Posted on 09/14/2005 5:17:09 PM PDT by Rebelbase
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The government has seized Eric Rudolph's gray pickup truck, which he was driving when he bombed an Alabama abortion clinic, and plans to blow up the vehicle in a training drill rather than risk letting it fall into the hands of admirers.
Some of Rudolph's victims said Wednesday the truck should come to them, however, as partial compensation for the pain and injuries they endured.
The truck — a 1989 Nissan with the North Carolina license plate KND-1117 — likely will be loaded with explosives and detonated by either the FBI or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said Jim Cavanaugh, regional director of ATF.
Both agencies routinely blow up vehicles in classes to teach officers about explosives and bomb reconstruction.
"They were like, 'That may be better than having it show up as some kind of morbid trophy on the Internet,'" Cavanaugh said in an interview. "You've got to think of the victims. That would be bad for them."
But nurse Emily Lyons, who was badly wounded in the clinic bombing, believes the truck should go to Rudolph's victims, who are unlikely to get any other compensation, according to her husband, Jeff Lyons.
In 2003, a state court judge awarded the couple $115 million in a lawsuit against Rudolph, who was declared indigent in federal court and hasn't paid anything.
"We had the judgment before they did the seizure," Jeff Lyons said Wednesday.
FBI spokesman Jeff Fuqua said talks were still under way about which agency would get to destroy the vehicle, which two witnesses spotted in Birmingham after the clinic bombing. The bombing killed a police officer aside from critically injuring Lyons.
A witness recorded the truck's license plate number shortly after the bombing and reported it to police, who used the information to identify Rudolph as a suspect in the Alabama explosion. He was later tied to the 1996 Olympic park bombing and two other bombings in Atlanta in 1997.
The truck has been in temporary federal custody since 1998, when two hunters found it in woods in western North Carolina after Rudolph disappeared into the wilderness. He was finally captured in May 2003.
Rudolph pleaded guilty in four bombings, which he said were linked to his hatred of abortion and a desire to embarrass the federal government.
With Rudolph now in federal prison serving four life terms, a federal judge in Birmingham last month approved the government's request to permanently seize the truck, which had been held as evidence for Rudolph's trial.
"It was done partly out of concern that it would show up on eBay," said Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ingram, referring to the Internet auction site. "Somebody would plunk down some money for it."
Similar trucks have a retail value of about $1,700, according to Kelley Blue Book, a pricing guide for used vehicles.
Donald Spitz, an abortion opponent who has corresponded with Rudolph and posted some of his writings on the Internet, said he doubted anyone in his movement would want to purchase the truck, "but there are people out there who would do it."
Spitz, a leader of Pro-Life Virginia, called the government's plan to use Rudolph's truck for explosives training "bizarre." It would be "more cautious" to dismantle the truck and melt down the parts, he said.
"To blow it up to a lot of people would indicate a lot of hostility on their part," Spitz said.
Too bad Rudolf won't be inside.
I really feel sorry for all those folks Eric hurt at the Olympics, but this Emily Lyons is a mass murderer herself. She is due no sympathy by anyone with a conscience.
Phew! That Rudolph.
and this helps why? Kinda extreme and rather odd imop.
Careful. There were some Freepers awhile back who were claiming that Rudolph was a "hero" for blowing up abortion clinics.
They might demolish the original but they won't be able to stop replicas from being made.
So by destroying the truck - they've eliminated the reality of it happening?
No! They should blow up Richard Jewell's truck! Then, the white panel van that white, kill crazed Viet Nam vet was driving when he was the DC Sniper.
If it weren't for the comic relief of "Retired FBI Profiler" Clint VanZandt, I don't think I'd ever watch MSNBC.
(The Plate text is subject to DMV approval.)
I want my plate to read sucmynuz
I read once where a criminal stole an irreplaceable antique gun, used it in a crime in New York, and then the gun had to be destroyed by law.
But why not, if the victims get some benefit?
The federal enforcers emotional needs should not come into play in this.
And?
What do you want?
Didn't the SMN guy get banned?
Last I heard he got a time out for awhile, don't know if they let him back yet.
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