Browse Items (12 total)

During the fifty-one-day Branch Davidian Siege, several different group members within the compound were interviewed by phone by FBI Agents. The primary goal of these conversations were to confirm the safety of the occupants during the…

The Branch Davidian Compound resembled a blend between a suburban home and a castle. The structure is located in Waco, Texas. The exact coordinates of the compound are 31°35'45.5"N 96°59'16.2"W. The compound was surrounded by a relatively flat and…

This photograph features Victor Houteff and his wife, Florence. The date of this photograph is unknown.

This is a copy of a photograph of Benjamin Roden, the founder of the Branch Davidians, when he was estimated to be about 35 years old.

Sound recording of the radio program "Face Off." Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy of Massachusetts and Senator Alan K. "Al" Simpson of Wyoming debate the need for strict new gun control laws following a confrontation between federal authorities and an…

This is an online copy of the WSB Videotape of a news broadcast that aired in 1993. This news coverage highlights that Koresh failed to keep his promise to leave the compound after airing a message, stating that God told him to wait. The broadcast…

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, or ATF, use of tear gas was one of the more controversial decisions of the siege. The stalemate between the ATF and the Davidians led the attorney general, Janet Reno, to authorize the use of…

Examining the allegations of child abuse is important not only in understanding attorney general Janet Reno’s approval of tear gas and subsequent demise of the Branch Davidian compound, but also for the culture of the Branch Davidians and David…

This photograph of David Koresh, his wife Rachel, and their son Cyrus was taken outside their home in Texas by Elizabeth Baranyai, a member of the Branch Davidians. Baranyai is credited with most if not all of the photographs of the Branch Davidians…

The siege of the Mount Carmel Compound by the ATF was supposed to expose the religious sect as malicious, as the government agency wanted to search the grounds for illegal weaponry and in response to multiple claims of abuse and neglect within the…