Attorney General urges rejection of Nichols' fee request

Wednesday, September 18th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the attorney for Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols' has not provided enough information to determine whether his fees for defending Nichols are reasonable.

In a brief to the Oklahoma Supreme Court Edmondson says Ponca City attorney Brian Hermanson is entitled to just compensation but shouldn't receive the same fees and terms set forth in a contract voided by the high court.

Hermanson has asked the Supreme Court to authorize more money to defend Nichols, who is charged with one-hundred-60 counts of first-degree murder for the April 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

Hermanson wants the Oklahoma County Court Fund Board, which has already paid about one-point-seven (m) million dollars for Nichols' defense, to pay additional legal expenses including one year's worth of unpaid legal bills.

Edmondson says Hermanson is asking for more than is required by state law.