Judge denies defense motions in Terry Nichols case

(McAlester-AP) -- Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols' offer to plead no contest to state murder charges will be considered next week.<br><br>Judge Steven Taylor said during a pre-trial

Thursday, February 19th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(McAlester-AP) -- Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols' offer to plead no contest to state murder charges will be considered next week.

Judge Steven Taylor said during a pre-trial hearing in McAlester Thursday that's when he'll consider Nichols' offer to plead no contest if the state agrees not to seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors have so far rejected the offer and Taylor Thursday denied a defense motion to declare Oklahoma's death penalty unconstitutional.

Taylor also says next week is when he'll consider a prosecution motion to prohibit some defense testimony. Prosecutors want Taylor to ban defense witnesses who would testify about various conspiracy theories surrounding the bombing.

An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for a witness in the pre-trial hearing. Jim Bolt of Rogers, Ark., failed to appear again for testimony Thursday morning, a day after District Judge Steven Taylor declared him in contempt of court.

Taylor said Bolt's attorney told him that Bolt was too ill to attend, but he had no medical records to verify it.

Bolt testified last week about alleged images of the deadly April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. He complained of chest pains and was unable to finish his testimony.

Nichols faces 161 state murder charges for his role in the bombing and the state is currently seeking the death penalty.