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First Anniversary of Fatal Birmingham Clinic Bombing

Tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of the New Woman All Women Health Care clinic bombing — a blast that claimed the life of security guard Robert Sanderson and seriously wounded clinic nurse Emily Lyons.

Lyon’s legs and torso still contain shrapnel from the bombs, despite 13 operations. She also lost an eye to the murderous attack. “People don’t need to forget this,” she said.

A service to memorialize the life of Robert Sanderson is planned for Friday. Lyons, who has become an actives spokeswoman for abortion rights since the bombing, plans to release a portion of her biography, “Life’s Been a Blast,” online that same day.

Authorities charged fugitive Eric Rudolph Robert with bombing the New Woman, All Women Health Care clinic, Atlanta Northside Family Planning Services, a gay nightclub called the Otherside Lounge, and the 1996 Olympics Games’ Centennial park. Police have thus far been unable to find and capture him, despite a massive manhunt that has spanned many months. Clinic attorney Wendy Crew said that she is having a harder and harder time remaining hopeful. “It’s getting disheartening,” she said.

Although the clinic has many security devices in place, clinic staff still live in fear of repeat attacks.

Sources:

AP - January 28, 1999

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