), 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. It was in 1998, and he then spent over five years on the run living and surviving in the wilderness. While others were under suspicion, Martz at least thought Jewell was the lead suspect. 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. 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. ", 1/ I handled Richard Jewells case against AJC for 16 years. This was his reason for the Olympics bombing: The purpose of the attack on July 27th was to confound, anger and embarrass the Washington government in the eyes of the world for its abominable sanctioning of abortion on demand. 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. Says a prayer directly after the bombing not for the victims, but for the murderer to be interesting She became famous after breaking the story that security guard Richard Jewell was considered a possible suspect by the FBI. Kathy Scruggs would walkinto the Independent Mail newsroom anddrop her purse and notebook on her desk, a daily effort that caused two loud, distinct thuds. 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. Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen write: Witnesses repeatedly came forward to accuse [him] of twisting their words. Referring to the newspaper by its commonly used nickname, Wood wrote: "I handled Richard Jewell's case against AJC for 16 years. Kathy Scruggs was the colorful and controversial Atlanta Journal-Constitution news reporter who broke the story that the FBI was investigating hero security guard Richard Jewell in the 1996 . The film flashes six years later and Bryant informs Richard Jewell that the FBI has finally got the real bomber: Eric Rudolph. All the cops knew her and respected her and kidded her a lot, said Coram, who based a character in Atlanta Heat on Scruggs. She was never at peace as the story continued to get bigger and bigger with everyone crucifying Richard Jewel. In the end, Kathy Scruggs greatest crime was being interesting. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Again, a chapter that goes unmentioned in the film. His motives were because he was against abortion and didnt want homosexuality normalized. Portrayal of female journalist in 'Richard Jewell' is 'worst kind of But its just jumping over that last wall to make it look like she traded sexual favors for information. The (Journal-Constitution's) claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend . After the interrogation, sometime later, Shaw and other FBI members hand Jewell and Bryant a letter that states they will no longer be investigating him as a suspect. Shes flawed, and really complex, and really interesting. Clint Eastwood slanders reporter Kathy Scruggs in "Richard Jewell," his otherwise powerful and honest film. It starts with them in a conference room conducting an interrogation of Jewell. Scruggs died of "acute morphine toxicity," Kiss said, and he believes the stress of the Jewell story and the related litigation contributed to her death. Many journalists have strongly criticized the portrayal as perpetuating a pernicious and false stereotype that some female journalists trade sex for information, which U.S. news organizations prohibit as unethical. She was also known for a foul mouth, low-cut dresses, and general wildness. Age, Height, Salary, Net Worth, PodcastContinue, Who is Andrew Nichols? She hosts the live coverage of Court TV, which airs on weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Scruggs writes a story saying just that, which turns Jewell (and the implication of his guilt) into a global news event. But several friends and colleagues have said over the years that she never really recovered from what happened with Jewell. "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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. It was just hard living, her brother toldthe AJC. Every single criminal investigation and civil lawsuit the ex-president is currently facing, including the ones youve probably never heard about. "That story might not win anyone an Oscar, but it is the truth under the evidence," Wood wrote. That would be an appalling and misogynistic dismissal of the difficult work she did. The FBI still lists Rudolph on one of its pages about "famous cases and criminals.". 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. 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. 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. Scoop in hand, she convinces her bosses to run with the story over their concerns. Scruggs, who died in 2001, was working for the Atlanta . 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. 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Based on the Vanity Fair article, the film follows the facts told in it pretty closely. In the upcoming fictional film Richard Jewell, based on the true events surrounding the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing in Atlanta, there are a lot of real-life people depicted unfavorably, including, most distressingly to some,journalist Kathy Scruggs. In Eastwood's highly-anticipated film, "Richard Jewell," reporter Kathy Scruggs is depicted as trading sex for stories and information. Ashley Willcott is a former judge, trial lawyer, television anchor, and media consultant for lawyers child welfare influencer. It was just hard living," her brother told the AJC. Jewells biker pal who stuck by him throughout the ordeal, Dave Dutchess, appears in a single scene. New York, The movie actually does Scruggs worse than that. He really didnt know. That adjective haunted Richard Jewell long before he became known as the FBI's leading suspect in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing on July 27, 1996. In 2011, the suitsnaming the AJC weredismissed as the Georgia Court of Appeals concluded the articles in their entirety were substantially true at the time they were published. Her mother owned a travel agency. Many journalists have strongly criticized the portrayal as perpetuating a pernicious and false stereotype that some female journalists trade sex for information, which U.S. news organizations. Then-AJC columnist Dave Kindred, who wrote a column comparing Richard Jewell to murderous pedophile Wayne Williams, does not. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Getty Her heart gave away. Oh, well, its not like he received a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court or anything. The movietells the story of Richard Jewell, a security guard who should have been hailed a hero after he found a pipe bombpacked with nails and screwsin Centennial Olympic Park. Prior to this meeting, Jewell undergoes a polygraph test that proves hes telling the truth. That wouldve been a fun movie. 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Kathleen "Kathy" Scruggs was a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who broke the story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell as a possible suspect in the. She was charming and kind, generous and profane, according to Tony Kiss, a former colleague at the newspaper in Anderson, South Carolina, who became her longtimefriend. He joined the station in September 2021 from KING 5. By the time the case ended, Richard & Ms. Scruggs had both passed away. 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. She was once arrested drunk and naked, sitting in the drivers seat of a taxi outside a bar. 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. But what I resented was this character being boiled down to one inferred scene and I dont hear anyone complaining about Jon Hamms character as being inferred that he also had a relationship with a reporter. Why is that anyones business? Brenner told Vanity Fair. Why should Kathy Scruggs get named and shamed while the FBI agent who revealed the suspects name receives anonymity? We never made such a false & damning claim. It was Scruggs who first publicly. There was nothing unethical about how she did her work.". According to the Columbia article, they also tried to be careful with the wording. ET. Why doesnt the film give time to people whose conduct wouldve actually warranted the villain treatment? Kathy Scruggs, reporter in 'Richard Jewell,' was 'dedicated' in SC I think [Grace] said that there was no presumption of innocence at this time because there wasnt a jury trial, and that was a head-shaker, Alexander says. Within days, the law enforcement wannabe becomes the FBIs number one suspect, vilified by press and public alike, his life ripped apart, a Warner Brothers press release obtained by Oxygen.com states. Carla Gugino as Kathy Scruggs in 'Manhunt: Deadly Games'. Olivia Wilde speaks out about her portrayal of journalist Kathy Scruggs I feel like we were struggling throughout to give more and more time to her story and to really help you understand her world and the toll that these events took on her life., Without enough time to spend with her story, she becomes a culprit. Or at least, one FBI agent in particular fed her the story. Richard Jewell ended with a quiet showdown between Jewell (played by Paul Walter Hauser) and Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell), and the FBI agents in charge of his case, led by Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm). In addition to suffering from depression, she had a chronic back problem. "The AJCs reporter is reduced to a sex-trading object in the film, the letter states, according to AJC. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. ", In addition to her depiction in Richard Jewell, out in theaters Friday, December 13,her life inspired two fictional characters. Her own brother said of her, I loved Kathy, but she was crazy.. The bomb detonated before it could be removed, killing. "There was NO evidence to support a storyline" that Kathy Scruggs traded sex for tips about Richard Jewell, his attorney tweeted. The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed the Jewell case against the AJC in 2011. Many of her friends and family members claimthe stress from the legal fallout around the Jewell case contributed to her failing health: Jewell sued the AJC, among other outlets, after Scruggs' story pinpointing him as an FBI suspect; all other outlets settled except the AJC. How this story and source was gotten was never my interest., When Brenner read the rumor about Scruggs trading sex for stories in Alexander and Salwens book, she felt it was deeply problematic: Inevitably men get it wrong when they try to write about a womans sexuality., Both Brenner and Billy Ray, though, say the focus on Scruggs is a diversionary tactic. "She was upset, and she sort ofimplied tothe bar owner she could put him in the newspaper," Kiss said. The movie, directed by Clint Eastwood, strongly suggests that the reporter, Kathy Scruggs of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, slept with an FBI agent to get information on the investigation. The man, Richard Jewell, went from being hailed a hero to the most hated villain when Kathy Scruggs, a journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, broke the news about Jewell being looked at as the main suspect by the FBI. Could never apologize or admit she got it wrong, and put someone through utter hell for it However, the film was criticized for its portrayal of a real-life reporter, Kathy Scruggs. 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. Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. The AJC and other media were suedafter Jewell was cleared. These cases typically ended up being settled out of court and him being rewarded an undisclosed amount of money. https://t.co/Wii3yiCK7y. Marie Brenner, who wrote the Vanity Fair feature on which the film is based, hopes that Richard Jewell might impact audiences the way the story affected her in 1996. It was chosen by the National Board of Review as one . As for the bar scene, Kent Alexander and his co-author Kevin Salwen have declined to discuss their input, saying in a statement, We have been asked repeatedly whether we found evidence that Scruggs traded sex for the story. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. 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. The film explores Jewells crucifixion by the media and the FBIs manipulative quest to incriminate him. She worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a reporter. Eric Rudolph eventually confessed and pleaded guilty to that bombing and other attacks. In a letter sentthis week to Eastwood, screenwriter Billy Ray, Warner Brothers and others, the AJC is demanding a "prominent disclaimer" be added to the film to acknowledge that some of the events portrayed in itwere "imagined for dramatic purposes, and artistic license and dramatization were used in the films portrayal of events and characters," the AJC reported. Want to get a room or just go to my car? Scruggs asks after he reveals Jewells name. But there's no. The police caught on to Rudolph when he did a bombing in Birmingham. She and Martz had been held in contempt for refusing to reveal their source. But as Beyer would soon realize, Finchs past wasnt what she claimedand Beyers own difficult history was up for the taking. People have begun to do just that, and the criticism has, if anything, only intensified. This movie that supposedly aims to set the record straight often ends up regurgitating lazy assumptions. One of the things I love about directing is the ability to control the voice and message of the film. To play this as Kathy Scruggs willingly burning her source and jeopardizing an investigation is unfair. While other outlets settled, the AJC didn't. 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. or the Coen Brothers. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, It was the early 1980s when Scruggs arrived in Anderson to be an education reporter. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The Idaho Murders, Part 1: How 4 College Kids Lived and Loved. 'Richard Jewell': The Big Lie of Clint Eastwood's Movie - Variety The movie isnt about Kathy Scruggs; its about the heroism and hounding of Richard Jewell, and what rushed reporting can do to an innocent man. They had her back. Download the NBC News app for breaking news. It haunted her until her last breath, her former colleague Tony Kiss told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a 2019 feature about her. "Contrary to a swath of recent headlines, I do not believe that Kathy 'traded sex for tips,'" Wilde wrote. According to the Vanity Fair article, Jewells phone number was leaked online and he received thousands of calls a day from people threatening him. According to the 1997 Vanity Fair piece by Marie Brenner that the movie is partially based on, the case was being handled by an FBI division that had been formed to fight the Cold War, whose strength was intimidation and manipulation rather than the deliberate gathering of evidence to be presented in court.. The trial by the media seemed vicious and not shown nearly as intense in the film. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Did kathy scruggs apologize to richard jewell Those who were either directly involved in the incident or were dragged into the subsequent FBI investigation are featured in the show. Richard Jewell takes an interesting real-life character and flattens her into a lame trope of reporter-who-sleeps-with-sources, not to mention a woman who uses her sexuality to get what she wants and needs to be humbled and tamed. ", He went on to say that Scruggs was "one of the better reporters I ever worked with.". Tell me this wouldnt have made an incredible movie from The Death Of Dick Long guys so many Southern oddballs! At issue is the film's portrayal of the late reporter Kathy Scruggs. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Olivia Wilde addresses controversy around her 'Richard Jewell This led to him being scrutinized and ridiculed by the media before he was cleared as a suspect. The story contributed to her stress and failing health. For example, Bryant finds out about the FBI investigating Jewell from seeing the newspaper on the stands, not from Nayda showing it to him (as shown in the film). ", She went on to say, I think people have a hard time accepting sexuality in female characters without allowing it to entirely define that character. His newscasts can be seen during weekdays at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM ET on the CBC News Network. Should they have known what the unprecedented 24-hour news cycle would do with Jewell? Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Perhaps the subject wouldn't be as commanding as she was. Louis Freeh is the real culprit in the Richard Jewell story And this was after he had saved hundreds of lives. 'Richard Jewell': Kathy Scruggs' Roommate, Family Angered - Yahoo When I'm not writing about pop culture, I can be found channeling Gordon Ramsay by kicking people out the kitchen. TIL reporter Kathy Scruggs who broke the story of Richard Jewell being If you wanted to draw a Hollywood stereotype of a hard-charging female cops reporter, Kathy would fit that bill pretty well, King said during a phone call with Vanity Fair on Wednesday. How that actually played out is an interesting, quasi-Coen Brothers-esque story in itself. Will Cain is one of the prominent journalists for CNN. She became popular in the 1990s for breaking the story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell as a possible suspect in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics bombing. Pronouns: she/her. When Jewell died of a heart attack in 2007, he at least got to see the real bomber, Eric Rudolph, go to prison (six life sentences, plus 120 years). To say that Kathy Scruggs had sex with an FBI agent (or at the very least fondled his crotch) to get the Jewell scoop when theres no evidence of that is defamatory enough, and that has nothing to do with sexism or double standards. From there, Jewell spent nearly three months being questioned, probed, discussed, and hounded by the media--who labeled him guilty without any real evidence. So he said, Yeah, the names out there and I dont really know the details. So he couldnt really say it was accurate, but he said, Im not going to quibble with it. And then, will it screw up the investigation?

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