Original subtitles

Now listen to this one.

The way scum like you helps people like David Koresh, I hope all your children

die of... Okay, let's stay focused here, can we? Why do you insist on reading

that crap?

In case one of these maniacs puts a bullet in my head like they all say

they're gonna. Give the cops a good place to start. Yeah, I'm not sure they

try too hard to solve the case with the cop killer defenders.

That's a dark thought.

Wow. Should we be getting security or something?

Don't worry.

I'll protect you from those big mean letter writers. See, guys? Nothing to

worry about. Jocelyn's got our backs.

Let's get back to it.

Wait.

Fan mail?

Really? Yeah.

Dear fine sirs, I have been very, all caps,

interested in your case defending those Davidians.

There are lots of people like me watching to see how this goes.

Thank you for being such good patriots. Well, this is nice, isn't it?

Let's see. I'm going bankrupt.

My wife, who I haven't seen in over a month, just filed for divorce. I'm

living in squalor. I'm getting about three hours of sleep every night to

fight a losing case for a bunch of people who don't even like me. But when

I hear the praises of adoring fans like Tim McVeigh, makes it all worth it,

doesn't it?

Now, can we get back to work?

You say you love America, but would you die for it?

Would you kill for it?

I mean, some things are worth fighting for.

I want to talk today about making ourselves ready.

Emotionally stealing ourselves for the coming war.

The war against what?

America! I want you to picture what that's going to be like.

Picture the tanks rolling up our drives, adrenaline coursing through your body.

I want you to picture yourself with your gun in your hand and your kids behind

you.

And I want you to picture that again and again and again until it become real to

you so that when the time comes, you won't hesitate.

to pull the trigger because having the nerve to pull the trigger

is precisely what his granddaddy found at the nazi party

i'd steer clear of him he's not the kind of guy you want to mess with to protect

our god-fearing

We've heard it said that David Koresh believed he was preparing, planning for

a great war.

Did he ever express those beliefs when he purchased these guns from you?

I didn't deal with David, but I was aware of the philosophy, yes.

Who did you deal with?

I dealt almost exclusively with Paul Fada.

And you're referring to defendant Fada, seated behind counsel over here?

Yes. Did Mr. Fada seem knowledgeable when it came to guns? Inside and out.

And how many guns did Paul Fada purchase from you?

About $90,000 worth.

Exhibit 103.

Can you tell us what this is and where you found it?

We found it in the compound in the chapel.

And what type of weapon is this?

It's an M16 rifle.

I carried one in Vietnam for 11 months and 7 days.

Because it's a military weapon.

Built for war.

That's right.

Now, Ranger Boak, you've testified about finding a lot of evidence here.

Tell me this, did you also happen to locate the building's front doors?

No, sir.

Help me out here.

You were able to find this big, lighter, but not too seven-foot doors?

No.

Why not?

Must have burned with the rest of the building.

Burned. Both front doors.

That's right.

Mm-hmm.

But in the months leading up to the ATF's arrival at Mount Carmel...

What did you observe regarding their inventory?

We observed a dramatic increase in their stockpile of weapons.

So, they were buying guns, but not selling them.

Correct.

I only have two questions. In your years of observation and research, did the

Davidians ever obtain a weapon illegally?

Not to my knowledge.

Okay.

And... Just one more thing. In your examination of all the evidence, I don't

reckon you saw those pesky missing front doors, did you?

Lieutenant Caldwell, could you tell us what the mag bag was?

The mag bag was a small tract of land located on Farm Road outside of Waco.

It was where Mr. Koresh and Mr.

Fata received shipments of weapons, ammunition, gun parts.

And had you had any previous interactions with David Koresh or Paul

Fata that would lead you to believe that was a possibility?

Approach.

You guys, this is a transparent attempt to bring up my client. Paul Fad has

passed, which is entirely out of bounds. It's germane to this case, Your Honor.

Mr. Fada and Mr. Koresh both have a previous charge, a conspiracy to commit

murder. And the fact that he and his compatriots tried to kill a man in cold

blood absolutely informed the ATS decision-making process when they

decided to stage a dynamic entry into Mount Carmel. Paul Fad wasn't even there

when the tanks rolled in. He wasn't there a single day of the standoff. It

doesn't matter. And if Mr. Johnson wants to prove that there was some conspiracy,

he should do it with relatives. evidence and not unfounded accusations from the

80s. Stop.

I've already ruled on this, Mr. Johnston.

The defendant's previous charges are not in the purview of this case.

Objection sustained.

Thank you. Thank you.

You can't keep all your skeletons in the closet.

Neither can you, fucker.

No further questions.

Your witness.

I only have one question.

You wouldn't happen to know where the front doors from Mount Carmel ended up,

would you?

No? Okay.

Can I do for you, George?

We're gonna settle this now.

Settle what?

Who's the real prophet?

We're gonna see who can bring her back.

Bring who back?

My mother.

Your lies put her in the ground.

I just took her out.

What are you talking about, George? What do you mean you took her out? I dug her

up.

You dug up Lois's body?

Why would you do that?

Whoever can raise my mama from the dead will be the next true prophet of Mount

Carmel.

Sheriff, what do you mean you can't do anything?

George dug up his own dead mother. It's an abomination.

Look, Vernon, I drove by Mount Carmel after you called. I didn't see any dug

-up bodies.

George told me himself.

Yeah, George says a lot of crazy things.

Unless you have actual evidence of corpse abuse or some other crime,

there's not much that I can do.

Maybe the best course of action is for y'all to stay away from Mount Carmel.

Just leave George Rodenby.

He's the one that called me.

I think he's fixing to come after us.

Well, then you might want to think about getting something to defend yourself

with.

Mr. Cogdell, Mr. Cogdell, do you think it's the doors that prove who shot

first? I do.

But those doors are also a symbol for all the questionable behavior the

federal government has taken part in.

Listen, listen.

The ATF shows up with more cameras than a Hollywood blockbuster, but there's no

footage.

They lose power at the morgue so no autopsies can be done.

Christ, they bulldozed the whole crime scene, and then they bleached it for

good measure.

This is what happens when you have the architect of a government raid, the man

who demanded the ATF go in with a hard entry, also prosecuting the same case.

You're saying there's some sort of government cover-up? No, I'm just saying

that Bill Johnston has a vested interest in convicting these people. That's for

damn sure.

I heard you with the press saying I'm corrupt.

That's way out of bounds.

It's called zealously defending my clients. You can't win with the facts,

so you're trying to turn this thing into a government cover-up, and you're

dragging my name through the mud to do it.

Like I had some ulterior motive.

I sanctioned that raid because I was trying to save those kids.

Save those kids with a forcible entry.

I'm doing my job the best way I know how.

Now, you don't agree with it, fine.

But let's fight fair, Dan.

You want me to fight fair?

You've got the public, the press, and the United States government behind you,

and all I've got is a booth at the Polo Lounge.

I'm not gonna play with one hand tied behind my back. You want me to shut up?

Find those doors.

Listen, when the prosecutor starts picking fights with you in the hall, it

means you're doing something right.

Yeah, yeah, except... Except what?

You've been watching the four-woman?

Juror number six?

She's the poison juror.

I can just tell. She's itching to say the G word.

Yeah, well, that's why we have 11 more, because all you need is one.

Jocelyn, you'd have quit our clients, wouldn't you?

Hell no.

They're guilty as shit.

Just like their defense lawyers.

Ow.

Ow.

Number six.

She's the top dog. She could sway the rest. Don't worry about number six. I'm

going to focus on her. I'm going to make her feel like the prettiest, most

special juror in the world.

Ask Jocelyn if I can't sweet-talk the legs off a chair.

Dan, if you were half as charming as you think you are, you'd be the best lawyer

on earth.

Ooh.

Is that flirting? No, that is not. Jesus!

Gordon!

God, I gotta put a bell on you.

I think I may have an answer for you on those front doors.

Whoa.

Is this Mount Carmel?

What is this, Gordon? What am I looking at here?

This was taken at 3.55 p.m., a couple hours after the fire started.

And these are FBI agents loading something into a truck.

Something about the size and shape of a door. Which was so daggone important

that they had to grab it while the building was still smoldering.

You crazy son of a bitch. That's it.

Do you think these are the front doors being loaded into this truck? I do, your

honor. This is absurd.

That's not real evidence. You can hardly see anything in that photo.

I could say they're loading Bigfoot into the back of that truck.

It's pretty blurry, counselor.

Either way, the fact that the FBI is loading anything into the back of a U

-Haul while the building's still smoldering is information the jury

deserves to know.

Your Honor, the defense has obtained a blurry photo from a conspiracy theorist

who got it from who knows where. How do you know where I got it from?

It wasn't in discovery.

Are you spying on me?

Judge. Cognell, get a hold of yourself.

Besides, we have our own evidence we'd like to submit, which will address these

ridiculous claims.

And what's that?

We found the door, your honor. The door? What door?

What door? The one you've been asking about nonstop. The one you claim is

going to flip this whole case on its head.

We're bringing it in.

Should put your concerns to rest.

May it please the court, the government would like to offer government exhibit

number 728.

Jesus, what a showman. Did you hear what he said earlier?

That a conspiracy theorist gave us the photo?

Do you think we got the Polo Lounge bug?

We found the door in Sector F, approximately 40 feet away from the

building. And did you realize it was the front door?

No, sir. It was located so far away from the front of the building, we classified

it as a piece of scrap metal.

And when did you come to realize that it was the front door?

When we re-canvassed the evidence warehouse yesterday at your urging and

found it. Now, does this door appear to have any bullet holes in it?

No, sir.

So there is nothing here that contradicts any of the earlier ATF

testimony stating that the Davidians fired first?

No.

Were you aware that the Colt compound originally had two front doors? Yes, we

re-canvassed for that one as well, but didn't find it.

Which wasn't surprising.

Why not?

It was still attached to the building. It melted when the building burned.

Objection. Speculation. The witness has no first-hand knowledge that the other

door melted.

Sustained.

All right.

Ranger Boak, why do you believe the other front door melted?

Because the doors were aluminum with foam cores.

and it was subjected to temperatures in excess of 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit

during the fire.

Aluminum melts at 1,200.

And why didn't this door melt?

You see those marks?

They're from the treads of a tank.

And when the tanks penetrated the compound entryway, we believe the door

got caught in the treads and was dragged to the place that we found it.

Well clear of the fire.

Now, Ranger Boak, you didn't realize

that this was a door initially.

Is that common to miscategorize evidence?

It's not common, but it happens, particularly if there's a large volume

of evidence.

Final question.

Were you and the Texas Rangers part of a massive conspiracy headed by the federal

government to hide this door?

I reckon not, sir.

No further questions.

Sheriff said we need proof of, um... What do you call it?

Corpse abuse. Corpse abuse, in order to do anything about it.

Well?

What if we gave him some proof?

Like a picture.

We can't just go to Mount Carmel and snap a picture.

George carries around an Uzi. He's... He's crazy.

I mean, you heard the sheriff. He said we might need to arm ourselves.

So what if we did?

All right.

We'll take five of the roogers and throw in some of them camel suits, too.

You got it.

Everybody stay quiet and stay close.

We're just getting a few photos and then getting out.

All right?

Murder! No, no!

Guess we gotta learn how to shoot.

Won't be the last time we gotta defend ourselves.

Beast

is

coming.

ATF agents testified that the Davidians shot first and that those

shots went through the front doors.

But the Davidians have stated that it was the ATF who shot at them through

those same doors.

But this door has no bullet holes in it, correct?

Not that I see.

So it must be the other door, the still-missing door that was shot

through, and it would be the other door that would prove...

which side was telling the truth.

Yes, it appears that way.

Well, that's bad luck, isn't it?

Uh, a moment, Judge.

That's all I could find, sir. Shit.

So you believe the other door melted?

Yes. Because it was made of aluminum?

That's what I said.

And those guns right there didn't melt because they're made of steel, which has

a much higher melting point.

Yes.

So if the other door was made of steel, would it have melted?

No.

That door seems awfully heavy.

My daddy was a contractor.

I'd help him demo houses.

We pulled down a lot of aluminum doors. I could carry one under one arm.

Sure didn't take... three men to pick one up.

I couldn't speak to that.

Well, then let me ask you this, Ranger Boak.

Is aluminum magnetic?

Objection. Ranger Boak is a lay witness, not a metals expert.

I'll allow it.

No, it's not magnetic.

How about steel?

I believe so, yes.

So this refrigerator magnet, would it stick to aluminum?

No, it wouldn't.

Do you still believe this door is made of aluminum?

No, sir.

It looks to be made of steel.

And if this door is made of steel, wouldn't it stand to reason that the

other door it was attached to was also made of steel?

The witness needs to respond verbally.

Yes.

So then, Ranger Boat, I'll ask you again, where is the missing door?

Do you need the phone?

Because I can wait. It's not urgent.

Hello?

No, go ahead.

Hello?

Hello?

Hey, Daddy.

Oh, Carol.

Oh, it's so good to hear from you. Are you safe?

Yeah, yeah. I just wanted you to know that I made it to my friend's place,

okay? You know, I didn't want you to worry.

Yeah, that's good to hear, because I was worried.

Your mom and I were both worried.

When do you think we'll see you again?

Uh, it's hard to say, you know, but I should go because there's someone

waiting on the phone. So, you know, I just didn't want you to think I got

lost. Hey, thanks for calling.

You called... Ah,

that was Carol.

She's still in play.

You sure she's just not looking to get more candy money?

What's your name?

I don't know you.

Oh good girl.

You taught her well. Okay kiddo. We're gonna get you a daycare

Government has charged my clients with conspiracy They

claimed that Paul Fatto was a blood merchant The architect of some violent

plot when he was just a man trying to run a business

But after what we saw today, I can't help but wonder if it's the government

who shouldn't be answering for their actions.

If it's the government who isn't conspiring against my clients, whose

only crime was leading a life the government didn't agree with.

And now that same government refuses to take responsibility for its actions and,

in fact, is willing to do whatever it takes to cover it up, even if it means

hurting innocent people.

But that malfeasance, that arrogance has dangerous consequences for my

clients and for the rest of this country.

Lori Ray, you're on the Waco jury, right? What?

No. I don't want to talk.

The Constitution of the United States gives jurors great powers.

I'm here to inform you of your choices.

You can make the right choice.

Before we get started, I want to make you all aware of something.

Five of our jurors had letters delivered to their homes this weekend by a group

called FEJA, the Fully Informed Jury Association.

Pamphlets claim the rules of the court don't apply to the jury, and they can

make up whatever verdict they see fit.

To the jurors' homes? Yes. One of the jurors, juror number six, said she was

practically accosted.

She's pretty shaken up about it.

Any of you all familiar with this group?

Are you asking us, Your Honor? I'm asking everyone.

It just seems like the implication is that the defense might benefit from

this. I think you're reading into my question. I'm not implying anything,

Counselor. I'm just concerned that if the jury thinks these people are aligned

with... I will tell the jury they have nothing to do with anyone involved in

the trial.

That would be much appreciated. Thank you. So long as they believe they can

remain impartial.

Let's get started.

Thank you.

Your Honor, the government calls Kathy Schroeder to the stand.

So you were a member of this group, a Branch Davidian?

I was, yes.

This must be very hard for you to testify against your own people.

Yeah, it is.

When the ATF arrived on February 28th,

To serve their warrant.

And a gunfight erupted.

Were you tasked with any kind of job?

Yes.

I was the one who made sure that everybody had a gun.

And made sure that everybody had the right ammunition to go with it.

And why were you entrusted with this job?

I'd been in the Air Force.

So it was like a military exercise.

It was something we trained for.

And the people that you were passing out these weapons to, did they take them

with the intent to use them?

Objection. Speculation.

I'll rephrase.

Was it your understanding that the weapons would be used?

Absolutely.

And are some of the people that you passed out these weapons to here today?

Yes.

Let's get specific.

During the raid, did you have any contact...

With Ruth Riddle?

I gave Ruth a gun and nine mags.

Can you identify Ruth Riddle?

I'm sorry, Ruth.

Let the record show that Mrs. Schroeder has identified Ruth Riddle.

What contact did you have with Clive Doyle concerning firearms?

I gave Clive a .308.

Can you identify Clive Doyle?

Did you have any contact with Livingstone Fagan concerning firearms?

Livingstone was already carrying an AK, so I just made sure he had ammo.

Did you have any contact with Paul Fata concerning firearms?

Not on the day of the raid, but he purchased the guns.

So David Koresh instructed you to hand out the weapons Paul Fata

purchased.

To these defendants.

Yes.

We all had guns. Do you get it? We all had guns.

We all knew what was coming.

David always said, if you can't kill for God, you can't die for God.

And was David Koresh willing to die?

Of course.

We all were.

We were the army of God.

Even David's name, David Koresh, that means beloved death.

So, when David Koresh believed he was dying from his gunshot wounds,

was there a plan in case he died?

We were supposed to carry David out the front door on a stretcher.

If he wasn't dead yet, we were going to shoot him in the head.

And then we were supposed to open fire on the FBI agents.

And why would you want to do that?

To draw their fire.

So they'd kill us all.

See, you had to know the real David.

He was never gonna surrender.

I'm sorry.

He was never gonna let us go.

And how did you know that?

Because... he'd conditioned us.

He conditioned us for years to believe that we were headed for an armed

showdown with the forces of the Beast.

The Beast?

From the Book of Revelation.

So, when the ATF arrived at your door, you believed they were those forces.

And you were ready for battle.

Yeah, we were.

And you were conditioned to believe that it would be a battle to the death.

Yes.

So, no matter what the government did, no matter how many chances they gave the

Branch Davidians to come out of Mount Carmel, you weren't coming out alive?

It's not too late, you know.

We could pick a different place.

I bet most of those kids never even heard a wake-up.

When we kill a bunch of kids, who's to say we're any better than the ATF?

Yeah, hello.

Gary, Stanborn here.

Oh, hey, Alan. What's up?

I need you on a plane in a couple hours.

I passed off the negotiations team to Hendricks.

It's not a negotiation.

I need you in Texas, ASAP.

You're being called to testify in the Waco trial tomorrow.

What, the prosecution wants me to testify?

No, the defense does.

The defense?

Why?

Maybe they caught wind of your little meltdown with the DOJ where you said

Waco was all the government's fault. That's not what I said.

Well, either way, they want you understand tomorrow.

Jesus. No, I... No, no, I don't have time for that, Alan. Can you make it go

away? No, I cannot.

It's a federal subpoena. This is bad timing, Alan. I just got a CI into

Elohim City.

What?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Who the hell gave you clearance to send a CI in there?

I sure as hell didn't, Gary. If that unauthorized CI turns up dead, your

career is over.

I realize that. That's why I can't leave right now. I don't like you testifying

any more than you do.

You go down there and you show that you know how to play ball. If you want

support out there in Oklahoma, then you're going to have to show us that you

are a team player.

Are you stupid?

You had no right to do this without talking to us.

This right here is how you lose our whole case. I'm sorry.

Were you in there just now?

Because Kathy Schroeder just destroyed us.

Look, our whole case is built on self-defense.

On the idea that the government attacked the Davidians.

But the jury's not going to give a shit about that if they think the Davidians

already had a death wish and were going to kill themselves no matter what.

So our job...

Our most important job is to show the jury that our clients were actual

people. People who wanted to live.

And that the choices the ATF and the FBI made are what resulted in all those

people dying.

We could put their friends on the stand. Their family.

Come on, somebody's mama ain't gonna convince the jury.

But if we can get a badge up there and he says that these were real people,

people who wanted to live.

Then we're cooking with gas.

So, just to be clear, you're gonna put a professional negotiator on the stand and

hope you can get him to crack.

It's a Hail Mary at best.

Well, we need a Hail Mary, and we need it to connect.

Or we lose.

I am so tired of people spreading lies about David, especially when the lies

are coming from one of our own. How could you say those things? Look, we

wanted this to happen.

We wanted all the people we love to die.

It's insane.

It's like letting Judas write the gospel.

I'm going to testify.

Your lawyer is letting you speak?

Mine won't let me. Neither will mine. I don't care.

I have a legal right to testify if I want to. We all do.

She's right.

It doesn't matter that the lawyers said no. Legally, they can't stop us. And our

lawyers are not listening to us. No one is listening to us, so we have to make

them listen.

I don't know.

We are good people.

Someone needs to say it.

We're not monsters. David's not a monster.

The jury needs to hear that David would never do anything to hurt us He loved

us Someone should say something

Hey, Mama.

What the hell were you thinking?

Shooting at George Roden like that?

Well, he let me go.

And if they didn't?

If they kept you in jail, you think these friends of yours would still be

there when you got out?

God told me that I... Oh, don't give me that crap!

They might buy this whole Messiah thing you've been feeding them, but I remember

when you were still pissing your bed. Stop!

Vernon. He didn't choose you. He didn't choose Grandma.

He chose me.

Me.

Vernon.

Not anymore. You gave me that name.

But God's got bigger plans for me than you could have ever even thought of.

Just get in the car.

God's given me a new name.

David Koresh.

From now on, you will call me by my name. I will call you by your given

name. Your real name. David Koresh is my real name.

Or do you think you know better than God?

And is it God, then, who told you to impregnate Rachel's little sister?

What is she, 14?

You were 14 when you had me!

And I remember what it felt like to be a 14-year-old mother.

You know how that felt?

Like I was too young!

I follow where God leads.

And if you can't get with the program, then, well, then you'll never see these

grandkids of yours.

How does that sound to you? Is that what you want?

And they'll ask me, Daddy, why don't I have a grandma?

And I'll say, oh, you do have one out there somewhere, but you always had to

know best, better than God.

Some souls just can't be led to the Spirit, no matter how hard you scream

and shout at them.

Just get back in the car.

Get back in the car what?

Get back in the car, please.

Get back in the car, please, David.

Always like this. Been a circus since day one.

I've been telling them we need more support.

Especially after one of the jurors was followed home.

What? These guys are coming here from all over the country.

So.

You gonna ask Nasner about the missing door? Yeah, probably.

Wait, where is everyone?

Hmm. Maybe the bus is late.

Oh, shit. Now what?

What's up?

It seems we've got a bit of a mutiny on our hands.

You're denying us our constitutional rights. We have a Sixth Amendment right

to self-representation, and you're denying us that right. Is this about

testifying again? This is about speaking the truth.

We're good people, and we just want the chances... Clive, we've talked about

this. There's no way in hell... You

want

to testify, you should know what it's going to be like.

Mr. Fagan, you were a follower of David Koresh, correct?

Yes. Did you believe him when he said the end times were coming?

Yes.

Is that why you were preparing for battle?

A spiritual battle.

And were people going to die in this spiritual battle?

Yes.

Mr. Fagan, have you ever shot anyone?

Mr. Fagan, you swore on a Bible to tell the truth. Now I'll ask you again, have

you ever shot anyone?

No, no, no, they want to do this.

Mr. Fatto, in 1988, you were in a gun battle.

Yes. A battle led by David Koresh, for which you were both arrested.

What crime were you charged with?

Attempted murder.

Attempted murder?

You were prepared to kill for Mr. Koresh, weren't you? Because you would

do anything Mr. Koresh said. It wasn't like that. We made our own choices.

So you had free will?

Yes. And what about you, Mr. Doyle?

Were you brainwashed? No. So you made your own choices as well? Yes.

So you chose to let your 12-year-old daughter marry a 30-year-old man?

You don't understand. And what about you?

You knew what was going on. Did you say anything?

You have to know the Bible.

What about you? Did you say anything?

Did you?

Or maybe you didn't care because you had a son instead of a daughter.

That's not fair. You are all complicit. You all saw.

you knew and you didn't say anything. Do you know what the legal term for these

marriages of David's is?

It's rape.

It wasn't rape.

It wasn't even sexual. David married them in order to have children.

Is that why he married a 10-year-old girl?

Because she was so fertile?

You are not guilty of the crime you've been accused of. And what the government

did at Mount Carmel is an abomination.

But you're not innocent either.

And if you get up there to testify, that's all anybody will be left with.

Everybody wants to go to heaven.

Everybody wants to go to heaven.

This land right here under your feet, it's not land at all.

It's a doorway through which we will change the whole world.

Has the jury reached the verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

These people are planning an attack.

Something big.