Court says no to cameras

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An Oklahoma appeals court says court hearings involving bombing conspirator Terry Nichols cannot be<br>televised.<br><br>The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower

Thursday, June 1st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- An Oklahoma appeals court says court hearings involving bombing conspirator Terry Nichols cannot be
televised.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower court decision today to televise the pretrial hearings.

The appellate court says allowing a camera in the courtroom at the Nichols' proceedings over his objections would violate his due process rights.

The court vacated an order handed down last month by Associate District Judge Robert M. Murphy Junior.

The appeals court says it vacated the order to minimize the potential tainting of the possible future jury pool and ensure the reliability of the ultimate result of the case.

Nichols has been charged in Oklahoma with 160 counts of first-degree murder in the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building.