A bomb went off at the Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta during the Olympic Games on July 27, 1996. Two people died and more than 100 sustained injuries, but the tragedy could have been akin to the more recent Boston Marathon bombings if it wasn't for the heroics of a security officer at the scene.
Richard Jewell, an Atlanta native, was an AT&T security officer at the park when he discovered the backpack containing the bomb, cleared the area and alerted authorities before it went off. Sadly he became known more for the FBI's investigation of him as the chief suspect than as hero deserving of national recognition and all the other accolades awarded to people of his stature.
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| Richard Jewell during his investigation as a suspect in the Olympic bombing |
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| Jewell appeared in court to watch the actual bomber convicted |
The 30 for 30 film revisits the story and highlights how things went wrong for Jewell. Though Jewell was later cleared (Eric Robert Rudolph, who went on to commit three other bombings, was convicted for committing the act,) Jewell's reputation never recovered from the investigation. He died in 2007 of a heart attack brought on by complications from diabetes, two years after witness Rudolph's conviction.
Watch the full ESPN 30 for 30 film Judging Jewell
here:
