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03/11/93
Agents claim control; Man arrested outside cult site
By David McLemore / The Dallas Morning News
WACO-Federal agents said Wednesday they are in "complete control' of a heavily fortified religious cult and announced the arrest of a man who apparently fled the sect's compound after a firefight.
Authorities also expressed concern over news media efforts to orchestrate communications directly with the cult's leader, David Koresh.
"This has caused the negotiation process to divert from trying to gain release of all those inside to Mr. Koresh's attempts to gain access to the media,' said FBI Agent Bob Ricks. "This is counterproductive.'
Initially, federal negotiators thought that giving Mr. Koresh access to the media would be useful, but Agent Ricks said: "We found that he loves the attention. If he sees he can get the attention of the media, the longer he will hold out.'
As the standoff moved into its 12th day, a group of lawyers went to federal court in Waco in an effort to gain access to Mr. Koresh and his followers.
"Before anyone else dies, please call me,' said North Carolina lawyer Kirk Lyons in an open letter to Mr. Koresh.
All outside communications to the group have been cut off, and the FBI said Wednesay that it learning more of the inner workings of the Branch Davidian sect.
Agent Ricks said a core group exists within the sect, "with certain trusted males, called the Mighty Men, allowed to carry weapons around the compound. Another group, the SS, are apparently also involved in enforcement.'
Woodrow Kendrick, 62, was the second man arrested in connection with the Feb. 28 shootout with Branch Davidian sect members that left four Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents dead.
Mr. Kendrick arrived at a nearby mobile home of a cult member that Sunday, wet and cold, said the cult member's mother, Mary Jones.
Then, the sound of gunfire echoed a few miles away at the Branch Davidian religious compound where her son, David, and his three young children were, she said Wednesday.
"I asked him what was going on, had he done something wrong,' Mrs.
Jones said. "He just said he had fallen down. That he hadn't done anything wrong.'
Mr. Kendrick, an itinerant handyman, allegedly was involved in a brief skirmish outside the compound that afternoon, said Dan Conroy, deputy assistant director of the ATF. The second gunbattle left one cult member, identified as Michael Schroeder, dead, and another, Del-roy Nash, wounded and placed in federal custody. Mr. Schroeder's wife, Kathryn, is believed to be in the compound.
Mr. Conroy declined to explain how Mr. Kendrick could elude federal agents surrounding the compound and make his way four miles to the trailer home where he was arrested by Texas Rangers.
Mr. Conroy said Mr. Kendrick's arrest was without incident, and two semi-automatic pistols, a .380-caliber and a 9mm, were seized. All arrest information has been sealed by a federal court, Mr. Conroy said.
Mr. Kendrick is being held without bail after an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Dennis Green.
At the home, Mrs. Jones warily answered questions about Mr.
Kendrick. Although he claimed to be a member of the Branch Davidian sect, he didn't live at the compound or visit there often, she said.
After arriving at the trailer, she said, they monitored news accounts of events for the next nine days.
Mr. Kendrick did odd jobs for sect members, Mrs. Jones said, working most recently at the Mag Bag, a large metal shed near the compound. ATF agents with a search warrant raided it Tuesday, finding six shotgun shells.
Mrs. Jones said Mr. Kendrick is the father of her son's ex-wife, Kathy Jones.
Federal authorities Wednesday identified David Jones as one of four sect members confirmed as suffering gunshot wounds.
Mrs. Jones declined to discuss her three grandchildren, who are now in state custody, or the efforts by her former daughter-in-law to regain custody.
During the news briefing Wednesday, Mr. Conroy also announced that ATF agents had raided Shooter's Equipment in Richland, S.C., on Tuesday to try to find evidence in connection with arms sales to Mr. Koresh or cult members.
Information on that raid and another conducted that day in LaVerne, Calif., has also been sealed by federal authorities, Mr. Conroy said.
Besides Mr. Schroeder, authorities said cult members identified the other follower killed in the initial assault as Peter Gent of Australia. Authorities stressed there has been no independent confirmation, although family members have been notified.
In discussions with cult members, Agent Ricks said agents confirmed that four sect members suffered gunshot wounds.
Agent Ricks also said that Mr. Koresh has consistently refused to give in to federal negotiators' continuing requests for the release of more people from the compound.
"That would violate my God-given views,' agents quoted Mr. Koresh as saying. "I'm dealing with God, not you.'
Meanwhile, another copy of a videotape of children released from the compound was delivered after sect members complained that the first was a blank. Members then complained that the children weren't being disciplined properly.
"They were particularly disturbed that the children were eating candy, drinking Cokes, watching TV, and one child was seen jumping on a couch,' Agent Ricks said.
Agent Ricks reiterated that negotiations continue, with sect member Steve Schneider, 42, a Koresh associate, taking a larger role. Mr. Schneider's wife was one of those wounded.
Agent Ricks said the FBI has control of telephone communications to the cult, can cut its electricity at will and can control the conflict in other ways.
"We can turn off the electricity or cut off any access they have to the outside world. We will use that at various times, and it will be used until this is resolved,' he said.
Agent Ricks said negotiators have talked to 70 cult members since the abortive assault, but some are duplications and they're trying to reconcile accurate numbers of all those involved.
Mr. Koresh has said 90 adults and 17 children remain in the compound.
He also said that several sect members have asked what charges they face. They were told they will have legal representation and be given a forum to tell their side, Agent Ricks said.
Mr. Lyons, executive director of the Cause Foundation, and a group of other lawyers are pressing to provide such legal advice. A ruling on the lawyers' motion in federal court to force authorities to provide them access to the cult is expected after government lawyers have responded in writing.
Meanwhile, Wednesday in Washington, ATF Director Stephen Higgins again defended the agents who stormed the Branch Davidian compound.
"The (agents) did exactly what they were trained to do,' Mr.
Higgins told members of the House appropriations subcommittee that allocates ATF funding.
Mr. Higgins also deflected criticism his agency has drawn from outside experts since the raid.
Once the facts about the operation are known, Mr. Higgins said, "I suspect some of these "self-styled experts' may have to hang their heads.'
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