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American Morning
Rudolph to Hear Charges This Afternoon
Aired June 03, 2003 - 08:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Eric Robert Rudolph, the suspected Olympic Park bomber, is due to be arraigned this morning on charges -- actually, this afternoon -- on charges stemming from the deadly bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama women's clinic. It was back in 1998. Sources close to the investigation tell CNN that a semi-automatic rifle was found at a camp site where Rudolph is believed to have been hiding out.
Brian Cabell is live in Birmingham and he has the latest -- Brian, good morning.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Eric Rudolph spent his first night in a Birmingham jail cell last night, the first of what may be many nights. His first trial will be held here in Birmingham at a federal courthouse about four or five blocks from here. In fact, his first appearance in that courthouses comes at three o'clock Central Time this afternoon, at which time he will hear the charges against him and he will be allowed to enter a not guilty plea.
He arrived here in Birmingham yesterday from Asheville, North Carolina with shackles on his wrists and on his legs. He was then put in an isolation cell here in Birmingham. There is a TV set outside, but we were just told by the sheriff that the TV is not working at this point. He voiced some concern about that this morning. He was also given a Birmingham newspaper to read. He said he really didn't know what was going on. That's what he told the sheriff.
He also met with a couple of his Alabama attorneys yesterday. He told the sheriff he has no medical problems. He was given a medical yesterday. He has no special dietary needs. He is eating a normal jail diet. And jailers say at this point they expect no problems from him whatsoever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF MIKE HALE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA: He cooperated fully, answered all the questions, no medical problems or anything like that. He asked about an attorney and had a card that he gave us that that would be his attorney of record and it just went very, it went very smooth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABELL: The charges against him here in Birmingham relate to a clinic bombing, a clinic that provides abortions. Back in 1998, an off duty officer who was providing security for the clinic was killed in that bombing. A nurse who was reporting for work was severely injured in the bombing.
The most crucial evidence here seems to be an eyewitness who saw a man leaving the scene of the bombing shortly after the bombing, then getting into a pickup truck, a pickup that was later traced to Eric Robert Rudolph.
If convicted here, Rudolph could face the death penalty. As to when the trial might start, that's anybody's guess. But a former U.S. attorney told us the most likely thing is that it will start within about a year -- back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Brian Cabell in Birmingham, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 3, 2003 - 08:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Eric Robert Rudolph, the suspected Olympic Park bomber, is due to be arraigned this morning on charges -- actually, this afternoon -- on charges stemming from the deadly bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama women's clinic. It was back in 1998. Sources close to the investigation tell CNN that a semi-automatic rifle was found at a camp site where Rudolph is believed to have been hiding out.
Brian Cabell is live in Birmingham and he has the latest -- Brian, good morning.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Eric Rudolph spent his first night in a Birmingham jail cell last night, the first of what may be many nights. His first trial will be held here in Birmingham at a federal courthouse about four or five blocks from here. In fact, his first appearance in that courthouses comes at three o'clock Central Time this afternoon, at which time he will hear the charges against him and he will be allowed to enter a not guilty plea.
He arrived here in Birmingham yesterday from Asheville, North Carolina with shackles on his wrists and on his legs. He was then put in an isolation cell here in Birmingham. There is a TV set outside, but we were just told by the sheriff that the TV is not working at this point. He voiced some concern about that this morning. He was also given a Birmingham newspaper to read. He said he really didn't know what was going on. That's what he told the sheriff.
He also met with a couple of his Alabama attorneys yesterday. He told the sheriff he has no medical problems. He was given a medical yesterday. He has no special dietary needs. He is eating a normal jail diet. And jailers say at this point they expect no problems from him whatsoever.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF MIKE HALE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA: He cooperated fully, answered all the questions, no medical problems or anything like that. He asked about an attorney and had a card that he gave us that that would be his attorney of record and it just went very, it went very smooth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABELL: The charges against him here in Birmingham relate to a clinic bombing, a clinic that provides abortions. Back in 1998, an off duty officer who was providing security for the clinic was killed in that bombing. A nurse who was reporting for work was severely injured in the bombing.
The most crucial evidence here seems to be an eyewitness who saw a man leaving the scene of the bombing shortly after the bombing, then getting into a pickup truck, a pickup that was later traced to Eric Robert Rudolph.
If convicted here, Rudolph could face the death penalty. As to when the trial might start, that's anybody's guess. But a former U.S. attorney told us the most likely thing is that it will start within about a year -- back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Brian Cabell in Birmingham, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
