did kathy scruggs apologize to richard jewell

Scruggs, who died in 2001, was working at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when she broke a story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell for the bombing in Centennial. The AJC has since gone so far as to retain an attorney, the infamous pitbull Marty Singer (known for representing John Travolta, Brett Ratner, and Bryan Singer during controversies, among others) and have demanded a disclaimer be added to the film. In hindsight, its easy to cast Scruggs as the villain, but Gugino said its not that simple. Read More Nikki Battiste (CBS News) Net Worth, Age, Husband, Son, Wedding and ABCContinue. The films depiction of her is not only wrong, but unnecessary. MANHUNT: DEADLY GAMES Official Trailer (HD) Cameron Britton, MANHUNT: DEADLY GAMES 2020 TRUE CRIME DRAMA CAMERON BRITTON MANHUNT: DEADLY GAMES will chronicle one of the largest and most complex manhunts on U.S. soil the search for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Park Bomber and the media firestorm that consumed the life of Richard Jewell in its wake. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Her soul was gone. I probably will wind up watching it. Andrew Nichols is an American bilingual journalist. But there's no. There was NO evidence to support a storyline that Ms. Scruggs traded sex for tips about Richard. Spent most of my life in various parts of Illinois, including attending college in Evanston. Every single criminal investigation and civil lawsuit the ex-president is currently facing, including the ones youve probably never heard about. Scruggs died in 2001 at age 42. People have begun to do just that, and the criticism has, if anything, only intensified. I have been a life long lover of pop culture, especially television, turned that passion into writing about all things entertainment related. Eric Rudolph eventually confessed and pleaded guilty to that bombing and other attacks. He really didnt know. For his part, Scruggs Jr. sounds resigned to the fact that he's unlikely to get any kind of apology from Eastwood or the rest of the team behind "Richard Jewell." "I wish I could say it . The FBI greenlit the entire thing. She was great at that, and I think thats one of the reasons why she was so successful working with cop sourceswhether it was beat cops or detectives in the homicide squad. In 1996, after security guard Richard Jewell discovered a bomb at Atlantas Centennial Olympic Park, helped clear the crowd and saved hundreds of lives, Jewell was declared a hero by the press. It states that she was given a tip about the FBI and Richard Jewell and respected the request to not publish it without finding more sources, so Scruggs and co-writer Ron Martz found more sources. Rolling Stones film critic Peter Travers wrote in his review, The attempt to slut-shame a reporter whos not around to defend herself stands as a black mark in a film that otherwise hews close to the proven facts of the case." At the time, the coroner said it could not be determined if the overdose was suicidal or accidental. But several friends and colleagues have said over the years that she never really recovered from what happened with Jewell. Unfortunately, Scruggs can't come forward to defend herself, either: She died in 2001 at the age of 42from an overdose of prescription pain pills, according to Poytner. These cases typically ended up being settled out of court and him being rewarded an undisclosed amount of money. Richard Jewell, a security guard, also discovered the explosives. And what do they decide to do? Carla Gugino as Kathy Scruggs in 'Manhunt: Deadly Games'. Kathy Scruggs herself wrote follow-up stories about Jewells shabby treatment and interviewed criminal profilers about how criminal profiling had been mishandled in the Jewell case. One wonders if it was because none of them were attractive, foul-mouthed women who wore fishnets and miniskirts. Scruggs left the Independent Mail in Anderson after she got into an altercation at a bar, Kiss said. Kathy Scruggs, the AJC, and other media had no qualms about. She was just 42 when she died in 2001. In addition to the park, he bombed a gay nightclub and abortion clinics. She was once arrested drunk and naked, sitting in the drivers seat of a taxi outside a bar. She would get upset when people were supposed to tell her something but wouldn't. We further demand that you add a prominent disclaimer to the film to that effect.". In addition to Eastwood and the movie's production team, Olivia Wilde, the actor who played Scruggs in the movie, has also come under criticism. He is well known for his role as co-host of FOX News Channels (FNC) FOX & Friends Weekend which airs on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m 10 a.m ET. Kathy Scruggs, who died in 2001, was working at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when she broke a story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell for the bombing in Centennial . In Eastwood's highly-anticipated film, "Richard Jewell," reporter Kathy Scruggs is depicted as trading sex for stories and information. In 1996, after security guard Richard Jewell discovered a bomb at Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park, helped clear the crowd and saved hundreds of lives, Jewell was declared a hero by the. What kind of person does all that add up to? Nichols, who resides and works in Toronto, has been a newsroom reporter, a field reporter, as well as an anchor for the CBC News Network, Read More Andrew Nichols CBC Salary, Age, Height, Wife, College, Net WorthContinue. Eric Rudolph eventually admitted to the bombing and other attacks and pleaded guilty. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Olivia Wilde as Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Kathy Scruggs in the movie "Richard Jewell." Warner Bros. "I am Kathy Scruggs' brother and only remaining member of our immediate family. That would be an appalling and misogynistic dismissal of the difficult work she did.". In the 1990s, Scruggs was known for her solid reporting, her tight relationship with local law enforcement, and also her hard-partying ways, something that was exacerbated after she set off the media firestorm directed at Jewell. ", Eric Rudolph, the actual bomber, was found in 2003, rummaging through trash behind a grocery store in Murphy, North Carolina. She was born on Sept. 26, 1958, in Atlanta. Kathy Scruggs was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reporter whose reporting on the Atlanta Olympics bombing has been extremely controversial. Scruggs is not. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. But according to various sources, including Kevin Riley, the current. Unfortunately, Scruggs can't come forward to defend herself, either: She died in 2001 at the age of 42 from an overdose of prescription pain pills, according to Poytner. An article published on Columbia colleges website entitled Richard Jewell Case Study, discussed Scruggs more and showed her in a more professional manner. Ad Choices. Martz, who made the call to confirm the story with the FBI, said he wanted to make sure that, one, the story wasnt going to screw up the investigation. Wood went on to write that evidence showed Scruggs was dating an Atlanta police officer at the time of the investigation and that the newspaper independently confirmed with the FBI that Jewell was a leading suspect before publication. While the movie portrays an FBI case agent leaking Jewell's name to Atlanta Constitution reporter Kathy Scruggs, who has since died, there is no basis for the claim. The small changes here and there are understandable because its a film that needs to entertain as much as its trying to inform. I am sorry, but it is not enough to say, law enforcement thinks. And they didnt even say that. Citing the paper that reported there was no evidence against Jewell, Brenner said, The New York Timesand its editor Joe Lelyveld knew better., King acknowledged that the Richard Jewell case was a turning point in a lot of newspaper discussions about where to draw the line when on identifying suspects. And I think those are good lessons to share with a movie-going audience, that there are people who are the subject of newspaper stories and of government investigations who look as guilty as Richard appeared to look in those initial stories but who ultimately are totally innocent and whose reputations are dragged through the mud for all the wrong reasons., Scruggs died in 2001 from a prescription drug overdose, due, in part, to a chronic back problem, still troubled by the repercussions of her Jewell reporting. Stream it here (opens in new tab). Longtime friend Lisa Griffin told the Journal-Constitution that she spoke with Scruggs on the phone shortly before she died. How that actually played out is an interesting, quasi-Coen Brothers-esque story in itself. Even as a kid Jewell seemed driven by. Scruggs' former reporting partner, Ron Martz, played by David Shae in the movie, said no one from the film contacted him. Age, Height, Salary, Net Worth, PodcastContinue, Who is Andrew Nichols? The film implies Scruggs gave sexual favors to get the information, according to multiple media outlets. The media as a whole certainly wasnt innocent in the case. He joined the station in September 2021 from KING 5. I would encourage people to see the movie and read the story behind it and then come to that conclusion, Hamm told me, referring to The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, The FBI, The Media, And Richard Jewell, The Man Caught In The Middle, by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen, another source for the movie. I have mixed feelings about it. When she died, she was facing possible jail time though eventually, the Journal-Constitution was cleared, with the Georgia Court of Appeals finding that the articles in their entirety were substantially true at the time they were published.. The screen fades to black and the audience is informed that Jewell died at 44, Bryant and his assistant Nayda (played by Nina Arianda) were married and have two sons that Richards mother, Bobi (played by Kathy Bates) watches every Saturday. Your email address will not be published. In the end, Kathy Scruggs greatest crime was being interesting. As the story went through the editing process, Scruggs, Martz and Managing Editor John Walter talked about what word to use, Scruggs would say later. She really always felt like they were supporting her.. But ever since the film premiered at the AFI Fest in November, the Atlanta Journal-Constitutions editor-in-chief, Kevin Riley, has insisted that the filmwritten by Oscar-winning screenwriter Billy Ray (Captain Phillips)gets integral facts wrong. It all happened in 1996 when security guard Richard Jewell alerted police during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. I think the people that have (criticized the films version of Scruggs) havent seen the film and certainly havent read the book. They compared him to noted mass murderer Wayne Williams. That FBI agent is identified by name in The Suspect, but, tellingly, not in the movie* (book spoilers in the footnote). Which is still the case and not despite the movie, but because of it. Her mother owned a travel agency. In the 2019 Clint Eastwood film about the bombing, Scruggs was portrayed as having slept with sources for scoops, something the people who knew her took great umbrage with. Richard Jewell was under FBI scrutiny for about three months before he was cleared. After Jewell was cleared, the media blamed her for making it public that Jewell was a suspect. Kathy did not personally apologize to Richard Jewell, However, the story haunted her until her death. It was heart-wrenching for Richard, Alexanders co-author, Kevin Salwen adds. In a thread on Twitter on Thursday night, Lin Wood, the prominent defamation lawyer who represented Jewell in lawsuits against The Journal-Constitution and other media organizations, joined the movie's critics. "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. With their, Video related to the sad end to atlanta bombing reporter kathy scruggs life, New Reality Star Lost Her Son to a Drug Overdose in 2009. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, While there were a number of bad actors this includes journalists who did considerable damage to Richard Jewell's reputation, I've not seen where Kathy Scruggs' reporting went beyond the facts. The FBIs theory was that Jewell left these bombs so that he could be the one to find them and gain hero status. Jewell and other men were able to clear the perimeter enough to minimize the impact. "He was a suspect at the time she reported that he was. In the film, Atlanta-Journal Constitution reporter Scruggs, played by Olivia Wilde, is depicted as offering sex in exchangefor information about the case from an FBI agent, NBC News reports. Jewells death is noted at the end. At the 2020 Television Critics Associaton winter press tour, creator/executive producer Andrew Sodroski said of the character, We portray her as a fully well-rounded character. By discovering the device and swiftly reporting it, Jewell helped ensurethe area was able to be cleared enough to avoid mass casualties, although two people still died and 111 were injured when it exploded. However, that dismissal came 10 years after Scruggs died. Days later, Scruggs was told by a trusted law-enforcement source that Jewell was also the FBIs foremost suspect. Tom Brokaw, who said the FBI probably had enough to convict Jewell but were just trying to collect all the evidence, does get a soundbite in the film. Most people within the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thought that everybody would get the story at the same time, that it would essentially be a tie, Kent Alexander, co-author of The Suspect told me. "It's obvious to me they did not go to any great lengths to find out what the real characters were like. According to one of Scruggs' bosses, assistant managing editor for Olympics Thomas M. Oliver, the source told Scruggs that Jewell fit a patternOliver did not recall whether the word used was a "profile"of a wannabe cop with troubled experience in law enforcement. The Atlanta Journal-Constitutions decision to publish the storyimmediately recasting Jewell as a villain in the minds of millionswas so journalistically problematic and personally devastating to Jewell (and his mother, Bobi) that the case continues to be taught as a cautionary tale in journalism schools. At issue is the film's portrayal of the late reporter Kathy Scruggs. She was blamed for ruining Jewells life who was once considered a hero. The police caught on to Rudolph when he did a bombing in Birmingham. Dreams of implants The Idaho Murders, Part 1: How 4 College Kids Lived and Loved. Jewell becomes emotional about regaining his freedom. (Perhaps not coincidentally, The Suspect reports that Bryant teamed up with Jewells mother to sell the movie rights.) Another such figure was Kathy Scruggs, who was a reporter at Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the time of the bombing. The suit was dismissed in 2011 when the Georgia Court of Appeals concluded the articles in their entirety were substantially true at the time they were published. But Scruggs was not alive to see her name cleared, and friends told the AJC that stress related to the case exacerbated her failing health. Goads her bosses into rushing the story into print Yeah Kathy Scruggs and AJC said they only reported the truth - that Jewell was being investigated. "She was so, so alive." Scruggs was born Sept. 26, 1958 into a prominent Athens family. In 2017, the series Manhunt was released depicting the FBIs hunt for the Unabomber. And she could be loud and brash if the mood struck her. People who knew her called her a true journalist. She'd launch into a story maybesomething about the person she had just run into,the interview she had just finished. 111 people were still injured, and two people died: Alice Hawthorne and Melih Uzunyol, a Turkish cameraman who had a heart attack while trying to cover the event. Scruggs was born and raised in Atlanta. That article headlined FBI Suspects Hero Guard May Have Planted Bomb set off a media firestorm around Jewell from which he never really recovered, even after being cleared of the crime. According to the Vanity Fair article, Jewells phone number was leaked online and he received thousands of calls a day from people threatening him. The film, directed by Clint Eastwood, says it is a story of what happens when what is reported as fact obscures the truth.. Scruggs died of a morphine overdose in 2001. Please proceed accordingly). All the cops knew her and respected her and kidded her a lot, said Coram, who based a character in Atlanta Heat on Scruggs. "Kathy was just luminous," Parke said. Fair enough, and certainly Jewell deserves that, but Jewell already received the benefit of being exonerated during his lifetime. In the film, Kathy is portrayed as a ruthless reporter who is willing to use any means necessary to get a story, even sleeping with an FBI agent, and not showing empathy for the victims after the bombing. Referring to the newspaper by its commonly used nickname, Wood wrote: "I handled Richard Jewell's case against AJC for 16 years. After the bombing fiasco, Jewell went on to get married, realized his dream of becoming a cop (The Suspect details a later incident in which Jewell performed CPR on a dying infant, saving its life), and bought a 26-acre farm in rural Georgia. Richard Jewell is an Academy Awards nominated film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. Shewould wear that frustration on her sleeve. It crushed her like a june bug on the sidewalk.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. After Richard Jewell was no longer a suspect, his battle continued. And just in time for awards season, can you imagine that. "We never made such a false & damning claim. The AJC and other media were suedafter Jewell was cleared. If you couldnt f*ck it out of them, what makes you think you can f*ck it out of me? Hamms character asks her. An AJC piece by Jennifer Brett quotes Scruggs brother, and her co-author of the original piece identifying Jewell Ron Martz criticizing the filmmakers for never seeking their perspectives. The second season of "Manhunt: Deadly Games'' takes on the saga of Eric Rudolph and Richard Jewell. Here's our special offer. ", In addition to her depiction in Richard Jewell, out in theaters Friday, December 13,her life inspired two fictional characters. She was just 42 when she died in 2001. The thing she was always proud of was the newspaper stood by her. There was NO evidence to support a storyline that Ms. Scruggs traded sex for tips about Richard. Read More Julia Morales (Astros) Husband, Daughter, Age, Height, Salary, Net worthContinue. In December 2019, a biographical drama film Richard Jewel was released portraying the real life of Jewell. Amid safety concerns, and anxiety over the fate of a $200 million movie, The 2023 Hollywood Issue: Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh & More. The film flashes six years later and Bryant informs Richard Jewell that the FBI has finally got the real bomber: Eric Rudolph. But she was a good reporter. She works as a sports anchor and reporter for AT&T SportsNet Southwest and the sideline reporter for Houston Astros. By contrast, when Kathy Scruggs died in 2001 of a drug overdose (possibly deliberate, according to The Suspect) just shy of age 43, she was still fighting court battles over her story. The Independent Mail is seeking a copy of the letter from Lavely & Singer, the California law firm that sent it on behalf of the AJC and the newspaper's parent corporation, Cox Enterprises. Author Robert Coram had a front-row seat to Scruggss dealings with law enforcement in the mid '90s. Thats just bullshit.. As Martz told the New York Times: [Kathy] could be flirtatious, but she wouldnt have done that sort of thing, because she was very conscious of her role as a reporter and she wanted to be known as a top-notch reporter. The other questionable element of Richard Jewell is the portrayal of Kathy Scruggs, played in the movie by Olivia Wilde. "She would announce herself. When she went after a story she did what was necessary to get the story, within legal and ethical bounds., Her friend Susan Parke called her luminous, adding she was so, so alive. ), Fact Vs. Fiction In Richard Jewell: A Look At Why Kathy Scruggs Deserved Better, The Best Coachella 2023 Performances Were Reflections Of Pure Joy, My (Non-Anonymous) Ballot For The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, HBOs White House Plumbers Delivers An Absurd Historical Snapshot And A Knockout Performance From Justin Theroux, The Rundown: Ted Lasso Has Created A Delightful Little I Think You Should Leave Conundrum, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Other news organizations, including NBC News, settled similar cases, generally for undisclosed sums and with the assertion that they stood by their reporting. Richard Jewell is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed and produced . Its based on the real-life events of the 1996 Summer Olympics and the Centennial Park bombing. She had a very close relationship with the cops and the FBI helping to tell their story, and yes, by all accounts she had relationships with different people in that field, Wilde told Deadline. Ezra Millers Messiah Delusions: Inside. Wilde also said in her Twitter thread that Scruggs was at the center of the "brutal and unjust vilification" of Jewell and that the film centered on the tragedy of the accusations against him. Her father was a Gridiron Secret Society member at the University of Georgia and a pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Clint Eastwoods new movie, Richard Jewell, adapted by screenwriter Billy Ray partly from a 1997 Marie Brenner Vanity Fair article, tells the story of the FBI and the medias rush to judgment in the case of Richard Jewell, a security guard who discovered a bomb in Atlantas Centennial Olympic Park and then became the prime suspect, beaten up in the press even though he actually helped save peoples lives. Please consider becominga subscriber. She was never at peace as the story continued to get bigger and bigger with everyone crucifying Richard Jewel. And by the way, I will stand by every word and assertion in the script., Said Brenner, I was appalled by the reflexive snobberies and obliviousness of consequences that the AJC never addressed. Scruggs, who died in 2001, was working for the Atlanta . In fact, nine law. The film also takes liberties with how information and events unfolded. (Ed: note: The sources name, according to The Suspect, was Don Johnson. The Journal-Constitution has maintained that there is no evidence that Scruggs slept with anyone involved in the investigation and has demanded that Warner Bros. and the filmmakers release a statement acknowledging that they took dramatic license in their portrayal of Scruggs. Even the AJCs house style, voice-of-God narration that stressed declarative sentences over attribution, news in bite-sized chunklets in an attempt to mimic USA Today, deserves some blame making Jewell fit the profile of the lone bomber sound like objective fact rather than the opinion of the FBI, who created said profile. In addition to suffering from depression, she had a chronic back problem. The newspaper, in a letter to the filmmakers, has criticized the depiction of the reporter, indicating that there is no evidence to suggest this actually happened. Eventually, Jewell becomes fed up with all the questioning and says they dont have any evidence to charge him. She and Martz had been held in contempt for refusing to reveal their source. New York, Or at least, one FBI agent in particular fed her the story. IE 11 is not supported. Y'all stay away from each other, if at all possible. Ya know?, Brenner never reported on rumors about Scruggss romantic life. I just wish they hadnt smeared Kathy as part of the Hollywood telling of it., And even though the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is engaged in a full-blown battle with Warner Bros., King said that a group of his colleagues from the newspaper have plans to see the movie, covertly, on Saturday: They don't want to give Clint the benefit of movie ticket sales, so theyve cut a deal with movie theaters to buy tickets for another movie., 2023 Cond Nast. It was in 1998, and he then spent over five years on the run living and surviving in the wilderness. "She was upset, and she sort ofimplied tothe bar owner she could put him in the newspaper," Kiss said. The AJCs reporter is reduced to a sex-trading object in the film, theletter says, according to the newspaper. Who is Nikki Battiste? If they had, it might have ruined their idea of what they wanted the story to be. The other questionable element of Richard Jewell is the portrayal of Kathy Scruggs, played in the movie by Olivia Wilde. She liked a good party, too. Shestruggled with chronic health issues and had been on medical leavefrom the newspaper for about a year when she died, Kiss said. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution then read the full text of the story to an FBI spokesperson before publication specifically to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. She was so empty.. Photo: Lionsgate. I never heard any of them, even when they were drinking, say anything negative about her personally or professionally. AJC ace Kathy Scruggs broke the story that made Richard Jewell a household name. She became famous after breaking the story that security guard Richard Jewell was considered a possible suspect by the FBI. As for Olivia Wildes notion of why people arent complaining about Jon Hamms character, thats an easy one: Tom Shaw isnt a real person. She worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a reporter. But she was always agood reporter with a tremendous work ethic, said Gouch and Kiss. She was the real deal when it came to being a dedicated reporter, her family friend Edward Tolley told the AJC. Who is Craig Herrera? You can access his archive of reviews here. She was never at peace as she was facing possible jail time together with the media blaming her for destroying Jewells life and reputation. Kathy Scruggs, who was a very accomplished and very aggressive police reporter, had a motto: Im not in the business of being last. And she decided that she was going to be her usual aggressive self and made call after call to law enforcement sources. His motives were because he was against abortion and didnt want homosexuality normalized. Scruggs died in 2001, so she cant dispute the films portrayal of her, but she might not have been as ruthless as shown in Richard Jewell. His newscasts can be seen during weekdays at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM ET on the CBC News Network. This is very specific to female characters, weve seen it over and over again, and I think that Kathy Scruggs is an incredibly dynamic, nuanced, dogged, intrepid reporter. Someone saw him running from the scene and took down his license. Scruggs writes a story saying just that, which turns Jewell (and the implication of his guilt) into a global news event. The FBI Confirms Its Brett Kavanaugh Investigation Was a Total Sham. Craig Herrera is an American host and meteorologist at FOX Weather. He appeared on the 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list all five years, and there was a million-dollar reward offered for any info. The polygraph seems to be the final nail in the FBIs attempt at finding evidence against Jewell. We did not.. She is right now the face of justice. So I had to call the district attorney, and we went through this whole back and forth and Nancy didnt end up speaking about the Olympics again.. The trouble is, that character sounds a lot more interesting than what we get in Richard Jewell, a character we first meet when she storms into the AJC newsroom, wearing a gold necklace that says KATHY, flipping the bird to fellow reporters (theyre jealous, apparently) and telling a colleague that shes considering getting breast implants. He noticed a suspicious green backpack, and then alerted cops and authorized authorities. Whereas Scruggs important job, local police reporter, is increasingly an anachronism, we still seem to have plenty of Brokaws, Kindreds, and Graces to go around (admittedly fewer Hollis Gillespies). They editorialized wildly and printed assumptions as facts. The most important rule of reporting is never to reveal a suspects name without corroborating evidence. Jewell, a security guard at the park, helped to evacuate the area after the bomb was discovered. "Nothing in my research suggested she did so, and it was never my intention to suggest she had. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). She nonetheless gets the information, while fondling for his crotch. Such a portrayal 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.

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