Omar Bennett
Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta who discovered a backpack with a bomb in it. He was initially praised as a hero for helping to evacuate the area, but three days later, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that the FBI considered him a possible suspect. This revelation sparked intense media scrutiny, and Jewell became the subject of aggressive news media focus as the presumed culprit. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's coverage of Jewell, including its portrayal of him as a wannabe cop and lone bomber, played a significant role in shaping public perception against him. Jewell eventually sued the newspaper for defamation, arguing that their reporting had ruined his life. While the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, the question of whether the newspaper should apologize for its role in the destruction of Jewell's reputation remains a subject of debate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did the Atlanta Journal-Constitution apologize to Richard Jewell? | No, but they faced legal challenges and were sued for defamation by Jewell. |
| Reason for the lawsuit | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that the FBI was treating Jewell as a suspect in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing, and for the next 88 days, Jewell was aggressively pursued by the media. |
| Outcome of the lawsuit | The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled for the defendant, and Jewell's estate continued to press the case even after his death in 2007. |
| Apologies received by Jewell | CNN producer Henry Schuster wrote an apology to Jewell, and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno expressed personal regret and said that "I think we owe him an apology." |
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What You'll Learn
- Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta
- Jewell was initially considered a hero for evacuating the area after spotting a suspicious package
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that the FBI considered Jewell a suspect based on a lone bomber profile
- Jewell sued the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for defamation and libel
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution faced legal challenges in disclosing confidential sources related to their coverage of Jewell
Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta
Jewell was initially hailed as a hero for his quick thinking and life-saving actions. However, three days later, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a front-page story with the headline "FBI Suspects 'Hero' Guard May Have Planted Bomb". The story, broken by reporter Kathy Scruggs, claimed that the FBI was treating Jewell as a possible suspect based on a "'lone bomber' criminal profile". For several weeks, the media aggressively focused on Jewell as the presumed culprit, describing him as a ""failed law enforcement officer" and a ""person of interest".
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution faced legal challenges and was sued by Jewell for libel. The case centred on whether the newspaper was required to disclose its confidential sources and whether Jewell was a limited-purpose public figure. The Court of Appeals of Georgia vacated the trial court's orders requiring disclosure of the confidential sources and affirmed Jewell's status as a limited-purpose public figure due to his voluntary engagement with the media. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, and the newspaper was the only defendant that did not settle with Jewell.
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Jewell was initially considered a hero for evacuating the area after spotting a suspicious package
Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He discovered a backpack with a bomb in it and helped to evacuate the area, clearing the crowd. Jewell was initially considered a hero by the press and early news reports lauded him for his rescue efforts.
Three days after the incident, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) revealed that the FBI was treating him as a possible suspect, based largely on a "lone bomber" criminal profile. The newspaper ran a story that made Jewell the villain, and for the next 88 days, he was aggressively pursued by reporters. The media described Jewell as a failed law enforcement officer who might have planted the bomb so he could "find" it and be a hero. The AJC compared him to serial killer Wayne Williams and suggested he might be a sociopath.
The AJC faced legal challenges over its coverage of Jewell, with Jewell himself seeking legal recourse against the newspaper, arguing that he had been defamed. The case raised important questions about whether journalists could be forced to reveal their sources. The AJC was the only defendant that did not settle with Jewell, and the lawsuit remained pending for several years. In July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled for the defendant.
While the AJC did not apologize to Jewell, some individuals and organizations did express regret over the way he was treated. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno said, "I'm very sorry it happened. I think we owe him an apology. I regret the leak." CNN producer Henry Schuster also wrote an apology to Jewell, saying, "I made Richard Jewell famous — and ruined his life." In 2006, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue honored Jewell for his rescue efforts during the attack and publicly thanked him for saving people's lives, stating that Jewell "deserves to be remembered as a hero".
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that the FBI considered Jewell a suspect based on a lone bomber profile
Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta who discovered a backpack with a bomb in it. Jewell was initially considered a hero for helping to evacuate the area, but three days later, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that the FBI considered him a possible suspect. The newspaper's story, written by Kathy Scruggs, portrayed Jewell as fitting the profile of the "lone bomber," a frustrated white man who was a "police wannabe" seeking to become a hero. This profile was based on information allegedly obtained by Scruggs from a close friend in the FBI and confirmed by someone in the Atlanta police.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's story sparked an aggressive media focus on Jewell as the presumed culprit, with other news outlets describing him as a ""failed law enforcement officer" who might have planted the bomb to be seen as a hero. Jewell was subjected to intense media scrutiny and was publicly vilified, becoming one of the first victims of what would later be known as "trial by media."
The portrayal of Jewell as a suspect was based on the FBI's criminal profiling of the bomber as a lone individual. This profiling method has been criticized as having inherent biases and limitations, as it relies on assumptions and generalizations about the type of person likely to commit a particular crime. In Jewell's case, the "lone bomber" profile may have influenced the FBI's suspicion of him, even though there was no evidence against him, and some evidence seemed to rule him out as a suspect.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's story and its impact on Jewell's life have been the subject of legal and ethical debates. Jewell filed a libel lawsuit against the newspaper, arguing that he was defamed and that the paper's headline ("FBI suspects 'hero' guard may have planted bomb") started a media frenzy that ruined his reputation. The case also raised questions about the protection of confidential sources in journalism and the role of the media in influencing public opinion and the course of justice.
While the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has not publicly apologized to Jewell, some individuals and media outlets have expressed regret for the harm caused to him. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, for example, apologized for the leak that led to the intense media scrutiny of Jewell. Additionally, CNN producer Henry Schuster wrote an apology to Jewell, acknowledging the negative impact of his network's coverage on Jewell's life.
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Jewell sued the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for defamation and libel
Richard Jewell, a security guard, was the first person to spot a suspicious package at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He helped evacuate the area, and his quick thinking saved lives. Jewell was initially lauded as a hero, but three days later, the FBI named him as a suspect, and the media aggressively focused on him as the presumed culprit. Jewell maintained his innocence and tried to clear his name.
In 1997, Jewell sued the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for defamation and libel, arguing that the paper's headline, "FBI suspects 'hero' guard may have planted bomb," was defamatory and had started a media frenzy. Jewell's lawsuit also contended that the newspaper had a duty to investigate whether the information it received from law enforcement was true. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, however, defended its reporting, stating that Jewell was indeed a suspect at the time of their reports.
The case, "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution v. Jewell," raised important legal questions about the protection of confidential sources and the distinction between private individuals and public figures in defamation cases. Jewell sought the identities of the newspaper's confidential sources, but the court had to balance his need for the identities against the newspaper's interest in source confidentiality. The court ultimately ruled that Jewell was a "limited-purpose public figure" due to his engagement with the media and public discourse following the bombing. This ruling set a precedent for similar cases involving journalists and confidential sources.
The lawsuit between Jewell and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution dragged on for years, even continuing after Jewell's death in 2007. In July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals finally ruled in favor of the newspaper, bringing an end to the lengthy legal battle.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution faced legal challenges in disclosing confidential sources related to their coverage of Jewell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) faced legal challenges in disclosing confidential sources related to their coverage of Richard Jewell, who was initially portrayed as a hero for alerting authorities about a suspicious package during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing. However, three days later, the AJC revealed that the FBI considered Jewell a possible suspect, leading to intense media scrutiny.
In the case of Atlanta Journal-Constitution v. Jewell, Jewell sought legal recourse against the newspaper, arguing defamation and challenging his label as a limited-purpose public figure. The main issue was whether the AJC was required to disclose its confidential sources. The Court of Appeals of Georgia vacated the trial court's orders requiring disclosure, citing the need to balance Jewell's right to the identities against the newspaper's interest in source confidentiality. The court affirmed Jewell's status as a limited-purpose public figure due to his engagement with the media and public discourse, requiring him to prove actual malice in his defamation claim.
The AJC also contested the trial court's denial of motions for judgment on the pleadings and summary judgment. The appellate court dismissed the newspaper's appeal on these motions due to the lack of a trial court ruling. Additionally, the court addressed the privilege against disclosing the identities of confidential sources, finding that no such privilege existed in this case.
The legal battle between Jewell and the AJC continued for several years, even after Jewell's death in 2007. In July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the AJC, ending the lengthy litigation. The case highlighted the complex balance between an individual's right to protect their reputation and the media's right to protect their sources in the public interest.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the newspaper did not apologize to Richard Jewell. However, in July 1997, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno expressed personal regret concerning the leak that resulted in intense media scrutiny of Jewell, saying, "I'm very sorry it happened. I think we owe him an apology. I regret the leak."
Yes, Jewell sued the newspaper for libel, arguing that he was defamed and that the paper's headline, "FBI suspects 'hero' guard may have planted bomb", "pretty much started the whirlwind." The lawsuit remained pending for several years and was still being pressed by Jewell's estate after his death in 2007. In July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled for the defendant.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution faced legal challenges in disclosing confidential sources related to their coverage of Jewell. The newspaper contested the trial court's denial of motions for judgment on the pleadings and summary judgment. The Court of Appeals of Georgia vacated the trial court's orders requiring disclosure of the confidential sources and affirmed that Jewell was a limited-purpose public figure.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution demanded an apology from Clint Eastwood, the director of the 2019 movie "Richard Jewell", for its portrayal of the newspaper and its reporter Kathy Scruggs. The newspaper's editor-in-chief, Kevin Riley, said that the movie included "every misinformed perception of how reporters actually work."
