Richard Jewell real life: What REALLY happened to Richard Jewell? Is it a true story?

His home was publicly searched and a 24-hour surveillance on him was brought out, despite his never being officially charged.

In October 1996, the US Attorney sent Jewell a letter to formally clear him, despite him never being officially charged for any crime, and no evidence being able to actually tie him to the incident.

After this, Jewell filed various lawsuits against a variety of media organisations, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitutions, the New York Post and NBC.

Following this, he made some public appearances including on Saturday Night Live, where he jokingly had to brush off suggestions he had been behind the deaths of Mother Teresa and Princess Diana.

After the media frenzy had died down, Jewell worked in a number of law enforcement roles and he was finally publicly honoured when, in 2005, Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty to carrying out the bomb attack as well as the three others.