DATE=6/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=WACO TRIAL (L-O)
NUMBER=2-263553
BYLINE=MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE=CHICAGO
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
Voiced At:
Intro: A jury in the U-S city of Waco, Texas hears
testimony this week in a multi-million dollar lawsuit
against the federal government. The wrongful death
lawsuit is being brought by families of members of the
Branch Davidian religious sect who died six years ago
in a standoff with federal agents. The families say
the government shares responsibility for the deaths of
more than 80 people. VOA's Michael Leland reports.
Text: The raid by federal agents and subsequent
seven-week-long standoff at the Branch Davidian
compound near Waco, Texas, was the deadliest law-
enforcement incident in U-S history. It began on
February 28th, 1993, when agents from the federal
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms tried to serve
the Branch Davidians with search and arrest warrants
for suspected firearms violations. A gunfight
erupted, and six Davidians and four federal agents
were killed.
U-S government attorney Michael Bradford says federal
agents were ambushed by the Davidians, who had been
tipped off that the agents were on their way with
warrants that Sunday morning.
/// Bradford act ///
You had a situation where they had amassed a large
number of illegal weapons, automatic machineguns,
fully automatic AK-47's. They had over a hundred AR-
15's and AK-47's and 50-caliber rifles, hand grenades
and other illegal weapons. When the ATF showed up,
they were fired upon with those many weapons that were
in that compound.
/// end act ///
But attorney Michael Caddell, who represents the
estates of about 50 of the deceased Davidians, says
government agents fired first, and fired
indiscriminately.
/// Caddell act ///
It means they shot at the building without having a
specific target, without identifying a Davidian with a
weapon. As a result, we think at least two of the
Davidians were killed on February 28th who did not even
have a gun, who were not even shooting.
/// end act ///
The standoff ended on April 19th, when fire broke out
as federal agents were pumping tear gas into the
compound. At least 80 people were killed as the
building quickly burned to the ground. The Davidians
have said for years that federal agents started the
fire, something the government denies.
The trial will also address whether the government was
negligent in withholding firefighting equipment from
the scene, and whether using tanks to help end the
siege deviated from Attorney General Janet Reno's
official plans for the operation.
Six jurors and one alternate will hear testimony, but
they will only serve as an advisory panel to U-S
District Judge Walter Smith. The jury may or may not
have influence over the final verdict. Lawyers for
the Davidians say most of the families are more
interested in holding the government accountable than
they are in receiving monetary damages. U-S
government lawyers say the trial is a chance to tell
the truth about what happened in Waco, Texas, six
years ago: law enforcement agents doing their best in
good faith under difficult circumstances. (signed)
NEB/MJL/KBK
19-Jun-2000 17:50 PM LOC (19-Jun-2000 2150 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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