Jewell Wants Justice

WASHINGTON, D.C.: A composed but bitter Richard Jewell asked a sympathetic House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee today for an independent probe of FBI wrongdoing in the agency's investigation of him as a suspect in the Centennial Park bombing, arguing that a Justice Department report released Monday was not an objective look into the matter. The report said FBI agents tricked Jewell into waiving his right to a lawyer and said their handling of Jewell hampered an investigation that still has produced no arrests. Testifying Monday before a Senate panel, FBI Director Louis Freeh insisted that Jewell had not been misled by agents since a written statement of his rights was provided during the interview. Jewell plans to sue individual FBI agents for violating his rights and has libel lawsuits pending against The Atlanta Constitution and The New York Post. He reportedly has settled a suit against NBC for $500,000 and one against CNN for an undisclosed sum. Although he says he will not feel vindicated until the actual bomber is caught, he may have a long wait. Investigators, who now believe that the attack and two other Atlanta bombings are the work of one deranged loner rather than a political extremist group, are no closer to making an arrest than when they cleared Jewell as a suspect last fall.