Oklahoma City Bombing: Timothy Mcveigh

The day the Murrah Federal building was bombed was a traumatic day here in Oklahoma.Not just for the people personally affected but everyone as a community. Timothy McVeigh tookover 100 innocent lives that day because he was angry at the government. However, he quicklybecame a perfect example as to how strong our country truly is and how justice will be served.At 9:02am, on April 19, 1995, people’s lives changed forever (history.com staff). Outsidethe Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City, an explosion left 168 innocent men,women, and children dead and more than 500 injured (history.com staff). This explosion was atruck-bomb set off by a man known as Timothy McVeigh and his co-conspirator, Terry Nichols(history.com staff). According …show more content…
FBI immediately went to the location where employees helped drawup a sketch of the man who had rented the vehicle (Oklahoma City Bombing). After they had thiscomposite drawing, they went to local businesses and eventually got the name, TimothyMcVeigh from a hotel employee (Oklahoma City Bombing). Little did they know, he was alreadyin jail back in Oklahoma; however, not for this incident (Oklahoma City Bombing). TimothyMcVeigh had been pulled over by an Oklahoma State Trooper for a missing license plate just anhour and a half after he committed this disturbing crime (Oklahoma City Bombing). Once theofficer pulled him over, he realized that McVeigh had a concealed weapon in the vehicle andarrested him (Oklahoma City Bombing). After the FBI got ahold of him, they found all theevidence they needed. McVeigh not only had notes of his progress and “ingredients” for thebomb, but traces of the exact chemicals used in the explosion on his clothing (Oklahoma CityBombing). They also learned Terry Nichols helped build the bomb after he surrendered inHerington, Kansas that same day (history.com staff).On August 8, Michael Fortier, who had known of McVeigh’s plan but had failed to warnauthorities, agreed to testify against them in exchange for a reduced sentence (Linder). Two dayslater, McVeigh and Nichols were charged for murder and unlawful use of explosives (Linder).Fearing a fair trial was not possible in Oklahoma, U. S. District Judge Richard Matsch moved itto Denver, Colorado (Linder). He also ordered that McVeigh and Nichols be tried separately, andfor McVeigh's trial to begin first (Linder). August 14, 1997, the death penalty was formallyenforced for McVeigh (Linder). December, 1997, Terry Nichols was found guilty on one count ofconspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter (Oklahoma City Bombing). He