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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