U.S. taxpayers spent almost $6.3 million on Terry Nichols' defense in his federal case in Denver and another $107,428 on his federal appeals, records show.
The totals have stayed secret for years, until Nichols' state case was complete.
Nichols, 50, is serving life sentences without the possibility of release for his role in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. He was allowed free legal help because he couldn't afford it.
"The system of public funding for legal representation, particularly in capital cases, is an important guaranty of constitutional rights," said his lead federal attorney, Michael Tigar. "All lawyers ought to support its wise use."
Tigar was paid $125 an hour, much less than his usual fee.
Tigar said Friday that lawyers tried to economize. He said they would have spent less if the federal government hadn't hid information, such as facts about another suspect, survivalist Steve Colbern. He said a lot of money was spent "to smoke out" information.
In his federal case, Nichols was indicted in 1995, went to trial in 1997 and was sentenced in 1998. Tigar said, to put things in perspective, that legal fees in complex civil cases can be as much as $1 million a month, even during the 1990s.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch and the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released the Nichols' defense totals earlier this year. They acted in response to requests from The Oklahoman.
The totals do not include what was spent on Nichols' defense in 1995 before the federal case was moved to Colorado.
Nichols' defense in his state case cost $4.12 million. Most of that came from the Oklahoma County court fund, a collection of civil case fees, criminal fines, bond forfeitures and other money paid to the court clerk.
U.S. taxpayers spent $15 million on bomber Timothy McVeigh's defense at trial and his appeals.
The federal government in 1998 reported spending $82,506,558 to investigate the bombing and prosecute the federal cases.
Nichols' defense in his state case cost $4.12 million. Most of that came from the Oklahoma County court fund ...
