Terry Nichols guilty on 161 murder counts in state trial

Convicted for role in Okla. City bombing; jurors to weigh fate in penalty phase

The Associated Press

Updated: 5:31 p.m. ET May 26, 2004McALESTER, Okla. - Nearly a decade after the Oklahoma City bombing, Terry Nichols was found guilty of 161 state murder charges Wednesday for helping carry out what was then the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. He could get the death sentence he escaped when he was convicted in federal court in the 1990s.

The verdict came after only five hours of deliberations. Nichols was stone-faced and stared straight ahead at the judge as the verdicts were read. His attorneys bowed their heads and clenched their hands together.

Oklahoma prosecutors brought the case with the goal of finally winning a death sentence against Nichols, who is serving a life term on federal charges. The same 12-member jury will now determine Nichols’ fate on the state charges: life in prison or death by injection. The penalty phase will begin Tuesday.

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Justice served...good riddance.