By Jordan Green, Editor-in-Chief
A high-profile Oklahoma lawyer who represented one of the most notorious terrorists in American history will speak at Northwestern on Friday.
Stephen Jones will discuss how press coverage can interfere with high-stakes criminal trials, university officials said in a news release. Jones represented Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was executed for the 1995 bombing that killed 168 people.
The talk will take place in the Student Center Ranger Room at 1 p.m. The event is open to the public, and there is no admission charge. The Northwestern mass communication program is sponsoring his visit as part of the media law class taught by Dr. Kaylene Armstrong, adviser to the Northwestern News.
Jones will speak to students and take questions from those in attendance, university officials said in the news release.
Jones, whose law practice is based in Enid, has been in the legal field for more than 50 years.
“He has represented retired and former employees of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the National Security Council staff,” university officials said in a news release. “He was also involved in consulting work with various targets, defendants, or persons of interest to the Federal Government for alleged acts of terrorism in the Philippines, the Far East, and those connected with the attacks on September 11, 2001. Similarly, he has represented individuals accused of disloyalty to the United States and/or the unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information or classified government information.”
A biography on his law firm’s website reads: “Jones is an expert and experienced trial practitioner in matters relating to civil and criminal jury trials, military court-martials, military Article 32 investigations, grand jury subpoenas, Internal Revenue Service administrative summons, and presenting cases orally and arguments before the United States Supreme Court.
“He has a developed reputation in the successful defense of income tax fraud criminal cases, allegations of healthcare of Medicaid fraud, ‘white-collar crime’ including allegations of mail fraud, wire fraud, stock fraud, violations of the Export Control Act, murder, sexual assault and allegations of government misconduct.”
Jones remains active in the legal field. He attempted to stop the 2022 special election to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe’s seat based on the grounds that such a process is barred by the U.S. Constitution.
The challenge ultimately did not prevail, however, and the election took place.