GUARDING TERRY NICHOLS 2000

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Terry Lynn Nichols (born April 1, 1955) was a U.S. Army veteran who was convicted of being an accomplice to Timothy McVeigh, the man convicted of murder in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S, April 19, 1995), which claimed 168 lives.
Nichols was convicted of eight counts of manslaughter in a United States District Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment in ADX Florence, a super max prison in Florence, Colorado. The state of Oklahoma then charged him with capital murder. The McAlester, Oklahoma trial started March 1, 2004. The jury selection and the testimony phase began on March 22 and he was convicted on August 9, of 161 counts of first-degree murder. As in the Federal trial, the jury spared him the death penalty and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Nichols since then has alleged that a high-ranking FBI official was directing Timothy McVeigh in the plot to blow up a government building and that plans may have changed the original target of the attack, according to a new affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Utah on February 9, 2007.

Somewhere around 27 October 2000, while working as a Lieutenant Jail Commander for the Oklahoma County Jail facility, I was temporarily re-assigned to guard Terry Nichols. My duties were to insure that he did not escape, would eat three meals a day, receive his one-hour exercise

period three times a week, did not communicate with any unauthorized person, that he received his proper cleaning supplies daily to clean his cell, to monitor anything or anyone having access to his living quarters area. Sight checks were made unannounced to monitor his activity. Normally, Terry spent a majority of his time preparing for his court case or going over his paperwork for his court defense or for other reasons. His medications were always given in a timely manner. The main door leading into his living area was behind two steel jail doors that remained locked at all times. Outside his cell door, a camera monitored all actions 24/7. Location of his holding area then cannot be disclosed for security reasons.

Terry and his daily actions were supervised twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week by a deputy sheriff or by myself. During his time in the County jail, Terry was never mistreated by anyone working the jail or who came into contact with him to my knowledge. Terry was a quiet person with a large sense of humor, who only spoke when needing something or asking a question, he appeared highly intelligent and acted respectively toward all officers at all times. He would not say anything else nor was he ever asked by anyone to elaborate about his alleged involvement in the Murrell building bombing.

He had a sense of humor now and then. One day during Terry's exercise period, a lady bug landed on my arm, I made the comment, "huh, a lady bug." Terry said to count the spots, and if there were seven spots, the bug was a poisonous Spanish beetle, I immediately flicked the bug off of my arm, he laughed. When I was finally transferred back to jail operations again … Terry managed to leave a written letter for me. I am not a judge or the executioner … nor was I a friend, I was a detention officer doing my job regardless of who the prisoner was, being a detention officer is never easy. You are always required to treat prisoners fairly, respectively, and honestly regardless of their crimes. I am writing this short story as to what occurred during the time I was watching over him. He was a prisoner under my care as any other prisoner I was required to supervise, no special treatment was given to him. The bombing was a major tragedy and that I had participated in the recovery of some remains, property items and in security operations for the United States Marshals Office. I have no opinions or statements concerning Terry Nichols other than what I have already written.

Below is a copy of the letter and drawings that he had given me.

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Some art work here ...

art

Story by Jim Heitmeyer

Copyright 2007 by Jim Heitmeyer

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jimspolice,

Jim,

I applaud your dedication and professionalism in performing your duties with regards to Mr. Nichols.

I couldn't do it as I flat out don't have it in me. I have always believed they made a serious error in judgement by not sending him to the execution chamber.

His assertion that he and McVeigh were directed to take that action by the FBI is shear lunacy. Why wasn't this ever brought up 12 years ago during the trials? Its just pure desperation resulting from his current reality.

First of all being assigned to watch over him was not easy due to the fact that Terry was very intelligent and knew the laws very well. I was ever so watchful not to say or do anything that would bring his lawyers down on me or the government at the time. Terry was a model prisoner as long as you did your job right or he would correct you real fast .. for reasons unknown to me. He definitely was not at all happy with our jail administrator back then anymore than the officers were. At times, policies and procedures generated were unrealistic or questionable .. but were enforced regardless of any ideas we had about them. No, it was not easy watching every little thing Terry said or did for documentation on the watch log. I myself made sure that no conversation involved the bombing or anything related to that issue, I didn't care to be dragged into court as a witness. The justice system as we know of it is a wide gray area of hits and misses ... therefore my opinion and thoughts are kept to myself and will continue to stay there. My story was not written to glorify Terry Nichols but to write the story as to my experience as a detention officer watching over him during my duties. Some people will find the article or story interesting especially the letter and drawing he had done. I only shared it with everyone who might have had an interest in his activities and information. I wish to thank you and everyone else for reading my article and especially for your comments. Thank you.