Judge in Terry Nichols' trial critical of federal government's cooperation

Friday, October 10th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- The trial judge in the state's murder case against Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols says the federal government's cooperation in the case so far is unsatisfactory.

Judge Steven Taylor said in a written order that the case can't move forward without full cooperation.

The federal government has arranged for a former F-B-I agent to be questioned today by Nichols' defense attorneys.

It is the first of 61 pretrial examinations ordered by the judge. Four others are scheduled for next week.

The judge is upset that the examinations have not begun already. He has threatened to bar key prosecution witnesses from testifying at trial if they are not questioned by defense attorneys beforehand.

The judge set a hearing on the issue for Tuesday.

The state murder trial is set to begin March first in McAlester.

Nichols faces 161 first-degree murder charges for his role in the 1995 bombing. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.