Timothy McVeigh By: Jonathan Villacis

Background Information McVeigh was a child of divorced parents and was raised by his father. McVeigh was shy student, he had few friends, and was often the victim of bullying. Upon graduating high school he attended Bryant and Stratton College until dropping out and joining the army. McVeigh served in the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm, and was a decorated soldier. His anti-government feelings originated during his time in the military. He attempted to join the Army’s Special Forces, but was deemed unfit by the psychiatric profile test and quit. He then worked many dead end jobs, until he traveled across the country in search of his old army friends. McVeigh would write letters to newspapers and local government leaders complaining about taxes, laws, and other social issues. He tried finding love, but after being rejected he began obsessively gambling and fell into major financial debt. McVeigh had an interest in firearms, he spent much of his time attending gun shows and reading gun magazines.

Crimes Timothy McVeigh constructed and detonated a ANMM explosive device, placed it in a rented truck, and parked the truck in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK. The explosion killed one hundred sixty eight people and injured more than five hundred others. This was his first criminal offense. McVeigh was indicted on eleven federal counts, including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, use of a weapon of mass destruction, destruction by explosives, and eight counts of first-degree murder. The defense argued that McVeigh’s bombing of the Murrah was a justifiable response to the U.S. government sieging the Branch Davidian Complex for fifty one days which resulted in the deaths of seventy six people.

Criminal Terms Weapon of mass destruction- a chemical, biological or radioactive weapon capable of causing widespread death and destruction. Indict- formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime. First Degree Murder- an unlawful killing that is both willful and premeditated, meaning that it was committed after planning or "lying in wait" for the victim.

Evidence/Sentence When police found McVeigh after the bombing he was wearing T-shirt with a picture of Abraham Lincoln and the motto “Thus Always to Tyrants,”the state motto of Virginia and the words shouted by John Wilkes Booth after he shot Lincoln. On the back it had a tree with a picture of three blood droplets and a Thomas Jefferson quote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from the time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. The FBI traced the Vehicle Identification Number to back to automobile rental place. The workers helped the FBI compose a sketch of the renter and identified him as Timothy McVeigh. McVeigh wrote two letters to the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco and Firearms claiming he was done with the propaganda stage on to the action stage. He also confessed his plans to his friends Gwenda Strider and Fortier. McVeigh was found guilty on all eleven counts of federal indictment and was given the death penalty by the jury. McVeigh was executed by lethal injection in the U.S. Federal Penitentiary in Indiana.

Quotes/Nicknames “I am sorry these people had to lose their lives. But that's the nature of the beast. It's understood going in what the human toll will be. ” said by Timothy McVeigh "Without saying a word, he got the final word.” said by Larry Whicher after McVeigh refused to make a verbal statement before he was executed. Bullies called him “Noodle McVeigh” was called “The Road Warrior” for owning a Chevy Geo Spectrum. Used the alias’s Tim Tuttle, Darel Bridges, and Robert Kling while attending gun shows.

Cultural References There are several cultural references made about Timothy McVeigh including the songs: "Chaos Aggressor" –Hexen "Framed" – U.S. Bombs "The Ballad of Timothy McVeigh" – Snog "The Proud" – Talib Kweli "Little Timmy Scumbag" – Cruachan However there are no mentions of McVeigh in television or movies.

Sociological Theory The sociological theory that describes Timothy McVeigh and his criminal actions is the Conflict theory. Since McVeigh could not find a successful career or achieve true love and settle down he took out his anger and frustration on society in a form of rebellion. He believed that society was unfair and the people in power were corrupt and make laws that keep citizens down. McVeigh thought that the tax system was unfair and he thought the government was trying to take away everything from him. McVeigh felt the only way to change society and the government was through taking action. He was done having his anti- government propaganda ignored. McVeigh was devoted to the United States Declaration of Independence. In McVeigh’s eyes anyone that supported the government was a traitor and equally guilty. McVeigh thought U.S. citizens deserved more freedoms, but were having there rights limited by unjust and unfair laws. He would visit conspiracy sites to defy the government’s restrictions. After he committed the bombing of the Murrah building he thought he was saving the U.S. from the tyrants that are government officials. McVeigh would have done it again because in his mind it was the only way to bring any change.