who was timothy mvveigh's original lawyer

by Aurelie VonRueden 4 min read

Jones was once McVeigh's lawyer. "Everything Tim McVeigh says is a lie," Jones says. An Oklahoma attorney, Jones was appointed by a federal court, and led the McVeigh defense at trial.Jun 11, 2001

Who were Timothy McVeigh's lawyers?

Enid, Oklahoma, resident Stephen Jones served as the lead defense attorney for Timothy McVeigh. ENID, Okla. — Attorney Stephen Jones was contacted two weeks after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and asked by a federal judge to represent one of the most infamous defendants in American history.Apr 17, 2020

Who was Timothy McVeigh's accomplices?

On April 17, he paid cash to rent a Ryder truck, and the following day, he and his accomplice, Terry Nichols, built a two-ton fertilizer bomb along the shore of a lake in a 415-acre Kansas state park.

Where is Timothy McVeigh buried?

[It] is a better book." McVeigh was executed by lethal injection at the Federal Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana....Timothy James McVeigh.Birth23 Apr 1968 Lockport, Niagara County, New York, USABurialCremated, Ashes scattered, Specifically: Some ashes were given to his parents.2 more rows

How many died in the Oklahoma bombing?

168Oklahoma City bombing / Number of deaths

What was Tim McVeigh last words?

Instead, McVeigh left a final message through a hand-copied poem, with his signature at the bottom. “Invictus” by William Ernst Henley ends with the following lines: “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”Jun 11, 2021

Did Timothy McVeigh have military funeral?

McVeigh, a decorated Army sergeant and Persian Gulf War veteran, was executed here Monday, he received no military burial or military honors of any kind.

Who was Timothy McVeigh's grandfather?

Edward W. McVeighA generation later, Timothy McVeigh's grandfather -- Edward W. McVeigh -- worked as a bronco buster at a Lockport horse ranch.May 14, 1995

Biography

Stephen Jones was born on July 1, 1940 in Lafayette, Louisiana. His father was an oil field supplies sales manager and his mother was the bookkeeper for a wealthy financier. Jones grew up in suburban Houston, received a law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1966 and settled in Enid, Oklahoma where he still lives.

Legal career

On May 5, 1970, the day after National Guardsmen had shot and killed four students at Kent State University, Keith Green was arrested at the University of Oklahoma for carrying a Viet Cong flag in violation of a state law prohibiting the display of a " red flag or emblem of anarchy or rebellion".

When did the McVeigh trial start?

McVeigh’s monthlong trial began in April 1997, and Fortier testified against him as part of a plea agreement. It took the jury three days to reach a unanimous guilty verdict.

When did McVeigh leave the army?

The experience soured him on the military, and he took an early discharge and left the army in late 1991. McVeigh returned to New York but was unable to find steady work. He reunited with Terry Nichols and Michael Fortier, friends from his days in the army, and sold guns at fairs throughout the United States.

What was Terry Nichols sentenced to?

Later that year, Terry Nichols was found guilty of conspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to life in prison. On June 11, 2001, McVeigh became the first federal prisoner to be executed since 1963. Oklahoma City bombing.

How many people died in the Oklahoma bombing?

Learn More in these related Britannica articles: …turning point in 1995 when Timothy McVeigh, a supporter of the militia movement’s ideals, exploded a massive homemade bomb at a federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, killing 168 people.

Who was the suspect in the Oklahoma City bombing?

While he was in custody, McVeigh was identified as “John Doe No. 1,” the primary suspect in the Oklahoma City bombing. Two days after the bombing, McVeigh was taken into federal custody, and Nichols turned himself in to authorities. The two were indicted in August 1995, and Attorney General Janet Reno stated that the government would seek ...

When did the Murrah bomb go off?

On April 19, 1995 , the second anniversary of the deadly fire that ended the Branch Davidian siege, McVeigh parked the truck containing the bomb in front of the Murrah Building. At 9:02 am, the bomb went off, tearing off the front of the building, killing 168 people, and injuring more than 500.

What is an encyclopedia editor?

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ...

What did I learn from Tim's case?

Robert Nigh: One of the things I learned through Tim’s case was that magnitude of the allegation does not change the fundamentals of the way the criminal justice system works or the principles by which you are supposed to operate. The government’s case did not establish that Tim was responsible for the bombing. It rested on what so many state and federal prosecutions rest upon—the testimony of unreliable informants, people whose testimony has been paid for by the federal government through immunity or lenience.#N#I thought it was going to be different when I went into it. I thought, “The prosecutors are going to dot their i’s and cross their t’s and the FBI was going to do its job properly.” I was wrong. The FBI withheld evidence until three weeks before Tim’s scheduled execution. On 16 separate occasions, the prosecution represented, on the record, to the court that they had turned over to the defense every document relating to the Oklahoma City bombing investigation. Sixteen times they lied about that.

Who were the Midwest bank robbers?

MJ: The Midwest Bank Robbers were part of a white supremacist group called the Aryan Republican Army led by Peter Langan and Richard Guthrie. They called for a violent overthrow of the government and allegedly used loot from their robberies to support this aim.

What is the meaning of "where do I begin"?

RN: Wow, where do I begin? Failure to preserve evidence, failure to be candid about the facts, failure to cooperate with state authorities who are charged with the responsibility of investigating those circumstances, and the government’s failure to hold itself accountable for that misconduct.

How many people were killed in the Oklahoma bombing?

Twelve years ago a bomb killed 168 people at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Within hours law enforcement officials released sketches of two suspects—John Doe No. 1 and John Doe No. 2. Former U.S. Army Sergeant Timothy McVeigh, John Doe No. 1, was charged within two days of the bombing. However, No. 2 remained at large.

Overview

Legal career

On May 5, 1970, the day after National Guardsmen had shot and killed four students at Kent State University, Keith Green was arrested at the University of Oklahoma for carrying a Viet Cong flag in violation of a state law prohibiting the display of a "red flag or emblem of anarchy or rebellion". After 12 lawyers had refused to defend the student, Jones took the case and was promptly dismissed from the Enid, Oklahomalaw firm where he was employed. Jones argued in court that …

Biography

Stephen Jones was born on July 1, 1940 in Lafayette, Louisiana. His father was an oil field supplies sales manager and his mother was the bookkeeper for a wealthy financier. Jones grew up in suburban Houston, received a law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1966 and settled in Enid, Oklahoma where he still lives. Jones was a member of Phi Alpha Deltaand served as Associate Editor of the Oklahoma Bar Journal from 1979 to 1986. He has been married to his wi…

Areas of practice

• Civil
• Trial Practice
• Civil Appeals
• Insurance Defense
• White Collar Criminal Defense

Bar admissions

• 1966, Oklahoma
• 1969, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma
• 1970, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Supreme Court
• 1973, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Publications

• "John W. Davis," Oklahoma Law Review Vol. 27 No. 1, Winter, 1974
• "The Case Against Presidential Impeachment," Oklahoma Bar Association Journal, Oklahoma Criminal Defense form book, 1974
• "Oklahoma Politics," Vol. I, 1907-1962

Books

• Others Unknown: The Oklahoma City Bombing Case and Conspiracy, ISBN 0786752777, with Peter Israel, 2001

Professional positions

• Chester Bedell Memorial Lecturer, "The Independence of American Lawyers," The Florida Bar, 1999.
• Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma, 1973-1976
• Adjunct Professor, Phillips University, 1983-1990