McVEIGH death certificates, last statement pulled off Internet auction

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A man hawking copies of Timothy McVeigh's death certificate and handwritten last statement was booted off an Internet auction site after users thought his sale was too gruesome.

Friday, June 22nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A man hawking copies of Timothy McVeigh's death certificate and handwritten last statement was booted off an Internet auction site after users thought his sale was too gruesome.

Roy Young, who uses the name ``rabidroy'' on the eBay site, said he planned to donate profits from the $8 copies to an association for Oklahoma City bombing victims.

EBay pulled the items off the auction late Wednesday after about two days, long enough for Young to sell 15 copies. Kevin Pursglove, senior director of communications, said the items violated eBay's policy against promoting or benefiting convicted felons.

Photographs, newspaper articles and other items about McVeigh, who was executed June 11, remain for sale on eBay.

``Newspapers tend to be documents of history,'' Pursglove said. ``What we are trying to avoid here is the attempt of a convicted felon or others associated with the convicted felon from profiting from that type of activity.''

Young, of Atlanta, said he would send his earnings to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation or the National Organization for Victim Assistance in Washington, D.C. But neither group will accept the funds.

``We're not interested in promoting the life or the philosophy of Timothy McVeigh nor would we take any money from such,'' said Kari Watkins, executive director of the memorial in Oklahoma City.

The Washington foundation, which has photographs of the 168 people killed in the bombing on its Web page, said Young's plan seems in bad taste.

``We would not have cooperated and we won't cooperate,'' deputy director John Stein said. ``It seems in bad taste. The bottom line here is the guy is likely meaning to pocket all the proceeds for himself. This charitable organization thing is a kind of fraud.''

Young obtained copies of the poem McVeigh handed out before his execution through media Web sites. He said he pulled McVeigh's death certificate, which is a public record, off the Internet.

Young said he was selling the items because he thought it would help people heal from the April 19, 1995, bombing of the federal building. He said he gave the items away to a handful of victims' family members.

``I hate Timothy McVeigh,'' Young said. ``My intent was to bring closure to the families and let them see the documents.''

Young said he's not ``a crazy dude,'' but others disagreed.

``I think it's sick, very gross,'' said Marsha Kight, whose daughter Frankie Merrell died in the April 19, 1995, bombing. ``This is disgusting. I just can't believe there are so many sick people out there.''