News

 

DATE=  10/3/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220810

TITLE=UNABOMBER/JURY (L)

BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS/LA

DATELINE=LA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



               /// RE-RUNNING W/CORRECT NUMBER ///



INTRO:    A FEDERAL JUDGE IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA HAS DECIDED 

THAT THE NAMES OF JURORS IN THE UNABOMBER TRIAL SHOULD BE KEPT 

SECRET.  AS V-O-A'S GREG FLAKUS REPORTS FROM LOS ANGELES, 

ATTORNEYS ON BOTH SIDES ARE ALREADY ARGUING OVER THE ISSUE OF THE

DEATH PENALTY.







TEXT:    UNDER THE ORDER ISSUED BY U-S DISTRICT COURT JUDGE 

GARLAND BURRELL, THE JUROR NAMES, ADDRESSES, PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT

AND NAMES OF SPOUSES WILL BE KEPT SECRET UNTIL AFTER THE TRIAL IS

OVER.  JUDGE BURRELL REJECTED ARGUMENTS FROM NEWS ORGANIZATIONS 

THAT AN OPEN, PUBLIC TRIAL REQUIRES THAT THE IDENTITY OF ALL 

PARTICIPANTS BE KNOWN.  THE JUDGE CITED OTHER HIGH-PROFILE CASES 

IN WHICH JURORS WERE GRANTED SIMILAR PROTECTION.



THE ACCUSED UNABOMBER, THEODORE KACZYNSKI, IS A HARVARD-EDUCATED 

MATHEMATICIAN WHO WAS ARRESTED BY FBI AGENTS IN APRIL OF LAST 

YEAR AT A REMOTE CABIN IN MONTANA.  HE IS CHARGED WITH TEN FELONY

COUNTS RELATED TO TWO FATAL BOMBINGS IN SACRAMENTO AS WELL AS 

SOME OTHER BLASTS IN WHICH PEOPLE WERE INJURED. 



THE TRIAL IS NOT SET TO BEGIN UNTIL NOVEMBER 12, BUT MR 

KACZYNSKI'S ATTORNEYS HAVE ALREADY FILED PAPERS CHALLENGING THE 

DEATH PENALTY AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.  IN A COUNTER MOTION, 

PROSECUTORS ON FRIDAY FILED PAPERS ARGUING THAT THE DEATH PENALTY

IS NOT ONLY JUSTIFIED BY THE BRUTAL NATURE OF THE CRIMES 

COMMITTED, BUT BY THE THREAT MR KACZYNSKI COULD POSE TO SOCIETY 

IF ALLOWED TO LIVE-- EVEN IN PRISON.  PROSECUTORS CITED THE CASE 

OF A BOMBING SUSPECT WHO MANAGED TO ASSEMBLE BOMBS AND SEND THEM 

TO PEOPLE WHILE HE WAS BEING HELD IN A STATE PRISON.



MR KACZYNSKI HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.  PROSECUTORS, HOWEVER, HAVE 

A MOUNTAIN OF EVIDENCE TO LINK HIM TO VARIOUS BOMBINGS THAT BEGAN

IN 1978.  THE BOMBS WERE SENT THROUGH THE MAIL IN PACKAGES AND 

THE TARGETS WERE GENERALLY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

STUDIES.  (SIGNED). 







NEB/PT



03-Oct-97 8:07 PM EDT (0007 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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