Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns From: [k d w] at [icd.ab.com] (Ken Whitehead) Subject: Waco Prosecution Witness Signs Movie Deal Date: Fri, 4 Feb 1994 17:02:35 GMT Scanned without permission from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2/4/94: CULT TRIAL WITNESS SIGNS MOVIE DEAL Associated Press San Antonio The government's star witness in the conspiracy trial of 11 Branch Davidians testified yesterday she would have been willing to kill federal agents for religious leader David Koresh. She also said she signed a movie deal for her story. Kathryn Schroeder, a former "wife" of the cult leader, also said she turned against her religious colleagues primarily to be with her four children. "You desperately wanted to get out and be with the children, isn't that right?" defense lawyer Jeff Kearney asked. "Yes," Schroeder said. Under further cross.examination, Schroeder testified that she signed a movie contract and used some of the money to pay her lawyer for civil court cases involving her children. She acknowledged she could earn "big money" later if a movie is made. Her lawyer, Scott Peterson, said outside court that Schroeder has been paid $12,000. Yesterday was the second day of Schroeder's testimony in the federal trial of 11 cult members. They are charged with murder conspiracy in the deaths of the four Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents during a gunbattle a year ago. They face up to life in prison if convicted. The Feb. 28, 1993, battle led to a 51-day standoff that ended when fire engulfed the compound. Koresh and more than 80 followers died in the blaze. Schroeder, 31, was charged with the other defendants, but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in September and agreed to testify for the government. She faces up to 10 years in prison. With the jury out of the courtroom, Schroeder said she decided to plead guilty in part because of warnings that prosecution witnesses would testify that she had a gun and may have fired it during the battle. She said she had no gun at that time. Dan Cogdell, another defense lawyer, questioned her about statements she allegedly made while in the McClennan County Jail in Waco. Schroeder denied that while in jail she said, "I'm going to tell them whatever they want to hear. I've got to get out of prison to be with my children." Schroeder said she and her husband, Michael, moved to the compound with the children in 1989. Immediately after they arrived, she said, Koresh told her he had annulled all marriages and declared all the women at the compound his "wives." Michael Schroeder was killed in the Feb. 28 confrontation.