DATE=  11/3/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222110

TITLE=NICHOLS TRIAL (L-UPDATE)

BYLINE=RICK SALLINGER

DATELINE=DENVER, COLO.

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:  PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR

OPENING STATEMENTS TODAY (MONDAY) IN THE DENVER (COLORADO) TRIAL

OF TERRY NICHOLS.  HE IS ACCUSED OF CONSPIRING WITH TIMOTHY

MCVEIGH TO BOMB THE FEDERAL BUILDING IN OKLAHOMA CITY IN 1995 --

A BOMBING THAT KILLED 168 PEOPLE ... THE WORST ACT OF DOMESTIC

TERRORISM IN U-S HISTORY.  RICK SALLINGER REPORTS FROM DENVER.



TEXT:  DEFENSE ATTORNEY MICHAEL TIGAR TOLD THE JURY TERRY NICHOLS

WAS BUILDING A LIFE -- NOT BUILDING A BOMB. THAT WAS ONE OF TWO

THEMES HE HAMMERED HOME IN OPENING STATEMENTS.



THE OTHER WAS THAT TERRY NICHOLS WASN'T THERE WHEN THE BOMB

EXPLODED IN OKLAHOMA CITY, KILLING 168 PEOPLE.



BUT PROSECUTOR LARRY MACKEY HAD EARLIER TOLD THE JURY THAT TERRY

NICHOLS PLANNED IT JUST THAT WAY.  MR. MACKEY ADDED THE DEFENDANT

KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THE INTENT OF THE PLOT -- AND HELPED THAT

PLAN SUCCEED.



THE PROSECUTION CONTENDS MR. NICHOLS AND THE ALREADY-CONVICTED

TIMOTHY MCVEIGH CARRIED OUT THE BOMBING AS AN ACT OF REVENGE FOR

THE FEDERAL ASSAULT ON THE "BRANCH DAVIDIAN" COMPOUND AT WACO,

TEXAS, TWO YEARS TO THE DAY BEFORE THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING.



MR. NICHOLS' ATTORNEY, MICHAEL TIGAR, PUT THE BLAME FOR THE

BOMBING ON MCVEIGH AND SAID MR. NICHOLS WENT DIRECTLY TO POLICE

WHEN HE HEARD HIS NAME IN BROADCAST REPORTS.  MR. TIGAR ALSO

CONTENDED THE F-B-I LABORATORY IGNORED VITAL EVIDENCE IN THE

CASE.



THE JURORS WERE LEFT WITH TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT IMPRESSIONS OF

MR. NICHOLS -- THE DEFENSE PORTRAYAL OF A FAMILY MAN ... AND THE

GOVERNMENT EQUATION THAT TIMOTHY MCVEIGH, PLUS TERRY NICHOLS,

EQUALED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MURRAH FEDERAL BUILDING. (SIGNED)



NEB/RS/RRM



03-Nov-97 5:06 PM EST (2206 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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