DECEMBER 29, 15:38
EST
Oklahoma Bomb Jury To Issue Report
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Eighteen months and 117 witnesses after it began
its work, a grand jury investigating allegations of a wider conspiracy and a
government cover-up in the Oklahoma bombing is expected to release its findings
Wednesday.
The Oklahoma County grand jury was convened by way of a petition drive over
the objections of state Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who called it ``the
worst kind of conspiracy pandering.'' And both he and the chief federal
prosecutor in Oklahoma expressed doubt anything would come out of the
investigation.
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols have already been convicted on federal
charges in the bombing. McVeigh received a death sentence, Nichols life in
prison. An Army buddy, Michael Fortier, pleaded guilty to knowing about the
attack beforehand but telling no one. He got 12 years in prison.
Former state Rep. Charles Key, one of the leaders of the petition drive to
empanel the grand jury, has said he believes that the federal government knew
about the bombing beforehand and that others were involved but have not been
arrested. The government has denied any prior knowledge.
Key said his efforts were worth it no matter what the outcome.
``It's always worth it to do the right thing. That's what I and the rest of
us who have worked on this feel. We've done the right thing for the right
reason,'' the former legislator said.
The grand jury has the power to indict, but Bob Macy, the district attorney
in Oklahoma City, has already said he will bring murder charges against McVeigh
and Nichols, and the grand jury focused instead on other possible figures.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Ryan, who prosecuted McVeigh and Nichols, has said that
the government had ``no credible evidence to suggest that others were
involved.''
And Edmondson said he believes the odds are slim the grand jury investigation
will shed any additional light on the April 19, 1995, attack that killed 168
people and injured more than 500 others.
``I will be amazed if they suggest by name any people involved in the bombing
that are not even known,'' Edmondson said.
As of October, the cost of the grand jury was put at nearly $414,000.
In October, the grand jury complained of attempts to contact members at home
and of erroneous claims about what some witnesses would say.
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