The hearing is being held in Denver, Colorado, before federal judge Richard Matsch, who presided over McVeigh's trial. Conspiracy claims Legal experts said it would be hard for McVeigh's lawyers to prove that others were involved in the bombing, as McVeigh himself says he was only helped by one accomplice, Terry Nichols. FBI documents McVeigh's execution, initially set for 16 May, was postponed after the Justice Department handed in about 4,000 FBI documents it admitted should have been given to McVeigh's lawyers during his trial. The BBC's David Willis in Denver says McVeigh now seems determined to embarrass the authorities by exploiting their withholding of evidence to the full. But legal experts say the defence must first prove that the FBI documents would have changed the outcome of the trial.
Prosecutors reject plea Federal prosecutors have rejected calls for a further stay of execution.
McVeigh faces death by lethal injection Prosecutor Sean Connelly said the newly released documents did not have any bearing on McVeigh's conviction and sentence. In the past, McVeigh has waived opportunities to appeal, believing his execution would help publicise his anti-government crusade. If the execution takes place as planned, McVeigh will be the first federal prisoner to be executed in 38 years. Florida braces itself for attack Links to more Americas stories are at the foot of the page.