In real life, it took many more years and a good deal more police work to bring the real bomber to justice. Richard Jewell's mother Bobi and his attorney Watson Bryant react to the true story of the 1996 Olympic bombing being told on the big screen. The AP story says that Jewell was credited with spotting an unattended olive-drab knapsack near the AT&T pavilion. Security guard Richard Jewell discovered a hidden pipe bomb at a concert held during the Games. I think its a shame that she has been reduced to one inferred moment in the film, she told a Variety reporter during a red-carpet interview. [21] In 2001, Jewell was honored as the Grand Marshal of Carmel, Indiana's Independence Day Parade. Jewell. She didnt show favoritism. WebRichard Jewell is based on the real-life trials and tribulations of the title character. There is an actor who plays Rosario in the movie, but thats not the Tom Shaw or Dan Bennett character, according to the IMDB cast list for the Eastwood film. WebRichard Jewell is unquestionably a tragic figure, the appeals court said in its conclusion, which favored the newspaper. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A FOX NATION FREE TRIAL. All three cases were settled out of court. That case was eventually dismissed by the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2011, after the bench concluded that the papers reporting had been substantially true when it went to print. WebWhile Jewell was never officially charged, a Justice Department investigation of the FBIs conduct later revealed that the FBI had tried to convince Jewell that he should waive his In a December 9 letter to the filmmaker, lawyers for the Journal-Constitution wrote that Richard Jewells depiction of Scruggs, who died in 2001 at 42, makes it appear that the AJC sexually exploited its staff and/or that it facilitated or condoned offering sexual gratification to sources in exchange for stories. That implication, they wrote, is entirely false and malicious, and it is extremely defamatory and damaging. They asked that the film include a prominent disclaimer saying that it took dramatic license in portraying some of its events and characters. According to Bryant, "somebody broke the law and leaked confidential information from the Department of Justice," and that set off a chain of events that would change the lives of the Jewells forever. The source material for Richard Jewell is wonderfully rich. I love you.". The bomb exploded 13 minutes later, killing Alice Hawthorne and injuring over 100 others. You have reached your limit of free articles. Im a lot more cynical than I used to be, Jewell said in Sacks story. A look back on our reporting to understand the story. The characterization of Scruggs, a real journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who died in 2001, has come under controversy because the character hints at using sex as a bargaining point to get information from the FBI. Lewis Scruggs added, Her choice of boyfriends was not great, he said. Several attempts at humor come from the main journalist represented in the film, Olivia Wildes Kathy Scruggs. She spent all the money she had and more and would go into the depths of depression., The headline on the original story was, FBI suspects hero guard may have planted bomb.. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Id like a street named after him, Eastwood said of Jewell after the world premiere. Shortly after the bombing, Jewell was labeled the principal suspect in the FBIs investigation. 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. A photo of a man near the blast site was too grainy for officials to make out any facial features. The portrayal tracks closely with real life, even down to the Tupperware that Bobi got back from the FBI with marks on it. Hauser says Bobi told him, You look just like Richard. He clearly was anti-government and anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti a lot of things. Legal Statement. Based on a 1997 Vanity Fair article by Marie Brenner, Richard Jewells broad narrative cleaves closely to reality. He wasnt cleared by the Justice Department until October 1996. Warner Bros., the studio behind the movie, responded, calling the papers claims baseless and defending the film, which they say was based on a wide range of highly credible source material, according to a statement obtained by Variety. Nearly 25 yearsafter she lived through "88 days of hell," Bobi Jewell's emotions seem just as raw as they were when her son, Richard Jewell, was firstidentified as the main suspect behind a terrorist attack on the 1996Atlanta Olympics. G. 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. In real life, she was a lot more complex than that. Ive just thought, Im glad I was there.. Eastwoods movie depicts a female reporter offering sex, Max Frankel wrote in the papers magazine. Jewell's name was leaked early in the investigation and law enforcement and media became suspicious of him. American law-enforcement officer (19622007), Subsequent life, career and public appearances, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, "American Nightmare: The Ballad of Rick Jewell", "Richard Jewell's widow: 1996 Olympics hero 'scarred' by FBI accusation and media smears", "Richard Jewell, 44, Hero of Atlanta Attack, Dies", "Jewell wants probe of FBI investigation", "Anthrax Investigation (online chat with Marilyn Thompson, Assistant Managing Editor, Investigative)", "Anthrax: FBI Denies Smearing Former US Army Biologist", "See another take on the Richard Jewell story in clips from Manhunt: Deadly Games", "BOMB AT THE OLYMPICS;Heart Ailment Kills War Survivor in Altanta [sic]", "Prosecutors Declare Guard Isn't Suspect In Atlanta Bombing", "U.S. Says F.B.I. By Cassandra Roshu, Griffin Brown, Isabella Flores, Joe Zhao, Maxine Brackbill, Megan Jonas, Meghan Hendricks, Solange Jain, By Arnav Pokhrel, Braden Kletz, Jacob Halsema, Joe Zhao, Maxine Brackbill, Meghan Hendricks. According to an Associated Press story from July 29, 1996, the bomb killed a woman and injured more than 100 people. And its true, as the movie shows, that the timing pretty much exonerated Jewell from the start. Paul Walter Hauser shines as Jewell, playing the character with a simple sweetness and a willingness to stand by his principles. WebJewell was initially hailed as a hero, but days later he was identified as the FBI's prime suspect and became the focus of a furious media feeding frenzy. WebThe misdirected pursuit of Richard Jewell in 1996 should have served as a bellwether of change in how the FBI conducted sensitive investigations. The movie, which premiered Nov. 20 at AFI Fest in Los Angeles, is another of Eastwoods films depicting the dark side of celebrated heroes, according to The Times Glenn Whipp. The progress was slow. She died knowing that what she wrote was accurate, and I think that was really important to her. According to the FBI, He pled guilty and is currently serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole., What were Rudolphs motives for the bombings? The Times had learned from its own sad transgressions over the years that whispered accusations against named individuals must not be trusted.. [26][27], The newspaper was the only defendant that did not settle with Jewell. This investigation is leaked to the media, and Jewell is ruled by the public to be guilty before any form of an investigation takes place. I feel for the victims and their families and, I mean, its the Olympics. 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 Jewells lawyer. Richard Jewells Cause of Death: How Did He Die. Jewell bought a home with the money. In 2019, Hauser had his breakout performance as Claire Folger - 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. She had been there a few years and she had contacts with the FBI. For that, we have the greatest sympathy. Cleere suggested that Jewell himself might have been the bomber, planting and then finding the explosive in a clumsy plot to achieve law-enforcement stardom. The AJCs reporter is reduced to a sex-trading object in the film, says the letter, which according to the AJC was sent to Warner Bros., Eastwood, screenwriter Billy Ray and others. Heavy.com obtained the coroners report. The new Richard Jewell movie gets the broad outline of what happened to Jewell right the FBIs relentless pursuit of the hero security guard and the leak to a newspaper reporter that started a media frenzy but some elements of the movie are fictionalized. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! It can be more of a slow-burn marathon. Richard Jewell continues a rocky trajectory at the box office for Warner Bros. "The media just sensationalized the living hell out of it and it resulted in the avalanche of negative publicity about him and basically screwed up their lives forever. Her second husband John Jewell adopted Richard. Im not as trusting as I once was. Such moments bloat the first two thirds of the film, tiring the viewers by the more emotional third act. In addition, the fact that they use the real name of an honest reporter while the FBI agent is given a fake name is bizarre. Ron Leidelmeyer, an NBC technician, told AP at that time three days after the bombing that he saw Jewell before the bombing and believed it would have been difficult, if not impossible for Jewell to have time to both plant the bomb and make that call. You can learn more about her cause of death here. "Kathy Scruggs was the one who broke the story about Richard Jewell," said Lyda Longa, who was a police reporter for the newspaper during the 1996 games. He asked the first questions about it, raised the first hue and cry to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation officer.. On television, Jay Leno labeled him the Una-doofus.. The progress was slow. The Vanity Fair article describes how FBI agents Don Johnson and Diader Rosario knocked on Jewells mothers apartment door and told him, We need your help making a training film. The next day, Rosario showed up with a search warrant. But beyond his walls, in the news, his case seemed to worsen. "Mom," said Richard turning to Bobi, his voice cracking with emotion. He was 45 years old, with strong features and thinning hair, a southern preppy from a country-club family, it reads. 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. Magazines, Digital It would take time for officials to track down the right one: Eric Robert Rudolph, an anti-abortion militant who, in 1998, was linked to other bombings, but evaded police for years. Jewell's lawsuit accused Cleere of describing Jewell as a "badge-wearing zealot" who "would write epic police reports for minor infractions. Get our L.A. Today, Bobi is still alive. ), Jack Nicholson returns courtside to cheer beloved Lakers to playoff win, Aging beloved YA author Judy Blumes inevitable foil isnt so bad after all, Review: The entertaining Peter Pan & Wendy charts a familiar course to Neverland, Rihanna has Smurfs on the brain for her next movie: Hope this gives me cool points, Review: In Guardians 3, ultra-weird superhero fun doesnt have to be Rocket science. The Ballad of Richard Jewell. [10], A Justice Department investigation of the FBI's conduct found the FBI had tried to manipulate Jewell into waiving his constitutional rights by telling him he was taking part in a training film about bomb detection, although the report concluded "no intentional violation of Mr. Jewell's civil rights and no criminal misconduct" had taken place. [20], Jewell married Dana Jewell in 1998; they remained married until his death. An Associated Press story from July 13, 1997 describes the effect on Jewell. In the headline of his Times obituary, Jewell was remembered how people knew him in those first days after the explosion: Hero of Atlanta Attack., How the Investigation Into Richard Jewell Unfolded, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/13/movies/richard-jewell-bombing-atlanta.html. Small details in the movie are also accurate. Jewell died in 2007 at his home in Woodbury, Ga., after months of serious medical problems following a diabetes diagnosis earlier that year. In the movie, Tom Shaw and Dan Bennett are the names given to the FBI agents relentlessly pursuing the former hero security guard turned suspect in the Atlanta bombing at the Olympics. READ NEXT: Richard Jewells Cause of Death: How Did He Die? [30] Jewell's attorneys contended that Cleere called the FBI and spoke to the Atlanta newspapers, providing them with false information on Jewell and his employment there as a security guard. Jewell also sought legal action for the way he was characterized in the press, winning settlements from CNN and NBC. She is buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens, Georgia. Also, Richard Jewell rarely features a musical score in the background. He was the opposite of media-savvy. Bryant really did go on to marry Nadya. GettyFederal Bureau of Investigations Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Webpage shows fugitive Eric Robert Rudolph. A special edition of The Atlanta Journal hit newsstands on July 30, 1996, a pivotal headline splashed across the front page: F.B.I. While Scruggs did break that story based on an FBI tip, theres no evidence she ever traded sex for stories. Underwritten and at times slow, the film features a depiction of one of the main characters that is so rabidly villainous it makes the entire film suffer. The pressure began to ease only after Jewell's attorneys hired an ex-FBI agent to administer a polygraph, which Jewell passed. So, it would make sense for him as a director to take on a project about a man who had to face all facets of media attention in his life for better or worse. Asked if Jewell should be named as a suspect, Bryant said, No but he should be along with everyone else that was in the area when the bomb exploded.. "[28], Although CNN settled Jewell's libel suit for an undisclosed monetary amount, CNN maintained that its coverage had been "fair and accurate. Richard Jewell will be released in theaters Friday. In 2005, Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty to that bombing and three others. Abortion is murder. Warner Bros. told Deadline on Monday that those claims are baseless. A studio source confirmed to the trade outlet that a disclaimer has always been at the end of the film. Jewells life turned upside down after The Journal named him as the focus of the F.B.I.s investigation. Rudolph was responsible for a series of bombings. Within two days of the bombing, the media was labeling Jewell a hero. Shortly after, Rudolph bombed two more locations in Georgia and one in Birmingham, Alabama, resulting several more injuries and the death of a police officer. However, its true she got a tip from an FBI agent that Jewell was under investigation. Scruggs died five years after the controversy. She smoked. Furthermore, Scruggs cant defend herself. wouldnt release the sketch, and it wouldnt yet name any suspects. He was a suspect in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing, and is now the subject of Clint Eastwoods new film. In a memo first reported by The Journal and later confirmed by The Times, the department said that the deceptive tactics used for the interview constituted a major error in judgment from the F.B.I.