Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: DENVER (Reuters) - Lawyers for Terry Nichols, convicted of conspiring to bomb the Oklahoma City federal building, are expected to argue Monday that their client should not be forced to pay millions of dollars in restitution as victims have sought. Victims of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building, and prosecutors, have asked the court to order Nichols to pay restitution to ensure he never profits from the attack that killed 168 people and injured hundreds of others. Nichols' lawyers are scheduled to submit written arguments Monday detailing why their client should not be ordered to do so. "Mr. Nichols can't afford to pay $32 million to put the Murrah Building back up," his lead attorney, Michael Tigar, said last month when the issue first arose at a court hearing. Nichols, 43, and former army buddy Timothy McVeigh, 29, were convicted last year of different roles in the truck bombing. U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch, who presided over both trials, has said he was leaning toward giving Nichols a life term unless Nichols sees his way to reveal details about bombing plot. It has been widely speculated that other people were involved in the bombing and at least one juror has said she believed others might have taken part in the plot. McVeigh is appealing his death sentence. Nichols is facing a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced later this year. "To insure forever that Nichols does not profit from his terrible crime, the court must enter an appropriate order of restitution...now," a man who was injured in the bombing and the mother of a woman who was killed told the judge in a written argument. Even if Nichols does not have assets to pay millions in restitution, prosecutors and victims want Matsch to order restitution when he hands down the sentence in case Nichols profits by selling an exclusive interview, or in some other way, while in prison. Prosecutors said two weeks ago Nichols should be ordered to pay $14.5 million, the original construction cost of the Murrah building. Nichols' lawyers may reiterate Monday what Tigar said at last month's pre-sentencing hearing. He called restitution "a device to keep assets that really ought to be in the hands of Mrs. Nichols and those kids." Nichols has three minor children. Judge Matsch signaled his preliminary view at the hearing. "You know when it comes to restitution, I'm not in the habit of entering orders I don't think can be complied with." -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
