Lawyer urges judge to dismiss lawsuit against filmmaker

Saturday, July 2nd 2005, 3:24 pm

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) _ A lawyer for documentary filmmaker Michael Moore wants a federal judge to dismiss a libel lawsuit filed by the brother of Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols.

Attorney Herschel Fink argued during a hearing yesterday that James Nichols' claims range from the frivolous to the silly. Fink also said Moore only reported the truth and his constitutionally protected opinion in the 2002 film ``Bowling for Columbine.''

James Nichols' attorney argued that Moore offered half-truths or total untruths to accuse Nichols of being an accomplice in the April 1995 bombing that killed 168 people.

Terry Nichols is serving two life sentences without parole for his role in the bombing. Timothy McVeigh was executed in 2001 for masterminding the attack.

Among the items in question in Nichols' lawsuit are Moore's use of the term practice bombs in the movie to refer to explosives the Nichols brothers and McVeigh made on a farm before the attack.