Reaction to Judge Matsch's Stay Denial
Reaction to U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch's ruling that the execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh should go forward.
Bombing survivor Paul Heath, who attended Wednesday's hearing: "This will be one of the last chapters in the Timothy McVeigh saga. I hope for this survivor from now on it will not be Timothy McVeigh. It will be, 'Timothy Who?'"
Attorney General John Ashcroft: "I believe that we have satisfied the responsibility, completely and fairly, that the system operate innocently and fairly ... and it is an appropriate ruling, for which I am grateful."
"We've never had a doubt about the guilt of Timothy McVeigh."
"I want to commend the victims who have had additional months of uncertainty here. I know the pain and distress. I know the wounds. I know the absence of loved ones."
Jannie Coverdale, who lost two grandsons in the explosion and had hoped for a stay: "I'm wondering now that if Tim is executed, will we ever know? We have been fighting so long for the truth. I have no confidence in the government now. They've lied to us for six years. We need to know who killed our little ones."
Survivor Calvin Moser: "When you look at the number of documents that they acquired, there's bound to be mistakes made. During the trials, you could just see boxes and boxes of stuff that they brought in. It was nothing more than human mistake. I can't imagine the citizens of the United States really not trying to do the proper job when this happened. It's such a slap in the face to our society here in America."
Prosecutor Sean Connelly: "Judge Matsch's ruling was a powerful eloquent statement, not only about the law associated with the case but about the tremendous harm and devastation caused by Timothy McVeigh."
Defense attorney Rob Nigh: "We are extremely dissapointed in the court's ruling today. ... We will file on Mr. McVeigh's behalf an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, and it is to that issue that we must turn our immediate attention."
McVeigh's father, Bill: "He's going to get executed sooner or later. Most people know he did it, so .... I think the longer he lives, the better. It's easiest on me but, like I said, it's going to happen eventually."
"It's a shame to see the FBI goofed up. but evidently it didn't make much difference."
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