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Statement by Attorney General John Ashcroft

"On May 11, I directed the Bureau of Prisons to delay the execution of Timothy McVeigh to ensure that every document which the prosecution agreed to provide, which went well beyond what the law required, was produced and reviewed carefully by attorneys for McVeigh and the prosecution. After an exhaustive review, it remains clear that none of the belatedly produced material raises any doubt about McVeigh's guilt.

"Because these documents cast no doubt on the surety of his guilt, the Justice Department will vigorously oppose any attempt to further delay the imposition of the sentence. A jury determined that the death penalty is the appropriate punishment for McVeigh, and failure to carry out that sentence would deny justice for the victims of this crime and for the American people."

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