Kaczynski, in brief, says he wants trial
Dublin Core
Title
Kaczynski, in brief, says he wants trial
Subject
Theodore Kaczynski, Unabomber, guilty plea withdrawal, 9th Circuit appeal, self-representation, mental health defense
Description
Convicted Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski files a handwritten appeal asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court to let him withdraw his 1998 guilty pleas, claiming they were coerced by the threat of a mental-defense strategy and denial of his right to represent himself. He seeks a new trial that could result in the death penalty.
Creator
Egelko, Bob
Source
The Boston Globe, Associated Press (AP)
Publisher
HIST 299, University of Mary Washington
Date
Jan. 19, 2000
Rights
The materials in this online collection are held by Special Collections, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington and are available for educational use. For this purpose only, you may reproduce materials without prior permission on the condition that you provide attribution of the source.
Format
.jpg
Language
English
Identifier
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-19-mn-55403-story.html
Coverage
1998/2000 ; San Francisco, California, United States ; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
SAN FRANCISCO - Convicted Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski says he was coerced into pleading guilty to three murders and wants a federal appeals court to allow a trial, which could end in a death sentence.
The guilty pleas “were induced by the threat of a mental-state defense that Kaczynski would have found unendurable, as well as by deprivation of constitutional rights,” such as the right to control his own defence and represent himself, he wrote.
In a 58-page, handwritten brief, composed in a maximum-security federal prison in Colorado, Kaczynski asked the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to be allowed to withdraw his guilty pleas and go to trial.
As an alternative, he requested a new US District Court hearing, before a different judge, on whether his rights were violated when his lawyers insisted on using a defense based on his mental condition.
“Kaczynski’s counsel’s portrayal of him as a grotesque lunatic would have been broadcast nationwide, and this was a prospect that anyone might have found unendurable. Suicide to avoid public humiliation is by no means unknown,” wrote Kaczynski, who attempted suicide in jail after his lawyers told him of their plans.
His brief was due yesterday but was filed Dec. 28. The document delves into complex constitutional arguments, abounds with legal citations, and refers to the defendant as “Kaczynski” and to the writer as “we.”
Kaczynski, a Harvard-trained mathematician who became a forest recluse living in Montana, pleaded guilty in January 1998 to mail bombings that killed three people and injured 23. Two deaths occurred in Sacramento and the third was in New Jersey.
His guilty plea came after the US District Judge Garland Burrell of Sacramento refused to let him represent himself or delay the trial to let Kaczynski get a lawyer who would present a defense based on his views about technology and the environment.
Kaczynski began the appeal shortly after he pleaded guilty. The appeals court allowed Kaczynski to reopen the case in October, ruling that he had made a substantial showing that his rights were violated when he was denied the right to represent himself or prevent his lawyers from offering evidence about his mental condition.
After further arguments, the three-judge appellate panel will decide whether to let the case go to trial.
Assistant US Attorney Steve Lapham, the government’s lawyer, declined comment.
The Justice Department initially sought a death sentence for Kaczynski but accepted a life sentence after a court-ordered psychiatric examination, conducted over his objections, concluded he was a paranoid schizophrenic.
Kaczynski’s writings have connected the attacks to his campaign against technological tyranny.
Michael Mello, a Vermont Law School professor who has written a book on the case and helped Kaczynski with an earlier legal filing, said yesterday he thought Kaczynski could represent himself adequately.
Description:
Convicted Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski files a handwritten appeal asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court to let him withdraw his 1998 guilty pleas, claiming they were coerced by the threat of a mental-defense strategy and denial of his right to represent himself. He seeks a new trial that could result in the death penalty.
Title:
Kaczynski, in brief, says he wants trial
Subject:
Theodore Kaczynski, Unabomber, guilty plea withdrawal, 9th Circuit appeal, self-representation, mental health defense
Creator:
Bob Egelko
Source:
The Boston Globe, Associated Press (AP)
Date:
Jan. 19, 2000
Format:
JPG
Identifier:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-19-mn-55403-story.html
Coverage:
1998/2000 ; San Francisco, California, United States ; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Original Format:
Strip of newspaper taken from The Boston Globe
Notes:
This piece was written by Bob Egelko, published by Associated Press (AP) and was featured in The Boston Globe.
The guilty pleas “were induced by the threat of a mental-state defense that Kaczynski would have found unendurable, as well as by deprivation of constitutional rights,” such as the right to control his own defence and represent himself, he wrote.
In a 58-page, handwritten brief, composed in a maximum-security federal prison in Colorado, Kaczynski asked the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to be allowed to withdraw his guilty pleas and go to trial.
As an alternative, he requested a new US District Court hearing, before a different judge, on whether his rights were violated when his lawyers insisted on using a defense based on his mental condition.
“Kaczynski’s counsel’s portrayal of him as a grotesque lunatic would have been broadcast nationwide, and this was a prospect that anyone might have found unendurable. Suicide to avoid public humiliation is by no means unknown,” wrote Kaczynski, who attempted suicide in jail after his lawyers told him of their plans.
His brief was due yesterday but was filed Dec. 28. The document delves into complex constitutional arguments, abounds with legal citations, and refers to the defendant as “Kaczynski” and to the writer as “we.”
Kaczynski, a Harvard-trained mathematician who became a forest recluse living in Montana, pleaded guilty in January 1998 to mail bombings that killed three people and injured 23. Two deaths occurred in Sacramento and the third was in New Jersey.
His guilty plea came after the US District Judge Garland Burrell of Sacramento refused to let him represent himself or delay the trial to let Kaczynski get a lawyer who would present a defense based on his views about technology and the environment.
Kaczynski began the appeal shortly after he pleaded guilty. The appeals court allowed Kaczynski to reopen the case in October, ruling that he had made a substantial showing that his rights were violated when he was denied the right to represent himself or prevent his lawyers from offering evidence about his mental condition.
After further arguments, the three-judge appellate panel will decide whether to let the case go to trial.
Assistant US Attorney Steve Lapham, the government’s lawyer, declined comment.
The Justice Department initially sought a death sentence for Kaczynski but accepted a life sentence after a court-ordered psychiatric examination, conducted over his objections, concluded he was a paranoid schizophrenic.
Kaczynski’s writings have connected the attacks to his campaign against technological tyranny.
Michael Mello, a Vermont Law School professor who has written a book on the case and helped Kaczynski with an earlier legal filing, said yesterday he thought Kaczynski could represent himself adequately.
Description:
Convicted Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski files a handwritten appeal asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court to let him withdraw his 1998 guilty pleas, claiming they were coerced by the threat of a mental-defense strategy and denial of his right to represent himself. He seeks a new trial that could result in the death penalty.
Title:
Kaczynski, in brief, says he wants trial
Subject:
Theodore Kaczynski, Unabomber, guilty plea withdrawal, 9th Circuit appeal, self-representation, mental health defense
Creator:
Bob Egelko
Source:
The Boston Globe, Associated Press (AP)
Date:
Jan. 19, 2000
Format:
JPG
Identifier:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-19-mn-55403-story.html
Coverage:
1998/2000 ; San Francisco, California, United States ; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Original Format:
Strip of newspaper taken from The Boston Globe
Notes:
This piece was written by Bob Egelko, published by Associated Press (AP) and was featured in The Boston Globe.
Original Format
Strip of newspaper taken from The Boston Globe
Vol. No./Issue No.
N/A
Contributor of the Digital Item
N/A
Student Editor of the Digital Item
Cole Cox
Files
Citation
Egelko, Bob, “Kaczynski, in brief, says he wants trial,” HIST299, accessed July 12, 2026, https://hist299.umwhistory.org/items/show/345.