McVEIGH PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS (original) (raw)

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

                      FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT

TIMOTHY JAMES McVEIGH,

Petitioner-Defendant,

v. Case No. 96-_____

                                       (Case No. 96-CR-68-M below) 

HONORABLE RICHARD P. MATSCH,

Respondent.

 PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS OF PETITIONER-DEFENDANT, 

         TIMOTHY JAMES McVEIGH AND BRIEF IN SUPPORT 

                           MARCH 25, 1997

Stephen Jones, OBA #4805

Robert Nigh, Jr., OBA #011686

Richard Burr, FBA #407402

Jeralyn E. Merritt, Esquire

Cheryl A. Ramsey, OBA #7403

Christopher L. Tritico, TBA #20232050

                                    Of Counsel 

                                    Robert L. Wyatt, IV, OBA #13154 

                                    Michael D. Roberts, OBA #13764 

                                    James L. Hankins, OBA #15506 

                                    Randall T. Coyne, OBA #549013 

                                    Amber McLaughlin, TBA #1374098 

                                    Robert J. Warren, OBA #16123 

                                    Mandy Welch, TBA #21125380 

                                    Holly Hillerman, OBA #017055


                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                              PAGE NO.

OVERVIEW 1 I. INTRODUCTION 4 STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS 9 II. PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL MAGNITUDE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ALFRED P. MURRAH BUILDING 9 A. Immediate Effects of the Explosion 9 B. The Response of the Federal Government 13

  1. The Government's Immediate Response to the Bombing 14

a. Mobilization 14 b. Evidence From Public Sources of government Use of Intelligence Networks With Foreign Nations in the Investigation of the Alfred P. Murrah Building Bombing 16 C. CIA and NSA Investigation Protocol 17 2. Evidence of the International Scope of the Investigation and the Involvement of Organs of State Intelligence in

Several U.S. Domestic Bombing Cases Including the Alfred P. Murrah Building

                                                              21 
  1. The Investigative Focus Upon Foreign Terrorists 24

III. THE ARREST OF TIMOTHY McVEIGH 28 IV. THE GRAND JURY RETURNS THE INDICTMENT OF "OTHERS UNKNOWN" 29

                                  i

V. THE "OTHERS UNKNOWN" TO THE GRAND JURY 32 A. Elliott's Body Shop 32 B. Oklahoma City Eyewitnesses 34 C. Jeff Davis 35 D. Frederick Schlender 37 E. Legal Significance of the Existence of "Others Unknown" 38 VI. PRIOR WARNING, ATF INFORMANTS, AND POSSIBLE "OTHERS UNKNOWN" 38 A. Elohim City 38 B. Dennis Mahon, Andreas Strassmeir and Carol Howe 44

  1. Dennis Mahon 44
  2. Andreas Strassmeir 47
  3. Carol Howe and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 53

VII. BEYOND ELOHIM CITY 79 A. Suspect I, Posse Comitatus, and Iraq 79

  1. Posse Comitatus 79

B. Saudi Report Concerning Iraq 81 C. FBI Special Agent Kevin Foust 82 2. State Sponsorship Precedent 85 D. Israelis Present at the Bomb Site 89 E. A Subject of the Investigation in the Philippines 91

                                  ii

VIII. PROCEDURAL HISTORY OF DISCOVERY REQUESTS 101 A. Introduction 10l IX. GOVERNMENT EVASION OF ITS DISCOVERY RESPONSIBILITIES 111 A. The Government's Restrictive Definition of Brady 114 B. Counsel for the Government are Powerless to Effect Disclosure of Discoverable Information from National Intelligence Agencies 128 X. AUTHORITY 137 A. Judge Matsch's Denial of Mr. McVeigh's Discovery Motions is Reviewable Upon Petition for Writ of Mandamus 137 B. Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16 Entitles Mr. McVeigh to the Requested Discovery Material 138 C. The District Court Abused its Discretion by Denying Mr. McVeigh's Repeated Requests for Brady Material 142 D. Standard for Guidance in Search 144 E. Because the Material Sought by Mr. McVeigh is Material Both to Guilt and Punishment, the District Court's Abuse of Discretion Jeopardizes Both Stages of Mr. McVeigh's Capital Trial 146 X. SPECIFIC RELIEF REQUESTED 152 CERTIFICATE OF HAND DELIVERY 154

                                  ii

                      TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

United States Supreme Court Cases PAGE NO. Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U.S.51,58 (1988) 151 Bankers Life & Cas. Co. V. Holland, 346 U.S.379 (1953) 139 Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83(1963) passim Eddings v. Oklahoma, 455 U.S. 104, 110-12(1982) 147 Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150(1972) passim Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S.419, 115 S. Ct. 1555, 1565-68, 131 L Ed. 2d490 (1995). 115, 142, 143, 14S, 151 Roche v. Evaporated Milk Assn., 319 U.S.21(1943) 137 Snepp v. United States, 444 U.S.507, 512 (1980) 16 United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S.97, 110(1976) 145 United State v. Bagley, 473 U.S.667, 675(1985) 151 United States v. Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States, 418 U.S. 683(1974) 136 Will v. United States, 389 U.S. 90, 95(1967) 137

                                 iv
                                   

Other Federal Cases

Chaney v. Brown, 730 F.2d1334, 1345 (10th Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 496 U.S. 1090(1984) 146, 147, 148 Hopkinson v. Shillinger, 781 F. Supp. 737 (D. Wyo. 1991) 150, 151, 152 In re Joint Eastern & Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation, 22 F. 2d755(7th Cir. 1994) 137 Nichols v. Alley, 71 F.3d347(10th Cir. 1995) 12 Smith v. Secretary of New Mexico Department of Corrections, 50 F.3d801, 824(10th Cir.1995) 144, 145, 146 Texaco, Inc. v. Chandler, 354 F. 2d655(10th Cir. 1965), cert. denied, 383 U.S. 936(1966) 137 United States v. Clegg, 740 F.2d 16, 18 (9th Cir.1984) 139 United States ex rel Smith v. Fairman, 769 F.2d386, 391-93 (7th Cir. 1985) 145 United States v. Fernandez, 913 F.2d 148, 154 (4th Cir. 1990 ) 138 United States v. George, 786 F. Sup. 11, 13(D.D.C> 1991) 140 United States v. LaRouche, 695 F. Supp. 1265, 1281 (D. Mass. 1988) 145 United States v. Mandel, 914 F. 2d 1215, 1219 (9th Cir. 1990) 139 United States v. McAnderson, 914 F. 2d934(7th Cu. 1990) 85

                                  v

United States v. McVeigh, 923 F.Supp.1310,1313(D.Colo.1996) 114,130 United States v. Perdomo, 929 F.2d967-978(3d Cir.1991) 144 United States v. Penix, 516 F.Supp.248, 255 (W.D. Okla. 1981) 30,104 United States v. Poindexter, 727 F.Supp.1470(D.D.C.1989), rev.d on other "rounds, 951 F.2d366(D.C. Cir. 1991) 141,142 United States v. Rahman, 870 F.Supp.47,51(S.D.N.Y.1994) 142,143,151 United States v. Rewald, 889 F.2d836 (9th Cir.1989) 15 United States v. Rezaq, 156 F.R.D.514,519(D.D.C.1994) 140 United States v. Ritter, 272 F.2d30,32(10th Cir.1959), cert. denied, 362 U.S.950(1960) 137 United States v. Trevino, 556 F.2d1265, 1272 (5th Cir.1977) 144 United States v. Yunis, 867 F.2d617,623(D.C.1989) 140 United States v. Yunis, 924 F.2d1086,1095(D.C.Cir.1991) 140 United States v. Zuno-Arce, 44 F.3d 1420, 1427 (9th Cir.1995) 144

Other Authorities

28 U.S.C.'1651(a) 137 Fed.R.Crin.P.16(a)(1)(C) 129, 138,139

                                 vi