◆ SpookStack

—-—.--- 4 . . . pol the case, most Alabamans thought, it is Baxley.2-20 #7 "office in “971, Routinely (and without publicity) Baxley ~- requested information: on. the case from the FBI, Four ~ ‘roll, we ey wf NESS : The four-year ‘delay was damaging, if “pot. “fatal, ‘to. ns . Baxley’s. investigation. His mén were. forced to postpone ~ the deter.” . om he gucsuoning Gr ge 2. mined what they had earlier told the FBI. In one parted. - Jatly crippling instance, Baxley’s office was denied ‘Vital. tomazily ‘lect. Bright! energetic, outspoken, and most of ral ambitious, tbe 35-year-old Baxley is -the state's hollest jtical property since George Wallace, whom be hopes 1o succeed | 2s Governor in two years, Unlike Wallace, Baxley isa moderate (a liberal by Alabama’ standards) and soinctimes refreshingly candid. Now serving bis sec- _ ond term, Baxtey seemingly | ‘can do no wrong as far as ~- “the volers are concerned. ing to forgive the drawling, rogy-cheeked Attomey Gen- - ” eral for winning $32,000 in a single night at the blackjack _tables of Las Vegas. More important, Baxley bas won a, Even. the “Baptists appear wall. seputation as a dogged prosecutor, If, anyone. can. ‘crack ae? He. began locking into the bombing shortly ater taking aat arin tha x - years jaier, the FBI gor around 16 ‘acting: OT, the request, it might pever have come’ across ‘with-any information . bad it not been for inquiries from a reporter in Washing- et ton who had heard of the delay. When the prospect of bad ‘publicity appeared on ‘the ‘horizon the bureaucratic ~~ wheels at the Justice. Department and the Fel began to * ne Tah lee cetionine of Ley suspects” until it could be information and tlie. ‘detector. test resulis on. the ‘wan. -‘guthonities believe made the bomb. While™ ‘the: FBI. ‘sate * x on its information, the man died. Lo, keds adialatel ae seissasimind oka dautap ty shana dh a4, ot, leg aes sa cel te, : There has beea no official explanation for the. bureau's ’ "peculiar behavior. Director: Clarence Kelley would not > “7. allow me to interview any of his agents on the bombing. ‘; > ° Io refusing the interview request, he wrote: “{ am sure |. you will agree that it would “be improper for the FBI to - take j any action which might jeopardize the prosecution of ‘any criminal offender. ... . Thus, any public disclosure which we might ‘make could seniously jeopardize—an | fact, © . it could prevent t—the ‘eventual achieverfient of justice in this case." One can only wonder how Kelley, and his subordinates reccncile ‘the withholding of eviderice and” other information with: their desire for, “the eventual achievernent of justice in this’ case.” Sith as “ Bazley refuses { to tatk about his probtems with the FBI, claiming that he doesn’t want to “antagonize” anyone. ‘But one official involved in the investigation offers this -. explanation ‘of the FBI's conduct:, “They: still’ don’t really . trust Alabama officials. They semembet all foo well what -- . happened back in. 1963, For some reason, they don't stem to realize that different people are jnvolved. Also, - there is still a lot of jealousy. You know, the kind of atlitude that seems to.say: ‘We coufdn’t solve it, so you can’t either.’ Then, I guess, there is just. the nature of the bureaucracy. Sometimes even important things move Fat? PF . . slow as alead. . we, Although some information has ‘been ‘released by the bureau, problems apparently still exist. Baxley and Bir- mingham Mayor David Vann recently sent a joint letter to Director Kelley imploring him to order full FBI coopera - Yon. At onc point, Baxley was said to have become . 4 -"F . 4 ntw investigation? } f . oo. ta frustrated with the} ¢ fool- drapping that he considered flying to Washinglon with the father of one of the slain. girls aod Jaying the whole story out in a news conference. tt would seem that he has now settled on a more restrained approach, 9 4 ~ Baxley “himself, has not estaped controversy for the manner in which the investigation has been handled. Some ma the Patirated lavw- enfar critics—and inese MCiUdS 4a lend that given a choice between campaigning for governor - of poring over evidence on. the church bombing , Baxley will choose the former! They ‘doubt that Baxley. has the . rermant «ffir . W-ERLOF cement omcer $——Con- “stomach forthe protracted and tedious work an inves- . tigation of Ahis sort requires, ‘AS proof, they point to the very solid reports that the investigation has ground toa halt. “Listen, I'd give up.the’ rest of my term and my entire ‘political’ future just Ag solve, this case," " Baxley re- forts nr rc SO ee te ve - Even: ‘more " unseting, perhaps,’ is. the Attorney C Gen- “cial's cozy ‘relationship with George Wallace, The crippled aos _ Governor is sending out all manner of pot so subtle hints , Le that he wouldn’t mind one bit having Baxley succeed him. ;._Wdeologically, the two men are miles apart, but: Baxley “tay be.the only man with enough political momentum * to barpoon, Lt. Gov. Jere Beasley, a Wallace critic and, “| gubernatorial aspirant. Wallace, of course, can open more - - doors for Baxley than anyone else,’ 50 no One need expect the Attorney General to “explain “how George screwed ‘it “all up'in 1963, Instead, Baxley’ likes“1o paint the piéss “as the villain. “Lf it hedn’t been for all this publicity, I'd __ Probably have solved this thing by now. Everybody knows _we are coming afier tuem now and they're ready for us.” “But what abou! Wallace? Didn't be and his buddy Al Lingo really blow the whole thing? ‘Questions like that (tend to turn Baxley’s rosy checks crimson. “A goddamn a ‘article in The Nation isn't, worth ‘this shit.” That’ 8 about ee as specific as be will get. ' As the wnsolved case rags “into” its * tourteenth year, "Baxley and others sound the same old refrains. “I’m con- _fident we re making PTOgress, ” the Attomey General told The New Y ork Times in March. Mayor Vann has joined “the chorus, saying he, 100, “is confident” that something ” will come of this investigation, “This case can be solved,” he says reassuringly. Perhaps ‘it can, but after thirteen _ years hasn’t the public the right to know why so little progress has been made? Shouldn't those who have belped to frustrate and“to delay the course of justice be helé accountable? Why did the state disrupt the FBI's investi- . gation in 1963? Why has the FBI refused to cooperate Whatever the outcome of the case ‘these questions, and others, deserve to be answered, But maybe the real question is, does anybody. really car: ‘anymore? Does time erase evety outrage? Martin Luthe ‘King Sr. now greets George Wallace on the floor of th Democratic National Convention and vigorously shake the hand that thirteen years earlier his som had said we dripping with blood, “He's an inspiration to us® all, King bubbles for the television cameras, Wallace, pla: the rale of the Aienified ader of the “great midd ing ine, roi Of the HiZTNES Jeader or ine Ereat rouaa “class,” grins broadly and allows that he and the ele King have always been good friends, Surely, any mi who was friendly with Daddy King wouldn't have mess up the hunt for the killers of four small black girls. Y sir, old George is an inspiration to us ah . a we 7 * ~ Je ss