Michael Fortier
Michael's Fortier's handwriting sample is a confession of his complicity in the Oklahoma City bombing. After signing this plea agreement with prosecutors, he testified before a grand jury for almost four hours. He has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen guns, transporting the stolen guns, lying to FBI agents, and concealing his knowledge of the plot. He will be sentenced after he testifies at the McVeigh and Nichols trials. Fortier first met Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols at basic training after entering the Army and he remained friends with McVeigh after they were discharged.
Analysis of Graphological Indicators
The sample is a copy of a picture appearing in The Daily Oklahoman (8-13-95), therefore, the pressure, line quality and some detail cannot be precisely determined. Fortier is 26. The sample appears to be written on lined paper; however, the paper features, type of writing instrument, and the dominant hand are unknown. It is likely that he was under considerable pressure and stress when he wrote this statement.
The title does not match the body of the text. The size is disproportionate and it slants to the right. Note the tiny i's in the word petition. The horizontal strokes on the t's and PPI are long. The body of the script is printed in a rather immature copybook style with a mixture of miniscule letters and capitals (e.g., A, N, R, and Z).
The first paragraph is more unstable than the second. It starts weakly as he states that he rode with McVeigh, becomes stronger as he describes returning to Arizona on December 17th, then weakens again as he mentions McVeigh and Nichols. Kansas and Arizona are written with greater assurance than Oklahoma.
The left margin of the first paragraph widens slightly to the right. The slant, letter size and spacing, and movement along the baseline are more variable in this paragraph than in the next. The pressure appears to be variable, but the actual pressure and its variability cannot be precisely determined without examining the original document.
The printing stabilizes somewhat in paragraph two, especially in the last 5-6 lines. The slant, size, letter form, and movement along the baseline become more consistent. The left margin narrows to the left in paragraph two as he seems to settle down.
The signature is incongruent with the text in style, slant, size and legibility. There are longer extensions into both the upper and lower zones. The l-loop soars into the upper zone and ends with an emphatic downstroke. The capital M is smaller than the J and F. The J has a large, distorted left hook, while the F is formed in a smooth, simplified movement. The sweeping t-bar crosses through the threaded ier.
Numerous individual indicators can be observed throughout the script: split letters, low t-bar crossings, most i-dots precisely placed near the stem (most are smaller than the other miniscules), full ovals, curves at the tops and bottoms of many letters, a block-style PPI that varies in size, a 'ladle' on most g-loops, a straight stroke for y LZ extension, a q extension with small rightward tic, etc.
Personality Characteristics
The text of this script is sandwiched between a title and signature that are totally incongruent with the writer's style. In the oversized title, the writer appears to start with a bravado that is not supported in the total picture. The tiny i's in petition provide the first clue of a diminshed ego and the lack of assurance. The weakness and instability of the script in paragraph one further points to his lack of confidence and, at least temporarily, it reflects a writer who is pulled in many different directions. There is a need to make a public show of desired qualities in order to bolster the self-concept. Many indicators suggest that Fortier is more of a follower than a leader. It is likely that without guidance and encouragement by a stronger person, such as his wife, parents, or a buddy, he will have difficulty initiating major projects and following through on whatever he undertakes.
It is interesting that the weakest part of his writing is in the first two lines when he first mentions McVeigh, suggesting that he relinquishes his power to McVeigh when they are together. The script strengthens somewhat when he writes about driving back to Arizona on December 17th--an event which he controls. Then the writing diminishes in size again as he finishes the first paragraph with more references to McVeigh. It is fascinating to see the handwriting shift as the mind processes the jumble of memories and feelings dealing with such momentous events.
It is interesting to place this sample next to McVeigh's (see July-August issue) and view the contrast between the two. One can immediately notice a warmth to Fortier's printing that is not evident in McVeigh's. Fortier's printing is more gentle and childlike and he is likely to be more of a pleaser--more yielding--than McVeigh. While Fortier's script indicates some withdrawal and that he may not readily seek out others, he is definitely not the loner portrayed in McVeigh's handwriting. Even The Daily Oklahoman describes the "Easygoing Fortier and the more intense McVeigh...," a picture that is readily apparent in the two samples.
From his script, Fortier seems to be of average intelligence. He may have good technical and mechanical skills, but I doubt that he is an academic high achiever.
The Daily Oklahoman had a picture of Fortier taken in 1987 at age 18. He was a very handsome young man and a teacher described him as a loveable type, responsible, clean-cut and with a good sense of humor--one of his favorite students. After he returned home from the Army, those who knew him were surprised at how he had changed. And, like the analyst observing his handwriting, none of them would have predicted that he would be involved in such a sinister plot.
Permission to reprint the handwriting sample printed in the 8-13-95 issue of the The Sunday Oklahoman was granted by Mr. Mike Shannon, Assistant Managing Editor. Copyright, 1995, Oklahoma Publishing Company.
This article was published in the Sep-Oct Journal of the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. Copyright, Milton Moore.
Analysis of Graphological Indicators
The sample is a copy of a picture appearing in The Daily Oklahoman (8-13-95), therefore, the pressure, line quality and some detail cannot be precisely determined. Fortier is 26. The sample appears to be written on lined paper; however, the paper features, type of writing instrument, and the dominant hand are unknown. It is likely that he was under considerable pressure and stress when he wrote this statement.
The title does not match the body of the text. The size is disproportionate and it slants to the right. Note the tiny i's in the word petition. The horizontal strokes on the t's and PPI are long. The body of the script is printed in a rather immature copybook style with a mixture of miniscule letters and capitals (e.g., A, N, R, and Z).
The first paragraph is more unstable than the second. It starts weakly as he states that he rode with McVeigh, becomes stronger as he describes returning to Arizona on December 17th, then weakens again as he mentions McVeigh and Nichols. Kansas and Arizona are written with greater assurance than Oklahoma.
The left margin of the first paragraph widens slightly to the right. The slant, letter size and spacing, and movement along the baseline are more variable in this paragraph than in the next. The pressure appears to be variable, but the actual pressure and its variability cannot be precisely determined without examining the original document.
The printing stabilizes somewhat in paragraph two, especially in the last 5-6 lines. The slant, size, letter form, and movement along the baseline become more consistent. The left margin narrows to the left in paragraph two as he seems to settle down.
The signature is incongruent with the text in style, slant, size and legibility. There are longer extensions into both the upper and lower zones. The l-loop soars into the upper zone and ends with an emphatic downstroke. The capital M is smaller than the J and F. The J has a large, distorted left hook, while the F is formed in a smooth, simplified movement. The sweeping t-bar crosses through the threaded ier.
Numerous individual indicators can be observed throughout the script: split letters, low t-bar crossings, most i-dots precisely placed near the stem (most are smaller than the other miniscules), full ovals, curves at the tops and bottoms of many letters, a block-style PPI that varies in size, a 'ladle' on most g-loops, a straight stroke for y LZ extension, a q extension with small rightward tic, etc.
Personality Characteristics
The text of this script is sandwiched between a title and signature that are totally incongruent with the writer's style. In the oversized title, the writer appears to start with a bravado that is not supported in the total picture. The tiny i's in petition provide the first clue of a diminshed ego and the lack of assurance. The weakness and instability of the script in paragraph one further points to his lack of confidence and, at least temporarily, it reflects a writer who is pulled in many different directions. There is a need to make a public show of desired qualities in order to bolster the self-concept. Many indicators suggest that Fortier is more of a follower than a leader. It is likely that without guidance and encouragement by a stronger person, such as his wife, parents, or a buddy, he will have difficulty initiating major projects and following through on whatever he undertakes.
It is interesting that the weakest part of his writing is in the first two lines when he first mentions McVeigh, suggesting that he relinquishes his power to McVeigh when they are together. The script strengthens somewhat when he writes about driving back to Arizona on December 17th--an event which he controls. Then the writing diminishes in size again as he finishes the first paragraph with more references to McVeigh. It is fascinating to see the handwriting shift as the mind processes the jumble of memories and feelings dealing with such momentous events.
It is interesting to place this sample next to McVeigh's (see July-August issue) and view the contrast between the two. One can immediately notice a warmth to Fortier's printing that is not evident in McVeigh's. Fortier's printing is more gentle and childlike and he is likely to be more of a pleaser--more yielding--than McVeigh. While Fortier's script indicates some withdrawal and that he may not readily seek out others, he is definitely not the loner portrayed in McVeigh's handwriting. Even The Daily Oklahoman describes the "Easygoing Fortier and the more intense McVeigh...," a picture that is readily apparent in the two samples.
From his script, Fortier seems to be of average intelligence. He may have good technical and mechanical skills, but I doubt that he is an academic high achiever.
The Daily Oklahoman had a picture of Fortier taken in 1987 at age 18. He was a very handsome young man and a teacher described him as a loveable type, responsible, clean-cut and with a good sense of humor--one of his favorite students. After he returned home from the Army, those who knew him were surprised at how he had changed. And, like the analyst observing his handwriting, none of them would have predicted that he would be involved in such a sinister plot.
Permission to reprint the handwriting sample printed in the 8-13-95 issue of the The Sunday Oklahoman was granted by Mr. Mike Shannon, Assistant Managing Editor. Copyright, 1995, Oklahoma Publishing Company.
This article was published in the Sep-Oct Journal of the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. Copyright, Milton Moore.
