News Briefs
May 30,1996
Web posted at: 10:45 p.m. EDT
Courtroom audio tapes off limits in Oklahoma City bombing trial
DENVER (CNN) -- News media will no longer be allowed to broadcast excerpts from court sessions in the Oklahoma City bombing case, under a ruling handed down by the trial judge.
Federal Judge Richard Matsch on Wednesday ordered a permanent halt to public access to audio tapes made by court personnel recording everything that is said in the courtroom.
Defense lawyers had objected to the airing of the audio tapes after a court hearing in April when CNN and others made widespread broadcast use of a prosecutor's words saying the evidence pointed solely to suspects Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols -- and no one else -- as, "the masterminds of this bombing."
The judge has used the audio recordings as the official record for most proceedings in his courtroom over the last 10 years. He noted, however, that the official record for this case is being taken by a court stenographer. He also stated in his ruling that broadcasts from the courtroom are forbidden by federal court regulations.
McVeigh and Nichols are awaiting trial on charges of murder, terrorism and conspiracy in the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building.
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