Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns,alt.politics.org.batf,alt.politics.usa.misc From: [w--g--s] at [lonestar.utsa.edu] (William W. Hughes) Subject: Branch Davidian Trial - 22 Jan 94 Date: Sun, 23 Jan 1994 03:05:57 GMT Branch Davidian Trial Update - Saturday, 22 Jan 94 Page 1D [Today's article is short enough that I am just going to transcribe it directly. (I hope the Express-News doesn't get bent out of shape about this...) This article is copyright 1994 by the San Antonio Express-News.] ATF AGENT DESCRIBES EFFORT TO SAVE COMRADE by Diana R. Fuentes Express-News Staff Writer Photo caption : ATF agents Lowell Sprague (left) and Barbara Max- well leave federal court Friday with another agent after testifying about the Feb. 28 gunbattle that resulted when authorities tried to serve search warrants on the Branch Davidian complex near Waco. [Agents are walking left-to-right; Maxwell in the lead. The photo background shows that they are exiting from the roped-off ramp which leads down to the prisoner/juror access doors to the build- ing.] Three more ATF agents testified Friday the first shots they heard during the Branch Davidian gunbattle came from the direction of the sect's compound, but there was conflicting testimony about when the shooting actually began. And ATF agent Lowell Sprague told jurors how he tried in vain to save fellow agent Steve Willis seconds after he saw a bullet strike Willis in the head. Willis was one of four agents of the U. S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms who died Feb. 28 as agents raided the Branch davidian compound near Waco to serve search and arrest warrants. The failed raid sparked a 51-day siege that ended April 19 when fire destroyed the wooden structure. About 80 sect members, including self-proclaimed prophet David Koresh, died. U. S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr. recessed the trial about 12:30 p.m. Friday so a juror could keep a medical appoint- ment. The trial is to resume Monday, when more ATF agents are expected to take the stand. Eleven members of the religious sect are on trial on a number of charges, including conspiracy to murder federal officers. Defense attorneys made several points in cross-examination Friday, bringing out testimony that agents followed orders even when they realized plans were compromised and some matters of policy were not being followed -- such as stopping the raid when the element of surprise had been lost. On Thursday, the jury heard from one witness who said the ATF agents were told to write their blood type on the side of their necks before the raid, something the agency had never done before. On Friday, defense attorneys -- who contend that agents were spoiling for a gunfight, despite assertions they simply wanted to execute a search warrant peacefully -- made a move designed to establish the ATF's state of mind. They asked ATF agent Barbara Maxwell about any contingency plans for the raid. Contradicting testimony from other agents that there were no contingency plans, Maxwell testified that agents practiced several options that ATF called "oh s---" plans. The plans involved what was to be done if the two trucks pulling cattle trailers loaded with agents had to stop short of the planned points. Maxwell said under cross-examination that agents expected to find some people worshiping in the chapel, and that her duties included going through the front door to the chapel area to sepa- rate the men from women and children. [Story continued on page 3D] Subhead: Agents continue testimony of raid on Waco compound Photo caption : Branch Davidian Ruth Ottman Riddle waits for the van Friday to take her back to Bexar County Jail. [Riddle, wearing a civilian overcoat, is looking at the photogra- pher] Sprague testified that he was next to Willis as agents repeat- edly moved from behind a large green-and-white van they were using as cover to return fire at the compound. Sprague also was returning fire. At one point, while he was down on his knees trying to clear a jam in his weapon, Sprague said, a large-caliber bullet penetrated the van's door about 5 inches from his head. "The concussion actually threw me to the ground. I crawled over to talk to Willis, to admonish him to get down, to be careful, that they were shooting through the van," Sprague said. "As I was talking to him, a round penetrated his left temple ... exited through his (lower right) neck ... and it killed him." Sprague said he saw Willis' chin drop and saw him slump over agent Joseph Patterson. "I immediately reached over to him and rolled him over to me, and attempted to apply pressure to the wound," Sprague said in a voice that nearly cracked. As he did so, he yelled for the medic. "The wound was rather large," Sprague said, marking each sentence with a long pause. "Actually, my fingers were inside it. I could fell [sic] the blood pumping out of the wound. Shortly after that, his heart quit pumping." Later, Maxwell picked up the story, telling how medic Timothy Gaborie immediately responded to the call for help without thinking of his own safety. =================================================================== Administrivia POSTING Posted to Usenet newsgroups talk.politics.guns, alt.politics.org.batf, and alt.politics.usa.misc, with Distribution set to "world." Please feel free to forward to other groups and networks that you feel may be interested. Sent to mailing list/newsgroup Info-Firearms/info.firearms.poli- tics. Forwarded to FIDONet echoes DEBATE and CONTROVERSY by Terry Goodman ([terry goodman] at [support.com] / Terry Goodman 1:102/837) If anybody is archiving these updates, and/or making them available for ftp, gopher, or other access, please let me know and I will include that information in further Administrivia sections. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This summary of the Branch Davidian trial is based on articles published in the San Antonio Express-News. The original 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 electron- ic 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. Politicians Prefer Unarmed Peasants | government in Waco, Texas - Politically Incorrect and proud of it! | including over 20 children.