Life, four times over

"My children are bleeding from their souls. Please, your honor, make the sentence bullet-proof, or bomb-proof, lock him so far down that when he does die, he'll be closer to hell. That's where the devil belongs."

— Susan Mosser, wite of slain Unabomber victim

The one's who died

Hugh Scutton

• Killed in 1985 when Kaczynski’s bomb drove shrapnel deep into his heart in a Sacramento parking lot

Thomas Mosser

• Died In 1994 in his New Jersey kitchen; his wife and daughters were in the next room

Gil Murray

• The last victim. Blown up in 1995 by a package bomb sent to his office

Before sentencing, Theodore Kaczynski read a brief statement: "I only ask that people reserve their judgment about me and about the Unabomb case until all the facts are available.” Daily Herald Illustration/
Tim Broderick and Ramona Hattendorf

SACRAMENTO. Calif. — Passing up his chance for a public forum, Theodore Kaczynski rattled off a few complaints and told everyone to stay tuned for his explanation of the Unabomber’s 18-year siege.

“I ask only that people reserve judgment on me and the Unabomber case," Kaczynski said shortly before he was sentenced to four life terms.

Kaczynski, a 55-year-old former mathematics professor turned woodland hermit, lashed out at prosecutors for “discrediting me personally" and lying about his anti technology philosophy.

“At a later time, I will respond at length," he said.

Survivors and families of the Unabomber victims said they hoped they would never hear from him again.

“The greatest punishment you could get is to be put away and never heard or seen again,” said former timber lobbyist William Dennison, whose name was on a package that killed his successor, Gilbert Murray.

The outcome of Monday’s sentencing was never in doubt U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell Jr. gave Kaczynski four life sentences plus 30 years, as spelled out in a plea bargain reached in January. Kaczynski's plea spared him the death penally and a trial in which his lawyers planned — against his will — to portray him as deranged.

In imposing the sentence, the judge said, "The defendant committed unspeakable and monstrous crimes for which he shows utterly no remorse.”

Burrell added that he feared Kaczynski would try to kill again if not closely watched.

The Unabomber, so named because he targeted university pro-fessora and airlines as well as others in his anti-technology terrorist campaign, killed three men and injured 29 others in 16 attacks between 1978 and 1995.

The attacks ended with Kaczysnki’s capture at his Montana shack in April 1996. He was caught after his brother notified the FBI that Kaczynsta's letters bore a resemblance to the Unabomber manifesto published under pressure in The Washington Post.

The plea bargain covered the three deaths and the maimings of two scientists. As part of the plea bargain Kaczynski acknowledged responsibility for all of the Unabomber attacks.

He will be sent to a high security federal prison. possibly in Lompoc or in Colorado.

On Monday, Kaczynski complained that the sentencing memo contained “Use statements, misleading statements."

“By discrediting me personally, they' hope to discredit my political ideas." he said

Rut the families of the victims said politics had nothing to do with the Unabomber's actions.

"He's diabolical, evil, cunning, a murderer," said Susan Mosier, whose husband. Thomas Mosser. died before her eves in New Jersey after he opened a bomb sent by Kaczynski.

“Lock him so far down that when he dies he'll be closer to hell, where the devil belongs," she said in addressing the court.

Six of the Un a bomber survivors came forward to describe their grief, pain and anger. Most sat in the witness box face to face with the man they addressed as "Ted" and denounced as the personification of evil.

“I lost my innocence to this man and I fight daily to find the carefree happiness that was taken from me,' sobbed Gary Wright, who was maimed by a bomb he opened in 1987 in Salt Lake City and still finds shards of shrapnel in his skin

Geneticist Dr. Charles Epstein, who lost some of his hearing and part of his hand in a Unabomber attack, bitterly addressed Kaczynski's decision to accept a plea bargain, calling him a coward out to save his own neck.

“I reject the notion that your men tai state excuses what you did." he said. “By some convoluted form of logic, you were portrayed as a victim of a prosecutor who would see a deranged man put to death "

Unabomber victim Nlcklaua Sulno became emotional at a news conference Monday in Sacramento. Calif., following the sentencing of Theodore Kaczynski. Suino was injured in 1985 when a package he was handling blew up. Associated Press Photo

Epstein's wife. Dr. Lou Epstein, also a Harvard educated physician invoked the biblical precepts at her Jewish faith For those he blinded, she said, “may your eyes be blinded by darkness to the incredible beauty of the sun. the moon and the stars " And for those who lost their bearing, “may you become deaf aa your eardrums Implode from stony silence."

“And may your eventual death occur in the way you lived. In a solitary manner without compassion or love," Epstein said.

David Getemier, a Yale University computer scientist who lost part of a hand did not appear He sent a written statement in which he said Kaczynski should have been put to death.

“We look the easy way out." he said, “by deciding to let him live. ... He is in the same category as plague and cancer, creating widows and orphans"

He and other victims praised Kwaynski’s brother. David, for turning in his brother. During the hearing, the defendant never looked at his brother.

Afterward, David Kaczynski stood outside the courthouse and offered the regrets his brother would not.

“To all of these good people, the Kaczynski family offers its deepest apologies," he said “We are very, very sorry."