CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In Oklahoma City, convicted bombing co- conspirator Terry Nichols has another court date today. This time to find out whether a judge will dismiss state murder charges against him. It is the latest defense move in the 1995 bombing case, and CNN's Tony Clark is in Oklahoma City this morning to give us an update. Hi, Tony.</s>TONY CLARK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. In fact, Terry Nichols was brought here to Oklahoma at the end of January to face charges here in Oklahoma, state charges. He faces 160 first-degree murder charges, as well as a manslaughter charge, conspiracy charge, and an aiding and counseling in the placement of a bomb charge here in Oklahoma. This morning, Nichols' attorney will argue that those charges should be dropped because of double jeopardy. He will argue that the Oklahoma Constitution prohibits an individual from being prosecuted in state court after they have already been tried in federal court. Prosecutors will counter that this is a different case against Terry Nichols, that the evidence will be different in this than the federal case, and that the 160 murder charges are charges for murders that were not covered in the federal case. In the Oklahoma City bombing, there were eight law enforcement agents who were killed among the 168 people, the federal trial dealt with those eight people, the state charges deal with the 160 other charges. If the charges against Nichols are not dropped the will face a preliminary hearing here in Oklahoma, that preliminary hearing expected to last at least three weeks. The preliminary hearing already scheduled for this August. Tony Clark, CNN, Oklahoma City.
Terry Nichols Defense Lawyers Claim Double Jeopardy in Oklahoma State Murder Charges, Seek Dismissal