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)

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Source: Voice of America

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