Troops were ordered to prepare to fire on Kent State protesters

[Echo In Light]

New analysis of 40-year-old recording of Kent State shootings reveals that Ohio Guard was given an order to prepare to fire
By John Mangels, The Plain Dealer

The Ohio National Guardsmen who fired on students and antiwar protesters at Kent State University on May 4, 1970 were given an order to prepare to shoot, according to a new analysis of a 40-year-old audio tape of the event.

“Guard!” says a male voice on the recording, which two forensic audio experts enhanced and evaluated at the request of The Plain Dealer. Several seconds pass. Then, “All right, prepare to fire!”

“Get down!” someone shouts urgently, presumably in the crowd. Finally, “Guard! . . . ” followed two seconds later by a long, booming volley of gunshots. The entire spoken sequence lasts 17 seconds.

The previously undetected command could begin to explain the central mystery of the Kent State tragedy – why 28 Guardsmen pivoted in unison atop Blanket Hill, raised their rifles and pistols and fired 67 times, killing four students and wounding nine others in an act that galvanized sentiment against the Vietnam War.

http://markcrispinmiller.com/2010/05/troops-were-ordered-to-prepare-to-fire-on-kent-state-protesters/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Next question: Who authorized the order to shoot at the students?

[mike_c]

2. I hope they can identify who gave the order...

...and put that person in jail for the rest of his miserable life, if he's still alive.

[RKP5637]

3. +1000 +++ n/t

[FreakinDJ]

4. Obviously the person commanding that detail

There is a "chain of command" in the military

[mike_c]

6. well sure, but I would assume that for legal purposes they will have to match...

...the voice to the leadership at the time, i.e. get someone to positively identify the voice on the tape as belonging to the leader of the detail. Or have someone come forward and admit it. The fact that someone obviously DID give the order, but no one present has ever acknowledged it, suggests to me that prosecutors will have to PROVE their case.

[FreakinDJ]

9. smells like a "Cover up"

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. Whoever gave that order has been protected from the consequences.

Who was it? And why were they protected?

[Echo In Light]

7. Protected b/c evil fuckers are ALWAYS shielded from accountability in the US

[Echo In Light]

8. Bump