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Intelligence

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)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America



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