Why does none of the news coverage surrounding Richard Jewell refer to him as a hero? The best treatment he gets is something to the effect of "former suspect cleared in olympic bombing has died" He saved many lives clearing the backpack at the olympics and then was tormented by the fbi and the media. The least we can do now is to honor what he did for the people

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Richard Jewell was a HERO. He hustled people away from the bomb, and as such probably saved lives. The media (read that the AJC) and the FBI falsely accused this hero of being the bomber. But that does not change the fact that he was a hero. The media owes this hero the dignity of refering to him as a hero - and not the guy who was falsely accused by the media of being a bomber.

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The man did his job, and much more, and was villified by the press and authorities. I have always felt he got a really stinking deal there. Maybe at this time, way past when due, we can show his family our appreciation. The news keeps on about the original allegations. Why not instead focus on the lifes he saved, the good he did afterwards. He doesn't deserve to be known only as the former suspect. Thanks, Richard, for being there, being observant, and being the gentleman you were.

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Why oh why did you end a story about a guy who, it turned out, really WAS a hero with a blurb about the dirtbag who really WAS to blame? Why give him any ink at all. Wasn't it enough that Jewell did his job well when it counted, withstood the misdirected and unwelcomed attentions of both the media and the government, and was lucky enough to have seen himself vindicated, at least from the legal entanglements? By including the information on the true culprit, you have dirtied Richard Jewell's name and diminished his worth. It would have been okay with me if you had given some background on the one person who died as a result of the bomb (as opposed to much larger number of people who might have died were it not for Jewell), but I saw only a cursory mention of that. Care to dig into the archives for us a bit for the next revision??

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I agree that the headline on this story should be "Hero dies" instead of "Former suspect dies". We have too few heroes and certainly not among the media and FBI.

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Okay, I may get skewered here, but... Richard Jewell got a bum deal. He really did. And you can blame the media for piling on, but the truth is that what the AJC and other media outlets reported at the time was TRUE! Jewell WAS a suspect. He put himself out for the public to see as he was being lauded as a hero and then the tide turned on him. That is an unfortunate risk of becoming a public figure. You can lambaste the AJC if you want -- and I'll concede that some of the coverage came close to the edge -- but in the end, if you were at the AJC when this was happening, you would have done the same thing! It really is a sad story and he was a young man. And I have no doubt this whole incident contributed to his death. It's just a damn shame. FULL DISCLOSURE: Sellout worked at the AJC, but not during the time -- or close to the time -- of the olympics.

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to sellout. There is truth and there is defamation .... "The media," NBC, and the New York Post and ALC reported inuendo that by anyones standards convicted Richard Jewel with out trial. Also, he did not "put himself out" for the public- you can bet your bottom dollar that all those news reporters were at his door after the bombing... and he obliged. He naively thought he did a good deed and he was vindicating his failure to get into the police acadamy. In addition, Richard Jewel was not a public figure. Those two facts, spreading false reports and not being a public figure, that forced ABC and New York Post to settled a libel lawsuit filed by Jewel. They must have felt unsure about their victory chances at trial. The AJC case was pending. And in the end, we hold news agencies to report facts, and nothing but the facts-leaving the speculation to the editorial page, where it belongs. Full Disclosure -If i was going to speculate on the facts and make a news report ...... I'd say "the media" reported those untruths to sell more papers and advertising like they always do...

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Sellout, you have repeated one of the AJC's most despicable, intentional and long-lasting lies about Richard Jewell. You prove the point you are trying to dispute. Jewell did not "put himself out," as you falsely claim. Jewell was reticent about the interviews. He was shy. But a PR man for AT&T -- which had hired the subcontractor that employed Jewell -- called the AJC city desk to pitch an interview with Jewell. Why did the PR man do that? Because other media had already interviewed the hero who saved the lives. The AJC hadn't bothered. The AT&T PR guy didn't want the AJC to be angry at him later because they got scooped, so he called the city desk and offered the interview. The AJC editors later inserted their lie about Jewell seeking publicity into Kathy Scruggs' story. It wasn't Jewell. It was a PR guy trying to cover his ass! You're also full of crap about being at the AJC and doing the same thing. The AJC broke its OWN RULES on that story and some editors at the time were disgusted by it. They are not in charge now, I might add. Then-managing editor John Walter used his "voice of God" tone for the Jewell story that he wouldn't allow in other stories. He simply wouldn't allow unattributed sources -- EXCEPT in that story. And what about the Dave Kindred column comparing Jewell to Wayne Williams, the so-called Missing and Murdered children killer? That material was forced into the column by an editor. Not everybody would have done the same thing. Some people have a conscience. You've bought into the myth. Sad.

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There's actually a lovely beach in Acworth on Lake Allatoona. Some of us call that part of the lake "Lake Acworth." Check out Pioneer Days this fall at the beach. It's one of the nicest fall festivals in Georgia. Y'all come! There was a wonderful Cobb County parody of the Beach Boys song "California Girls" on local radio a couple decades ago that included the unforgettable line: "wearing a Sears bikini on Acworth Beach.... Oh, I wish they all could be Marietta Girls!" "

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The legal question is this: Was Richard Jewell a suspect, yes or no? FBI told the AJC and others that he was. Janet Reno even apologized for the "leak" and said it never should have happened. I'm not saying it doesn't suck. It does. But the AJC reported what was true at the time. As I said, I wasn't here during that time and there may be nuances I do not know. But I still believe that any newspaper, with a story like that in their backyard -- literally -- would have reported the same thing.

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And I've been to Lake "Acworth" -- it's quite nice

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Sellout - I will accept your defense of the AJC if you feel the same way about other factual leaks of identity to the press. The AJC was wrong. Period. Wouldn't it be nice if the editors and publishers were willing to be right (factually, ethically, morally) and get scooped by others who are clearly wrong? We might actually trust them. Time for my meds.

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Sellout, you are aptly yclept.

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yclept?

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