28,
>day • February 28, 1995
The Battalion
Page 5
awsuits mark two-year anniversary of
►ranch Davidian compound assault
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OUSTON (AP) — Attorneys
ounced a pair of lawsuits —
seeking more than $1 billion
Jamages — against the federal
i^rnment Monday, two years
agents gathered in Waco for
1-fated raid on the Branch
dians’ sprawling home,
he federal cases in Houston
e a day before the statute of
tations for such civil actions
to expire.
ogether, they seek over $1.5
illion in punitive and compen-
itpry damages for relatives of
lavidians killed in the two-
lonth confrontation between
lelgroup and federal agents.
|oe Kroviski, a Justice De
ment spokesman in Wash-
n, said officials hadn’t seen
lawsuits and would have no
ment Monday.
bout 100 agents from the
eau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
arms arrived in cattle trail-
rsfat the home of David Koresh
his disciples on Feb. 28,
3. They were attempting to
est Koresh for alleged
ipons violations.
t
eh
bavin? four agents and six cultists
ulic in
were killed in an ensuing gun
battle. Seventy-nine Davidians,
including Koresh and 18 children,
died 51 days later, when an infer
no engulfed the complex. The gov
ernment blames Davidians for
the fire; group supporters say
government agents were at
fault.Nearly a dozen civil lawsuits
have since been filed by both fed
eral agents and Davidians. None
have come to court yet.
One of the latest cases accuses
the government of negligence that
resulted in excessive force in the
initial assault and the ensuing
siege. It also says officials ignored
alternative strategies that might
have shortened the
standoff and saved
lives.
Houston attorney
Michael Caddell,
whose law firm han
dled the case, said
he represents the
estates of 28 de
ceased Branch Da
vidians, 74 relatives
of those killed and
10 surviving group
members. The case
seeks more than $1
billion in compen
satory and punitive
damages.
Caddell admits that the David
ians bear some blame for the
tragedy, adding that, “What we’re
about is asking the government to
accept its share of the responsibil
ity for what happened.
“Our sorrow goes out to those
families of the law enforcement
officers who died ... just as they
go out to the Davidians,” he
said. “All of those are victims of
government abuse of power.”
Caddell last year sued indi
vidual ATF and FBI leaders over
their handling of the siege. The
latest action amends that case to
include the U.S. government un
der the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Another lawsuit filed Mon
day alleges that federal agents
“willfully, wantonly and inten
tionally planned an illegal, vio
lent, paramilitary operation
"Our sorrow goes out to those
families of the law enforcement
officers who died ... just as they
go out to the Davidians. All of
those are victims of government
abuse of power."
— Michael Caddell
Attorney for Branch Davidians
which they knew or should
have known would result in un
necessary violence, personal in
jury and loss of life.”
Houston attorney James
Brannon said he filed the case
on behalf of New York lawyer
and former U.S. Attorney Gen
eral Ramsey Clark, who repre
sents 56 relatives of Davidians
and a few surviving group
members.
Brannon said Clark is seek
ing $10 million in damages for
each plaintiff and another $7.5
million for the Branch Davidi
ans at-large.
Clark did not immediately re
turn telephone calls from The
Associated FVess Monday.
The difference between the
two cases is that while Caddel-
l’s suit alleges government neg
ligence, Clark’s lawsuit alleges
government intent to kill the
Davidians.
Brannon, who represents the
estates of three Koresh children
in a separate case, said Clark
believes he can prove that
agents acted with intent.
“I’m fairly certain that a
lawyer of his caliber wouldn’t
make such accusations lightly,”
Brannon said. “This is a funda
mentally different approach than
any of the other lawsuits.”
Joe Phillips, an attorney work
ing with Caddell, said he wanted
to distance himself from the
harsh claims.
“Those sorts of wild accusa
tions ... just damage our credibili
ty,” Phillips said.
All the attorneys said it will be
years before any of the cases
make it to trial.
i. For
11 Teri
Crews work to scoop up balls of tar from tanker spill
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3The spill occurred more
lan three weeks ago, but the
leanup is just beginning along
ie Texas Gulf Coast.
(AP) Cleanup crews hit the beach Mon-
ay to scoop up globs of tar that have
ashed up along 40 miles of Padre Island
om a Norwegian oil tanker spill more
nan three weeks ago.
'Some of the tar balls are dime-size and
ome of them are basketball* size,” said
ob Mann, spokesman for the Texas Gen-
ral Land Office.
Officials said some areas within the 40-
ile stretch from near Port Aransas to
rout 15 miles north of the Mansfield Cut
ad no visible impact. Other areas had
eavy concentrations of tar globs.
More than 300 workers lined the Gulf of
imoking inmates fume over tobacco ban
Mexico side of Padre Island, using hand
shovels and machinery to collect the batch
es of crude oil. Sixty workers initially were
dispatched to Padre Island when tar balls
first appeared during the weekend.
“It is larger, and it seems to be getting
heavier that we thought it would be,”
Mann said. However, he said that nearly
all of the 37,800 gallons of oil that spilled
from the Berge Banker on Feb. 5 have al
ready washed ashore.
The Berge Banker, owned by Bergesen
dy As of Oslo, Norway, collided with a
smaller Norwegian tanker about 55 miles
offshore from Galveston Bay.
The spill dispersed into smaller concen
trations, with some globs traveling more
than 150 miles before reaching land three
weeks later.
Officials said the company’s contractors
tried to skim the spill offshore near the ac
cident site, but much of the heavy crude
sank below the surface.
“We skimmed up as much as could be
found. But when it acts, as X call it, like a
submarine, you can’t find it,” said Frank
Gonynor, a spokesman for Gard, the tanker
company’s Norwegian insurance company.
The blotches of oil first came ashore
along Matagorda Island more than a
week ago. Mann said the Matagorda
cleanup is nearly completed, but efforts
on Padre Island likely will last through
the end of this week.
Gonynor estimated that the cleanup bill
will total $2 million. He said the company
quickly assumed financial responsibility for
the cleanup, which is being conducted by
private Contractors, the General Hand Of
fice and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“We’ve been here, and we haven’t hesi
tated to get involved,” he said.
At least eight birds were covered by oil,
said John Lujan, a spokesman for Padre Is
land National Seashore, which covers most
of the affected shoreline.
Beginning Wednesday, possession of
)bacco will become illegal in Texas prisons.
HUNTSVILLE (AP) — Texas prison inmates who smoke have just
more day to indulge in their habit: on Wednesday, possession of to-
cco becomes illegal throughout the 100,000-inmate system.
Like anybody withdrawing from a habit, there’s some people
o are on edge — irritated,” said Larry Fitzgerald, spokesman for
Texas Department of Criminal Justice institutional division.
Fitzgerald said the supply of cigarettes has been dwindling since
commissary stopped selling them about a month ago.
The impending ban applies not only to the system’s inmates, but
its employees on state property as well. “From what I have seen
ire have been less and less of them standing outside the building
loking. They’re preparing themselves,” Fitzgerald said.
But not everyone is ready.
“This place is on the edge of blowing up. There’s going to be a lot
of people hurt when it does. I hear ’em talking about killing,” said
death row inmate Henry Lee Lucas.
Lucas told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the price of what
used to be a $5 can of roll-your-own tobacco jumped in recent weeks
to $20, then $50 and finally $75.
The ban on tobacco and related products was approved in Novem
ber by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. It designates cigarettes,
snuff and matches as contraband.
One prison official said an inmate at the Walls Unit sold $1 raffle
tickets for his tin of Bugler tobacco and collected about $400.
“They’re making us come down like a rock. That’s the only way they
can punish us without causing the courts to go haywire,” Lucas said.
Lucas said he ran out of cigarettes more than a week ago, having
used up a stockpile that he had hope would last until his scheduled
March 15 execution date.
Non-smoking inmates said they’re thrilled by the new rule.
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J Bryan, TX 77801
HURRY FOR BEST SELECTION
(all sales final - no lay-aways)
Sale ends 03-11-95
Open 9-6 Mon -Sat.
846-1947
Across from Chicken Oil Co.
Gulf Coast Conservation Association
3rd Annual Banquet
Thursday, March 2nd, 6:00 p.m.
at the Brazos Center, East Briarcrest Drive
Prizes include a rigged 16 foot Redfin boat with
a 60 Hp Mercury, Pishing tackle, guided trips,
artwork, outdoor gear, and many other items
$15 tickets include a BBQ buffet
Call Don Wood at 694-8739 for details
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JP1
Jetton Ridge Apartments • 2250 Oartmnulh • College Staiion, Texas 77840 • (409) 094-4100
tii
Dr. A. Benton Cocanougher, Dean
College of Business Administration
and Graduate School of Business
and
Dr. R. Malcolm Richards, Head
Department of Finance
hope you will join us
for a presentation by
David Glass
President dr CEO, VCfal-Alart, Inc.
1 1:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
2 March 1995
Texas A&M University
Room 1 59, Wehner Building
(West Campus)
VIP Research is seeking individuals,
8 yrs. of age or older, with infected
wounds for a 3-wk. research study
of an investigational antibiotic
cream. Qualified participants will
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For more information, call:
VOLUNTEERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL
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Or-
(409) 776-1417
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS: GENERAL
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
WANT TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE AND
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Come by one of our
weekly meetings held
every Priday at 11:00
(room number will be posted
outside of 161 Bizzell Hall
West) where we will answer
questions incltiding:
How do I plan a Study Abroad?
When should I Sttidy Abroad?
What about Pinaneial Aid?
- and more - *
Study Abroad Programs *161 Bizzell Hall West • 845-0544
Have your say on issues concerning...
YOU!
Students are invited to attend an Open Forum
hosted by
Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr* Malon Southerland
Join us for dialogue concerning stu
dent issues, and discussion about
things that are important to you!
March 1, 1995
Rudder 404, 3 p.m.
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Bring a Friend!
Visit us at the
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