Jury deadlock spares Terry Nichols' life in trial

IndyStar.com/June 12, 2004

McAlester, Okla. -- Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols was again spared the death penalty Friday when jurors who convicted him of 161 state murder counts deadlocked over his sentence, six years after a federal jury reached a similar impasse.

The hung jury denies prosecutors the death sentence they first demanded nearly a decade ago while the bodies were still being pulled from the twisted ruins of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

Jurors announced they could not reach a verdict after deliberating for about 191/2 hours over three days. Nichols will be sentenced by Judge Steven Taylor, who is required by law to sentence Nichols to life in prison.