Terry Nichols' defense motion denied

Monday, June 9th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- The state Supreme Court has denied a defense motion to dismiss charges against Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols in a dispute over payment of his legal fees.

Nichols' attorneys have already been paid about $2.5-million. They argued the state couldn't afford a trial.

But justices ruled the court doesn't have the authority to dismiss the charges.

Justice Ralph Hodges wrote that Nichols' counsel ``should return to the process of defending Nichols rather than focusing too narrowly on whether the defense team will be sufficiently compensated.''

Nichols faces 162 counts of first-degree murder for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.