THE SUSPECT

Submitted by Betty Wilson on
Author
KENT ALEXANDER AND KEVIN SALWEN
Published Date

Most of us remember there being a bombing at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996.  But most of us, especially those not in that part of the country, recall the ensuing investigation and media firestorm that almost ruined an innocent man's life.  Richard Jewell, the security guard who spotted the bomb, went from hero to suspect overnight.  And in the eyes of the FBI and the press "suspect" meant "guilty party".  Their intense scrutiny of Jewell left the real perpetrator free to plan more bombings.  This event didn't just derail Jewell's life, it also had a profound effect on the primary FBI agent in charge and the hardcore Atlanta reporter who first broke the story.  This eye-opening book exposes the sometimes questionable tactics of law enforcement and how it can be driven by the desire for more immediate and sensational news.  I was afraid it would be a little dry, but this book delivered on all levels.