Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Unabomber's Death Brings Closure For Some With Physical, Emotional Scars
Ted Kaczynski entered Harvard University as a 16-year-old on a scholarship, after skipping the sixth and 11th grades. It was there that he was subjected to an experiment run by Harvard psychologist Henry A. Murray that was backed by the Central Intelligence Agency. ... The program sought to understand how to control subjects鈥 minds, sometimes using substances such as LSD, according to a document the CIA made publicly available in 2018. (There has not been evidence to suggest LSD or similar substances were used at Harvard on Kaczynski.) (Pietsch, 6/11)
Novato, Calif., resident Jonathan Epstein says the death of Ted Kaczynski means closure for his family. "My first reaction was 'Finally we can close that chapter on this part of our life.' I was glad to hear the news," Epstein said. His father, UCSF Geneticist Dr. Charles Epstein, was one of the Unabomber's targets in 1993 when a package was delivered to the family's Tiburon home. (Barnard, 6/11)
Feb. 20, 1987, will forever remain a notorious date in Utah鈥檚 history, marking the time the Unabomber struck here and claimed one of his many victims. The events of that day, though, couldn鈥檛 have come more out-of-the-blue for Gary Wright. 鈥淚 feel lucky to at least be telling the story,鈥 said Wright. ... 鈥淭he bomb exploded and basically knocked me back about 22 feet,鈥 he said. 鈥(I was) bouncing around as if I were on a pogo stick.鈥 (Adams, 6/10)
A look back 鈥
In the wake of mass murder, the families of victims must navigate a complicated emotional landscape. But so, too, must the families of those charged with the crimes. Among the questions such families must grapple with are troubling ones about their own responsibility. (8/1/12)
I don't remember a time when I wasn't aware that my brother was "special," a tricky word that can mean either above or below average, or completely off the scale. Ted was special because he was so intelligent. In school he skipped two grades, and he garnered a genius-level IQ score of 165. In the Kaczynski family, intelligence carried high value. Despite our age difference鈥擳ed was seven and a half years older鈥攚e grew up deeply bonded. He was consistently kind to me and went out of his way to offer help and encouragement. In return, he won my admiration and deep affection. (David Kaczynski, 1/5/16)