Eric Rudolph Intends To Explain How, Why He Bombed Abortion Clinics, Olympic Park in Written Statement, Attorney Says

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 14 Apr 2005 - 11:00 PDT

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Accused abortion clinic bomber Eric Rudolph sometime after pleading guilty in two federal courts on Wednesday to four bombings -- including a 1998 bombing at a Birmingham, Alabama, abortion clinic that killed a police officer and critically injured a nurse -- intends to release a written statement explaining the bombings, his defense attorney, Bill Bowen, said on Tuesday, the... AP/Las Vegas Sun reports (Reeves, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 4/13). Department of Justice officials on Friday announced that Rudolph, who was about to go on trial for the Birmingham bombing, also will plead guilty to the 1997 bombing of an Atlanta-area abortion clinic; the 1997 bombing of an Atlanta gay and lesbian nightclub, which injured five people; and the 1996 Olympic Park bombing, which killed one person and injured 111 others. As a result of his plea bargain, in which Rudolph also disclosed the location of 250 pounds of dynamite and a bomb more powerful than the one detonated at Olympic Park, he will receive four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Rudolph, who was captured in North Carolina in May 2003 after a five-year manhunt, faced a possible death sentence if convicted of the Birmingham bombing. Rudolph is thought to be a member of an antiabortion, anti-gay and anti-Semitic religious group (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/11). Bowen said Rudolph in court on Wednesday likely will do the minimum required by law to convince the judge of his guilt in the bombings. "I think Mr. Rudolph will say that's what the government could prove if they went to trial," Bowen said, adding, "It's mainly just 'yes' and 'no' questions" (AP/Las Vegas Sun, 4/13).

Other Coverage
Several newspapers on Wednesday profiled Rudolph and examined the case against him. Some of the articles are listed below.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Rudolph faces hours of isolation at 'Alcatraz of the Rockies'" (Plummer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/13).
  
  
• Charlotte Observer: "Rudolph foe recalls dogged chase: Retired FBI agent calls admitted bomber a survivor, worthy rival" (Dodd, Charlotte Observer, 4/13).
  
  
• Los Angeles Times: "It's the Wilderness Years for Militias: The movement was at its peak at the time of the Atlanta blast, for which Eric Rudolph is to plead guilty. What changed? Sept. 11, for starters" (Barry, Los Angeles Times, 4/13).
  
  
• Raleigh News & Observer: "Closing the book on bombing suspect Eric Rudolph: Mountain town is ready to end its chapter in the saga of the bombing suspect" (Collins, Raleigh News & Observer, 4/13).
  
  
• Raleigh News & Observer: "Timeline: Eric Rudolph" (Raleigh News & Observer, 4/13).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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