“A Revisit of the 1995 Execution of Timothy McVeigh”
By: Michael Friedman, ICISF member since 1996
A BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
I am updating an article I wrote for the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists that was published in their quarterly newsletter, TRAUMALINES, Issue III, 2001.
In 1992, I was living in Tulsa, OK and needed continuing education hours. My supervisor suggested I take the Red Cross’ Disaster Mental Health Class. I took the 2 day class not knowing at the time my professional life was going to change. I continued to take different Red Cross classes and became a responder for them both locally and nationally. I found the responsibilities and challenges of responding very rewarding. On April 19, 1995, my professional future changed dramatically. Three days after the Murrah Federal Building was bombed, the Red Cross sent me to Oklahoma City (OKC). After checking in and clearing security, I was sent to the Behavior Health office where I met Ms. Dusty Rhodes, the Red Cross Behavior Health Officer. Ms. Rhodes wasted no time in asking me if I had been trained in the Mitchell model. I replied, “No” and she said sit over there for now. I didn’t realize that was my introduction to the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Along this new path, I was referred to Bruce Blythe and Pamela Porter at Crisis Management International (CMI) in Atlanta, GA. CMI provided me with more training and mentorship which prepared me to become a crisis consultant responder and eventually a trainer for them. CMI provided me the opportunity to respond in 20 states and 6 foreign countries. But I also realized I needed to continue to update and sharpen my CISM skills. I began seeking out additional training by attending ICISF’s regional training and their bi-annual World Congress.
ICISF has a variety of training courses presented by individuals who have done the work. As an example, it is not uncommon for a fireman, law enforcement officer, hospital administrator, behavior health professional or Chaplin who are not only competent in their respective professional fields but have the acquired the skills of being an instructor of CISM skills. Pamela Porter refers to them as “trenchers”. At a World Congress ICISF has CISM teams and individual presenters from the United States and different countries present on how they have responded to and used CISM strategies and tools at a variety of different critical incidents. These presentations are invaluable as you learn how other CISM teams and individuals have responded. You now have others you can reach out to and benefit from lessons learned. However, I never came across a presentation regarding an execution. While each critical incident or event we respond to has its own characteristics, theme(s), twists and turns, the skills and strategies of CISM can be applied. This is a lesson I have come to learn over time. Not having any reference(s) regarding an execution (personal or experiential) left me very uneasy as to what to expect. Sharing what played out procedurally, emotionally and physically for me leading up to McVeigh’s execution is one of the reasons I’ve updated this article. The second reason is trusting your ICISF training.
THE CALL
On Monday, April 16, 2001, I received a call from Ms. Dalia Lehman, the Director of the Victim Advocacy program with the U.S. Attorney’s office in OKC. Ms. Lehman asked me if I would be one of three mental health professionals to provide behavioral health support services to the survivors and family members viewing the closed circuit viewing of Timothy McVeigh’s execution. Without any hesitation I accepted. Ms. Lehman informed me that Jim Norman would be accompanying the Oklahoma delegation to view McVeigh’s execution in Terre Haute, Indiana. Joining me at the at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) would be Jay Martin and Kent Matthews. They had been involved with Project Heartland, which provided educational and counseling services to survivors and family members of the Murrah Federal Building bombing. In addition, there would be five U.S. Attorney Victim Advocates who had been assisting the survivors and family members over the past 6 years.
Almost immediately after the call, I began to realize that my own level of general anxiety was beginning to rise. I had been working with survivors, family members and first responders for the past 6 years and had heard and seen things I would never have imagined. However, I had never seen a person die, much less executed.
My immediate schedule had me attending ICISF’s 6th World Congress in Baltimore, April 17th – 22nd. With the opportunity to network at the World Congress, I was optimistic I would come across another peer, chaplain or first responder who might have some information and/or knew someone who could provide me with information on what to expect regarding an execution. I was discouraged and disappointed that did not happen. I quickly began to realize I was joining a very small club.
At ICISF’s World Congress, I was directed to Victor Welzant, Psy.D. (ICISF board member at that time). Victor referred me to Nancy Bohl. I knew Nancy from my participation in the Critical Incident Workshop (CIW). Nancy was the Primary Facilitator for the month I attended. The best way to describe the CIW is a multi-day, self-contained Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) that came out of the FBI. One of the developers was FBI agent and ICISF member James Horn who had recently retired from the FBI and was living in Stillwater, OK. The CIW was staffed with a primary facilitator, psychologist, a first responder and Chaplin. They had ICISF training and experience. The CIW had been up and running for approximately 6 years and met monthly, providing CISM services to those impacted by the Murrah Federal Building bombing. Victor also referred me to Kathy Thomas who is a psychologist in Stillwater, OK and the psychologist for the CIW. At the time Victor was not aware that I had joined the CIW staff as a second psychologist and primary facilitator. Kathy and I recently talked over lunch about what it would be like to “work” the execution. Had Kathy not had a previous commitment to work “Police Week” in Washington, D.C., I’m sure she would have been asked to work the closed-circuit viewing. The one common strategy that Nancy, Kathy and I came up with was to be a compassionate presence but not actually view the execution.
I left Baltimore still searching for what May 16th had in store for me. Upon returning to Tulsa, I turned to my peers and the faith community. I talked to 2 chaplains in OKC. Joe Williams was with the FBI and Jack Poe was with the OKC police department and subsequently the Secret Service (both were on the staff of the CIW). Chaplin Poe was my training partner for the CIW. However, neither could provide me with the information I felt I needed. I then went to my Rabbi, Charles Sherman (police Chaplin) and he was not able to provide me as to what to expect. However, help was around the corner.
Upon returning to Tulsa, Ms. Lehman called me and let me know that I needed to be at U.S. Attorney General’s office at 11:30 on May 3rd. There was going to be an in service at the FTC in OKC regarding the protocol that would be followed for McVeigh’s execution. At last I would be getting the information I felt I needed and my anxiety level began dropping.
The in-service was very helpful. Members of the Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Division conducted it. The primary speaker was John Dingman, a psychologist from their department in the Mid-Atlantic region who had been involved with several executions. His presentation of the Terre Haute facility, McVeigh’s schedule two weeks out from his execution date and what we would see, hear and experience the morning of his execution was very helpful and informative. The presentation took about two-and-a-half hours. The mental health professionals were also informed that we would not be present for the actual viewing of McVeigh’s execution, only the survivors and family members would be able to view the execution. During the time McVeigh was on screen and until he was pronounced dead to those viewing in Terre Haute, we would be in an adjacent room, ready to provide any services for those requesting them. There was a discussion with the BOP personnel regarding whether the behavioral health providers should be allowed to view the execution, along with the individuals we have provided services to over the past 6 years. The BOP took this under advisement and told us we would have an answer before May 16th. I had my questions addressed and my anxiety level was still slightly elevated.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2001
The plan for the day was to begin at approximately 1:30 AM. I’ll already be in OKC and drive to Federal Aviation Center (FAC) hanger and report for work by 3:00 AM. I’ll check in and be cleared by security. During the next 7 to 8 hours, I’ll be with the survivors and family members who will start arriving at 4:00 AM. The U.S Attorney’s office is expecting approximately 310 individuals to attend the closed-circuit viewing.
Once individuals start to arrive, clear security and check in, we will be transported to the FTC, about a 7minute bus ride. There were light refreshments for those attending. One of the 3 mental health professionals or a U.S Attorney’s Victim Advocate will accompany them on the bus. Also, on site there will be a physician and a nurse, as several elderly and medically fragile individuals indicated they wanted to attend the viewing. At 6:40 AM, the family members and survivors will view a 9-minute video letting them see the Terre Haute facility, McVeigh’s cell, and the building and cell in which he will spend his last 2 – 3 days. Finally, they will see the execution room.
The execution will begin at 7:00 AM. There will be two people in the room with McVeigh – the warden and a U.S. Marshall. The warden will ask the U.S. Marshall to check the phone for any last-minute reprieve. If none, the warden will ask McVeigh if he has a last statement. McVeigh would be allowed two minutes to speak if he chose to do so. After that, the first of three chemicals will begin to drip. McVeigh should die painlessly within 4 – 10 minutes.
After he has been pronounced dead, the family members and victims will be informed that they have three options at this point: 1) Return by bus to the FAC hanger and choose to go home and/or go to OKC National Memorial; 2) Return to the FAC and meet with the press or 3) remain at the FTC and stay as long as they want, talking with friends or behavior health provider. Upon leaving the FTC, I’ll go down to the OKC Memorial and be a compassionate presence for the family and survivors I have gotten to know over the past 6 years and then drive back to Tulsa.
THE GLITCH
On May 10th the FBI disclosed that they had located additional documents that had not been turned in. This obviously presented a problem. My thoughts were with the families and survivors and wondering how this recent turn of events would impact them and for how long it would go on. However, within 24 hours, the United States Attorney General John Ashcroft set a new execution date for June 11, 2001. On two occasions after that statement, he indicated that there would be no further delays with the execution and the documents provided no new information that would bear on the case. On May 31, 2001, Rob Nigh met with McVeigh to determine if he wanted to appeal. McVeigh decided to request a “stay of execution.” The primary reason was not to overturn the verdict but to put the government on trial and demonstrate that justice was not served. Judge Matsch heard the request and ruled that there would be no stayed granted. McVeigh’s attorneys appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (3 judges) and within 48 hours, they upheld Judge Matsch’s ruling. There was still the U.S. Supreme Court, however, McVeigh realized his fate was sealed and that he would not be able to put the government “on trial.” He dropped his appeal and would die as scheduled on Monday, June 11, 2011.
I received a call from the U.S. Attorney’s office and was informed that I needed to be in OKC at 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 10th for another briefing. At that time, I would probably find out if the behavior health providers would be allowed to view or not. At the June 10th meeting we were given a step-by-step scenario as to our schedule for the next 24 hours. We were also informed that the behavioral health personnel would not view the 5 – 10 minutes of the actual execution. After the meeting, I went back to my hotel and tried to eat a light meal. I made a couple of calls and tried to get some sleep. I was awakened by a telephone call from Kathy Thomas. In our conversation, we realized we both had been experiencing some vicarious trauma over the years with similar physical, emotional and cognitive reactions associated with the Murrah Federal Building bombing and McVeigh’s upcoming execution. After talking with Kathy, I called my wife, and she assured me I was prepared as I could be for the events that were about to unfold. Sleep came a lot easier.
The next day’s events went off without a glitch. Family members and survivors began arriving at 3:30 AM. Some of them were dressed very casually and others were dressed in their going to worship clothes. Everyone was polite, serious and as comfortable as one can be as they were with a group of individuals with a shared experience that was entering the next chapter. No one was in a celebratory mood. Attorney General John Ashcroft addressed the group. This was unexpected but greatly appreciated by all attending. He did not use any notes but spoke from the previous meeting he had with some of the family members and victims of the bombing. He spoke for approximately 15 minutes, receiving a standing ovation when he finished.
At 6:55 AM, Jay, Kent and I were escorted to a small adjoining room and waited until McVeigh was pronounced dead. During that time, I said a couple of prayers. I also prayed for McVeigh’s immediate family. On June 11th, they also lost a son and a brother. When we were able to come out and be with the survivors and families the mood in the room was very somber. Most of the viewers were still seated and initially there was not a lot of conversation or movement as to what they had just witnessed. There were individuals wiping away tears, embracing each other and some just sitting silently with their thoughts. I found my way to the families I had worked with in providing CISM services over the past 6 years.
The group had to remain at the FTC until the warden in Terre Haute made his public announcement that McVeigh had died. Immediately after that the families and survivors left for the FAC. There were multiple families that requested I meet them back at the OKC National Memorial. When I arrived at the OKC National Memorial, it was apparent the press outnumbered the families. I sought out the “chair” of each family that invited me into their life. I sought out a mother who discovered a talent of writing poetry for the son she lost. I met with a widow of a secret service agent who asked me if she would find happiness again and several other families who just wanted a hug. These individuals and others stories have touched me for the rest of my life. It was one of the reasons I felt this story needed to be shared. I needed to journal. In looking back, at some point, my stomach stopped rolling. I’ll have to check with Thomas about hers.
POSTSCRIPT
Rain or shine on the 19th of April there is a ceremony remembering the 168 individuals who died that day. I would encourage you to come to OKC and go through the OKC National Memorial Museum and walk the grounds of the memorial.
In looking back at the past 28 years and the professional choices I have made I want to thank the Red Cross, CMI, ICISF, Charlie Plumb, too many Trenchers to name and Cindy for “PACKING MY PARACHUTE”.
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL MUSEUM
WE COME HERE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO WERE KILLED THOSE WHO SURVIVED
AND THOSE WHOSE LIVES WERE CHANGED FOREVER.
MAY ALL THOSE WHO LEAVE HERE KNOW THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE.
MAY THIS MEMORIAL OFFER COMFORT, STRENGTH, PEACE, HOPE AND SERENITY.