ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 24, 1996 TAG: 9610240061
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
Richard Jewell is now only a ``former suspect'' in the Olympic park bombing, a judge said Wednesday, ordering the FBI to release documents that describe how the security guard came under suspicion.
``The court concludes that the Jewell chapter of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing investigation has been closed,'' U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV had sought the same government affidavits that Jewell's attorneys were allowed to see last month, with names of witnesses blacked out. The papers had been used to obtain warrants to take evidence from Jewell's home and car.
The judge gave the FBI five days to make the documents public or appeal the ruling. Forrester said ``the court concludes that the government's interest in protecting an ongoing investigation would not be compromised by the release of historical information pertaining only to a known former suspect.''
Jewell's attorney, Jack Martin, said he agrees with the judge's opinion that the investigation of Jewell appears to be over.
``We think the FBI and others are moving on, finally, to try to find the person who really did this,'' Martin said.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 33 linesby CNB