In news here at home, one of the country’s most notorious abortion clinic bombers, Eric Rudolph, has plead guilty for carrying out a series of bombings that killed two and injured 150 others. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Rudolph escapes the possibility of the death penalty but will serve the rest of his life in jail. In 1996, he set off a bomb in Atlanta during the Olympics killing a woman and injuring 111 people. In 1997, Rudolph bombed an abortion clinic outside of Atlanta injuring 7 people. Later that same year he bombed a family planning clinic and gay club in Atlanta. In 1998 Rudolph set off another bomb outside a Birmingham abortion clinic killing an off-duty police officer and maiming a nurse. He then spent five years on the run managing to avoid one of the largest manhunts in the country’s history. It remains unknown whether he relied on an underground network of supporters during his years as a federal fugitive. During that time he became a hero to some right-wing groups who helped popularize t-shirts that read “Run Rudolph Run’’ and '’Hide and Seek Champion.'’ As part of the plea agreement, Rudolph tipped off police to where he stored unused explosives in the mountains of North Carolina.
Eric Rudolph Pleads Guilty to Abortion Clinic Bombings
HeadlineApr 11, 2005