McVeigh Breaks Silence at Sentencing

DENVER: There was no apology, no confession, not even a plea for the court's mercy. In fact, Timothy McVeigh used none of his own words, just quoted liberally from the late Supreme Court Justice Brandeis: "'Our government is the hope, the omnipresent teacher for good and for ill. It teaches the people by example.'"

That's all the bomber of Oklahoma City had to say before he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Not quite the juicy rant against his lawyer that was expected after McVeigh told the Buffalo News that his attorney, Stephen Jones, had "screwed up badly."

In short-sleeved, khaki prison garb, McVeigh entered the courtroom, smiling and chatting, sat next to the two attorneys that he wants to take over his appeal from Jones, and gave his quote when offered the opportunity to speak. He then stood to attention, with no visible reaction to the formality of the sentencing. Case closed? Not quite. The appeals process promises to take years.