DATE=1/8/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38619
TITLE=OKLAHOMA STATE BOMBING TRIALS
BYLINE=MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE=CHICAGO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A FEDERAL JURY'S INABILITY TO AGREE ON A SENTENCE FOR
CONVICTED OKLAHOMA BOMBING SUSPECT TERRY NICHOLS MEANS IT WILL BE
AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE A FEDERAL JUDGE IMPOSES A
SENTENCE. THE DEADLOCK ON THE JURY MEANS NICHOLS WILL NOT
RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR HIS ROLE IN THE WORST TERRORIST
ATTACK ON U-S SOIL, WHICH IS WHAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF
OKLAHOMA HAD HOPED FOR. NICHOLS AND CO-CONSPIRATOR TIMOTHY
MCVEIGH WILL LIKELY BE PUT ON TRIAL IN OKLAHOMA FOR THE STATE
CHARGES CONNECTED TO THE BOMBING. ALSO, AN INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES INTO WHETHER THERE WERE OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE ATTACK.
V-O-A'S MICHAEL LELAND TELLS US, THIS MEANS THE STORY OF THE
OKLAHOMA BOMBING WILL CONTINUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
TEXT: THE LEADER, OR FOREWOMAN, OF THE FEDERAL JURY IN THE
NICHOLS TRIAL SAYS THOSE UNHAPPY WITH THE TRIAL VERDICTS AND THE
INABILITY OF THE JURY TO AGREE ON A SENTENCE SHOULD BLAME FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS. FOREWOMAN NIKI DEUTCHMAN SAYS IT WAS UP TO
PROSECUTORS TO PROVE NICHOLS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE BOMBING.
/// DEUTCHMAN ACT ///
I THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB IN
PROVING THAT TERRY NICHOLS WAS GREATLY INVOLVED IN ALL
OF THIS AND WE TOOK OUR RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY
FOR JUSTICE AND PROVING BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
/// END ACT ///
NICHOLS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY, BUT NOT OF FIRST DEGREE
MURDER. THE JURY INSTEAD CONVICTED HIM OF INVOLUNTARY
MANSLAUGHTER, A LESSER CHARGE. BOMBING SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAD HOPED NICHOLS WOULD BE SENTENCED TO DEATH
SAY THEY TAKE SOME COMFORT IN KNOWING BOTH NICHOLS AND TIMOTHY
MCVEIGH STILL FACE STATE CHARGES FOR THE BOMBING. THE FEDERAL
CHARGES APPLIED ONLY TO THE EIGHT FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS
KILLED IN THE BLAST, BUT A TOTAL OF 168 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
JANNIE COVERDALE LOST TWO GRANDCHILDREN IN THE EXPLOSION.
/// COVERDALE ACT ///
TERRY NICHOLS AND TIMOTHY MCVEIGH IN DENVER WERE TRIED
FOR THE MURDER OF EIGHT (FEDERAL) AGENTS. THEY STILL
HAVE NOT BEEN TRIED FOR MURDERING OUR LOVED ONES AND I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE.
/// END ACT ///
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA LAW PROFESSOR RICK TEPKE PREDICTS A STATE
TRIAL WILL NOT BE EASY, ESPECIALLY FINDING AN IMPARTIAL JURY.
JURORS ARE SUPPOSED TO PRESUME A SUSPECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL
PROSECUTORS PROVE HIS OR HER GUILT.
/// TEPKE ACT #1 ///
IT IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO STAND UP
AND SWEAR THAT THEY CAN REGARD TIMOTHY MCVEIGH AS
PRESUMPTIVELY INNOCENT WHEN HE HAS IN FACT BEEN
CONVICTED OF THIS DEED BY A WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-REGARDED
JURY IN DENVER.
/// END ACT ///
THERE ARE ALSO THOSE IN OKLAHOMA CITY WHO BELIEVE MORE THAN TWO
PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN PLANNING AND CARRYING OUT THE ATTACK ON
THE CITY'S FEDERAL BUILDING. NICHOLS JURY FOREWOMAN NIKI
DEUTCHMAN SAYS SHE IS ALSO NOT CONVINCED MCVEIGH AND NICHOLS
ACTED ALONE.
/// DEUTCHMAN ACT ///
IF THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
THIS HORRIBLE CRIME, THERE IS AN OBLIGATION TO FIND THEM
AND BRING THEM INTO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. I DOUBT VERY
MUCH THAT TWO PEOPLE, IF TERRY NICHOLS WAS EVEN GREATLY
INVOLVED, THAT TWO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO BE
ABLE TO CARRY IT OFF.
/// END ACT ///
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PROFESSOR RICK TEPKE SAYS A GRAND JURY IN
OKLAHOMA CITY IS INVESTIGATING THAT POSSIBILITY.
/// TEPKE ACT #2 ///
THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE NAMED CHARLES KEY HERE IN
OKLAHOMA WHO ARGUED RATHER CONSISTENTLY THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAD NOT UNLOCKED THE MYSTERY AND HAD NOT
CAUGHT ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND THROUGH HIS EFFORTS A
SECOND INVESTIGATION WAS INITIATED.
/// END ACT ///
MR. TEPKE SAYS HE HAS HEARD THE GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION IS
EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. OFFICIALS IN THE
OKLAHOMA CITY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAYS STATE CHARGES
AGAINST MCVEIGH AND NICHOLS COULD BE FILED BY JUNE OR JULY, WITH
THE FIRST TRIAL BEGINNING EARLY NEXT YEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/MJL/PT
08-Jan-98 5:26 PM EST (2226 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.