World Report: January 30, 1998 Vol.3 No.15
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
A Troubled Man Puts An End To His Trial
From a run-down shack in the Montana wilderness, Theodore Kaczynski (Ka-zin-ski) planned his deadly attacks. For 18 years he made and mailed bombs to people who worked in high-tech fields. Because his early targets were at universities (un) and airlines (a), the FBI named him the Unabomber.
Kaczynski believed technology was ruining civilization. His bombs killed three people and injured 29.
Last week, nearly two years after the FBI tracked Kaczynski down, his fate was decided. He pleaded guilty to the crimes in a Sacramento, California, courtroom. He will be formally sentenced in May. Because he admitted his guilt, he cannot get the death penalty. He will spend the rest of his life in jail or in a psychiatric hospital.
"We feel it is the appropriate, just and civilized resolution to this tragedy, in light of Ted's diagnosed mental illness," Kaczynski's brother David said after the court appearance.
David led the FBI to his brother after reading a long explanation of the attacks written by the Unabomber and published in two newspapers. David thought the writing sounded just like his brother Ted's.
David and his family have long believed that Ted is mentally ill and needs medical help. In fact, Dr. Sally Johnson examined Ted Kaczynski as part of the trial and said he has a serious mental disease that makes him distrustful and violent.
Although the FBI had piles of evidence against him, Kaczynski at first insisted he wasn't guilty. So the government was allowed to try to get the death penalty as his punishment. David Kaczynski was afraid his brother would be put to death, and it would be partly his fault. He was relieved that Ted changed his plea last week, and so were the survivors of Ted Kaczynski's attacks.
"He will never, ever kill again," said Connie Murray. Her husband was killed by Kaczynski's last bomb.
