View Full Version : Nichols Costs Taxpayers More Than $4M



El Gato Pollo Loco!!!
01-04-2005, 12:14 AM
http://www.yahoo.com/_ylh=X3oDMTB2MXQ5MTU3BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEdGVzdAMwBHRtc GwDaW5kZXgtaWU-/s/225567

Just saw this :shake:

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Nichols Costs Taxpayers More Than $4M
48 minutes ago U.S. National - AP

By RON JENKINS, Associated Press Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma taxpayers spent almost $4.2 million to provide a defense for bombing conspirator Terry Nichols, paying for such things as books, seminars, lawn care, coffee sweetener and an alarm system.

Expenses filed by court-appointed defense attorney Brian Hermanson included $28.05 so Nichols could read the book, "The American Terrorist," an account of the life of Oklahoma City bombing mastermind Timothy McVeigh (news - web sites).

A $300 claim was filed for lawn care costs for one of the defense attorneys, whose $750-a-month rental house in McAlester was paid for by taxpayers during Nichols' trial before a Pittsburg County judge.

Court officials questioned the lawn care expenses and Hermanson's $59.95-a-month cable bill in McAlester, but approved the expenses anyway.

Coffee sweetener that cost $3.99 was among the other claims filed. The fund was tapped for $11.46 to pay for hemorrhoid medicine for an ailing juror and $427,392.24 for security provided by Pittsburg County officials.

Details of the expenditures had been previously sealed by court order, but were opened Monday at the request of The Oklahoman, The Tulsa World and The Associated Press.

Hermanson did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Nichols was convicted of 161 first-degree murder counts, but the jury could not agree on a sentence. A judge gave Nichols 161 life prison terms for his role in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that killed 168 people.

McVeigh was executed in 2001 after his conviction on federal murder charges by a Denver jury. Nichols also was convicted on federal charges and sentenced to life in prison.

The bulk of the $4.2 million spent on Nichols' defense went to a team of attorneys headed by Hermanson, who was paid $185 an hour. He received a total of almost $1.9 million, out of which he paid office expenses.

That included thousands of dollars for computers and other equipment, much of which Hermanson agreed to return to Oklahoma County officials.

The defense expenses were in addition to the cost to the state of prosecuting the case against Nichols, who has been returned to federal prison in Colorado.

One claim filed by Hermanson in 2002 was for $2,742 to install an alarm system in his Ponca City law office. Other claims were for cleaning Nichols' clothing, buying him shoes, a shirt and paying for his stamps.

The state paid $50.19 for a law dictionary for Nichols. Hermanson also filed a claim for the best-selling book, "The Secret Life of Bees."

Other claims went for such things as cell phones for lawyers and investigators, cab fare, legal seminars, newspaper subscriptions, renting a storage unit, buying a vacuum cleaner and business cards.

The expenditures were over a six-year period and paid incrementally from the Oklahoma County court fund, which is funded by court costs, fines and fees.

Patrick
01-04-2005, 01:11 AM
I still can't believe we spent this kind of money only to come up with the same sentence. An absolute waste of money in my opinion. Just think how many homeless people this money would've fed at the City Rescue Misssion. Glenn Kranfeld, the Mission's director, probably would've loved to have 4 mill!

El Gato Pollo Loco!!!
01-04-2005, 01:47 AM
I'm just wondering why and how lawn care fit into all this...maybe I'm just stupid, but it just doesn't make any sense to me.

mranderson
01-04-2005, 06:29 AM
Another thing that makes no sense is the fact part of the money went to pay for cable television for him. Prisoners are there for a reason. Not to get luxuries a lot of honest, hard working, law abiding people can not afford.

Plus, the rental property, the alarm system, and other like items are costs of any case. They should not be paid by the state. That book? Not valid.

His attorney is hosing the state... Big time.

Keith
01-04-2005, 07:05 AM
It's called...milk the state for all you can get. It's amazing how they justify certain expenditures.

Patrick
01-04-2005, 12:50 PM
For some time now, I've wondered why we have cable television in our county jail. Heck, I don't even have cable television in my home! I think prison life is too easy on these thugs. No wonder why homeless people commit crimes to try to get in prison.....3 square meals a day, cable television, a warm place to sleep, etc. Seems like the state and county are just giving some people incentives for committing crimes.

Midtowner
01-05-2005, 09:34 AM
What a waste of money.

I think this case is a landmark indictment of the unfairness of our capital punishment laws.

How the hell can a state sentence Brenda Andrews to death when Terry Nichols is given life? There is absolutely no comparison in th heinousness of their crimes! Nichols had the full weight and force of the law of the state of Oklahoma against him, and because of one hold-out juror that lied about his ability to sentence to death, the man will live.

I can not in good conscience support the death penalty after this. It is something that must be abolished if it cannot be applied fairly. This case has made it obvious that it cannot be applied fairly.

MasterWolf
01-05-2005, 07:20 PM
For some time now, I've wondered why we have cable television in our county jail. Heck, I don't even have cable television in my home! I think prison life is too easy on these thugs. No wonder why homeless people commit crimes to try to get in prison.....3 square meals a day, cable television, a warm place to sleep, etc. Seems like the state and county are just giving some people incentives for committing crimes.

I agree with you patrick, This prison system is all Jacked Up. You wonder why so many people are committing so many crimes? Well, Just look at it. You get treated better in prison than out in the real world. Geez, You can even get a free education or various degrees without having to pay anything. There is something wrong with this picture. I think prisons should be a lot harsher than this. If they were, maybe less crimes would be committed.
---Just My Opinion

Midtowner
01-07-2005, 02:04 PM
I agree with you patrick, This prison system is all Jacked Up. You wonder why so many people are committing so many crimes? Well, Just look at it. You get treated better in prison than out in the real world. Geez, You can even get a free education or various degrees without having to pay anything. There is something wrong with this picture. I think prisons should be a lot harsher than this. If they were, maybe less crimes would be committed.
---Just My Opinion


That depends on whether you want prisons to punish or rehabilitate.

If you're in the business of punishing, there is going to be a much stronger likelihood of criminal recetivism. For those inmates that choose to pursue skills and degrees, there is truly a light at the end of the tunnel.