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)
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Source: Voice of America
.