--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 10. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After two separate requests for the Randy Weaver trial update for Day 10, I am beginning to believe that I forgot to post it. If this is a duplicate, please forgive the wasted bandwidth. I'm sure I posted this to tpg, though. Drew Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Monday, May 3, 1993 was the tenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Hunt testified that the government took all reasonable measures to apprehend Randy Weaver without conflict, including trying to find times Weaver might leave his cabin. In a related story, Randy Weaver's father and sister have now joined the courtroom spectators. The U.S. Marshal's Service was charged with bringing in Randy Weaver after he failed to appear for a February 20, 1991 court date. In charge of the investigation was U.S. Deputy Marshal Dave Hunt. Hunt testified that all government efforts to apprehend Randy Weaver were designed to do so without incident, particularly armed conflict. Hunt was apparently very concerned about the possibility of armed confrontation, at one point offering a friend of Randy Weaver named Bill Grider $5000 if he could provide a way of arresting Weaver without incident. Hunt continued by stating that a large portion of time was spent trying to ascertain when Weaver might leave his cabin, thus providing a chance to arrest him with a lower chance of gunfire erupting. Some of Weaver's friends gave Hunt a letter on March 6, 1991, indicating that Weaver would not surrender. Hunt testified, "I told them specifically that if Randy Weaver didn't care about his children, that I did, that I was not going to have a confrontation with innocent parties - children - in the middle." [A cynic would note that a child was among the first to die in the gunfire]. Hunt continued his testimony by stating that a friend of Randy Weaver's, Allen Jeppson, served as a quasi-mediator for a possible surrender. Jeppson pursued surrender terms that would include location of the trial, and possibly having Jeppson stay with Weaver in jail before any trial began. Hunt decided that those conditions were unworkable but did say he was encouraged that Weaver was willing to talk. Jeppson continued, counter-offering a proposal that the government promise to not interfere with Vicki Weaver's custody of the four children. Ominously, the U.S. Attorney's office refused that condition "for various reasons." This is an interesting revelation in and of itself. Apparently the government had every intention of stripping the Weavers of their children, regardless of the outcome of the standoff. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday, May 4, 1993 with the continued testimony of Deputy U.S. Marshall Dave Hunt. In a related story, Randy Weaver's father (Clarence Weaver of Jefferson, Iowa) and Randy Weaver's sister (Coleen Labertew of Indianola, Iowa) joined the courtroom as spectators. KTVB carried a mini-interview in which Clarence Weaver declared that his son was being treated unfairly and he wondered why the agents that killed Vicki Weaver were not on trial. This marks the first time that either Clarence Weaver or Coleen Labertew has attended the trial. KTVB also reported that on Monday, May 3, 1993 Randy Weaver said that, "All government workers are workers of satan," and that, "It was God's will they [the Weaver family] stay in the cabin." It was not reported whether these statements were made on the stand or to reporters between trial session(s). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 11. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Tuesday, May 4, 1993 was the eleventh day of the trial. Synopsis: Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Hunt continued his testimony today, focusing on efforts to get Randy Weaver to surrender. A high-level official revealed that part of the government's strategy was to push Weaver to the edge of confrontation. Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Hunt testified that his plan was to keep Weaver alive despite the standoff. However, some documents entered into evidence today would seem to suggest otherwise: Entered into evidence were 1991 notes authored by Chief Deputy Marshal Ron Evans. Evans, apparently in conversation with Tony Perez, Chief of the Marshals Service Enforcement Division, both supported pursuing a policy to arrest Weaver that included pushing Weaver, "to the edge of confrontation." The notes continued by stating, "If Weaver fires on the officers, retreat and evaluate. If Weaver follows through on the assault, we have a new game and a new set of rules to evaluate." [A cynic would note that they think it's all a game]. Upon cross-examination, Hunt qualified the "edge of confrontation" remark by saying that it only referred to a face- to-face conversation he wanted to have with Weaver. [Yeah, right]. Evidence presented did show that on October 15, 1991 Hunt had drafted a letter offering that the government, among other things, would not try and interfere with Vicki Weaver's custody of the family children, and would not prosecute other family members. As reported earlier, this offer was countermanded by U.S. Attorney Ronald Howen on October 17, 1991, proving that the government had every intention of seizing custody of the children. Howen, in conjunction with Deputy Marshal Warren Mays instead drafted a letter to Weaver addressing concerns Vicki Weaver had raised in previous letters. When the Howen/Mays letter was brought to mediator Allen Jeppesen [note the reported spelling of Jeppesen has changed from earlier reports in the Statesman], there was already a letter from Vicki Weaver cutting off negotiations. A segment of that letter reads as follows: My husband was set up for a fall because of his religious and political beliefs. There is nothing to discuss. He doesn't have to prove his innocence, nor refute your slander. The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday, May 5, 1993 at 8:30am with Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Hunt continuing his testimony. KTVB carried some good footage this day. Randy Weaver's 85-year old father left the trial today for his home in Iowa. Defense attorney Gerry Spence remarked on the father's presence, "Randy was very touched. I said [to Randy Weaver] that it must be very tough for you to sit there and watch your daddy watching you like this. He [Randy Weaver] said, 'He needs to see the truth.'" Spence also remarked on the content of Vicki Weaver's letters, saying that not only was she concerned about losing her children, but that the letters were largely complaints about the government's treatment of Randy Weaver. Finally, court observers noted today that the introduction of trial evidence is taking a lot longer than originally anticipated. Some feel that the trial may drag on into July or even August. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 12. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Wednesday, May 5, 1993 was the twelfth day of the trial. Synopsis: Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Ron Evans claimed today that Randy Weaver had a sign at the end of his driveway proclaiming, "White Power is Supreme." Defense Attorney Gerry Spence pointed out inconsistencies between Evans's trial testimony and the testimony he gave at Randy Weaver's indictment hearing last year. The testimony of U.S. Deputy Marshal Dave Hunt must have finished without further incident, as neither the Statesman nor KTVB carried any additional coverage. The trial coverage picks up with Chief Deputy for the U.S. Marshals (Idaho) Ron Evans. The government's now obvious strategy is to depict Randy Weaver as a white supremacist, thus playing upon a jury's emotions about such beliefs, presumably to increase the likelihood of obtaining a conviction. Evans claimed that he and Deputy Marshal Jack Cluff drove up to the Weaver family cabin on March 4, 1991 to scout out possible locations for a hidden camera to ascertain who might be bringing the Weavers supplies. Evans claims that the two did not have any intention of confronting Weaver that day. Evans continued by saying that at the edge of the Weaver's driveway there was a sign that read, "White Power if Supreme. Bow Down to Yahweh." Weaver's friends, throughout the trial, have denied the governments's allegations that Randy Weaver was a white supremacist, stating emphatically that he was instead a white separatist who felt that the races should not mix. In later testimony, Dick Staples, a government contracted surveyor who had surveyed the site for the government, said he thought he had seen a sign that said, "Yahweh Messiah" near the driveway's edge. When Evans and Cluff were spotted by the Weavers, they were asked to leave the property and did so without incident. Evans stated in court that Weaver and two teenagers had spotted the Marshals, and that Weaver and the two teenagers were all armed with long guns. Evans assumed that the two teenagers were Samuel Weaver and Sara Weaver. With respect to seeing Sara Weaver armed, Evans is reported to have said, "I will remember that forever." Defense attorney Gerry Spence proceeded to attack Evans's credibility, by pointing out gross inconsistencies between his courtroom testimony and the testimony he gave at the indictment hearing last September, asking directly, "When were you not telling the truth, before the grand jury or before the ladies and gentlemen here?" Spence homed in on two of the biggest inconsistencies, one involving Sara Weaver being armed and the other involving the family dog. At the indictment hearing, Evans had testified that he could not see whether Sara Weaver was armed. Secondly, last September Evans had said that when the family dog had approached the jeep Evans and Cluff were riding in, he had lost sight of the dog's head. Wednesday's testimony changed to say that the dog was nipping at the tires of the vehicle. The trial is scheduled to resume Thursday, May 6, 1993 with the testimony of Boundary County District Court bailiff Ron Sukenik. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 13. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Thursday, May 6, 1993 was the thirteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Testimony from George Torrence revealed that Randy Weaver vowed, in 1991, to fight to the death if government agents tried to arrest him. Boundary County District bailiff Ron Sukenik testified that Randy Weaver pointed a gun at him in 1990 when he served an eviction notice on a friend of Weaver's named Bill Grider. Grider, in a KTVB interview outside the courthouse, denied Weaver ever pointed a gun at Sukenik. George Torrence testified today that he went with his family to meet Randy Weaver on September 26, 1991. Torrence was acting as a proxy for his father-in-law to discuss a nearby property boundary with Randy Weaver. Torrence reported that as he and his family approached Weaver's driveway, he noticed a cable strung up across the drive. At that point, Kevin Harris appeared from behind a rock outcropping, armed with a hunting rifle. Harris then called to Weaver, who came down the driveway carrying a shotgun. Weaver then invited the Torrence family up to the cabin. Torrence testified that neither Weaver nor Harris pointed their weapons at the Torrence family. Once inside the cabin, Weaver discussed his religious views and his position regarding the federal government. According to Torrence's testimony, Weaver described how Anglo-Saxons are the true Israelites of the Bible, and that the Jews of today are "impostors." Weaver continued by describing admiration for parts of Nazism, although he expressed discomfort at the idea of mass extermination. Weaver also told Torrence that the federal government was persecuting him because of his religious views, and that the weapons charges against him were "trumped up." Randy Weaver also stated that he would rather die fighting at his cabin than surrender to face federal weapons charges. Torrence testified, "If they came to take him [Randy Weaver], he said he was going to die fighting, and if he did, the feds would be doing him a favor because they would be sending him to heaven. But in the meantime, he would take as many of them out as he could." Also testifying Thursday was Boundary Country District bailiff Ron Sukenik. Sukenik testified that in 1990 he was serving an eviction notice on a friend of Randy Weaver's named Bill Grider. Sukenik described how he and two Boundary County Sheriff's Deputies approached the house in which Bill Grider was living. The Sheriff's deputies remained behind as Sukenik approached the house. As he neared the house, Randy Weaver appeared with a gun pointed at him and declared, "That's far enough." Randy Weaver's wife, Vicki Weaver, also appeared and was armed, but did not point her weapon at Sukenik. Sukenik then told Weaver that he was there to see Grider. At this point, Sukenik then described how, "Weaver started to preach to me - I guess that's the word - about the IRS being an illegal entity and the federal government and specifically the Jews' involvement." Sukenik then said that Weaver brought down his rifle and began talking to the Sheriff's deputies while Vicki Weaver and Bill Grider came to look at the papers. Sukenik then left the papers and quickly left the scene. KTVB carried a mini-interview will Bill Grider outside the courtroom today. Grider emphatically denied that Weaver had ever pointed a gun at Sukenik, and Grider stated that you have to wonder why the government didn't arrest Weaver at various points before the standoff erupted. Sukenik's allegations about Weaver's pointing a gun must also be weighed against the fact that the deputies didn't arrest Weaver on the spot for brandishing a firearm, a misdemeanor offense in Idaho. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 14. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Friday, May 7, 1993 was the fourteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: The day was marked by the testimony of two of Randy Weaver's friends, Rod Willey and Bill Grider. Willey gave testimony that the Weaver family was a tight-knit, loving group. Grider essentially echoed Willey's testimony. KTVB reported that U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge again admonished the prosecution and defense for "unprofessional conduct." A related story in the _Statesman_ describes the Identity Christian movement and some of their beliefs. This day featured testimony by two of Randy Weaver's friends. The first to take the stand was Rod Willey. Willey and another friend, Bill Grider, each brought supplies to the Weaver cabin during their stay in their Ruby Ridge cabin. Willey described the Weaver marriage: "It was a love story. Every time I saw them together they were holding hands. They often embraced each other, and they never argued or fought. They did everything by consensus." Willey went to the cabin July 9, 1991 after talking with deputies. He had hoped to talk Weaver into surrendering. Instead, he and the family talked and prayed about the situation. During the conversation, Randy Weaver told Willey his version of what happened regarding the illegal shotguns that precipitated the ensuing standoff. Willey reported that, "He [Randy Weaver] told me that he was handed a shotgun and asked some questions about it, whether it would be good, and handed it back." These statements conflict with the testimony given by a government informant, Kenneth Fadeley, earlier in the trial. Randy Weaver concluded the account by telling Willey that the federal weapons charges were "trumped up" and that he was innocent. Weaver also told Willey that he was sure he would not get a fair trial, and the family was concerned that they would lose their home and would get forcibly broken up. [Their concerns were obviously justified given the government's stated intention of seizing custody of the children]. The conversation then drifted to Weaver's religious beliefs, including a discussion about a long-standing "Babylonian" conspiracy, spearheaded by several prominent Jewish organizations attempting to wrestle control of governments throughout the world and establish a single government under their rule. Defense attorney Gerry Spence complained bitterly about this line of questioning, objecting frequently and declaring that this case was, "on the verge of becoming a witch hunt" because of Randy Weaver's political beliefs. Spence then argued that the jury was becoming prejudiced because of Weaver's religious beliefs. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge denied Spence's objections and allowed Willey's testimony to continue. Willey continued by noting that after a 12-hour vigil, the Weaver family decided that, as Rod Willey put it, "Yahweh wanted them to stand on the mountain and be separate. They didn't feel that there was any recourse but to make a stand." But Willey did say that Vicki Weaver was apprehensive about the family's long-term prospects, "She wanted to live up with the family up there on the mountain as long as they could before the whole thing came crashing down." Next on the stand was Bill Grider, another friend of Randy Weaver's who had also brought supplies up to the cabin. Quite simply, Grider corroborated everything Willey had said, and then proceeded to refute prosecution witness Ron Sukenik. Sukenik had earlier testified that Randy Weaver had pointed a gun at him when Sukenik was serving eviction papers on Bill Grider. Grider said that Weaver had not pointed a gun at Sukenik at all, and that allegation was totally false. U.S. District Attorney Ronald Howen's interaction with Grider was quite heated, according to the _Statesman_. Judge Lodge admonished both the prosecution and defense for "unprofessional conduct" during the day - Spence for his repeated objections and Howen for his virulent cross- examination of Bill Grider. Howen continued to advance the notion that Randy Weaver conspired with his wife for a confrontation by questioning Grider about possible violent intentions. The strategy backfired somewhat: Grider testified that Weaver had told him that he [Weaver] would only fight federal marshals, "Only if he had to defend his life and his family's life." The trial is scheduled to resume Monday, May 10, 1993 with further prosecution evidence being presented. In a related story carried in the _Idaho Statesman_ on May 9, 1993, Weaver's religious views were described in greater detail. According to the _Statesman_ report, Weaver subscribed to a particular version of range of faiths known as Christian Identity. Christian Identity describes a range of faiths that all adhere to the notion that white Europeans are the true Israelites of the Old Testament. In fact, Randy Weaver told George Torrence about his beliefs in 1991, when the two had a religious discussion. Weaver said that he considered himself to be a Jew, a true Israelite, and that he had descended from Shem, the son of Noah. Weaver also said that they were under attack by a conspiracy of Jewish "impostors," who were out to rule the world under one government. In fact, Identity Christians believe that there are two races of people, ones descended from Adam and others, including Jews, descended from Lucifer. The races are essentially in competition, with Lucifer's descendants working furiously to gain dominion over the world. Common to many Identity Christian beliefs is that we are nearing the end of the world and that the forces of God and Satan are amassing for the conflict. Consistent with this notion, Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler has called for white Europeans to move to the Pacific Northwest as a gathering of God's forces. Some Identity Christians believe that the tumultuous upheavals described in the Revelations have already begun. The Identity Christian movement traces its roots to the 1840 text _Our Israelite Origin_, published in Scotland by John Wilson. Wilson taught that the Israelites spread into Europe after crossing the Caucasus Mountains, and descended to the various Anglo-Saxons of today. The Identity Christian movement reached its apex immediately after World War II, and a leading figure at the time, Wesley Swift, declared America the "appointed place" spoken of by Jeremiah and Isaiah. Swift had formed the Church of Jesus Christ Christian in Hollywood, California. Richard Butler was a follower of Wesley Swift, and became pastor of Swift's church when Swift died in 1970. Butler moved to northern Idaho in 1974 and then formed the Aryan Nations in Hayden Lake, Idaho. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 15. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Monday, May 10, 1993 was the fifteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Conflict erupted over surveillance videotapes of the Weaver cabin. At issue is whether editing 160 hours of video to 2 hours will misrepresent the Weaver's lifestyle. Also today, U.S. Marshals Service Inspector Arthur Roderick testified about the government's high-tech surveillance. KTVB showed some surveillance photographs entered into evidence and documentation that the government had called the Weaver affair, "Operation Northern Exposure." The day began with testimony by U.S. Marshals Service Inspector Arthur Roderick, one of the men present during the initial shoot out that left Kevin Harris wounded and both Samuel Weaver and Deputy U.S. Marshal William Degan dead. Testimony today was restricted to describing the surveillance technology used by the government in gathering information about the Weaver family. Several items related to the surveillance operation were released, and KTVB carried some interesting footage. First of all, there were several aerial photographs of the cabin and surrounding area. The quality of these photographs was good, but they looked like they'd been shot by a low-flying aircraft rather than anything particularly sophisticated. At least two separate photographs had clear markings indicating points of interest to the government: It was difficult to tell exactly what everything was, but footpaths and potential/actual surveillance camera sites were apparent. The surveillance cameras themselves were interesting items. They were solar-powered remote-control devices, encased in what appeared to be a rubberized housing (like military binoculars). The units were technically not painted in camouflage, but they blended in quite well with the surroundings. The _Statesman_ reported that the Marshals used two cameras, one situated 3/4 of a mile away, and the second 2/3 of a mile away. The cameras were capable of such resolution as to identify particular persons and any objects such persons might be carrying. The Marshals logged some 160 hours of footage of the Weaver family, and they proceeded to edit this voluminous amount first down to 20 hours, then down to eight hours, and finally down to two hours. The video purportedly shows the Weavers responding to the sounds of passing cars by bringing rifles with them. U.S. District Attorney Kim Lindquist proposed showing the two hours of video along with Arthur Roderick's testimony. The defense objected, however, arguing that without seeing the footage they had no idea whether it was representative of the Weavers. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge agreed with the defense, and ruled that the videotape evidence will not be admitted until Monday, May 17, 1993 at the earliest, so as to give both sides time to work something out. He was not pleased about this, however, and disgustedly told both lawyers, "Both sides have presented an impossible problem, something that should have been taken care of before the trial." KTVB also showed some government documentation of the surveillance operation, introduced as evidence. The documentation showed that the Randy Weaver case was formally called, "Operation Northern Exposure." [Note: I am NOT making this up!]. The documentation also showed that the government referred to the Weaver cabin at Ruby Ridge as "the compound," and generally regarded the operation in paramilitary terms. One final thing displayed were accounting sheets indicating that the surveillance operation alone cost a shade under thirty thousand dollars a month to maintain. As if to counter the prosecution's photographs, the defense today also released several photographs of life around the Weaver cabin, as well as photos of Randy and Vicki Weaver's wedding. It was not clear whether these photos were entered as evidence. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday, May 11, 1993 with the continued testimony of Arthur Roderick. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 16. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Tuesday, May 11, 1993 was the sixteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Strategic and financial details of "Operation Northern Exposure" were revealed today as an Inspector for the U.S. Marshal's Service, Arthur Roderick, continued testimony. One surveillance camera came up missing during the operation, and was possibly discovered by the Weaver family. U.S. Marshal's Service Inspector Arthur Roderick's second full day of testimony described both strategic and financial details of the Randy Weaver arrest plan called "Operation Northern Exposure." The strategy involved three phases. First, federal agents scouted out possible surveillance sites for clandestine video equipment to spy on the Weaver cabin. Second, two solar- powered remote cameras were installed on ridges overlooking the family cabin. The cameras were located 3/4 of a mile away and 1/2 mile away. [Note earlier reports said the second camera was 2/3 of a mile away]. The third and final stage of the plan involved the government buying property adjacent to the Weaver cabin, and then sending in an agent to pose as a "white supremacist" to befriend Weaver. [Note the carefully chosen wording]. The idea was to use the friendship to lure Weaver away from his family for the arrest. Five 2-man teams were going to be stationed nearby to aid in the arrest. The plans encountered difficulty in execution. Roderick testified that on May 2, 1992 or early May 3, 1992, Kevin Harris and Samuel Weaver apparently heard agents installing solar panels to power one of the surveillance cameras. [Is it a coincidence that the only ones who supposedly heard the agents are both now dead?]. The next day the camera was not sending a signal, so agents went to check it out: The camera was missing. Roderick continued his testimony by stating that he, William Degan, and four others were scouting out possible locations for the five 2-man backup teams when they were discovered and the gun battle began. The financial details were enlightening. The government released figures indicating that the first month of the plan was projected to cost $29,656 with each additional two weeks expected to cost $26,928. Incredibly, there was no set arrest date, suggesting that the government was going to be spending over $13,000 a week indefinitely. In the words of Roderick, "Basically, it was up to the relationship that our undercover agent would be able to affect with Mr. Weaver." Despite releasing the projected figures, the U.S. Marshal's Service has not released actual cost information as yet. The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday, May 12, 1993 with the cross-examination of Arthur Roderick. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 17. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Wednesday, May 12, 1993 was the seventeenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Today's testimony by Arthur Roderick and Tony Perez revealed another government plan to capture Randy Weaver. The plan, which involved storming the Weaver cabin while the daughter Sara was menstruating, was rejected for safety concerns. The day's testimony by an Inspector of the U.S. Marshal's Service, Arthur Roderick, and his direct superior, Tony Perez, revealed a plan to capture Randy Weaver on federal weapons charges. The plan was developed over a two-month period of surveillance, and was critically dependent on the daughter Sara's menstruation. The family's beliefs were that this was a time when Sara was "unclean," and she was relegated to an outbuilding dubbed the "birthing house" for the duration of her menstrual cycle. The government's idea was to storm the property at 2 a.m. with four teams of agents (33 agents total) while Sara was residing in the birthing house. One team would secure the birthing house, detaining Sara and anyone who came to visit her. At 8 a.m., a car would then approach the cabin, and the agents believed that the Weavers would take cover behind a certain rock outcropping, based on earlier observations from the surveillance cameras. Deputies would then cut them off from the cabin, "secure" those outside, and then clear the house following that. The plan was rejected, according to the testimony of both Roderick and Perez, because of safety concerns for the Weaver children. Perez said, "I would not proceed without the utmost assurances that the kids would not get hurt." The government's obvious strategy is to minimize the killing of Samuel Weaver by depicting prior actions as based on safety concerns for the children. The alternative plan, discussed in earlier updates, was to buy land adjacent to the Weaver property and send in an undercover agent to befriend Randy Weaver. Presumably, the undercover agent would eventually be able to lure Randy Weaver away from his family so the agents could arrest him without incident. The testimony today revealed the extent to which the government was willing to pursue this strategy. KTVB carried some footage about how U.S. Deputy Marshal Mark Jurgensen would pose as Mark Jensen. KTVB carried a few seconds of video showing a fake driver's license, a fake dog license for a dog, and even a bank card all in the name of "Jensen." There was some controversy about the extent to which the federal agents were willing to go to achieve their goals. Released were notes that said, "Contact the Boundary County Sheriff!!!!" and some dollar figures. The defense charged that the feds were trying to bribe the local sheriff into cooperating, but that was denied. Instead, Perez stated that they were only planning on using the money to reimburse the local sheriff for expenses and overtime. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 18. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Thursday, May 13, 1993 was the eighteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Testimony by Tony Perez indicated that the family dogs were going to be "taken out of the equation." This contradicts earlier prosecution testimony regarding the dogs. Testimony by Vaughn Trueman revealed that Vicki Weaver had a vision that her family would move to the mountains of Idaho. Chief of the Marshal's Service Enforcement Division, Tony Perez, testified today that the government indeed had a plan regarding the Weaver family dogs. Said Perez, "There was a plan to take care of the dogs," and the plan involved taking the dogs, "out of the equation." When asked specifically about the plan, Perez said he didn't know the details, but he did say that it did not necessarily mean that they would be killed, merely "eliminated as a factor." The family dogs concerned the federal agents because the strategy to arrest Randy Weaver on federal weapons charges involved teams of agents hiding in the woods. The agents believed that the dogs might endanger their concealment, and accordingly, their lives. In fact, the Weaver's yellow labrador, Striker, chased federal agents in the moments immediately preceding the gun battle that killed federal agent William Degan and Samuel Weaver. Perez's testimony regarding the family dogs is seen as somewhat of a victory for the defense. The defense has maintained that the government intended to kill the dogs, although this was earlier denied in testimony by both Deputy Marshal Larry Cooper and Inspector Arthur Roderick. Each of these men had stated that killing the dog [Striker] was not part of their plan, but neither testified about any intended neutralization. Also testifying today was a family acquaintance from when the Weaver family lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa. At the time, Randy Weaver worked at a John Deere plant. In 1981, Randy Weaver became a regular customer at the gun shop of Vaughn Trueman. Trueman sold Randy Weaver the 12-gauge shotgun that was allegedly later modified by Weaver before it was sold to an undercover informant in 1989. Trueman recalled how he, Randy Weaver, and a man named Shannon Brasher would meet two or three times a week for coffee at a local restaurant or at Weaver's home to discuss religion and politics. According to Trueman, the Weaver's believed that, "there was going to be a great tribulation, that it was Matthew 24, and that they were going to leave and go to the mountains." Trueman then described Vicki Weaver's vision of the family leaving and going to the mountains of either Idaho or Montana. At one point Trueman considered joining the Weavers, but he decided against it. Vicki Weaver informed him that he was not in her vision, but she did not know why. As Trueman put it, "I was not in the vision of Idaho, and she didn't understand why and I didn't understand why." As usual, the defense objected strongly to the testimony about the family's religious beliefs, yet the government retorted that it was necessary because the religious beliefs were central to the charges. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge generally sided with the prosecution. Thursday saw an especially strong warning to the jury from Judge Lodge. Lodge told the jury to avoid talking to or hearing from anybody outside the courtroom. Immediately after Judge Lodge declared the evening recess, defense attorney Gerry Spence called 20 Weaver supporters into a nearby room to talk with them. Upon emerging from the room, nobody would comment on what was said. The trial is scheduled to resume Friday, May 14, 1993 with the continued testimony of Vaughn Trueman. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Weaver/Kevin Harris trial update: Day 19. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: These trial updates are summarized from reports in the _Idaho Statesman_ and the local NBC affiliate television station, KTVB Channel 7. Friday, May 14, 1993 was the nineteenth day of the trial. Synopsis: Vaughn Trueman, who knew the Weavers when they lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said today that the Weavers did not become racist until moving to Idaho. Three witnesses said that Weaver anticipated a confrontation with authorities and that Weaver established a 300-yard "kill zone" around his property. Testimony today further probed the Weaver family's beliefs in the days surrounding their decision to move to the mountains of Idaho. Vaughn Trueman, a gunsmith and family friend, described how Randy Weaver became a racist after moving to Idaho, "To put it plain and simple, he had become a racist, which is against my beliefs and the Bible," Trueman said. Although Randy Weaver believed that the world was coming to an end, Trueman testified that he was not a racist while living in Iowa. Trueman also testified about Vicki Weaver by stating that, "she was a real sweet gal and a good mother...She raised a garden, [and] I always teased her about her tomatoes - they were Jesus tomatoes, they were so big." Trueman's testimony about Vicki Weaver led Randy Weaver to break down to tears. Trueman continued his testimony by describing how the Weavers believed that the world was coming to an end, and they began to prepare by learning how to dehydrate food and visiting Amish folks to learn survival without electricity. Trueman also recalled Weaver describing a "protective area" that he [Weaver] intended to set up for defensive reasons. [Specified as a 300-yard circle by a KTVB report. The yardage was not specified in the _Idaho Statesman_]. There was some discussion about what Weaver called the area a "kill zone." The prosecution stated that Trueman's testimony furthered their claim that the Randy Weaver and his wife, Vicki Weaver, held religious beliefs that led them to conspire a violent confrontation with the government. The defense reiterated that the government was simply trying to portray Randy Weaver as a dangerous nut in order to prejudice the jury. Next on the stand was then-reporter for the _Waterloo Courier_ [Waterloo, Iowa] Dan Dundon. Dundon is now the metro editor for the _Cedar Rapids Gazette_. Dundon testified that when he interviewed the Weavers in late 1982 to ascertain whether they were forming a "cult," [There's that word again] Weaver had indeed used the term "kill zone" to describe the area surrounding the cabin. When he saw the term "kill zone" later in print, Randy Weaver was apparently infuriated, who instead described himself as a "Christian survivalist." Dundon did state that Weaver had told him that the "kill zone" was strictly defensive. At the time of the interview, Randy Weaver was working as a machinist for the John Deere tractor factory. The Weaver interview was arranged by Shannon Brasher. Brasher worked with Weaver and lived with the family for a few months in 1982 and 1983. Brasher began talking with Randy Weaver in a local restaurant and later attended the Cedarloo Baptist Church with Randy and Vicki Weaver. The three later left the church and began their own Bible study group. As the Weaver's beliefs about Armageddon solidified, they began planning their move to Idaho. Trueman and Brasher later decided against the move. The trial is scheduled to resume Monday, May 17, 1993 with further prosecution testimony.