Richard Jewell
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Richard Allensworth Jewell (born Richard White; December 17, 1962 – August 29, 2007) was an American security guard and law enforcement officer who alerted police during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Georgia. He discovered a backpack containing three pipe bombs on the park grounds and helped evacuate the area before the bomb exploded, saving many people from injury or death. For months afterward he was suspected of planting the bomb, resulting in adverse publicity that "came to symbolize the excesses of law enforcement and the news media". Initially hailed by the media as a hero, Jewell was soon considered a suspect by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI) based on psychological profiling. Though never charged, Jewell experienced what was described as a " trial by media", which took a toll on his personal and professional life. He was cleared as a suspect after 88 days of intense public scrutiny. In 2005, Eric Rudolph confessed and pleaded guilty to that bombing and other attacks. Jewell's life has been the subject of popular culture, including the 2019 Oscar-nominated film '' Richard Jewell'' directed by
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
and the ten-episode 2020 season of the anthology series '' ''Manhunt'''', ''Deadly Games''.


Early life

Jewell was born Richard White in
Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The city is located in the Southside (Virginia), Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River ( ...
, the son of Robert Earl White, who worked for Chevrolet, and his mother Bobi, an insurance claims coordinator. Richard's birth parents divorced when he was four. When his mother later married John Jewell, an insurance executive, his stepfather adopted him.


Olympic bombing accusation

Centennial Olympic Park was designed as the "town square" of the Olympics, and thousands of spectators had gathered for a late concert. Sometime after midnight on July 27, 1996, Eric Robert Rudolph, a domestic terrorist who would later bomb a lesbian nightclub and two abortion clinics, placed a green backpack containing a shrapnel-laden pipe bomb under a bench. Jewell was working as a security guard for the event. He discovered the bag and alerted Georgia Bureau of Investigation officers. This discovery was nine minutes before Rudolph telephoned 9-1-1 to deliver a warning. During a Jack Mack and the Heart Attack performance, Jewell and other security guards began clearing the immediate area so that a bomb squad could investigate the suspicious package. The bomb exploded 13 minutes later, killing one person – later identified as Alice Hawthorne – and injuring more than 100 others. A cameraman also died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
while running to photograph the incident.


Investigation and the media coverage

Early news reports lauded Jewell as a hero for helping to evacuate the area after he spotted the suspicious package. Three days later, '' The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' revealed that the FBI was treating him as a possible suspect, based largely on a "lone bomber" criminal profile. For the next several weeks, the news media focused aggressively on him as the presumed culprit, describing him a " person of interest". The media, to varying degrees, described Jewell as a failed law enforcement officer who might have planted the bomb so he could "find" it and be a hero. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported in October 1996, when he was cleared as a suspect, that "a number of law-enforcement officials have said privately for months that they thought Mr. Jewell had been involved in the bombing, even though there was no evidence against him and some evidence seemed to rule him out". Jewell was never charged officially, but the FBI thoroughly and publicly searched his home twice, questioned his associates, investigated his background, and maintained 24-hour surveillance of him. The scrutiny began to ease only after Jewell's attorneys hired an ex-FBI agent to administer a polygraph, which Jewell passed. A Justice Department investigation of the FBI's conduct found that the FBI had tried to cause Jewell to waive his constitutional rights by telling him he was participating with a training movie about bomb detection, although the report concluded "no intentional violation of Mr. Jewell's civil rights and no criminal misconduct" had occurred.


Exoneration

On October 26, 1996, the US Attorney in Atlanta, Kent Alexander, sent Jewell a letter saying "based on the evidence developed to date ... Richard Jewell is not considered a target of the federal criminal investigation into the bombing on July 27, 1996, at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta". The letter did not include an apology, but in a separate statement issued by Alexander, the U.S. Justice Department regretted the leaking of the investigation. The separately issued statement said that Jewell "endured highly unusual and intense publicity that was neither designed nor desired by the FBI, and in fact interfered with the investigation," and that "The public should bear in mind that Richard Jewell has at no time been charged with any crime in connection with the bombing, and the property that was seized pursuant to court-authorized search warrants has been returned." ''The New York Times'' reported that the statement was "highly unusual" because "it was a tacit admission by Federal officials that they had been wrong in their suspicion of Mr. Jewell". At a press conference in July 1997, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno expressed personal regret concerning the leak that resulted in intense media scrutiny of Jewell. She said, "I'm very sorry it happened. I think we owe him an apology. I regret the leak." In 1998, Eric Rudolph was named as a suspect in the Centennial Park bombing and the bombings of abortion clinics. He was arrested in 2003 after a lengthy manhunt. Rudolph later agreed, in April 2005, to plead guilty to the Centennial Park bombing and other attacks on an abortion clinic and a lesbian nightclub, as part of a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty. In 2006, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue honored Jewell for his rescue efforts during the attack, and publicly thanked him for saving people's lives. Perdue said Jewell "deserves to be remembered as a hero".


Subsequent life, career and public appearances

Jewell worked in various law enforcement jobs, including as a police officer in Pendergrass, Georgia. He worked as a deputy sheriff in Meriwether County, Georgia, until his death. He also gave speeches at colleges. On July 30, 1997, Jewell testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives calling for an independent investigation into methods used by FBI agents during their investigation of him. He appeared in
Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...
's 1997 movie '' The Big One''. He had a cameo appearance in the September 27, 1997, episode of ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', in which he jokingly fended off suggestions that he was responsible for the deaths of Mother Teresa and Diana, Princess of Wales, both of which had occurred earlier that year. Jewell married Dana Jewell in 1998; they remained married until his death. The couple relocated to a farm they bought together, south of Atlanta. In 2001, Jewell was honored as the Grand Marshal of Carmel, Indiana's Independence Day Parade. Jewell was chosen in keeping with the parade's theme of "Unsung Heroes".  On each anniversary of the bombing until his illness and eventual death, he privately placed a rose at the Centennial Olympic Park scene where spectator Alice Hawthorne died. Three FBI agents were disciplined afterward by the Department of Justice. Agents Woody Johnson and David Tubbs were censured, and agent Don Johnson was suspended for 5 days without pay. Jewell's lawyer called the punishments a "whitewash" and said "These agents should be terminated."


Libel cases

After he was dismissed as a suspect, Jewell filed libel suits against
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
, '' The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', CNN, the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'', and Piedmont College. Jewell sued the ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' because, according to Jewell, the paper's headline ("FBI suspects 'hero' guard may have planted bomb") "pretty much started the whirlwind." In one article, the ''Journal-Constitution'' compared Jewell's case to that of
serial killer A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone: * * * * * (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
Wayne Williams. The newspaper was the only defendant that did not settle with Jewell. The lawsuit remained pending for several years, having been considered at one time by the Supreme Court of Georgia, and had become an important part of case law regarding whether journalists could be forced to reveal their sources. Jewell's estate continued to press the case even after his death in 2007, but in July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled for the defendant. The Court concluded that "because the articles in their entirety were substantially true at the time they were published—even though the investigators' suspicions were ultimately deemed unfounded—they cannot form the basis of a defamation action." Although CNN settled Jewell's libel suit for an undisclosed monetary amount, CNN maintained that its coverage had been "fair and accurate". Jewell sued
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
for this statement made by
Tom Brokaw Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American author and retired network television journalist. He first served as the co-anchor of Today (American TV program), ''The Today Show'' from 1976 to 1981 with Jane Pauley, then as the anch ...
: "The speculation is that the FBI is close to making the case. They probably have enough to arrest him right now, probably enough to prosecute him, but you always want to have enough to convict him as well. There are still some holes in this case." Even though NBC stood by its story, the network agreed to pay Jewell $500,000. Jay Leno also apologized during a ''Tonight Show'' episode on October 28, 1996. On July 23, 1997, Jewell sued the ''New York Post'' for $15 million in damages, contending that the paper portrayed him in articles, photographs, and an editorial cartoon as an "aberrant" person with a "bizarre employment history" who was probably guilty of the bombing. He eventually settled with the newspaper for an undisclosed amount. Jewell filed suit against his former employer Piedmont College, its president Raymond Cleere, and college spokesman Scott Rawles. Jewell's attorneys contended that Cleere telephoned the FBI and spoke to the Atlanta newspapers, providing them with false information on Jewell and his employment there as a security guard. Jewell's lawsuit accused Cleere of describing Jewell as a "badge-wearing zealot" who "would write epic police reports for minor infractions." The college settled for an undisclosed amount. In 2006, Jewell stated that the lawsuits were focused on vindicating his reputation rather than financial gain, highlighting that the vast majority of the settlements were allocated to legal fees and taxes.


Media portrayals

'' Richard Jewell'', a biographical drama movie, was released in the United States on December 13, 2019. The movie was directed and produced by
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
. It was written by Billy Ray, based on the 1997 article "American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell," by Marie Brenner, and the book ''The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle'' (2019) by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen.Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen (2019)
''The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle''
, Abrams, .
Jewell is played by Paul Walter Hauser, while
Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actress. Kathy Bates filmography, Her work spans over five decades, and List of awards and nominations received by Kathy Bates, her accolades include an Academy Awards, Academy Award, t ...
played his mother Bobi, for which she earned an
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
nomination. The 2020 season two of the television crime drama anthology series ''Manhunt'', also known as ''Manhunt: Deadly Games'', features the story of the Centennial Park bombing and the other bombs planted by Eric Robert Rudolph. Richard Jewell is portrayed by Cameron Britton. CSI Las Vagas also had a episode referencing a man who was a experimentle bomb maker and based on his legal status in matters during the course of a investigation was compared to Richard Jewal as a straw man. He died in the end if the episode after becoming the true hero he always wanted to become right above the fold noticed Gil Grisham.


Death

Jewell was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in February 2007 and suffered kidney failure and other medical problems related to his diagnosis in the ensuing months. His wife, Dana, found him dead on the floor of their bedroom when she came home from work on August 29, 2007; he was 44 years old. An autopsy found the cause of death to be severe
heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...
with diabetes and related obesity complications as a contributing factor.


See also

* Centennial Olympic Park bombing


References


Further reading

*


External links


"''Richard Jewell v. NBC'', and other Richard Jewell cases"
Libel and Slander. May 18, 2011. * Farnsworth, Elizabeth (October 28, 1996)

'' PBS NewsHour''.
All I did was my job': Decade later, pain of being called bombing suspect fresh to Richard Jewell"
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
/
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
. July 27, 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Jewell, Richard 1962 births 2007 deaths 1996 Summer Olympics American adoptees American deputy sheriffs Deaths from diabetes in the United States Fake news in the United States Journalistic scandals People from Meriwether County, Georgia Security guards