Thirty years ago, first the United States and then the rest of the world watched in guarded fascination for the outcome of a 51-day standoff at the Branch Davidian Compound in Mt. Carmel, some 20 or so miles northeast of Waco, Texas.
Inside the compound was David Koresh, a guy who not only believed himself to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ but was able to convince well over 100 followers of the same.
Outside were throngs of ATF and FBI agents, with each agency providing conflicting information to a hostage negotiating team that nervously relayed this to a rightfully suspicious Koresh.
All Parties Armed to the Teeth
As there have already been five features or TV films on this subject, you might ask yourself if another is really necessary, and the answer is “yes.” Two of those efforts are dramatizations and the remaining three are documentaries, all produced within seven years after the event; hardly enough time for objective, clear-eyed analysis.For the new Netflix docuseries “Waco: American Apocalypse” director Tiller Russell (“Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer”) has a distinct advantage over of all other productions, thanks mostly to the gifts of passing years, sober reflection, balanced rearview mirror observation, far superior technical tools, and (most importantly) recent interviews with those present at the time.
The three Davidian interviewees include Heather Jones, Kathy Schroeder, and David Thibodeau, who was one of the few to flee the compound after it had caught fire. The final child to be released during the siege, the now late-30s Jones is shown going through a gamut of emotions as she listens to a recording of the final conversation with her father, a USPS employee (also Koresh’s brother-in-law) who, through pure dumb luck, was tipped off by authorities prior to the initial raid.
Of these three, Schroeder is the most interesting, but not always in a good way. Still believing that Koresh was the Messiah, her story regarding her turning her three children (and later herself) over to the authorities is the glaring example of law enforcement and the negotiating team purposefully speaking with forked tongues.
After the children were released, Schroeder’s ex-husband (who had joint custody) swooped in and whisked away their two eldest. Preying on her vulnerability by questioning her dedication as a mother, Schroeder was coerced into leaving under the guise of reuniting with her youngest boy. This did happen but was short-lived as she was taken into custody on the same day and charged with a litany of crimes that she, in all likelihood, didn’t commit.
Towards the end of the siege, the FBI employed “agitation” techniques in an effort to hasten surrender, something the negotiators strongly protested. This included blasting disquieting sound effects, tortured animal noises, and the like at 130 decibels around the clock.
In the early morning of the final day (April 19), the FBI announced over loudspeakers that (incendiary) tear gas canisters would be placed inside the compound, while repeating over and over the line “this is not an assault” which, of course, it was.
Not long after, tanks began tearing down the walls of the building in the hopes of forcing those inside to flee, which never happened. The same can be said for multiple fires which started at the same time in different parts of the structure. It was never made clear who or what started the fires, and Russell was wise not to make his own conclusions and instead left it up to the viewer to determine culpability.
Did Koresh Break the Law?
Was Koresh a delusional provocateur? There’s little doubt he was, but that’s not illegal. Is it illegal for Texas residents to possess multiple firearms? No, and that includes .50 caliber rifles that can pierce tanks. Is it illegal to own hand grenades and machine guns? Yes, but there was no evidence of either being found in the rubble after the fires had subsided.Koresh was also suspected of sexual child abuse; however, there is no credible or sustainable testimony to support those claims. Koresh did freely admit to fathering children with multiple of-age women (while only being legally married to one) which, while distasteful, amoral, and reckless, is still not illegal.
Amendments Under Siege
Presented in three episodes, “Waco” reveals many facts buried for decades by law enforcement and the government regarding the justification of the siege in the first place. What is put on display here should deeply trouble every American that subscribes to the U.S. Constitution.The first, second, and fourth amendments all came under attack during the late winter of 1993 in Waco and, like 82 Davidians (including 28 children), none of those rights survived.
