Mt. Carmel: The Unseen Reality
by Livingstone Fagan
Livingstone Fagan, born in 1957, is a British minister and father of two. He became a student of David Koresh, and after several trips to the United States, he brought his mother, sister, wife and children to Mt. Carmel in 1992 to hear Koresh's teachings on the mysteries of the Seven Seals. At the time of the February 28 raid, Fagan and his family were planning their return to England, after residing for six months at the Mt. Carmel center.
Fagan left Mt. Carmel during the siege to be spokesperson for the group. His wife Evette and mother Doris died during the April 19, 1993 fire.
At the Davidian trial, he was convicted of aiding and abetting voluntary manslaughter -- a charge that was added to his indictment without his knowledge -- after the judge failed to tell jurors they could find him innocent of this charge if they believed he acted in self-defense. Although he was acquitted on murder and conspiracy charges, confused jurors found him guilty of weapons charges, not realizing that they were tied to these counts. Judge Smith refused to set aside the conviction, even though he acknowledged that it was made in error.
Jurors believed Fagan and other Davidians convicted should receive little more than time served, but the judge had other plans. Fagan and four other Davidians received the maximum sentence of 40 years. (Others received 20, 15, 5 and 3 year sentences.) He has refused to appeal in protest of his unfair treatment.
His treatment in prison has been equally as unjust. In a letter to Waco activist Carol Moore dated September 28, 1996, Fagan described suffering threats and physical assaults at the hands of prison guards:
"Last Thursday was the worst yet. After continuously slamming my head against a concrete, then metal structure, followed by my body against a concrete floor (the stated purpose being to get me to fear him), this 300 lb officer then verbalized his intent to kill me for my not cowering to his will. Ordinarily the above would be considered attempted murder. In here it seems to be the norm. The inquisition continues."
Although Fagan said he had not been reporting the incident (to avoid the appearance of "whining"), he wanted to get the word out in case he was murdered in prison. "It is not uncommon for people to be killed in these institutions and it be reported as self-inflicted. In the event of my premature death, I think it prudent that there be someone independent who is aware of the preceding... thus averting such fabrication."
This manuscript, penned during Fagan's time in jail, offers a unique insight into the events of February 28, 1993 and the teachings of David Koresh. This is a rare view inside the Branch Davidian complex, unfiltered by any mass media agenda. While the lengthy discourse on the nature and meaning of the Seven Seals makes for a dense read, it does provide a fascinating perspective on the raid and its biblical significance to the residents of Mt. Carmel. "Mt. Carmel, The Unseen Reality" could be Fagan's the last chance to tell his side of the story.
