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CNN Live Sunday

McVeigh Calm and 'Prepared to Die'

Aired June 10, 2001 - 17:02   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: With the Timothy McVeigh execution, there are a series of firsts: the first federal execution in 38 years, and the first time the U.S. government has used lethal injection. We begin our coverage this hour in Terre Haute, where McVeigh's lawyers spoke a short time ago. Joining us there is CNN's Bill Hemmer -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Marty, good afternoon to you from western Indiana. The attorneys, Nathan Chambers and Robert Nigh just met with reporters a short time ago. This, following a meeting about one hour in length with Timothy McVeigh. The attorneys described the convicted bomber as even, calm and "prepared to die."

However, a numbers of questions too about some of the excerpts printed today in the Buffalo news, including the comment you just broadcast there, Marty: about the words "sorry." Reporters were asking attorneys to clarify what exactly McVeigh meant. Here is Robert Nigh, one of the attorneys responding to that just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT HIGH, MCVEIGH ATTORNEY: I think the way Mr. McVeigh would explain it would be to say, in his mind, it was a military action; and I think we ask people in military positions to inflict death and destruction, and we do that; it's a reality of life that we do that.

Now, when a pilot drops a bomb on a group of people from a foreign country and innocent women and children die, he cannot feel good about that; he would not ask him to. And we know that he does not. I think Mr. McVeigh sees a very close parallel to that situation and his own.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Again, attorneys a short time ago here in the fields outside the prison in Terre Haute. The attorneys do say they expect to go back inside the prison early tomorrow morning, sometime before 5 a.m. local time, to have another final and short meeting with the convicted bomber.

Meantime, before the sun came up today in Indiana, a transport van carried Timothy McVeigh from death row into right now where he's being held, a holding cell. The van transported McVeigh, taking time, about 20 minutes, to complete about a 500-yard transfer. The holding cell where McVeigh will spend the night tonight is equipped with a bed, a table, and a 24-hour watch by guards on duty.

It's also understanding, late today, that McVeigh has been given the privilege of a small television equipped with cable television to watch in his final hours this evening and into tomorrow morning.

Also, the other stories surrounding the events here has to do with demonstrators and protesters, who have come to Terre Haute, Indiana. You may remember, on the original execution date, back on the 16 of May, they expected thousands and thousands of protesters, both for and against the execution to come here to Terre Haute.

However, it is unclear if they will come anywhere close to those numbers in terms of protesters. The police chief in Terre Haute, James Horrall, is our guest right now here live in Terre Haute.

Sir, good afternoon to you. What are you hearing about what we gathering here about the protesters with the anticipation of tomorrow morning?

CHIEF JAMES HORRALL, TERRE HAUTE POLICE: We have been in contact with Amnesty International and other groups here. Back in May, they couldn't tell us the number. Today, they still can't tell us the number of what they are expecting. They do expect the numbers to be down, because of the delays in the appeal...

HEMMER: They say it's down, but down how much?

HORRALL: They couldn't tell us how many they thought was coming. So we're anticipating in an area of 500 to 1,000.

HEMMER: How are things going thus far? How have you beefed up your staff in preparations for Monday morning?

HORRALL: We have gone to our 12-hour shifts, which has allowed us two-man cars out in the city of Terre Haute, as well as -- we've initiated a cop-control unit for both parts. And the main responsibility to control the parks and assist the prison in the getting protesters down from the federal prison.

HEMMER: What about outside law enforcement? Have you taken in other people from other jurisdictions?

HORRALL: Yes, the Indiana state police of course. They are providing us with approximately 100 troopers. The sheriff's department have about 30, 35 officers. The Brazil City police department has loaned us a couple officers to help, too. As well as the Bloomington Police Department; they are sending up a special response team to assist ours.

HEMMER: How concerned are you, going into the night, tonight and tomorrow, of security concerns here?

HORRALL: Well, we have done everything that we believe we can do. We have been having meetings on this for months. We have brought in the FBI, ATF, the United States Marshals, so we have got our plan. We have blocked off what streets we felt needed to be; and it's just a matter of sitting back and seeing what happens now.

HEMMER: Thus far, how would you describe things? How have they gone?

HORRALL: Typical Sunday in Terre Haute. Other than down here on 63 with the traffic congestion, I notice a lot of out of town plates that, it seems like we're making the circuit from the parks to the media grounds here.

HEMMER: I will take it that's a positive indication on your part.

HORRALL: Yes.

HEMMER: School closings tomorrow. Summer school is suspended a day, county, city offices closed as well. Why is that?

HORRALL: It is to allow us -- if the schools were open, we were going to put policemen at the schools and if the city offices were open, we would have people outside the perimeter of security. By doing this, this has allowed us to concentrate more on the city, as well as the commitment to the prison.

HEMMER: All right, James Horrall, police chief here in Terre Haute. We appreciate your time with us today. Best of luck tonight going into tomorrow on Monday.

HORRALL: Thank you.

HEMMER: We're about 15 hours away as the clock continues to tick down towards, again, the lethal injection of Timothy McVeigh, scheduled to die here in Terre Haute, 7 a.m. Central Time local time tomorrow morning.

Marty, back to you in Atlanta.

SAVIDGE: Bill, thank you very much.

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