Homegrown: OKC Episode 7: United States Vs Timothy McVeigh
Apr 2, 2024
Stephen Jones, the defense attorney who represented Timothy McVeigh, reflects on taking a high-risk, high-profile murder trial. He describes meetings with McVeigh, a strategy focused on conspiracy and reasonable doubt, clashes with media leaks, and courtroom ethics amid intense scrutiny.
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McVeigh's Contradictory Trial Goals
- Timothy McVeigh wanted both to take credit for the bombing and to avoid the government being vindicated in court.
- Stephen Jones saw this as contradictory and central to his difficulty building a coherent defense strategy.
Judge Personally Asked Jones To Take The Case
- Federal Judge Richard Mache called Stephen Jones and personally asked him to represent the defendant.
- The judge told Jones he was picked because he was "big enough to take the hit," which Jones accepted after consulting his family.
Private Transcript And Polygraph Suggested Hidden Accomplice
- Stephen Jones conducted an eight-hour private, transcribed interview with McVeigh and administered a polygraph that suggested McVeigh was protecting someone else.
- The polygraph examiner felt "absolutely no doubt" McVeigh was keeping another's identity secret.
