DATE=6/5/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40614
TITLE= OKLAHOMA BOMB TRIALS
BYLINE= MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE= CHICAGO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE SENTENCING THURSDAY OF OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING
CONSPIRATOR TERRY NICHOLS IS NOT THE END OF THE COURT
APPEARANCES FOR NICHOLS OR FOR TIMOTHY MCVEIGH. THE TWO MEN
CONVICTED IN THE WORST TERRORIST ACT ON U-S SOIL FACE ADDITIONAL
CHARGES IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. V-O-A'S MICHAEL LELAND REPORTS
ON WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE TWO MEN.
TEXT: BOTH TERRY NICHOLS AND TIMOTHY MCVEIGH PLAN TO APPEAL
THEIR CONVICTIONS AND SENTENCES IN FEDERAL COURT. MCVEIGH WAS
CONVICTED OF MURDER AND CONSPIRACY LAST YEAR AND SENTENCED TO
DEATH. NICHOLS WAS CONVICTED LAST YEAR OF INVOLUNTARY
MANSLAUGHTER AND CONSPIRACY. HE WAS SENTENCED THURSDAY TO LIFE
IN PRISON.
JUDGE RICHARD MATSCH HAD OFFERED TO GIVE NICHOLS A LESSER
SENTENCE IF HE WOULD ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
BOMBING PLOT AND ATTACK, BUT HE DECLINED. FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
BETH WILKINSON SAYS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
SURROUNDING THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING.,
// WILKINSON ACT #1 //
WE STILL HAVE QUESTIONS AND WE ARE USED TO THAT. IT IS
PART OF INVESTIGATING AND PROSECUTING CRIMES, BUT I
BELIEVE THAT IF TIMOTHY MCVEIGH OR TERRY NICHOLS WERE TO
EXPLAIN WHY THEY DID THIS, THAT WOULD NOT BE
SATISFACTORY TO ANYONE. THAT WOULD NOT REALLY EXPLAIN
TO ANYONE WHY THIS CRIME OCCURRED.
// END ACT //
ONE OF THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IS WHETHER MCVEIGH AND NICHOLS
ACTED ALONE. IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE BOMB ATTACK, OFFICIALS
CONDUCTED A NATIONWIDE MANHUNT FOR AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN WHO BECAME
KNOWN AS "JOHN DOE NUMBER TWO." SOME WITNESSES IN OKLAHOMA CITY
SAY THEY SAW THIS MYSTERY MAN OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL BUILDING
MOMENTS BEFORE THE TRUCK BOMB EXPLODED ON APRIL 19, 1995. MS.
WILKINSON SAYS THAT QUESTION CONTINUED TO WEIGH ON PROSECUTORS
AFTER THE SEARCH FOR JOHN DOE NUMBER TWO WAS CALLED OFF.
// WILKINSON ACT #2 //
WE ASKED OURSELVES THAT ALL OF THE TIME, THAT IS OUR
JOB. OUR JOB IS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE AND
THINK CRITICALLY AND CONSTANTLY REASSESS AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT ELSE WE SHOULD BE DOING. THE (FEDERAL) AGENTS DID
THE SAME THING, IT WAS NOT JUST US. WE ALWAYS ASKED
OURSELVES, IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE? IS THERE
SOMEWHERE ELSE WE SHOULD LOOK. WHEN WE RECEIVED OTHER
LEADS WE WOULD PURSUE THEM.
// END ACT //
ONE REASON TERRY NICHOLS DECLINED TO SPEAK IN COURT AT HIS
SENTENCING IS BOTH HE AND TIM MCVEIGH FACE STATE CHARGES IN
CONNECTION WITH THE BOMBING. PROSECUTORS IN OKLAHOMA CITY PLAN
TO CHARGE THE TWO MEN WITH MURDER AND SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY FOR
THE DEATHS OF THE 160 BOMBING VICTIMS WHO WERE NOT FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS. A TOTAL OF 168 PEOPLE DIED IN THE BLAST.
ALSO IN OKLAHOMA CITY, A GRAND JURY HAS BEEN MEETING FOR MORE
THAN A YEAR INVESTIGATING WHETHER MCVEIGH AND NICHOLS WERE PART
OF A LARGER CONSPIRACY, AND WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT KNEW OF THE
PLANNED ATTACK AGAINST THE FEDERAL BUILDING BEFOREHAND. THERE IS
NO EXPECTED DATE FOR THE GRAND JURY TO ANNOUNCE ITS FINDINGS.
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR WILKINSON SAYS SHE DOES NOT THINK THE CASE
OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING WILL EVER BE FULLY CLOSED, AND SHE
SAYS THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING ANY LEADS THAT
TURN UP IN THE YEARS AHEAD. (SIGNED)
NEB/MJL/PT
05-Jun-98 2:53 PM EDT (1853 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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