Why did Richard Jewell drop his lawsuit against Piedmont?
CAROL WOODFORDAugust 26, 1997 GMT ATLANTA (AP) _ Piedmont College has agreed to pay former Olympic bombing suspect Richard Jewell to drop his lawsuit against the school where he once worked. Jewell had charged that college officials slandered him in statements to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
How much did NBC pay to settle the Jewell case?
Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called the director of the FBI and several news media representatives to testify about the leaks and subsequent reports on the FBI’s investigation. In early December, NBC reached an out of court settlement with Jewell for an amount reported by the Wall Street Journal as more than $500,000.
Will a lawsuit about Richard Jewell ever see the light of day?
For First Amendment attorneys, the news of the AJC threatening a lawsuit about Richard Jewell brings back memories of the AJC fighting a lawsuit by Richard Jewell. The lawsuit by Richard Jewell was eventually thrown out; a lawsuit about Richard Jewell should never see the light of day.
What did Richard Jewell do?
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 in Atlanta, Georgia.
How much did Jewell settle for?
In early December, NBC reached an out of court settlement with Jewell for an amount reported by the Wall Street Journal as more than $500,000. In late January, Jewell’s attorneys announced a second settlement, this time with CNN.
What happened to Richard Jewell?
Jewell case fallout includes lawsuits, settlements, hearings. GEORGIA–Almost six months after a Federal Bureau of Investigation leak identified him as the number-one suspect in last summer’s bombing in Centennial Olympic Park, Richard Jewell remains at the center of controversies over the handling of the investigation.
Who is the attorney for Jewell?
L. Lin Wood, one of Jewell’s Attorneys, said that the current lawsuits as well as the earlier settlements are designed not just to compensate Jewell for personal injury, but to “bring a measure of accountability to the named parties.”.
Who is the owner of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution?
Jewell in late January also filed a defamation suit against Cox Enterprises Inc., the owner of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. The Journal first reported in late July that Jewell had become the focus of the Federal investigation.
Who is Richard Jewell?
For the architect, see Richard Roach Jewell. 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 in ...
Who sent Richard Jewell a letter?
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.
Why did Jewell place a rose at the Olympic Park?
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 would privately place a rose at the Centennial Olympic Park scene where spectator Alice Hawthorne died.
What did Jewell do before the bombing?
He alerted law enforcement and helped evacuate the area before the bomb exploded, probably saving many people from injury or death. Initially hailed by the media as a hero, Jewell was soon considered a suspect by the FBI and local law enforcement based on scientific profiling.
Why did Richard Jewell sue the Atlanta Journal-Constitution?
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 Atlanta Journal compared Richard Jewell's case to that of serial killer Wayne Williams.
How did Jewell die?
Jewell had been diagnosed withhhh diabetes in February 2007 and suffered kidney failure and other medical problems related to his diagnosis in the following 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. An autopsy found the cause of death to be severe heart disease with diabetes and related complications as a contributing factor.
Why did Jewell and other security guards begin clearing the immediate area?
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.
What happened to Tom Brokaw and Jewell?
Jewell and Bryant are mounting a sustained assault on some of the nation's largest media companies. They have already taken on NBC and anchor Tom Brokaw, wresting the extraordinary cash payment to avert a possible defamation lawsuit. The network didn't issue an apology, ...
Who was the most famous security guard in 1997?
Jan. 3, 1997 1:22 am ET. Print. Text. ATLANTA -- Richard Jewell, the world's most famous security guard, has recently racked up two big wins: a very public statement by the FBI that he didn't plant the bomb that shattered the 1996 Olympics, and a very quiet, six-figure settlement from NBC, whose star news anchor had landed ...
Did Bryant and Jewell take lunch breaks?
Some days, Mr. Bryant would give Mr. Jewell a ride home and let him borrow his radar detector. They often took lunch breaks together at a nearby Chick-Fil-A and zapped imaginary aliens in the "Galaxians" video game at the Gold Mine arcade.
What happened to Richard Jewell?
Richard Jewell went from hero to villain within a matter of days after he discovered a deadly pipe bomb while working as a security guard at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Jewell came across a backpack under a bench in Centennial Park and immediately alerted officials to the suspicious package.
How did Jewell's discovery save lives?
His discovery saved countless lives as he and other security guards and law enforcement were able to begin clearing the area before it detonated. The park was jammed with people watching a concert, but Jewell and others were able to get attendees away from the benches.
How did Jewell die?
Jewell died in 2007. He reportedly had been suffering from health complications stemming from diabetes, the New York Times reported.
What did the New York Post call Jewell?
Jewell was then destroyed in the media. The New York Post called him both "a Village Rambo" and "a fat, failed former sheriff's deputy,” according to Vanity Fair. Meanwhile TV Host Jay Leno said,"What is it about the Olympic Games that brings out big, fat stupid guys?".
Did Jewell sue Piedmont College?
He also sued Piedmont College after its president called Jewell a "badge-wearing zealot,” according to a 1997 Washington Post article and the school also settled for an unspecified amount. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only defendant that didn't offer Jewell a settlement.
When was Jewell exonerated?
Jewell was finally exonerated completely after Rudolph’s 2005 plea deal and was even in the courtroom when the plea was entered, though he didn't make any comment, the Associated Press reported at the time.
When did Jewell appear on Saturday Night Live?
In 1997 , after the settlements, Jewell actually appeared on Saturday Night Live. He joked with Weekend Update host Norm McDonald about receiving settlement money from NBC and also fielded mock questions from the comedian about being responsible for the deaths of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.
What did Jewell sue for?
Within weeks, law enforcement cleared Jewell of suspicion. When the dust settled, Jewell sued multiple news organizations for defamation, many of which quickly settled out of court with the embattled security guard—with one notable exception: the AJC.
Who plays Kathy Scruggs in Richard Jewell?
Olivia Wilde as Kathy Scruggs in Richard Jewell. Warner Bros. Pictures. This Friday, Clint Eastwood’s biopic Richard Jewell will be released in theaters. It’s already the subject of controversy, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has hired the prominent lawyer Martin Singer to warn Eastwood, screenwriter Billy Ray, and Warner Bros.
What newspaper was the victim of the 1996 bombing?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the hometown newspaper of record during the 1996 bombing and remains a journalistic force in the South. In the aftermath of the bombing, the newspaper, whose motto was “Covers Dixie like the Dew,” tenaciously clung to the Jewell story, unmasking any information it could about the suspected security guard.
Did Richard Jewell prevail in his case against the AJC?
In most cases, public figures don’t prevail in defamation cases. Richard Jewell did not prevail in his case against the AJC. Advertisement. It is now the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that is complaining about being unfairly treated in Eastwood’s biopic about Richard Jewell.
Did Jewell sue the news?
Within weeks, law enforcement cleared Jewell of suspicion. When the dust settled, Jewell sued multiple news organizations for defamation, many of which quickly settled out of court with the embattled security guard—with one notable exception: the AJC. In fact, the paper continued to fight the case through three levels of the Georgia courts to the United States Supreme Court (which declined to review the case) and back, including long after Jewell’s untimely death in 2007 at the age of 44.
Who saved countless lives on July 27, 1996?
Advertisement. Advertisement. Advertisement. Richard Jewell saved countless lives on July 27, 1996.
Was Jewell a hero or villain?
Instead, under the searing glare of the world’s media outlets, already assembled in Atlanta for the Summer Olympics, Jewell turned from hero to villain almost overnight, and a media circus ensued. Federal and local law enforcement authorities clearly were under pressure to find a suspect. Jewell provided that cover.
What did Brokaw say about Jewell?
A couple of things stand out in Brokaw's remarks. First, he says he merely “reported” what an FBI official told him, adding further that he only “speculated why” Jewell was a suspect. Brokaw then says, “My last line was for now [Jewell is] just a person of interest.”.
Who did Tom Brokaw apologize to?
In supposed apology to Richard Jewell, Tom Brokaw revises history. Like his deeply flawed coverage of the 1996 Olympic bombing, Tom Brokaw’s so-called apology this week to the late Richard Jewell leaves much to be desired.
Did NBC apologize to the victim?
Moreover, NBC itself never apologized to the victim of its slipshod reporting. In fact, contemporaneous reporting at the time of NBC’s settlement with the maligned security guard states specifically that the network went out of its way to avoid an apology.
Was Jewell on the shortlist?
The NBC anchor said he confirmed the details with "very high-ranking federal law enforcement officials in Washington and in Atlanta.". Jewell, of course, was innocent.
Did Brokaw apologize to Jewell?
However, this apparently went unnoticed by Jewell, who told a Chicago Tribune columnist in 2003 that “nobody had apologized to him.”. Brokaw’s apologies do not cut it, Wood told the Washington Examiner.
Was Jewell a suspect in the Atlanta bombing?
After it was first reported that Jewell was a suspect in the Atlanta bombing, Brokaw went on national television and said: "The speculation is that the FBI is close to ‘making the case’ in their language.". "They probably have enough to arrest him right now, probably enough to prosecute him," he added.
Overview
Media portrayals
Richard Jewell, a biographical drama film, was released in the United States on December 13, 2019. The film was directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. 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. Jewell is played by Paul Walter Hauser.
Early life
Jewell was born Richard White in Danville, Virginia, the son of Bobi, an insurance claims coordinator, and Robert Earl White, who worked for Chevrolet. 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 and merrymaking. Sometime after midnight, July 27, 1996, Eric Robert Rudolph, a terrorist who would later bomb a lesbian nightclub and two abortion clinics, planted a green backpack containing a fragmentation-laden pipe bomb under a bench. Jewell was working as a security guard for the event. He discovered the bag and alerted Georgia …
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 in which he called for an independent investigation into methods used by FBI agents during their investigation of him. He appeared in Michael Moore's 1997 film The Big One. …
Libel cases
After he was dropped as a suspect, Jewell filed libel suits against the FBI, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CNN, the New York Post, 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 Wayne Williams.
Death
Jewell had been diagnosed with diabetes in February 2007 and suffered kidney failure and other medical problems related to his diagnosis in the following 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. An autopsy found the cause of death to be severe heart disease with diabetes and related complicati…
See also
• Centennial Olympic Park bombing