Terry Nichols asks judge to move trial out of state

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols is asking a judge to consider moving his state murder trial to another state.<br><br>Nichols faces 161 state counts of first-degree

Wednesday, September 3rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols is asking a judge to consider moving his state murder trial to another state.

Nichols faces 161 state counts of first-degree murder for his role in the bombing. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

His attorneys say a recent survey shows that pretrial publicity has prejudiced potential jurors throughout Oklahoma against Nichols.

The attorneys acknowledge there is no mechanism to allow for a state trial to be moved to another state. But they say, in theory, nothing prevents the governor or Legislature from seeking such an arrangement because of the unique circumstances of the case.

Prosecutors want the trial held in Oklahoma County with jurors picked from a nearby county.

District Judge Steven Taylor will meet with attorneys on Friday and issue a written decision next week.