Bombing victims' families relieved McVeigh is gone

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Nearly a year to the day after Timothy McVeigh was executed, some victims' families are wondering whether the Oklahoma City bomber's accomplice will ever get the same punishment.

Terry Nichols is serving a life sentence on federal charges of involuntary manslaughter in the 1995 bombing that killed 168 people. He is awaiting trial on state murder charges that could bring the death penalty.

McVeigh, 33, was executed on June 11, 2001, at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.

Some bombing victims' families are growing impatient as Nichols sits in a jail cell just blocks from where McVeigh pulled a truck bomb up to the federal building seven years ago.

"I think this man gave up his right to breathe good oxygen," said Kathleen Treanor, whose 4-year-old daughter and in-laws died in the blast. "This man has been allowed to live almost twice as long as my daughter did."

Paul Howell, one of eight victims' witnesses at McVeigh's execution, said he has talked to District Attorney Wes Lane about speeding up the Nichols case.

"We feel we have been cheated to a degree," said Howell, who lost his daughter, Karan Sheperd, in the bombing. "It's something the family members need to see and get off our mind."

It was three years ago that Oklahoma County prosecutors charged Nichols with 160 counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of civilians in the explosion.

A judge has delayed the case numerous times, most recently so the state Supreme Court can decide whether to grant defense attorneys' request to raise their $1.8 million salary limit.

Ready to go to trial

Prosecutors said they do not need more time to prepare for trial.

"We're ready," said Debra Forshee, spokeswoman for the district attorney's office. "We're sitting with our hat in hand."

A lawyer challenging the district attorney in this year's election is angering some bombing victims by vowing to save the state money and not try Nichols.

A year ago, 232 bombing victims' families and survivors woke before dawn so they could watch McVeigh die via closed-circuit television.

Ken Thompson, whose mother, Virginia, died in the bombing, said the one-year mark since the execution "may cross my mind, but it's not something that I will dwell on. June 11 will be just another day."