http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=2032850 MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Eric Rudolph has agreed to plead guilty in the 1996 bombing at the Atlanta Olympics and three other blasts, The Associated Press learned Friday. A person close to the case who was briefed by the Justice Department on the agreement said Rudolph would receive four life sentences under the deal. Rudolph had faced a possible death sentence. The source spoke on condition of anonymity. Neither U.S. Attorney Alice Martin or defense lawyer Bill Bowen immediately returned calls seeking comment. In addition to the Olympics bombing, Rudolph also has been charged with setting off a blast in 1998 at an Alabama abortion clinic that killed an off-duty police officer and critically injured a nurse. Jury selection in that case began this week. He is charged in two other 1997 bombings in Atlanta: one at a lesbian bar and one at a building that housed an abortion clinic. Word of the deal came amid reports that federal agents have been in western North Carolina this week detonating explosive materials in the region where Rudolph spent more than 5½ years as a fugitive. He was captured in 2003 near a grocery store trash bin in Murphy, N.C., in 2003.
20 million was spent by the FBI to look for the dirtbag, and he was eventually caught by a rookie cop. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/08/national/08cnd-rudolph.html Instead of giving the intelligence agencies more power, Congress should pass a Loyalist Act involving better training for Feds.
Whats the point of giving a person four life sentences? Shouldnt one be enough? I never understood that.
I think that it may have something to do regarding when a person is eligible for parole. If you are in for "life" you may actually eligible for parole in 50 years. With four life sentences that becomes impossible. It could also be just procedural. He was convicted on four counts of crimes that carried life imprisonment so he gets for life sentences. It makes the paper work similar. It could also have to do with precident. If he gets convicted on three crimes that carry a life sentence but you don't actually assign the sentence, a future criminal may argue that he should not have the sentence imposed as well. (This one's pretty weak.)
so what you guys are saying is that Richard Jewell didn't do it? wasn't he supposed to be on the terror watch list or something like that..he surely fit the profile i thought the Feds are never wrong?
