Olympic Park bomber announces hunger strike
Convicted Centennial Park bomber Eric Rudolph writes that he has begun a hunger strike, claiming prison officials have singled him out for “special treatment” because he is writing his autobiography.
“Needless to say the government has not been happy about the memoirs, as well as all the other writings I’ve posted,” Rudolph wrote on a website that relays his messages from Colorado’s Supermax prison. “Despite having a clean record, I have been moved to what they call the ‘bug range,’ which houses chronic trouble makers, most of whom are mentally ill.”
The convicted domestic terrorist said he started refusing food and medical treatment on March 11. His attorney, Bill Bowen, told the Associated Press he received a letter from the jailed domestic terrorist postmarked, March 15, announcing his intentions. Bowen said he has not communicated with Rudolph since.
Prison officials declined comment.
Rudolph, arrested in 2003 after five years on the run, is serving four life sentences for a series of bombings in metro Atlanta and one in Birmingham that claimed two lives while injuring another 150.
He recently announced plans to write his autobiography, making a pair of open records requests to the GBI.
“When a person is sentenced to the Supermax he is never heard from again,” Rudolph wrote in the missive announcing the hunger strike. “Or at least that is the design and purpose of this place.”
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
