Remembering The 51 Day Standoff In Waco, Texas – 25 Years Later

Trail of the Remaining Branch Davidians

Photo Credits: CHRIS WILKINS/AFP/Getty Images

After the smoke had cleared, there began a trial for the criminal prosecution of the remaining Branch Davidians. On August 3, 1993, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against the 12 adults surviving Branch Davidians. They charged that they had conspired to, and aided in the murder of federal officers, and had unlawfully possessed firearms. They dismissed the charges on one because of a plea bargain. After a two month trial, the jury acquitted four of the Branch Davidians on all charges and all of them on the murder-related charges, yet five were convicted of voluntary manslaughter of federal agents. In total, eight of them were convicted and received various sentences for up to 40 years. However, all Branch Davidians had been released from prison by 2007.

The Branch Davidians weren’t the only people under the microscope.