Oklahoma City bombing and legal case of Terry Nichols

Key dates in the Oklahoma City bombing and the case against Terry Nichols: <br><br>1995: <br><br>April 19 _ An ammonium nitrate/fuel oil bomb packed inside a Ryder truck rips through the Alfred P. Murrah

Sunday, February 22nd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Key dates in the Oklahoma City bombing and the case against Terry Nichols:

1995:

April 19 _ An ammonium nitrate/fuel oil bomb packed inside a Ryder truck rips through the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. Timothy McVeigh, pulled over in a routine traffic stop, arrested on a firearms charge.

April 21 _ Federal authorities arrest McVeigh. Terry Nichols surrenders.

Aug. 11 _ Federal grand jury indicts McVeigh and Nichols on murder and conspiracy charges.

1996

Feb. 20 _ Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch moves case to Denver, ruling McVeigh and Nichols have been ``demonized'' by intense media coverage in Oklahoma.

1997:

June 2 _ A federal jury in Denver convicts McVeigh on all 11 murder and conspiracy counts against him. He is later sentenced to death.

Dec. 23 _ Nichols convicted of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter, acquitted of weapons and explosives charges.

1998:

June 4 _ Nichols sentenced to life in prison without parole.

1999:

March 29 _ Saying he is not satisfied with outcome of Nichols' federal trial, Oklahoma County District Attorney Bob Macy charges him with 160 state counts of first-degree murder and says he will seek the death penalty. Macy later disqualified from case for violating gag order.

2000:

Jan. 31 _ Nichols is transported from a federal prison in Colorado to Oklahoma City to face state bombing charges.

Oct. 16 _ District Judge Ray Dean Linder disqualifies Macy for violating a gag order.

2001:

March 21 _ Linder denies defense motion to dismiss charges and rules they do not violate Nichols' ``double jeopardy'' right against being tried twice for the same offense.

May 14 _ Linder postpones preliminary hearing as prosecutors and defense attorneys wait to take a look at thousands of previously undisclosed FBI bombing documents, which could also play a role in Nichols' federal appeal.

June 11 _ McVeigh executed by injection at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.

Sept. 5 _ New District Attorney Wes Lane says he will pursue state murder charges against Nichols.

2003:

May 13 _ Judge orders Nichols to stand trial on state murder charges.

Sept. 8 _ Judge moves trial to the southeast Oklahoma city of McAlester because of intense pretrial publicity.