At the time of his arrest on charges that he helped bomb the federal building, Terry Nichols owned $10,000 worth of guns and government surplus, according to a financial affidavit.
The document - one of more than 300 in the case sealed with little or no explanation - was released Wednesday by a federal magistrate after The Associated Press and other news organizations filed legal challenges.Nichols also listed income of $1,000 per month and $45,000 in debts on the form, which is required in order to qualify for a government-paid attorney. He listed his other assets as $5,000 in cash, $5,000 in coins, a pickup truck valued at $1,500 and $3,000 equity in his Herington, Kan., house.
Nichols and co-defendant Timothy McVeigh could face the death penalty if convicted on federal murder and conspiracy charges for the April 19 bombing that killed 169 people.
U.S. Magistrate Ronald Howland held a hearing Wednesday on the documents, but only the financial affidavit was released because defense attorneys objected that Nichols and McVeigh were not allowed to attend the hearing. Howland set a Dec. 13 hearing that the defendants will attend.