Return to Transcripts main page
Breaking News
Execution Delay Draws Mixed Reactions
Aired May 11, 2001 - 13:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Just to bring up to date on the events of the past few minutes: Attorney General John Ashcroft has delayed until June 11, now, the federal execution of Timothy McVeigh, convicted in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.
One person who has told us he is excited about this delay is in Kansas City. We're going talk to him now. Todd McCarthy is the son of a man who was killed in the bombing, and who says that, because he opposes the death penalty, this will provide time to discuss the sanctity of life
Mr. McCarthy, are you with us now?
TODD MCCARTHY, SON OF BOMBING VICTIM: Yes, sir; thank you.
FRAZIER: You are, in fact, pleased about this. What is it you'd like to do with the time this affords you?
MCCARTHY: Well, I hope the time that we now have, through June 11 -- and I pray that it doesn't happen then -- but I hope it's enough time to give people pause; to really consider the whole death penalty, in its entirety and realize that, while there were over 1 billion -- evidently 1 billion pieces of information in this case, and there's only 3,000 that they forgot to hand over, who knows what's in those 3,000.
I am not in any way, you know, saying that there was a conspiracy theory. I believe Mr. McVeigh did it. I have openly forgiven him. I pray for him and his family.
The death penalty is wrong. If it can happen, you know, I think, actually, what really upset me about Mr. Ashcroft's comment was someone asked him about the appropriateness of the death penalty. He looked a little upset, and then that was his last question. This is not about Timothy McVeigh. This is about you, this is about everybody else who doesn't have the notoriety of Mr. McVeigh, who didn't have the resources that Mr. McVeigh had.
We're seeing left and right, just last week in Oklahoma City -- or in Oklahoma there was a person who had been on -- in prison for 15 years, having been convicted of rape who was completely exonerated. You know, what if this was somebody else other than Tim McVeigh and it was next Thursday when these articles were found, and they did prove somebody innocent? You can't bring somebody back from death.
I miss my father every day of my life; he was my confidant. My mother misses him, my sister, my brother. But my mother and my father taught us to believe in the sanctity of life. That which God made no man has the right to take away, and constantly having it thrown back at me, well, the Bible also says, you know, an eye for an eye.
The killing has to stop. He had no right to do what he did in Oklahoma City. I believe there's a greater law outside of our federal law that says that we don't have right to take a life. And I hope this 30 days will give people pause to think about not whether it's appropriate for Mr. McVeigh, but whether this could happen to somebody else, whether this could happen to you.
FRAZIER: Todd McCarthy speaking to us from his work in Kansas City Kansas. Mr. McCarthy, thank you very much.
MCCARTHY: Thank you, sir.
FRAZIER: Natalie.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: And Martin Savidge is at the site of the federal building. Of course, it's no longer there; there's a memorial there now.
We've been seeing people walking around, Martin -- he joins us now.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Natalie.
This is a busy place; typically it's a solemn place as well; a gathering point for many people as they come to the national memorial. People today, though, seemed surprised over the events that have developed in the last 18 hours or so. Family members and the community as a whole here in Oklahoma City is shocked, they are dismayed, they're frustrated. And the family members say that this delay only adds to the pain and anguish that they have been going through leading up to the anticipated execution that was to happen on Wednesday.
As we talk to people that are strolling the grounds here at the memorial, many of them are surprised to learn, now, that it appears that execution has been delayed. Whether or not that's what drew them here in the first place to attend this memorial isn't clear, but most people weren't prepared for the news that they now have learned.
So, for the family members, more anguish, more waiting, and it appears that Timothy McVeigh has the last say.
Back to you, Natalie.
ALLEN: Martin Savidge in Oklahoma City; those family members speaking different from the family member that you just spoke with. And we'll continue to get more reaction.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
