIKE FOR ME. IT JUST NEEDED TO BE DONE. AND I DID IT. >> Pelley: IT WAS THE SAME 329 00:34:47,461 --> 00:34:53,100 REACTION FOR DAVID McCARTNEY, WHEN FATE ARRIVED ON A TWO-LANE ROAD IN INDIANA. >> David McCartney: I WAS 330 00:34:53,167 --> 00:34:57,204 HEADING SOUTH, AND THERE WAS A VEHICLE THAT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING A LITTLE BIT LEFT, A LITTLE BIT RIGHT. 331 00:34:57,271 --> 00:35:01,575 THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WENT RIGHT, AND IT HIT A CULVERT. >> Pelley: WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? >> McCartney: YOU COULD START 332 00:35:01,642 --> 00:35:07,281 SEEING SMOKE. IT WAS STARTING TO BELLOW OUT. AND YOU COULD START HEARING MISS TESTERMAN, WHO I COME TO 333 00:35:07,348 --> 00:35:12,553 FIND OUT WAS STARTING TO SCREAM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY STARTING TO CATCH ON FIRE. >> Pelley: ELIZABETH TESTERMAN 334 00:35:12,620 --> 00:35:16,690 WAS TRAPPED. >> McCartney: SHE'S SITTING THERE, SCREAMING. UNDERNEATH, THE DASH IS ON FIRE. 335 00:35:16,757 --> 00:35:21,095 THE SMOKE'S JUST GOING THROUGH YOUR NOSE, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHAT TO DO NOW? 336 00:35:21,161 --> 00:35:29,103 >> Pelley: McCARTNEY AND ANOTHER MAN KICKED IN HER WINDSHIELD AND CUT HER SEATBELT WITH A KNIFE. >> McCartney: WE PULL HER FEET 337 00:35:29,169 --> 00:35:35,309 OUT, AND THEN WE KIND OF WIGGLE UP TO THAT WINDSHIELD THAT WAS KICKED OUT. AND THEN, WE PULLED HER OVER TO 338 00:35:35,376 --> 00:35:44,351 THE GRASS AND LAID HER DOWN. >> Pelley: A MINUTE LATER, HE TOLD US, THE CAR EXPLODED. THAT FEAR OF DYING IN A CAR IS 339 00:35:44,418 --> 00:35:51,158 WELL-KNOWN TO ABIGAIL MARSH. SHE'S NOT A HERO, BUT SHE WAS SAVED BY ONE. AT AGE 19, SHE WAS ON AN 340 00:35:51,225 --> 00:35:59,667 INTERSTATE AT NIGHT AND SWERVED TO MISS A DOG. SHE WENT INTO A SPIN, WHICH LEFT HER FACING LANES OF HIGH-SPEED 341 00:35:59,733 --> 00:36:06,740 TRAFFIC IN A CAR SHE COULDN'T RESTART. >> Marsh: AND I SPENT SOME AMOUNT OF TIME 100% CERTAIN I 342 00:36:06,807 --> 00:36:12,813 WAS ABOUT TO DIE. I MEAN, I WAS, SNAP, YOU KNOW. ANY ONE OF THESE CARS HADN'T SWERVED IN TIME, AND I 343 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:18,586 DEFINITELY WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD. >> Pelley: WHAT HAPPENED? >> Marsh: I HEAR A RAP ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOW, AND I SEE 344 00:36:18,652 --> 00:36:23,424 A MAN'S FACE STARING INTO MY CAR. AND HE SAID, "YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD USE SOME HELP." 345 00:36:23,490 --> 00:36:31,298 >> Pelley: THE STRANGER GOT HER CAR STARTED AND DROVE HER TO SAFETY. HIS ACT OF HEROISM LED HER TO 346 00:36:31,365 --> 00:36:41,108 BECOME DR. ABIGAIL MARSH, A NEUROSCIENTIST WHO STUDIES WHAT GETS INTO THE HEADS OF HEROES. AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, SHE 347 00:36:41,175 --> 00:36:48,449 HAS PUBLISHED STUDIES ON THE BRAINS OF TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE-- PSYCHOPATHS, WHO HAVE NO COMPASSION FOR OTHERS, AND 348 00:36:48,515 --> 00:36:56,690 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SO MUCH COMPASSION THAT THEY DONATED A KIDNEY TO A STRANGER. SHE FOUND A STRIKING DIFFERENCE 349 00:36:56,757 --> 00:37:03,163 IN A PAIR OF TINY STRUCTURES NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE BRAIN CALLED THE AMYGDALAE. THEY SUBCONSCIOUSLY RECOGNIZE 350 00:37:03,230 --> 00:37:10,771 DANGER, AND REACT FASTER THAN CONSCIOUS THOUGHT. >> Marsh: ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE KNOW THEY DO IS, THEY'RE 351 00:37:10,838 --> 00:37:16,844 RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING THE EXPERIENCE OF FEAR. WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS THAT, NOT ONLY IS THE AMYGDALA 352 00:37:16,910 --> 00:37:23,884 ESSENTIAL FOR GIVING YOU THE EXPERIENCE OF FEAR, IT SEEMS TO ALLOW YOU TO EMPATHIZE WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S FEAR. 353 00:37:23,951 --> 00:37:28,555 >> Pelley: AS HER SUBJECTS WERE SCANNED, MARSH SHOWED THEM EMOTIONAL FACES. >> Marsh: AND WHEREAS PEOPLE WHO 354 00:37:28,622 --> 00:37:34,828 ARE PSYCHOPATHIC SHOW VERY MINIMAL RESPONSES IN THE AMYGDALA WHEN THEY SEE A FRIGHTENED FACE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE 355 00:37:34,895 --> 00:37:41,101 GIVEN KIDNEYS TO STRANGERS HAVE AN EXAGGERATED RESPONSE IN THE AMYGDALA, WHICH WE THINK MEANS THAT THEY ARE MORE SENSITIVE 356 00:37:41,168 --> 00:37:47,274 THAN MOST PEOPLE TO OTHER'S DISTRESS, BETTER AT INTERPRETING WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN DISTRESS, MORE LIKELY TO PICK UP 357 00:37:47,341 --> 00:37:51,478 ON IT. >> Pelley: PERHAPS LIKE THE MAN WHO SAVED HER ON THE FREEWAY. NO TELLING HOW MANY PSYCHOPATHS 358 00:37:51,545 --> 00:37:57,184 DROVE PAST YOU THAT NIGHT. ( LAUGHTER ) >> Marsh: JUST TRY TO RELAX AND STAY AS STILL AS POSSIBLE DURING 359 00:37:57,251 --> 00:38:05,092 THE SCAN. >> Pelley: WE WONDERED WHETHER OUR CARNEGIE HEROES WERE BORN HEROIC. 360 00:38:05,159 --> 00:38:16,203 WAS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR BRAINS? ALL THREE VOLUNTEERED FOR 6DR. MARSH'S SCANS. 361 00:38:16,270 --> 00:38:23,343 >> Marsh: TO MY-- I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, IT WAS-- I WAS REALLY PLEASED AND GRATIFIED BY WHAT WE FOUND IN THE HEROIC RESCUERS, 362 00:38:23,410 --> 00:38:29,083 WHICH IS THAT, JUST LIKE THE ALTRUISTIC KIDNEY DONORS, THEIR AMYGDALAS WERE LARGER THAN AVERAGE AND SIGNIFICANTLY MORE 363 00:38:29,149 --> 00:38:36,156 RESPONSIVE TO THE SIGHT OF SOMEBODY ELSE IN DISTRESS. WHICH MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE 364 00:38:36,223 --> 00:38:41,095 PEOPLE WHO, WHEN THEY SAW SOMEBODY TERRIFIED BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE ABOUT TO DIE, THEY DIDN'T JUST SIT THERE. 365 00:38:41,161 --> 00:38:47,534 >> Pelley: YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ALL TOLD US THAT THEY SPRANG INTO ACTION, AS YOU SAY, WITHOUT THINKING. 366 00:38:47,601 --> 00:38:50,504 >> McCartney: YOU DON'T THINK; YOU JUST-- YOU'RE STRICTLY ACTING. >> Pontzer: I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT 367 00:38:50,571 --> 00:38:55,909 IT. >> Thomas: I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. >> Marsh: IT REALLY MAKES SENSE, 368 00:38:55,976 --> 00:39:01,181 WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW ANCIENT AND DEEP IN OUR BRAIN STRUCTURES LIKE THE AMYGDALA ARE. AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY THAT 369 00:39:01,248 --> 00:39:07,187 THE AMYGDALA IS WHERE ALTRUISM IS IN THE BRAIN. IT'S ONE LINK IN A VERY LONG CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT'S HAPPENING 370 00:39:07,254 --> 00:39:13,193 THAT TAKES US FROM SEEING THAT SOMEBODY'S IN DANGER TO ACTUALLY ACTING TO HELP THEM. BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S DEFINITELY 371 00:39:13,260 --> 00:39:21,101 AN ESSENTIAL LINK IN THAT CHAIN. WHETHER YOU ARE A MOUSE OR A RAT OR A DOG OR A HUMAN, IT'S PERFORMING THE SAME FUNCTIONS AT 372 00:39:21,168 --> 00:39:27,141 A REALLY DEEP, FAST, SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL. >> Pelley: IF THE ACT OF HEROISM IS A SPRINT, THE CONSEQUENCES 373 00:39:27,207 --> 00:39:33,247 ARE A MARATHON. FOR DAVID McCARTNEY, IT WAS FOR THE BETTER. HE'S THE FIRST TO ADMIT HE 374 00:39:33,313 --> 00:39:41,088 WASN'T A GOOD MAN. IN THE PAST, HE'D PLEADED GUILTY TO BATTERY. BUT HE PROMISED THE WOMAN HE 375 00:39:41,155 --> 00:39:48,796 PULLED FROM THE BURNING CAR THAT HE WOULD DO GOOD, AND, IN 2019, HE DONATED A KIDNEY. WHO DID THE KIDNEY GO TO? 376 00:39:48,862 --> 00:39:54,968 >> McCartney: I HAVE NO CLUE. >> Pelley: ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR TERRYANN THOMAS, HEROISM HAS BEEN TROUBLING. 377 00:39:55,035 --> 00:40:01,074 SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GO BACK TO WORK IN THE POLICE PROPERTY ROOM. >> Thomas: I HAD A HARD TIME. 378 00:40:01,141 --> 00:40:09,082 I STILL HAVE A HARD TIME. >> Pelley: AND IT'S BEEN A HARD TIME FOR PETE PONTZER, WHO WAS LEFT WITH REGRET. 379 00:40:09,149 --> 00:40:15,155 THAT SECOND BOY HE COULD NOT REACH WAS FLOWN TO A HOSPITAL, BUT DID NOT SURVIVE. >> Pontzer: A HERO WOULD'VE 380 00:40:15,222 --> 00:40:23,964 GOTTEN THE SECOND ONE, AS WELL. AND THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT I ALWAYS LIVE WITH. I JUST COULDN'T GET THE SECOND 381 00:40:24,031 --> 00:40:31,071 KID. >> Pelley: HIS REGRET WAS COUPLED WITH CURIOSITY ABOUT THE BOY HE SAVED SIX YEARS AGO, THE 382 00:40:31,138 --> 00:40:43,450 BOY WHOSE NAME HE NEVER KNEW. THE YOUNG MAN THAT YOU SAVED IS NAMED SEBASTIAN PROKOP, AND WE FOUND HIM. 383 00:40:43,517 --> 00:40:53,160 AND HE HAD SOMETHING THAT HE WANTED TO SAY TO YOU. SO, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU. 384 00:40:59,132 --> 00:41:03,237 >> Sebastian Prokop: I'M SEBASTIAN PROKOP. I'M 18. I RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM HIGH 385 00:41:03,303 --> 00:41:09,243 SCHOOL, AND I'M WORKING TOWARD GOING TO COLLEGE, GETTING A CAR, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. THANK YOU TO THE ONE WHO PULLED 386 00:41:09,309 --> 00:41:17,150 ME OUT AND LET ME BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ALL THE MILESTONES THAT I'VE GOT AND THAT I PLAN TO GET. 387 00:41:20,387 --> 00:41:27,394 >> Pontzer: THANK YOU, SCOTT. >> Pelley: WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SEE HIM TODAY? >> Pontzer: IT KIND OF TAKES MY 388 00:41:27,461 --> 00:41:35,469 BREATH AWAY, SCOTT. IT HELPS TO BRING SOME CLOSURE, AND SOME HELP. >> Pelley: HELP FOR HEROES HAS 389 00:41:35,535 --> 00:41:45,112 BEEN THE MISSION OF THE CARNEGIE FUND FOR 117 YEARS. IT HAS BESTOWED 10,000 MEDALS, AND AWARDED $40 MILLION. 390 00:41:45,178 --> 00:41:53,086 BACK IN 1904, ANDREW CARNEGIE SENSED WHAT SCIENCE HAS NOW CONFIRMED. HEROES, HE SAID, CANNOT BE 391 00:41:53,153 --> 00:42:03,230 CREATED; THEY ACT ON AN IMPULSE, A MYSTERIOUS GIFT TO THE FEW. ( TICKING ) 392 00:42:05,165 --> 00:42:18,078 >> THE PSYCHOLOGICAL COST FOR SOME HEROES. >> IT'S OKAY TO SAY, "LOOK, I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE. 393 00:42:20,180 --> 00:42:28,789 >> Wertheim: NOW, AN UPDATE ON A STORY WE FIRST REPORTED IN 2018. SHARYN ALFONSI LOOKED AT HOW A "PLASTIC PLAGUE" WAS TURNING 394 00:42:28,855 --> 00:42:35,329 OCEANS INTO VAST GARBAGE DUMPS. A YOUNG DUTCH INVENTOR, BOYAN SLAT, CREATED A DEVICE MEANT TO CLEAN UP THE NOTORIOUS GREAT 395 00:42:35,395 --> 00:42:43,837 PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH. >> Boyan Slat: THE EVENTUAL GOAL OF THIS CLEANUP IS TO GET TO A 90% REDUCTION BY THE YEAR 2040. 396 00:42:43,904 --> 00:42:49,242 >> Wertheim: THE COMBINATION OF PIPE AND NYLON NETTING COLLECTED MORE PUBLICITY THAN PLASTIC. BUT SLAT'S ORGANIZATION, THE 397 00:42:49,309 --> 00:42:57,217 OCEAN CLEANUP, HAS DEVELOPED A NEW DESIGN. IN TESTS THIS SUMMER AND FALL, IT SUCCESSFULLY COLLECTED SOME 398 00:42:57,284 --> 00:43:03,957 63,000 POUNDS OF OCEAN PLASTIC. I'M JON WERTHEIM. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH 399 00:43:08,128 --> 00:43:12,265 Captioning funded by CBS and FORD. We go further, so you can. Captioned by 400 00:43:12,332 --> 00:43:16,303 Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org