WHO LET THE BUNKER BURN

1
WHO LET THE BUNKER BURN?

• An investigation into the City of Philadelphias
  Final Battle with MOVE
• Presentation by Shawn Dudley

2
Introduction

• On May 13, 1985 Philadelphia Police Department
  bombed 6221 Osage Avenue. The home of the MOVE
  Cult
• Six adults, and 5 children were killed.
• All were MOVE members
• The fire engulfed the whole block.
• Destroys sixty-homes
• 260 people become homeless

3
Introduction

• Over 10,000 rounds of ammunition was fired into
  the alley in the rear of the house after the fire
  was put out
• Evidence that some members were killed by gunfire
• The only two survivors were found escaping from
  the house through the alley

4
What Contributed to the Disaster?

• Three Factors that contributed to the Disaster
• Anger between the residents of 6200 Osage Avenue
  and members of the MOVE House
• Structural Failure within the City Administration
• Oversight Failure on the part of the Chief
  Executive and his designees

5
THE PLAYERS
6
The Mayor

• Wilson Goode
• Took office in Jan, 1984
• Authorized a plan to
• arrest four MOVE
• members living at 6221 Osage Avenue on May 13,
  1985.

7
2nd IN COMMAND

• Leo Brooks
• Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia.
  
• Retired Army General
• Supervised the Osage Avenue
• Operation

8
Top Cop

• Gregore Sambor
• Police Commissioner
• Led the police operation against MOVE
• Made the decision to let the bunker on top of
  6221 Osage to burn

9
The Fireman

• William Richmond
• Fire Commissioner
• In charge of firefighters on May 13th
• Agreed with Sambors decision not to put out the
  fire.
• Instructed firefighters not to put out bunker
  fire on top of 6221 Osage

10
The Rambos

• Lt. Frank Powell
• Police lieutenant, Bomb Disposal Unit.
• Dropped bomb on the MOVE house from the
  helicopter.
• William Klein
• Police Officer, Bomb Disposal Unit. Made the bomb
  which was dropped on the MOVE house

11
6200 Osage Avenue

• MOVE
• Naturalist Movement founded by John Africa, a.k.a
  John Leapheart
• Confrontation with police in 1978 led to the
  death of a police officer.
• Conrad Africa, a.k.a. James Conrad. Leader of
  6221 Osage Avenue MOVE house.
• Frank Africa, aka Frank James listed on arrest
  warrant to be served on May 13, 1985

12
6200 Osage Avenue

• Residents of Osage Avenue
• Clifford Bond, block captain
• Lloyd and Lucretia Wilson residents of adjoining
  house 6219 Osage Avenue
• Wayne Butch Marshall-assaulted by MOVE members
• Inez Nichols- former block captain

13
Structural FailureAnger on Osage Avenue

• Neighbors complain of large number of animals
  occupying MOVE house
• Neighbors get into arguments with MOVE members
  regarding the blocking of their alleyway
• Neighbors complain to police that MOVE members
  were building things on the rooftops

14
Structural FailureAnger on Osage Avenue

• MOVE members violate city ordinances
• Neighbors complain about unsanitary conditions at
  6221 Osage Avenue
• Vermin and insect start to infest adjoining homes
• Litter and waste gather on sidewalks
• MOVE members verbally assault neighbors and
  children

15
Structural FailureAnger on Osage Avenue

• September 24, 1983 Wayne Butch Marshall gets into
  a physical confrontation with Frank Africa and
  other MOVE members, and is hospitalized.
• September 25, 1983
• Residents meet with mediator and present the
  city with a list of offenses attributed to MOVE
• December of 1983 residents report fortification
  of the MOVE house.

16
Structural FailureAnger on Osage Avenue

• Goode took office in January 1984
• April 1984 MOVE members threaten Dept of Water
  employee
• May 30 , 1984 Residents meet with new Mayor who
  refuses to take action against MOVE.
• May 1984 Frank Africa declared delinquent by the
  state parole board.
• MOVE announces preparation for demonstration on
  August 8, 1984
• July 4, 1984- residents met with Mayor. Warrant
  for rank Africa remained outstanding.
• April 30 1985 Residents send a warning letter to
  the governor.

17
Structural Failure

• Failure to modify 1978 confrontation plan to
  accommodate change of circumstances in 1985
• City refuses to intervene on residents behalf
• PPD allows MOVE to manipulate them into revealing
  their response tactics
• Citys Non-involvement on Osage Avenue gives MOVE
  time to build the bunker, and fortify property

18
Structural FailureBroken Chain of Command

• Communications failure
• Objective was clear, concise and agreed upon
• Method was not discussed in detail
• Brooks and Goode not informed of police plan
• Sambor took full control of the plan
• Brooks unaware of capacity of officers in charge
  of the operation, specifically the bomb unit

19
Structural FailureBroken Chain of Command

• Divided Authority
• Brooks is responsible for supervising operation
• Sambor runs the operation without supervision
  from Brooks, or Mayor Goode

20
Structural FailureThe Bomb

• Members of the bomb units were not experts
• Very little research done regarding the use of
  the explosives in this type of setting
• Police ignored the flammable items on the roof.

21
Structural FailureThe Bomb

• Making of the Bomb
• Restricted materials used.
• Materials obtained illegally
• Powells lack of experience in disposing of
  explosives
• Kleins limited knowledge of manufacturing bombs
• No one questioned the use of the explosives
• Bomb experts were not consulted prior to
  operation
• Ignitable materials on the roof overlooked
• Overemphasis on targeting bunker
• Missed targets
• Possibility of considerable collateral damage not
  weighed against importance of taking down the
  bunker

22
Oversight Failure

• Neutralization of key leaders
• Brooks
• Mayor Goode
• Fire Commissioner Richmond

23
Oversight Failure

• Unmonitored Leadership
• Police Commissioner Sambor had free reign of the
  mission
• Ability to keep Goode out of the decision making
  process by dispensing misinformation, and half
  truths
• Neither Sambor or Richmond sought Goode's or
  Brooks approval to let the bunker burn

24
Oversight Failure

• Mayor Goode failure to obtain critical unbiased
  information
• No one to ask Alexanders Question
• An unusually restrictive dependence on
  information provided by subordinate officials

25
Oversight Failure

• Fire Commissioner failed in his duty to protect
  the public
• Relied on Sambors directions
• Did not directly communicate concerns with the
  Mayor or Brooks
• Did not instruct firefighters to fight fire until
  too late

26
Oversight FailureThe decision to let the bunker
burn

• Sambor and Richmond used fire as a weapon
• Sambor made the decision was made to let the fire
  burn until bunker was destroyed
• Richmond admitted he balanced the lives of the
  MOVE members (including children) against the
  lives of the firefighters and police. He made
  reference to the 1978 confrontation with MOVE
• Richmond claimed his intention was not to burn
  the entire house
• Mayor and Brooks were assured that the bomb could
  not lead to a fire

27
Oversight FailureThe decision to let the bunker
burn

• 527 p.m. fire starts
• 600 p.m. Mayor instructs Brooks to put out the
  fire
• Fire Department puts water onto roof of 6219
• The hose does not reach past 6219
• Richmond tells firemen to shut of hose
• 610 p.m. fire starts to spread
• Firefighters start to squirt water on 6219 and
  6223.
• 630 p.m. firefighters ordered to put fire out
• Water squirts were turned on and off during the
  duration
• Sixty two houses were destroyed

28
The Commission

• Mayor Goodes administration showed serious
  system failures
• The Commission finds that both current Mayor
  and former Mayor showed poor leadership in
  handling MOVE situation
• These failures were directly responsible for the
  disaster
• Brooks showed ineffectual leadership
• and was ignorant to facts which should have
  been known to him

29
The Commission

• The direct and most immediate cause of the death
  of the MOVE children and destruction of 6200
  Osage Avenue was attributed to Commissioners
  Sambor and Richmond
• They eventually retired from their positions
  without penalty
• Dept of Justice conducts investigation into MOVE
  disaster and decides that no indictments will be
  handed down

30
Treating the Symptoms

• The Commission found that many factors were
  played a role in the tragedy.
• Structural Failure
• Leadership should be understood and respected
• There should be clearly defined roles for people
  who make decisions
• Placing of the right people in the right
  positions
• No splintering of authority
• Address issues immediately, make decisions and
  correct what needs to be corrected
• Leaders should ask themselves what would they do
  if factors change in the midst of an operation
• Have an alternative plan that address those
  changes

31
Treating the Symptoms

• Oversight Failure
• The leader must maintain control over the
  operation
• Crisis decision making not to be confused with
  final authority by subordinate managers
• Communication systems must be put into place, and
  be operational
• Leaders must be aware of every decision made in
  an operation.
• Orders and instructions should be clear and
  concise. They should also be delivered to those
  directly responsible for carrying them out.
• Avoid giving subordinate managers free reign of
  an operation.
• Leaders must be informed of all options
• Base decision on all information presented and
  not presented by managers.