Investigator Absolves U.S. Government in Waco Siege
ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - An outside investigator on Friday completely absolved Attorney General Janet Reno and the U.S. government of wrongdoing in the 1993 siege and fire at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, saying the group's leaders set the blaze and shot at their own people.

''There is no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Attorney General Reno, the present and former director of the FBI, other high officials of the United States or members of the FBI hostage team who fired pyrotechnic tear gas on April 19, 1993,'' former Sen. John Danforth, a Republican from Missouri, told a news conference.
[...more...]

Advisory jury rules government not at fault in Branch Davidian raid
WACO, Texas (CNN) -- A five-member advisory jury on Friday found the federal government was not to blame in the deaths of some 80 Branch Davidians in the 1993 siege of the religious sect's compound outside Waco.
(...)

The government argued throughout the trial that it was suicidal Branch Davidians, led by their leader David Koresh, who set fire to the compound to avoid surrendering to the government's authority.

The jury recommended a verdict. It is up to U.S. District Judge Walter Smith to make the final decision.
(...)

The case once again shines the spotlight on the government's actions during the raid and standoff that made headlines around the world and led to congressional inquiries. Though the inquiries cleared the government of wrongdoing, the Waco issue raised concerns about whether the government goes too far to quell dissenting voices.

Smith, in a fairly unusual move, empaneled a five-member jury to help him during the trial. Smith could take until August to make his final decision.
(...)

The five-member jury was asked to answer four questions:

1. Did Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents use excessive force?
2. Was the FBI neglegent in their handling of the events at Waco?
3. Were the Davidians themselves negligent?
4. If both were negligent, what percentage of responsibility for the tragedy should each side bear?

The jury found that the agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were not to blame for sparking the standoff with a February 28, 1993, raid on the Branch Davidian compound and that FBI agents were not guilty of starting or contributing the fatal fire on April 19, 1993.