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Nichols Trial Bogs Down in Forensic Scientistsâ Squabbles
... Frederic Whitehurst, testifying for the defense, said an FBI forensic scientist he trained himself, Steven Burmeister, also lied when he testified that the crystals came from the kind of fertilizer believed to have been used in the bombing. .... Whitehurstâs testimony focused on a shredded piece of plywood recovered two days after the bombing that authorities believe came from the cargo container of the Ryder truck that delivered the bomb. The debris, found in a parking lot across the street from the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, is the only direct evidence of the explosive used. Whitehurst said he saw the crystals through a microscope after Burmeister discovered them, but that it was impossible to say whether the crystals were embedded or sprinkled on the debris as a result of contamination. ... Nicholsâ lawyers are grasping at straws. McVeigh rented the truck that blew up in front of the building. McVeigh and Nichols together bought large quantities of fertilizer. This line of defense is futile. Nichols ought to testify in his own defense. He really has nothing to lose, and he could at least present his own justifications for his actions. Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-05-20 |
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