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 Richard Jewell settle with CNN for?
It was said to be for $500,000. Jewell bought a home with the money. He settled with CNN for an undisclosed amount. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution didn’t settle and eventually prevailed before an appellate court, which ruled that what the paper reported was substantially true at the time because it was true the FBI was focusing on Jewell.
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.
Why is Jewell being investigated by the federal government?
The Journal first reported in late July that Jewell had become the focus of the Federal investigation. 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.”
Did Richard Jewell get a settlement from the government?
In December 1996, NBC negotiated a settlement with Jewell for a reported $500,000.
Did Richard Jewell sue 60 minutes?
0:0114:42Richard Jewell: The 1996 60 Minutes interview - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen we caught up with Jewell this week in Atlanta he said that he and his attorneys were preparingMoreWhen we caught up with Jewell this week in Atlanta he said that he and his attorneys were preparing to sue among others the Atlanta journal-constitution.
How long was Richard Jewell a suspect?
For an agonizing 88 days, everyone seemed to agree that Richard Jewell was guilty — even though he had never even been officially charged with the crime. In reality, the FBI soon stopped investigating Jewell when they realized that he wasn't the man they were looking for.
Did Richard Jewell sue for defamation?
Jewell subsequently filed multiple libel lawsuits against news organizations and other entities for incorrectly casting him as a suspect.
How much did Richard Jewell sue for?
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.
Is the movie Richard Jewell accurate?
Jewell fully became aware of the F.B.I.'s deception when his lawyer, Watson Bryant, called him back at F.B.I. headquarters to tell him he was a suspect. This all seems to be accurately depicted in the movie.
Who planted the bomb at the Atlanta Olympics?
It was the first of four bombings committed by Eric Rudolph. Security guard Richard Jewell discovered the bomb before detonation and began clearing spectators out of the park.
Was Eric Rudolph ever caught?
On May 31, 2003, Rudolph was arrested by police officer J.S. Postell while rummaging through a trash bin behind a rural grocery store in Murphy, North Carolina. Rudolph pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the four bombings. He is currently serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.
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 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.
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 ...
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.
When was Jewell cleared?
He wasn’t cleared by the Justice Department until October 1996.
What happened to Jewell?
He was the target of an FBI investigation and subsequent media frenzy before being completely exonerated in the Atlanta Olympics bombing attack. Small details in the movie are also accurate. Jewell’s mom’s Tupperware really was confiscated by the FBI, for example, and he really did land a job at a local police department after being cleared.
When was the Jewell bombing?
The bombing occurred July 27, 1996, and three days later, “On July 30, FBI agents Don Johnson and Diader Rosario asked Jewell to follow them to FBI headquarters to participate in a training film,” the newspaper reported, citing Jewell’s lawyer.
What was the name of the lawyer who was found in Jewell's apartment?
The lawyer’s full name is G. Watson Bryant.
Where is Richard Jewell screened?
Sam Rockwell and G. Watson Bryant Jr. attend the “Richard Jewell” screening at Rialto Center of the Arts on December 10, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Is Richard Jewell based on real life?
Watson Bryant Jr., Barbara “Bobi” Jewell and Nadya Bryant attend the “Richard Jewell” premiere during AFI FEST 2019 Presented By Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 20, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Even some of the tiny details in the movie are based on real life.
Did Watson Bryant make a living?
At the time, Vanity Fair reported, Watson Bryant “made a modest living by doing real-estate closings in the suburbs, but Jewell and his lawyer had formed an unusual friendship a decade earlier, when Jewell worked as a mailroom clerk at a federal disaster-relief agency where Bryant practiced law.”
Where did Jewell work?
After that, he worked all sorts of odd jobs, from managing a local yogurt shop to working as a jailer at the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office in northeastern Georgia.
When did Richard Jewell become a deputy?
In 1991, after a year working as a jailer, Jewel was promoted to deputy, and as part of his training he was sent to the Northeast Georgia Police Academy, where he finished in the top quarter of his class. From then on, it seemed Richard Jewell had found his calling.
What Happened To Richard Jewell At The 1996 Olympic Park Bombing?
Dimitri Iundt/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images Two people died and hundreds were seriously injured in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing — but Richard Jewell undoubtedly prevented more deaths from happening.
Why was Jewell arrested?
Sometimes Jewell’s overzealousness could get him into trouble. He was once even arrested for impersonating a police officer and placed on probation on the condition that he seek psychological counseling. After wrecking his patrol car and being demoted back to a jailer, Jewell quit the sheriff’s office and found another police job at Piedmont College.
How did Richard Jewell die?
On August 29, 2007, Richard Jewell died from heart disease and complications from diabetes. He was just 44 years old — meaning he had precious little time to enjoy his life after the bombing upended it.
Why did Jewell use the bathroom?
Because of his terrible stomach cramps, Jewell used the closest bathroom, which was off-limits to staff, but the security guard gave him a pass. When he came back to his station near the sound-and-light tower by a music stage, Jewell noticed a group of drunks littering all over it.
Why was Richard Jewell made into a movie?
The infamous case was made into a feature film directed by Clint Eastwood with the eponymous title, Richard Jewell, as a reminder of how rushing to judgment can ruin lives.
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