Centennial Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph plans to write autobiography, use GBI sketch for cover art
Part of the terrorist’s plea deal said his book proceeds would go to the victims of his crimes
- Max Blau/CL File
- Eric Rudolph’s pipe bomb left a permanent nail mark embedded in a statue at the northeast end of Centennial Olympic Park
Seventeen years after detonating a pipe bomb in Centennial Park during the 1996 Olympic games, convicted terrorist Eric Rudolph has started to write an autobiography.
WSB-TV reports that Rudolph has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, through an open records request, for a copy of his own police sketch. In a letter sent to the GBI in September, he mentioned that he plans on using the drawing, created by forensic artist Maria Lawson, for his book’s cover art.
The GBI played a key role in tracking down Rudolph, who also bombed The Otherside Lounge in Midtown as well as abortion clinics in Sandy Springs and Birmingham. Charles Stone, one of the agents involved in his capture, co-authored a book titled Hunting Eric Rudolph, which came out in 2005.
Current GBI spokesman John Bankhead told WSB-TV that they would abide by Rudolph’s request. “It’s regrettable that we have to comply, but we will,” said Bankhead.
According to U.S. Attorney Sally Yates, Rudolph “doesn’t have a right to profit” from the book, since he remains in a Colorado federal Supermax prison. As part of his plea agreement, though, all proceeds would be sent to the victims of his bombings.
His brother, Daniel Rudolph, has reportedly sent the GBI another letter that suggested the book will involve maps related to the bombings. He also provided more detail on the way the sketch will be used.
When WSB-TV asked Lawson what she thought of her sketch being used, she replied: “He has a lot of nerve. Who would want to buy a book from a person like that?”