"I wouldn't be surprised if he gets right back into what he was into and get into trouble," said Janet Beck, a Social Security Administration claims representative who survived the blast. "That's my complaint against the justice system. They're so busy trying to control people, they don't do much in terms of education and helping them to readjust."

Michael Maguire (Mack), Fortier's lawyer, has done a great job defending Fortier for the past ten years. Fortier is lucky to have him. Mack also shows his media savvy with comments like these, that do not defend what Fortier did, but try to humanize him and portray his remorse.

"Fortier has been held accountable for everything he did," Mr. McGuire said. "He's done his sentence. He owes nobody at this point."

Mr. McGuire said he wouldn't attempt to compare Mr. Fortier's shattered life with those who lost loved ones in the blast, but added: "He will always carry the burden and personal anguish of what he should have done and didn't do before the bombing. "That will never leave him."

His strategy has paid off. Here's what another victim, the father of two children injured in the blast had to say:

"McVeigh already got his punishment, and Nichols will be in prison for the rest of his life," Jim Denny, whose two children, Brandon and Rebecca, were injured in the blast, told The Associated Press. "Let this guy get out and get on with his life."

Update: Budd Welch, the father of Julie Welch who was killed in the bombing and later became an active, vocal opponent of the death penalty, had this to say:

Bud Welch, whose daughter, Julie, was killed in the bombing, said he phoned Fortier's mother, Irene Fortier, shortly after learning that Michael Fortier was to be released.

"I told her that I had received the letter (about her son's release) and that I was OK with that. I just wished her and her family well." Welch said. "I wish them peace for the rest of their lives as they try to put their lives back together."