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1993-03-05
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PART 1 of 2 PARTS
From the Houston Chronicle (March 2, 1993):Ex-prosecutor laments
agents' 'storm trooper' tactics By Roy Bragg, Houston Chronicle
WACO - Former Mclennan County District Attorney Vic Feazell - who
unsuccessfully prosecuted seven Branch Davidian members for
attempted murder - criticized federal agents for "storm trooper"
tactics in laying siege to the group's compound.
Feazell, himself the target of a federal probe six years ago
and later acquitted of racketeering charges, also predicted a grim
end to the standoff.
"The feds are preparing to kill them," he said, noting the
mobilization of military equipment into nearby staging areas.
"That way they can bury their mistakes. And they won't have
attorneys looking over what they did later at a trial."
Feazell's office prosecuted sect leader David Koresh -
then known as Vernon Howell - and other Davidians in 1988 for a
shoot-out with rival cult leader George Roden. The others were
acquitted and charges against Howell were dropped after a
mistrial was declared.
"We had to arrest them to prosecute them in 1987," Feazell
said. "We had no problems."
In that instance, McLennan County Sheriff Jack Harwell and
a deputy called Howell and told him there were pending charges,
that they would have to turn themselves in and surrender their
weapons. Deputies went to the compound and the Davidians
complied, Feazell said.
Later, after the acquittals, the weapons were returned.
"We treated them like human beings, rather than storm-
trooping the place," Feazell said. "They were extremely polite
people. After the trial - although we didn't agree with
everything they believed or said - many of the members of the
staff were pretty sympathetic with them."
Key to the dispute, Feazell said, is understanding the way
the Davidians think.
"They're protective of what's theirs," he said. "They're
protective of their land. They view their land as Muslims do
Mecca and Jews view Jerusalem."
The shoot-out with Roden, he said, occurred when Roden and
followers forcibly attempted to take the Davidian land.
Sunday's siege "was a vulgar display of power on the part
of the feds being met with fear and paranoia on the part of the
Davidians," he said. "If they'd called and talked to them, the
Davidians would've given them what they wanted."
Although he tried to send them to jail for life in 1988,
Feazell, now an Austin lawyer, said he'd help mediate a truce if
asked. He offered to help afterward, too.
"I'd represent these boys for free if they'd surrender
without bloodshed," he said. "But I'm afraid I'm going to wake
up and see headlines that say they all died.
"It's sad for the Davidians. And it's sad for our
government."