Don Nickles: “Mr. President, we introduce this legislation on behalf of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing and other victims of…”

“Mr. President, we introduce this legislation on behalf of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing and other victims of crime. This legislation will clarify the rights of victims to attend and observe the trial of the accused and also testify at the sentencing hearing. The Victim Rights Clarification Act is necessary because a Federal judge interpreted his sequestration power as authorizing the exclusion of victims of crime from trial who will only be witnesses at sentencing. The district judge presiding over the Oklahoma City bombing case basically gave the victims and their families two choices. They could attend the trial and witness the trial--or in this case we have closed-circuit TV for the families, since the trial is actually in Denver and many of the families are in Oklahoma City.”