Murphy sets Aug. 7 as date for Nichols preliminary hearing

Friday, February 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Judge Robert Murphy today set an August seventh date for the preliminary hearing in the state trial of Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols. The setting of the date provoked an immediate objection from Nichols' attorney Brian Hermanson who said he couldn't be ready by then.

Assistant District Attorney Sandra Elliott says her portion of the preliminary hearing will last at least three weeks. Murphy says it could last as long as six weeks. Elliott says she'd like to hold the hearing in the Oklahoma County jail. Hermanson says he plans to file a motion suggesting a different location.

The gag order for the attorneys in the case was agreed upon. The gag order will prevent evidence exchanged between the two attorneys from being made public. Reporters were ejected from the court room for the unsealing of the grand jury transcript.