Face-to-face with David Koresh | Forensic Files

but the first time I ever saw the place it was walking down this driveway the FBI let me out of a tank
back there at the gate and asked me if that 100 body armor I said no I'm not afraid of them
and who are you gonna meet well it's gonna meet David Koresh what'd he say to you I said hello
we shook hands and we talked for hours did you know he was wounded yes he showed me his wounds he was wounded in
the left hand and he was also wounded in the left side what did he want and what
advice did you give him on that first day well what he wanted was safety for himself and everybody else and then what
it seemed to me was that they had a good defense of excessive force being used there were more than 70 ATF officers
approaching with firearms and military helmets in your definition is that excessive force I would that certainly
is it never should have happened that way when I walked up on that gravel and then
started inside my feet started crunching not on gravel but on the expended shells
bullet holes everywhere all the windows on the second floor were shot out that's
where the women were what's the controversy about the front door of the Branch Davidian the door looked a lot
like this one I saw that door i sat by that door for hours it was all incoming rounds I don't know what
happened to the front door that front door would have told the tale do you believe that there has been a cover-up a
waco gate as some people have described it I don't know but I'd you know I have questions where is that door it's gone
what do you mean it's gone it's gone it's it's disappeared nobody knows where it is
[Music] the FBI says the David Koresh broke at least three promises to surrender isn't
that evidence that he had no intention of coming out that he wanted this to end in the end of days the all-consuming
fire no I think David Koresh was in love with himself enough to not want to die I
don't think he wanted to die now all think he wanted to kill his followers I just don't think that's true
and David lead the flock out the front door and this is over well that's what should have done

Famed defense attorney Dick DeGuerin shows "48 Hours"' Peter Van Sant the site where he first met his former client, Branch Davidian leader David Koresh, in March 1993. On Feb. 28, 1993, the ATF conducted a failed raid on the reclusive religious group, resulting in loss of life on both sides and a 51-day standoff. DeGuerin details his first meeting with Koresh and what he believes may have been an FBI cover up -- a claim the FBI adamantly denies.

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Brief Summary

A firsthand account of the Waco siege, focusing on David Koresh, FBI actions, and missing evidence.

Key points

Meeting David Koresh. A firsthand account of the initial meeting with David Koresh, where they talked for hours.
The Missing Door. Questions arise about the disappearance of the front door at the Branch Davidian compound.
Koresh's Intentions. Exploring whether David Koresh truly wanted to die or lead his followers to safety.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I said hello.

Meeting David Koresh for the first time.

0:19WatchDec 27, 2017

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