Possible murder trials of Theodore Kaczynski

At the close of the federal trial of Theodore Kaczynski, two states still maintained the legal ability to prosecute him for common-law murder. California prosecutors expressed a desire to prosecute him for the murder of two Sacramento residents, Hugh Scrutton in 1985 and lobbyist Gilbert Murray in 1995. New Jersey prosecutors expressed an interest in prosecuting Kaczynski for the murder of advertising executive Thomas Mosser.

On January 26, Sacramento prosecutors announced they would not prosecute Kaczynski, because he had already confessed to being the UNABOMber in federal court. Sacramento prosecutor Jan Scully said the state's hands were tied by the federal plea bargain.

California law prohibits prosecutors from indicting a defendant who has already been convicted of the same charges in federal court. Although Kaczynski was not tried for the Murray and Scrutton bombings in federal court, in his plea bargain, he confessed to those and nine other uncharged UNABOM attacks.

Scully said she would have pursued the death penalty for Kaczynski had she been able to prosecute him.

Prepared by Michael Peil for the Legal Information Institute. Last edited 29 January 1998 at 07:30.