DATE=  9/30/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220583

TITLE=NICHOLS TRIAL / L-O

BYLINE=LEE FRANK

DATELINE=DENVER

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  TERRY NICHOLS HAS GONE ON TRIAL IN DENVER AS AN ALLEGED 

CO-CONSPIRATOR IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING THAT KILLED 168 

PEOPLE ON APRIL 19, 1995.  LEE FRANK REPORTS FROM THE FEDERAL 

COURTHOUSE IN DENVER, COLORADO.



TEXT:  JURY SELECTION FOR THE SECOND OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING TRIAL 

BEGAN WITH FEDERAL JUDGE RICHARD MASHE NOTING THERE ARE 

SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS TRIAL, AGAINST TERRY 

NICHOLS, AND THE PREVIOUS CASE, AGAINST TIMOTHY MCVEY -- WHO WAS 

CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH.



THE JUDGE SAYS MR. NICHOLS STARTS WITH A CLEAN SLATE.  THE 

CHARGES ARE THE SAME -- CONSPIRACY, USING A WEAPON OF MASS 

DESTRUCTION, AND MURDER.  POTENTIAL JURORS, QUESTIONED IN OPEN 

COURT, INDICATED THEY KNOW LITTLE ABOUT MR. NICHOLS AND HAVE NO 

OPINIONS ABOUT HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE FEDERAL BUILDING 

EXPLOSION.



ROY SELLS -- WHOSE WIFE WAS AMONG THE 168 PEOPLE KILLED -- 

RETURNED TO THE SAME COURTROOM WHERE HE SAT THROUGH THE ENTIRE 

MCVEY TRIAL, WHICH TOOK THREE-AND-A-HALF WEEKS.



            // SELLS ACTUALITY //



         IT'S A SLOW PROCESS THAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH.  I 

         UNDERSTAND THAT NOW, SINCE THE FIRST TRIAL.  IT'S GONNA 

         TAKE A LONG TIME.



            // END ACTUALITY //



ON THE FIRST DAY OF JURY SELECTION, TWO PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL 

PROBLEMS WERE ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.  ONE JURY 

POOL MEMBER -- WHOM THE DEFENSE MIGHT WANT RULED OUT -- SAID HE 

CONVINCED MR. NICHOLS IS GUILTY OF MASS MURDER.  HE COULD ONLY 

CONSIDER A PUNISHMENT OF DEATH (SIGNED).



NEB / WD-T / WD



30-Sep-97 2:53 AM EDT (0653 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.