Aberration in the Heartland of the Real: The Secret Lives of Timothy McVeigh

by Wendy S. Painting

re-interviewed witnesses, looking for weaknesses in their stories or ways to get them to change their minds.” Included were lead FBI agents Scott Mendeloff and Jon Hersley’s “extensive efforts” to “neutralize” Elliot’s employees, “convince [them] that John Doe 2 was a phantom” and thereby, prevent the spectral conspirator from appearing at the trials. In fact, “Hersley was the prosecution’s go-to person to resolve many of the holes in the case.” Lead prosecutor Larry Mackey later acknowledged that Hersley regularly “hammered” witnesses who might aid the defense team’s cases. Further, another lead FBI agent in the case, Danny Deffenbaugh, disclosed that in his opinion, Hersley commonly distorted evidence, lied about his investigation (or lack thereof) and often acted outside of his authority. “We had to watch over Jon. He’d go around trying to stop viable investigations, especially if they involved other people in the conspiracy. Every time we caught him, I had to bring him in the woodshed to paddle him. Then he’d go right back at it.”