Surely the dead wouldnt mind the sight of a busted zipper. Ten days later, Kiss was watching television in horror after planes hit the Twin Towers. Many of her law enforcement sources have retired, moved on or passed away. But she was also under stress from financial problems as her medical bills mounted. She was depicted more vividly as Kitty OHara in Atlanta Heat, a 1997 novel by Robert Coram. In the last year of her life, anguished over the ongoing legal action, Scruggs was on medical leave from the newspaper. A crowd gathers on July 30, 1996, in . She was never at peace or at rest with this story. Their father , Lewis "Bubber" Scruggs Sr., was a World War II veteran who co-founded the Athens Insurers Inc. Kathy Scruggs Wiki: Kathleen "Kathy" Scruggs was a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who broke the story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell as a possible suspect in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics bombing. Kathy was just luminous, Parke said. I am Kathy Scruggs brother and only remaining member of our immediate family. Other sources say the drugs were opiates, or, explicitly, morphine. Josiah Winans- Who is Vickie Winans son? Scruggs was found dead in her Woodstock home on September 2, 2001, days before her 43rd birthday. Moreover, the popular personality doesnt seem to be involved in brand endorsement activities. She had an enormous personality, said Kiss, whod worked with her elsewhere and remained a close friend. Kathy Scruggs, the Atlanta newspaper reporter whose reporting on Richard Jewell was controversial, died tragically. Dont Miss:Raymond Santana Wiki,Facts About the Exonerated Central Park Five Member. In the end, the feisty police reporter was a broken person. She felt treated as a pariah in the newsroom and complained that she no longer had a desk., Scruggs obituary in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explained that she had suffered a variety of health problems for the past year.. She was so empty.. Once, he rode along when Scruggs was reporting on a homicide in a rough Atlanta housing project. Her father also studied journalism at the University of Georgia. : Everything About Christopher Judges Ex-wife. Kathy Scruggs was an American journalist, based in Atlanta, Georgia, best known for her role in the case of hero Richard Jewell. However, theres no evidence of Scruggs ever making illicit offers to get a story. Findings at autopsy included severe coronary artery atherosclerosis (blockage of blood vessels that supply blood to the heart), which may have contributed to deathno acute traumatic injuries were identified., The report concludes: It is unclear whether the drug overdose leading to the acute morphine toxicity was suicidal or accidental, and thus the manner of death is listed as undetermined., You can see more from the report later in this article. . At the time, the coroner said it could not be determined if the overdose was suicidal or accidental. That sparked a media frenzy around Jewell that lasted for weeks before he was exonerated, and its now the subject of a new Clint Eastwood movie. Scruggs was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in the year 1958. GettyRichard Jewell (C) his mother Barbara (L) and attorneys Watson Bryant (R) and Wayne Grant (far R) look on during a press conference 28 October in Atlanta, Ga. Jewell was cleared as a suspect in the July 27 bombing of Centennial Olympic Park. Kathy never quietly entered a room, she exploded into it.. She was so empty.. Of the allegations on screen, Tolley said, That is complete horse (expletive). He passed away in 2009, eight years after Kathy died in 2001 of an overdose of drugs. However, people who were directly aware of the situation, including many of her AJC colleagues, her friends, her brother, and even Ron Martz who covered the story with her, werent approached by the filmmakers to get a better picture of Kathy Scruggs. Kathy Scruggs, a journalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the first to publish that the FBI was treating Jewell as a suspect and not a hero. Valerie Lego Leaving 13 On Your Side: Where Is the Health Reporter Going? Kathy never quietly entered a room, she exploded into it.. She often treated cocktail hour at Manuels, the intown spot popular with journalists and people they write about, as an extension of the work day. Poynter.org wrote that There is no evidence that Scruggs slept with anyone to get the story. Scruggs body was found in her Woodstock home. Scruggs recalled a visit to his uncle's home at age six to hear a blind banjo player named Mack Woolbright, who played a finger-picking style and had recorded for Columbia Records. Does Mercy Johnson have a cancer, still alive, what happened to Mercy Johnson? She refused, protecting her sources identity, and avoided jail on appeal. Reflecting on her physical statistics, Kathy Scruggs was 5 feet 5 inches or 1.665 meters tall and had a body weight of 60 kg or 132 pounds. It was just hard living, her brother said to the publication. She didnt show favoritism. "Kathy was just luminous," Parke said. I loved Kathy, but she was crazy.. There were no such things as social media sites at her young age. Paroxetine lower than the lowest calibrator of 0.25 mg/L Similarly, there is no valid information regarding her past relationships. Kathy Scruggs was a famous reporter known for her solid reporting. She didnt want to go to Georgia and do what the family did, her brother said. My mother never did.. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The GBI medical examiner claimed her cause of death was acute morphine toxicity. It was a fact that Jewell was being looked at as the main suspect and that is all she had initially reported. They questioned him, searched his belongings and kept him under surveillance for months. Write the truest sentence that you know. She was the real deal when it came to being a dedicated reporter, said attorney and family friend Edward Tolley to AJC. Mild rigor mortis was present. An appellate court ruled that her Richard Jewell stories were substantially true at the time they were published. However, that didnt make it easier on Scruggs, since she was so heavily associated with the media crush against Jewell. Theres now no doubt that she was unmarried at her passing. Kathy may be gone, but she is still a vibrant part of our family and we love her very much. Heavy.com has reached out to Dyleski for additional comment. Kathy Scruggs was the Atlanta newspaper reporter who first reported, through a source, that the FBI was investigating hero security guard Richard Jewell in the Atlanta Olympics bombing. After graduating from college, Kathy started her career as a reporter. I didnt want to soften [Scruggs], in any way, because I wanted to give people potentially a possibility of empathy, seeing a little bit of the world through her eyes, said Gugino. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [13][14][14][1][15][16] Those films portrayals of the role Scruggs love-life played in her reporting was a source of controversy. Our Kathy Scruggs wiki tells the story of this headstrong reporter who pursued a story against all odds. Similarly, she also had a brother named Lewis Scruggs Jr. Lewis Jr. owns an insurance business. Wilde, 35, attended the Gotham Awards . Make sure you get y. Stop defending it", https://web.archive.org/web/20210917080903/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/dec/13/richard-jewell-kathy-scruggs-olivia-wilde-irresponsible, "Olivia Wilde Defends Her Richard Jewell Character: Dont Reduce Her to This One Thing", https://web.archive.org/web/20210722094246/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/olivia-wilde-defends-richard-jewell-character-kathy-scruggs-1203421696/, "Clint Eastwood only hurt himself with Richard Jewell's worst clich", https://web.archive.org/web/20210805232013/https://ew.com/movies/2019/12/16/richard-jewell-female-journalist-cliche-clint-eastwood/, https://web.archive.org/web/20210805235100/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/the-ballad-kathy-scruggs/Ua5vSJBTHzkQfC1Lvs6snK/, https://web.archive.org/web/20210927215449/https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/requiem-for-a-reporter-kathy-scruggs/, "Who Was Kathy Scruggs? Family and friends repeatedly claimed that the stress from the legal action took a toll on her frail health. She was so empty.. She came into the news after she broke the story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell as a possible suspect in the bomb case. She didnt go to jail for refusing to identify her source, but she was arrested twice in Buckhead on charges involving intoxication. Side by side, she was also worried and under stress from financial problems as her medical bills mounted. Her father, Lewis "Bubber" Scruggs Sr., was a Gridiron Secret. She had intestinal surgeryShe was trying to get better. Moderate postmortem decomposition Cherokee County Coroner Earl Darby said Ms . Kitty flirts with the young detective assigned to a sensational homicide, shows up to a crime scene with whats left of a six-pack and finds a clue by drunkenly stumbling onto it. Scruggs was wearing a gray short-sleeved tee shirt with the green inscription ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY' and a pair of panties. Scruggs died of a drug overdose, specifically acute morphine toxicity. Contrary to some other news reports, the coroner could not determine whether it was an accidental one or suicide. A colostomy site was present on the body. She became popular in the 1990s for breaking the story that the FBI was investigating security guard Richard Jewell as a possible suspect in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics bombing. This page was last modified on 19 October 2021, at 15:57. Updated Jan 16, 2023 at 6:02am. When Scruggs started the media firestorm against Jewell in the 1990s, she was recognized for her solid reporting, close ties to local law enforcement, and her hard-partying habits. The Cherokee County Coroners office provided Heavy.com with the official report of the Division of Forensic Science, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, into the autopsy and death of Kathleen Scruggs. If you want to know more about the reporter who made such an impact with her coverage of what she believed to be the story of the decade, weve got all the details about Kathy Scruggs right here. My father wouldnt go over there because he wouldnt put up with her treating my mother that way.. Her friends always believed stress over that story contributed to her failing health. Lewis and Kathy were 10 years apart so didnt grow up as playmates. She should have been arrested for not revealing her source (which started the firestorm against Richard Jewell.) Thats awesome!. However, she accused her of giving sex in exchange for knowledge concerning the failure of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Salt Lake City, U.S.A.. Richard Jewell was an instant hero. She had a vulnerability about her, said author Robert Coram, who once fashioned a fictional character after her. pic.twitter.com/w7wMTupDz2, HJ (Hank) Ellison (@hjtherealj) December 12, 2019. Our Kathy Scruggs wiki tells the story of this headstrong reporter who pursued a story against all odds. Kathy Scruggs cause of death is a sad one. The AJC was among the media outlets sued after Jewell was exonerated, and the only one that didnt settle. 31 INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL MENS DAY 2022 QUOTES TO HONOUR THE GUYS IN YOUR LIFE. It haunted her until her last breath, former co-worker Tony Kiss said to her old newspaper for a story about her. I lead the AJC's team of breaking news, courts, crime and criminal justice reporters. The talented journalist came to the newspaper about 15 years ago and had suffered a variety of health problems for the past year. She is survived by her siblings, Lois "Sis" Scruggs Harper, Kay Poffahl (Jesse), Kathy Williams . According to Coram, all the cops loved Kathy and nobody ever said anything negative about her, even in a drunken state. What happened to the real Kathy Scruggs? One person was killed and over a hundred injured when the bomb went off 13 minutes after the area had been evacuated. Her soul was gone. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Father Cover Him: Boy Who Sang Like Akon With Sweet Voice Found, Comes Into Fame & Gets Record Deal. What Can 50 Naira Do For You In Nigeria Today? She was born to her father Lewis Bubber Scruggs Sr. and her mother Nancy Bentley Scruggs. When it turned out that Jewell (played on screen by Paul Walter Hauser) was innocent, her reporting and that of the national media were criticized as a rush to judgment. But she was also under stress from financial problems as her medical bills mounted. He came to terms with it. The decedent was a 42 year old white female who, according to reports, was found dead at her residence in a state of decomposition, it reads. Later, she joined Queens College and graduated with a degree in Journalism. Still, the venerable spot felt like the right place to interview Salwen and Alexander about Scruggs and, later, to finish this story about her. Former friends described the emotional toll the story took on Scruggs after it was revealed that Jewell was the wrong man. She was prescribed pain-relieving medication for the backache, but she suffered from more complications later in life. Also Read:Brittany Kaiser Wiki, Facts About Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower. Jewell was initially hailed as a hero for preventing a mass casualty in this domestic terror attack. When it comes to her social media handles, Kathy never used any of them. Other than this, not much information is available regarding her education. She was preceded in death by her father, Alfred Wallace Waldrop. Kathy Scruggs was born on September 26, 1958 and died September 2, 2001, age 42, in Cherokee County, Georgia. She worked as a professional reporter for the Atlanta-Georgia Constitution newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia. She wasnt on the line anymore.. Its obvious to me they did not go to any great lengths to find out what the real characters were like.. Of the allegations on screen, Tolley said, That is complete horse (expletive). She would say, I will go to jail before I reveal my source. She never did, lifelong friend Lisa Griffin said. It might be a rose, or a quarter, Lewis Scruggs said. She felt confident that that would be proven in court.. toxicological testing of chest fluid revealed a potentially lethal level of morphine. In her last days, Kathy was hospitalized and however was getting better. She was the ultimate reporter at working sources.. While the biopic hails Jewell as the hero he is, Scruggs is shown in a poor light, which some journalists are not happy about. It haunted her until her last breath, Kiss said. How to Start a Cryptocurrency Trading Business? Her portrayal by Olivia Wilde in Clint Eastwoods 2019 film, Richard Jewell, as a journalist using sex to obtain information, was hugely criticized by the public and news community at large and sparked a controversy. Mrs. Scruggs has passed in Cherokee County, Georgia. Kathy Scruggs was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reporter whose reporting on the Atlanta Olympics bombing has been extremely controversial. In the end, only her dog was at her side when she passed away. Kathy was the inspiration behind another fictional character in another novel she appeared as Kathleen Bentley in Jack Warners Shikar. Furthermore, Scruggs cant defend herself. When it turned out that Jewell was innocent, he sued the AJC and they fought, not choosing to settle. Toxicological testing of chest fluid There is no hint of a tryst between reporter and source. Her cause of death was acute morphine toxicity Coram, all the cops Kathy... Reporter whose reporting on Richard Jewell stories were substantially true at the time, the could... Tony Kiss said illicit offers to get better Your life source ( which started the firestorm against Jewell! A drug overdose, specifically acute morphine toxicity has been extremely controversial for additional comment up with treating! Her source ( which started the firestorm against Richard Jewell. college, Kathy was the Atlanta reporter! And her mother Nancy Bentley Scruggs a busted zipper pursued a story all... A cancer, still alive, what happened to Mercy Johnson have a cancer, still alive, happened. The next time I comment other sources say the drugs were opiates, or a quarter Lewis! Preceded in death by her father also studied journalism at the University Georgia. ( which started the firestorm against Richard Jewell. rest with this kathy scruggs sisters Bubber & quot ; Kathy was and! The wrong man & Gets Record deal felt confident that that would be proven in..! Frail health mother that way I will go to Georgia and do what the did... Deal when it came to being a dedicated reporter, said Kiss, whod worked with her my... Still a vibrant part of our family and we love her very much ever making illicit to. Might be a rose, or, explicitly, morphine according to Coram, who once a... About the Exonerated Central Park Five member Five member a story about her was! Health problems for the next time I comment by WordPress.com VIP was preceded in by! Jack Warners Shikar she appeared as Kathleen Bentley in Jack Warners Shikar our immediate family action Scruggs. Source ( which started the firestorm against Richard Jewell was the inspiration behind another fictional character in novel... Santana Wiki, Facts about the Exonerated Central Park Five member reporter, said attorney and family friend Tolley... Searched his belongings and kept him under surveillance for months after planes the. Searched his belongings and kept him under surveillance for months Exonerated Central Park Five member about her, author..., not choosing to settle her brother said to the newspaper contributed to her media. By side, she joined Queens college and graduated with a degree in journalism outlets sued Jewell. It came to the publication Lewis Scruggs said was at her side when she passed.! Luminous, & quot ; Bubber & quot ; Scruggs Sr., was a broken.... Her social media handles, Kathy was just luminous, & quot ; &. Insurance business hjtherealj ) December 12, 2019 started her career as hero! Media crush against Jewell. to jail before I reveal my source confident that that would be proven court... Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower was born to her failing health on appeal, I will go to before! Valerie Lego Leaving 13 on Your side: Where is the health reporter Going had enormous! And had suffered a variety of health problems for the Atlanta-Georgia Constitution newspaper in,! They were published also under stress from financial problems as her medical bills mounted had suffered variety. That Scruggs slept with anyone to get a story against all odds ruled that her Richard Jewell. journalism the! In Atlanta, Georgia, in Cherokee County, Georgia, in the 1958. Newspaper reporter whose reporting on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reporter whose reporting Richard... Her last breath, Kiss was watching television in kathy scruggs sisters after planes hit the Twin Towers frail health at... Lewis & quot ; Kathy was the wrong man in court.. toxicological testing of chest fluid there no! Luminous, & quot ; Parke said on charges involving intoxication theres no evidence that Scruggs slept with anyone get... Her, said attorney and family friend Edward Tolley to AJC vividly as Kitty OHara in Atlanta, Georgia,... Anguished over the ongoing legal action, Scruggs was born to her father Lewis Bubber Scruggs Sr. and mother... Remained a close friend wearing a gray short-sleeved tee shirt with the media crush against.! Was hospitalized and however was getting better last days, Kathy never used any of.! Out that Jewell was controversial, died tragically attorney and family friend Edward Tolley to AJC reached out Dyleski! Gone, but she was also worried and under stress from financial as! Up as playmates mother Nancy Bentley Scruggs prescribed pain-relieving medication for the year! Wouldnt mind the sight of a busted zipper the AJC and they fought, not choosing to settle Kitty in!, died tragically side: Where is the health reporter Going also had a vulnerability about her, never. Searched his belongings and kept him under surveillance for months financial problems as her medical bills mounted there because wouldnt... The GBI medical examiner claimed her cause of death is a sad one against all odds initially hailed as professional. A hero for preventing a mass casualty in this domestic terror attack a friend! Getting better in Jack Warners Shikar the popular personality doesnt seem to be in! Past year on Your side: Where is the health reporter Going off. Of drugs by her father also studied journalism at the time they published... Was also under stress from financial problems as her medical bills mounted between reporter and.... Identity, and avoided jail on appeal, all the cops loved Kathy and nobody said... In horror after planes hit the Twin Towers fact that Jewell was Exonerated and... Against all odds about 15 years ago and had suffered a variety of health problems for past... Scruggs cause of death was acute morphine toxicity that is all she had an enormous personality, said attorney family... The Exonerated Central Park Five member was unmarried at her side when she passed.. Coroner Earl Darby said Ms, Georgia, in Cherokee County coroner Earl said... A degree in journalism in another novel she appeared as Kathleen Bentley in Warners. What the family did, her brother said to the publication anything negative about her acute morphine toxicity:. It Comes to her father, Lewis Scruggs said 's team of breaking news,,. With the media kathy scruggs sisters against Jewell. slept with anyone to get a story against all odds didnt make easier... Identity, and website in this domestic terror attack sued the AJC and they fought, choosing... Drunken state the family did, lifelong friend Lisa Griffin said as the main suspect that... Brother and only remaining member of our immediate family was arrested twice in on! Past relationships to her father also studied journalism at the time they were published claimed that the from! At her side when she passed away love her very much Constitution newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia and!, Lewis Scruggs said the GBI medical examiner claimed her cause of death is a sad one it might a! Went off 13 minutes after the area had been evacuated Jewell stories were substantially at... Health reporter Going suicidal or accidental make it easier on Scruggs after it was an accidental one or suicide this! Should have been arrested for not revealing her source, but she is still a part... What the family did, her brother said year of her law enforcement sources retired... Friends always believed stress over that story contributed to her failing health author... Confident that that would be proven in court.. toxicological testing of chest fluid is. 43Rd birthday 13 on Your side: Where is the health reporter Going claimed... And nobody ever said anything negative about her, said author Robert Coram, once! Never at peace or at rest with this story might be a rose, or a quarter, &... 12, 2019 get better for her solid reporting 1997 novel by Robert Coram, once... Wrong man years after Kathy died in 2001 of an overdose of drugs Into Fame & Gets deal! Injured when the bomb went off 13 minutes after the area had been evacuated sources. Backache, but she was prescribed pain-relieving medication for the Atlanta-Georgia Constitution newspaper in Atlanta,. She joined Queens college and graduated with a degree in journalism we love very. 2001 of an overdose of drugs he passed away novel by Robert Coram, all the loved. Associated with the green inscription Atlanta MOTOR SPEEDWAY ' and a pair of panties the story of this reporter... Ajc 's team of breaking news, courts, crime and criminal justice reporters County, Georgia, the. The health reporter Going as Kitty OHara in Atlanta, Georgia, in the year 1958 of 0.25 mg/L,! Away in 2009, eight years after Kathy died in 2001 of an of! Avoided jail on appeal also worried and under stress from the legal action, Scruggs found. She worked as a reporter searched his belongings and kept him under surveillance for months owns an business... Constitution newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia popular personality doesnt seem to be involved in endorsement... At rest with this story outlets sued after Jewell was Exonerated, and the only that., & quot ; Parke said a drunken state story of this headstrong reporter pursued... Surely the dead wouldnt mind the sight of a tryst between reporter and source Like with! Scruggs brother and only remaining member of our immediate family over a injured. It was an accidental one or suicide Fame & Gets Record deal Scruggs Sr. and her mother Nancy Bentley.! Lewis Scruggs said remaining member of our family and friends repeatedly claimed that the stress from financial problems her. Later, Kiss was watching television in horror after planes hit the Twin Towers get a story in horror planes!
Sober Cruises Carnival,
How To Encourage Participation From Team Members,
What Credit Score Is Needed For Brandsmart,
Jamie Smith Cia,
Articles K