Mcveigh Wants Separate Trial Pretrial Hearings Begin Today In Oklahoma City Bombing

Dueling witnesses will testify today on whether to try accused Oklahoma City bombers Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols together or separately.

Both defendants will attend the scheduled three days of key pretrial hearings in downtown Denver’s federal courthouse - likely the last major courtroom proceedings before U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch sets a trial date. Or dates.

Matsch’s ruling on one or two trials is expected within weeks.

But it’s doubtful that any trial can begin this year, said Stephen Jones, the lead defense attorney for McVeigh.

“This is an inordinately difficult case to organize for trial,” he said.

Both defense teams want separate trials, while the prosecution wants one trial.

Attorneys for McVeigh and Nichols say the evidence against the other defendant is stronger, and each has argued that would make a joint trial unfair.

The two former Army buddies have blamed each other for the bombing.

Prosecutors, however, say the evidence against the two men is nearly identical.

The April 19, 1995, blast at Oklahoma City’s federal building killed 168 people and injured about 500 others.

Several survivors and relatives of those who died are expected to attend this week’s hearings.

They include Paul Heath, a Veterans Administration psychologist who was in the building when the bomb went off, and Jannie Coverdale, whose grandsons Aaron, 5, and Elijah, 2, died in the building’s daycare center.

Jones said the lawyers also will argue over his request for selected journalists to interview McVeigh in federal prison.

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