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)
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Source: Voice of America
.