Tragic, frustrating, shocking, addictive ... those are words that describe the year's top stories in the United States. From the Oklahoma City bombing to the verdict heard round the world in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, U.S. headlines have stunned as well as captivated. As 1995 comes to a close, Americans find themselves in the middle of a second government shutdown and at the beginning of a peace mission in Bosnia. Here, you'll find the stories that we believe helped define 1995 in the United States.
April 19 - Bomb blast kills 169 in Oklahoma City
On April 19, around 9:03 a.m., just after parents dropped their children off at day care at the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, the unthinkable happened. A massive bomb inside a moving van parked on the basement level deck of the building exploded.
A stunned nation watched as the bodies of men, women, and children were pulled from the rubble of the nine-story building for nearly two weeks. When the smoke cleared and the exhausted rescue workers packed up and left, 169 people were dead in the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
Just 90 minutes after the explosion, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer pulled over 27-year-old Timothy McVeigh for driving without a license plate. McVeigh and ex-Army buddy Terry Nichols eventually were charged with the bombing. They are awaiting trial, tentatively set for this spring. They could receive the death penalty if convicted of terrorism, murder and conspiracy charges.
The venue for the trial is under dispute. The defense feels that McVeigh and Nichols cannot get a fair trial in Oklahoma. A hearing is set for late January.
October 3 - "Trial of the Century" ends with Simpson's acquittal
In the seeming eternity before the "not guilty" verdicts were uttered, O.J Simpson's face revealed a variety of emotions: his brow furrowed, then his jaw stiffened, and finally his small smile widened into a huge grin as he heard the words that guaranteed his freedom. "Thank you," the football hero mouthed to a jury of his peers who had sat through eight months of testimony and deliberated less than four hours before declaring him not guilty in the murders of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
Deemed by some the "Trial of the Century," the Simpson case became the nation's real-life soap opera. It began in June 1994, as 100 million viewers watched on live television, with the riveting, slow-speed chase of Simpson being driven along Los Angeles highways by his friend A.C. Cowlings . But when the verdicts were read a year and four months later, it became much more than just a soap opera. The trial and its outcome triggered a national debate on race, criminal justice, and what money can buy.
November-December - Two partial government shutdowns in as many months
1995 will go down in American history as the year in which the federal government partially shut down twice in two months because of disputes over the federal budget. The latest closure was still going at year's end.
The first time around, the Republicans wanted a seven-year balanced budget, the centerpiece of their Contract With America. Disagreement with the Clinton administration led to the furlough of nearly 800,000 federal employees. The impasse lasted six days and eventually ended with both sides claiming victory in compromise.
However, that show of good faith was short-lived, and the exercise in finger-pointing and bickering soon resumed. Only a few weeks after the first partial shutdown, parts of government had to close again. This time, the quibbling was over which agency's financial forecasts to use for drafting a budget plan, and how to distribute the cuts. The result: 260,000 workers idled at home, spending Christmas with no paychecks, while holiday sight-seers confronted "closed" signs at national parks and museums.
September 4 - Rape threatens survival of U.S. bases in Japan
For the past five decades, the tiny tropical island of Okinawa has been remembered for being the place where U.S. troops defeated Japanese forces in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Now, American bases there find themselves in another battle -- for survival -- as three U.S. servicemen are charged with raping a 12-year-old girl, a crime to which one of the suspects has confessed.
The incident on September 4 sparked unprecedented outrage and hostility over American military presence on the island. At year's end, the three defendants, Navy Seaman Marcus Gill, and Marine Corps privates Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, were being tried for the crime.
July 29 - Smith gets life in prison for drowning sons
A South Carolina mother pleading for the return of her missing children on national television evoked terror in the hearts of parents. How could anyone take two young boys if they just wanted to steal her car, people asked.
But eventually, Smith's story crumbled. A carjacker did not take 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex. Their mother had strapped them into their car seats and rolled the vehicle into the John D. Long Lake in Union.
Her crime devastated and bewildered not only the small town where she lived but the entire nation, as well. The same woman who cried out in desperation for the return of her children was the person who had committed this gruesome act.
Smith appeared in a Union, South Carolina, court in January, where her lawyer, David Bruck, said Smith would not enter a plea in the case. A plea of not guilty was entered on her behalf.
The prosecution, led by Tommy Pope, announced it would seek the death penalty for Smith. Pope said Smith killed her sons to gain the affections of a man who did not want children.
After a short, untelevised trial, Smith was quickly found guilty, then sentenced to life in prison. She is eligible for parole in 30 years.
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CNN Time Capsule: The Defining Moments of 1995 is a new multimedia CD-ROM which chronicles the year's top stories through video, photos, text, audio clips and editorial cartoons. Click here to find out more!
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