Date: Sun, 27 Feb 1994 23:38:07 -0600 (CST) From: "William W. Hughes" <[w--g--s] at [lonestar.utsa.edu]> Subject: Branch Davidian Trial Update - Wednesday, 23 Feb 94 Branch Davidian Trial Update - Wednesday, 23 Feb 94 [Note: An article on Monday, 21 Feb 94, simply recapped the trial so far. Two articles on Tuesday, 22 Feb 94, dealt with cults, and the perception of cults by the public. I am not posting summaries of these, but will transcribe them and make them available. See upcoming Administrivia sections.] [summary] Page 1B Headline - LAWYERS ON ATTACK IN FINAL REMARKS [Photo caption - "Four protesters stand outside the federal court- house Tuesday morning during closing arguments in the murder- conspiracy trial of 11 Branch Davidians. About a dozen protesters carried signs criticizing the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms." Photo description - Four men stand in a line on the plaza in front of the courthouse, carrying signs and facing the building. The photo is taken from behind the protesters, so the signs cannot be read.] The article says that defense and prosecution attorneys "took off their gloves" during closing arguments Tuesday. The prosecutors tried to picture the defendants as "selfish killers", while defense attorneys described them as "victims of government bumbling." Judge Smith ordered the jury sequestered Tuesday night. They still must hear four more defense attorneys and the prosecution's two- hour rebuttal. >From U.S. Attorney Bill Johnston's closing statements: He claims the defendants and their leader, David Koresh, used religion as a shield for their planning and murder of the four dead agents, then killed themselves and their children by setting the compound on fire. "There was talk of war... and they stayed. Words turned into ac- tion. Guns were purchased. And they stayed... Machine guns are made, and they're talked about in the group. Then firearms train- ing: Yeah, every church does that. Let's get the Methodist men and the Knights of Columbus together to shoot some machine guns." This last is described as being delivered "sarcastically." Johnston also accused defendant Paul Fatta as being the "blood merchant of the group," to which defense attorney Mike DeGuerin immediately objected. Judge Smith sustained the objection. Johnston also disputed that weapons had been bought as investments. He held up a poster with color photos of the four dead agents and said, "Behold the dividend of Mr. Fatta's investment." Defense attorney Jeff Kearney: "It (the raid) should have been called off. It was not. You heard that. The supervisors who were in charge, they went in front of this nation...and they lied to the public about what happened." Defense attorney Rocket Rosen: "It's all about indicting these individuals to cover up the crimes of the ATF... My heart goes out to those four agents, and I'm sick. I'm sick because their supervisors told them on the morning of Feb. 28, 1993, 'It's showtime, baby, let's go." Defense attorney Joe Turner: "What the government did was take a paranoid, delusional person like Koresh, and they backed him into a corner, and then when he acts like a nut, they act surprised... Their hands are not clean on this case." Defense attorney Stanley Rentz (representing Graeme Craddock): "He shouldn't have to serve Koresh's time." Defense attorney John Carroll: "This is about excessive force and arrogance and abuse of power (by government agents)." ========================= ADMINISTRIVIA ========================= KNOWN DISTRIBUTIONS USENET: talk.politics.guns, alt.politics.org.batf, alt.conspiracy, alt.politics.usa.misc & alt.politics.libertarian - author USENET: info.firearms.politics/mailing list Firearms Politics ([firearms politics] at [ns1.rutgers.edu]) - author Other networks - BIX: tojerry/inquest - Paul L. Schauble ([p l s] at [shell.portal.com]) FIDONET: DEBATE - Terry Goodman ([terry goodman] at [support.com] / Terry Goodman 1:102/837) FIDONET: CONTROVERSY - Terry Goodman FIDONET: LEGAL (non-backbone) - Lester Garrett (1:125/101) FIDONET: SMOKER (non-backbone) - Bill Bauer (1:147/32) Prodigy: Politics-Other, Subject; A.T.F. Waco - Jim Bell SmartNet: POLIPHIL - Lester Garrett (FIDO 1:125/101) The Patrick Henry League - a gun rights BBS network: - Paul L. Schauble KNOWN ARCHIVES The Powder Keg BBS, 707-427-1310, 14.4, 24H7D, directory WACO (SurvNet/PRNet 176:100/24, sysop Peter Nesbitt) The Soapbox BBS. 919-387-1152, 14.4, 24H7D, file area BATF (FIDO 1:151/142, sysop Stacy Powers [[p--we--s] at [rock.concert.net]]) Full access on first call, supports FREQ, FREQ FILES to get a list of all available files Anonymous ftp teetot.acusd.edu in directory /pub/Beelzebub/Politics/The_Tax_Cops/Waco/Trial service provided by Jerry Stratton ([j--r--y] at [teetot.acusd.edu]) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INDEX These Updates have been posted in two forms: summaries of Express- News articles and direct transcripts of Express-News articles. This is a short index to all Updates posted to date, including the current issue. Summaries - 09 Jan 94, 10 Jan 94, 11 Jan 94, 12 Jan 94, 13 Jan 94, 14 Jan 94, 15 Jan 94, 17 Jan 94, 19 Jan 94, 20 Jan 94, 25 Jan 94, 26 Jan 94, 27 Jan 94, 28 Jan 94, 31 Jan 94, 06 Feb 94, 08 Feb 94, 09 Feb 94, 10 Feb 94, 11 Feb 94, 12 Feb 94, 13 Feb 94, 15 Feb 94, 16 Feb 94, 17 Feb 94, 18 Feb 94, 19 Feb 94, 23 Feb 94 Transcripts - 21 Jan 94, 22 Jan 94, 23 Jan 94, 29 Jan 94, 01 Feb 94, 02 Feb 94, 03 Feb 94, 04 Feb 94, 05 Feb 94 Copies are available. Send requests by email only to the author. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This Update of the Branch Davidian trial is based on or transcribed from articles published in the San Antonio Express-News. The origi- nal articles, and any sections quoted herein are copyrighted by the Express-News. The remainder of the summary is copyright 1994 by William W. Hughes. Copying of these summaries, either by hardcopy or electronic means, is authorized and encouraged, as long as this notice remains attached and intact. "I do not work for or represent the San Antonio Express-News" =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= [w--g--s] at [lonestar.utsa.edu] (William Hughes) | In memory of 85 un-charged, UTSA doesn't agree with me. They're wrong. | un-convicted victims of the U.S. St. Dismas' Infirmary for the Incurably | government in Waco, Texas - Informed [_Synners_, Pat Cadigan] | including over 20 children.