birmingham church bombing victims autopsybirmingham church bombing victims autopsy

Efforts to prosecute the other three men believed responsible for the bombing continued for decades. [14] These attacks earned the city the nickname "Bombingham". Kay Ivey. [11] The intentional scope of these activities was to see the end of segregation across Birmingham and the South as a whole. At least 14 others are injured in the explosion, including Sarah Collins, the 12-year-old sister of victim Addie Mae Collins, who loses an eye. The last living parent of one of the four children killed in the terrorist bombing of an African American church in 1963 has died at 93. The other victims were Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson. He seldom spoke of his involvement in the bombing, shunned social activity and rarely received visitors. Future United States Senator Doug Jones successfully prosecuted Blanton and Cherry. 999 cigarettes product of mr same / redassedbaboon hacked games When Governor Wallace sent police and state troopers to break the protests up, violence broke out across the city; a number of protesters were arrested, and two young African American men were killed (one by police) before the National Guard was called in to restore order. [107], The trial lasted for one week. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Aftermath of the Birmingham Church Bombing, Lasting Impact of the Birmingham Church Bombing, information concerning the identity of the bombers, https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/birmingham-church-bombing. King later spoke before 8,000 people at the funeral for three of the girls (the family of the fourth girl held a smaller private service), fueling the public outrage now mounting across the country. Sarah Jean Collins, 12, lost an eye in the blast. Also, at that time, information from our surveillance was not admissible in court. Updated: January 25, 2021 | Original: January 27, 2010. While in jail, King wrote a letter to local white ministers justifying his decision not to call off the demonstrations in the face of continued bloodshed at the hands of local law enforcement officials. [11], Black and white residents of Birmingham had access to different public amenities such as water fountains and places of public gathering such as movie theaters. An estimated 2,000 Black people converged on the scene in the hours following the explosion. Fifteen sticks of dynamite were planted in the church basement, underneath what turned out to be the girls restroom. In 1977, Alabama Attorney General Bob Baxley reopened the investigation and Klan leader Robert E. Chambliss was brought to trial for the bombings and convicted of murder. Three 14-year-olds WebThe Anniston and Birmingham bus attacks, which occurred on May 14, 1961, in Anniston and Birmingham, both Alabama, were acts of mob violence targeted against civil rights activists protesting against racial segregation in the Southern United States. May 22, 2002 - Cherry is found guilty and given a sentence of four life terms. The files were sealed by order of J. Edgar Hoover. Investigators also gathered numerous witness statements attesting to a group of white men in a turquoise 1957 Chevrolet who had been seen near the church in the early hours of the morning of September 15. "[65], On May 13, 1965, local investigators and the FBI formally named Blanton, Cash, Chambliss, and Cherry as the perpetrators of the bombing, with Robert Chambliss the likely ringleader of the four. Through these rulings, Mitchell Burns was called to testify on behalf of the prosecution. of 2 NEXT Brogdon also testified that Cherry had told her of his regret that children had died in the bombing, before adding his satisfaction that they would never reproduce. He referred to testimony given by her father, Chris McNair, about the family's loss, and requested that the jury return a verdict of guilty.[86]. [61] These witness statements specifically indicated that a white man had exited the car and walked toward the steps of the church. [11], The three-story 16th Street Baptist Church was a rallying point for civil rights activities through the spring of 1963. The first of these witnesses was Tom Cook, a retired Birmingham police officer, who testified on November 15 as to a conversation he had had with Chambliss in 1975. He was never charged with his alleged involvement in the bombing and did maintain his innocence. [85] He expressed regret that the state was unable to request the death penalty in this case, as the death penalty in effect in the state in 1963 had been repealed. Relatives of the four victims openly wept in relief. On November 14, 1977, Robert Chambliss, then aged 73, stood trial in Birmingham's Jefferson County Courthouse. [48]:386 On September 29, he was indicted upon charges of illegally purchasing and transporting dynamite on September 4, 1963. Alabama Governor George Wallace was a leading foe of desegregation, and Birmingham had one of the strongest and most violent chapters of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). [8] It was the location where students were organized and trained by the SCLC Director of Direct Action, James Bevel, to participate in the 1963 Birmingham campaign's Children's Crusade after other marches had taken place. Don Cochran disputed this position, arguing that Alabama law provides for "conspiracies to conceal evidence" to be proven by both inference and circumstantial evidence. WebThe service honoring Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley and two young boys killed shortly after the bombing, Johnny Robinson Jr. and (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Although this march was met with fierce resistance and criticism, and 600 arrests were made on the first day alone, the Birmingham campaign and its Children's Crusade continued until May 5. Kay Ivey. WebThe bombing occurred on Sept. 15, 1963, a Sunday, at the 16th Street Baptist Church, which had been a center of civil rights activity in Birmingham. Many of the same audiotapes presented in Blanton's trial were also introduced into evidence in the trial of Bobby Cherry. After Baxley requested access to the original FBI files on the case, he learned that evidence accumulated by the FBI against the named suspects between 1963 and 1965 had not been revealed to the local prosecutors in Birmingham. In a speech conducted before the burials of the girls, King addressed an estimated 3,300[56] mournersincluding numerous white peoplewith a speech saying: This tragic day may cause the white side to come to terms with its conscience. Life is hard. [30] Another victim was killed by a piece of mortar embedded in her skull. The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15 was the third bombing in 11 days, after a federal court order had come down mandating the integration of Alabamas school system. May 1, 2001 - Blanton is found guilty of first-degree murder and is sentenced to four life terms. AP 1963 Birmingham church bombing From left, 11-year-old Denise McNair [11] The work these Civil Rights activists were engaged in within Birmingham was crucial to the movement as the Birmingham campaign was seen as guidance for other cities in the South with regards to rising against segregation and racism. An estimated 8,000 people attended the service. (The plastic remnants were later lost by investigators. In 1963, the eyes of the world were on Birmingham, Alabama, a flashpoint for the civil rights movement. [32] All four girls were pronounced dead on arrival at the Hillman Emergency Clinic. [111] When asked by the judge whether he had anything to say before sentence was imposed, Blanton said: "I guess the Lord will settle it on Judgment Day. "[124] Cochran outlined Cherry's extensive record of racial violence dating back to the 1950s, and noted that he had experience and training in constructing and installing bombs from his service as a Marine demolition expert. The church was used as a meeting-place for civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and Fred Shuttlesworth, for organizing and educating marchers. birmingham church bombing victims autopsy. Family and friends of Carole Robertson attend graveside services for her in Birmingham on September 17, 1963. [8], In the years leading up to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Birmingham had earned a national reputation as a tense, violent and racially segregated city, in which even tentative racial integration in any form was met with violent resistance. I did not see it happen, but I heard it happen and I felt it happen, just a few blocks away at my father's church. "[53] Carole Robertson was buried in a blue casket at Shadow Lawn Cemetery.[54]. WebBIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Shortly before four dead bodies are rushed into Hillman Emergency Clinic at University Hospital Betty Ruth Speir, a medical resident, notices WebAddie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair were killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. At a funeral for three of the girls (ones family preferred a separate, private service), King addressed more than 8,000 mourners. Even though the legal system was slow to provide justice, the effect of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church was immediate and significant. appreciated. Though Birminghams white supremacists (and even certain individuals) were immediately suspected in the bombing, repeated calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice went unanswered for more than a decade.

The Birmingham campaign, the March on Washington in August, the September bombing of the 16th Street Baptist church, and the November assassination of John F. Kennedyan ardent supporter of the civil rights cause who had proposed a Civil Rights Act of 1963 on national television[71]increased worldwide awareness of and sympathy toward the civil rights cause in the United States.

[132] Nonetheless, a 1979 investigation cleared Rowe of any involvement in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. It is a sound that I will never forget, that will forever reverberate in my ears. Mauldin testified on April 30 that he had observed two men in a Rambler station wagon adorned with a Confederate flag repeatedly drive past the church immediately before the blast, and that, seconds after the bomb had exploded, the car had "burned rubber" as it drove away. Delivered at funeral service for three of the children Addie Mae She was 93. Following the closing arguments, the jury retired to begin their deliberations, which lasted for over six hours and continued into the following day. A well-known Klan member, Robert Chambliss, was charged with murder and with buying 122 sticks of dynamite. At this service, the Reverend C. E. Thomas told the congregation: "The greatest tribute you can pay to Carole is to be calm, be lovely, be kind, be innocent. [1][2][3] Four members of a local Ku Klux Klan (KKK) chapter planted 19 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps located on the east side of the church.[4]. [7] Herman Cash died in 1994, and was never charged with his alleged involvement in the bombing. Martin said: "The cold-blooded callousness of this hate crime has not diminished by the passage of time." As part of a revival effort by states and the federal government to prosecute cold cases from the civil rights era, the state placed both Blanton Jr. and Cherry on trial, who were each convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

[67] Blanton pleaded not guilty to the charges and chose not to testify on his behalf throughout the trial. "[44] A Milwaukee Sentinel editorial opined, "For the rest of the nation, the Birmingham church bombing should serve to goad the conscience. Governor Wallace offered an additional $5,000 on behalf of the state of Alabama. November 8, 2004 - Cherry dies in prison. Meanwhile, public outrage over the bombing continued to grow, drawing international attention to Birmingham. The church bombing was the third in Birmingham in 11 days after a federal order came down to integrate Alabamas school system. Cars parked beside the church were damaged by the blast. birmingham church bombing victims autopsy. Petts then elaborated that the inspiration for the stained-glass image was a verse from the, On the 27th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, a state historic marker was unveiled at Greenwood Cemetery, the final resting place of three of the four victims of the bombing (Carole Robertson's body had been reburied in Greenwood Cemetery in 1974, following the death of her father). Hanes noted conflicting testimony among several of the 12 witnesses called by the defense to testify as to Chambliss's whereabouts on the day of the bombing. Prosecutions were not made in the case until 1977 when a known Ku Klux Klan member was convicted for first-degree murder. He said that Cherry had signed an affidavit in the presence of the FBI on October 9, 1963, confirming that he, Chambliss, and Blanton were at these premises on this date.[125]. Following Cook's testimony, Baxley introduced police sergeant Ernie Cantrell. Blanton's attorneys criticized the validity and quality of the 16 tape recordings introduced as evidence,[105] arguing that the prosecution had edited and spliced the sections of the audio recording that were secretly obtained within Blanton's kitchen, reducing the entirety of the tape by 26 minutes. Each received a $100 fine (the equivalent of $972 as of 2023[update]) and a suspended 180-day jail sentence. It was later revealed that the FBI had information concerning the identity of the bombers by 1965 and did nothing. More than 1,000 people were present at the unveiling of the memorial, including survivors of the bombing, friends of the victims and the parents of Denise McNair, Johnny Robinson and Virgil Ware. In the closing argument for the defense, attorney Mickey Johnson argued that Cherry had nothing to do with the bombing, and reminded the jurors that his client was not on trial for his beliefs, stating: "It seems like more time has been spent here throwing around the n-word than proving what happened in September 1963.

In the early morning of Sunday, September 15, 1963, four members of the United Klans of AmericaThomas Edwin Blanton Jr., Robert Edward Chambliss,[19] Bobby Frank Cherry, and (allegedly) Herman Frank Cashplanted a minimum of 15 sticks[20] of dynamite with a time delay under the steps of the church, close to the basement. Outrage over the incident and the violent clash between protesters and police that followed helped draw national attention to the hard-fought, often-dangerous struggle for civil rights for African Americans. The call was answered by the acting Sunday School secretary, a 14-year-old girl named Carolyn Maull. But by September 20, the FBI was able to confirm that the explosion had been caused by a device that was purposely planted beneath the steps to the church,[59] close to the women's lounge. The police were plenty busy around that time. Though Cash died in 1994, Cherry and Blanton were arrested and charged with four counts of murder in 2000. "[17][51], Carole Rosamond Robertson was laid to rest in a private family funeral held on September 17, 1963. This page was last edited on 4 April 2023, at 16:31. Martin Luther King Jr. holds a press conference in Birmingham the day after the attack. In all, at least 20 people are injured from the initial bombing and the ensuing riots.- Alabama Governor George Wallace sends 500 National Guardsmen and 300 state troopers to the city. Beam of sunlight streaming Other witnesses obtained identified Chambliss as the individual who had placed the bomb beneath the church. [28], Four girlsAddie Mae Collins (age 14, born April 18, 1949), Carol Denise McNair (age 11, born November 17, 1951), Carole Rosamond Robertson (age 14, born April 24, 1949), and Cynthia Dionne Wesley (age 14, born April 30, 1949)were killed in the attack. (J. Edgar Hoover, then-head of the FBI, disapproved of the civil rights movement; he died in 1972.). These deliberations continued until the following day. Webj bowers construction owner // birmingham church bombing victims autopsy. I haven't done anything! The most seriously injured survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Sarah Jean Collins, remained hospitalized for more than two months, Within two days of the church bombing, Petts had contacted then-pastor of the church, the Reverend John Cross, announcing he had launched a fundraising campaign to create this artwork via an appeal conducted through the, John Petts died in 1991 at the age of 77. Following the opening statements, the prosecution began presenting witnesses. When thousands of Black protesters assembled at the crime scene, Wallace sent hundreds of police and state troopers to the area to break up the crowd. In the aftermath of the bombing, thousands of angry Black protesters gathered at the scene of the bombing. Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley were killed September 15, 1963 when members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. WebThe girls' death and the long wait for justice raises important questions about civil rights, racism, and the nature of restorative justice. [17] Other acts of violence followed the settlement, and several staunch Klansmen were known to have expressed frustration at what they saw as a lack of effective resistance to integration.[18]. ), Both counsels delivered their closing arguments before the jury on May 1. [37] In her later recollections of the bombing, Collins would recall that in the moments immediately before the explosion, she had watched her sister, Addie, tying her dress sash. [132] These polygraph results had convinced some FBI agents of Rowe's culpability in the bombing. [83], In his closing argument before the jury on November 17,[84] Baxley acknowledged that Chambliss was not the sole perpetrator of the bombing. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: September 15. Continuing to maintain his innocence, Chambliss died in prison in 1985. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content.

There are other reasons as well. As a known and popular rallying point for civil rights activists, the 16th Street Baptist Church was an obvious target. WebOn Sept. 15, 1963, dynamite exploded at the church, killing four Black girls: Denise McNair, 11, and the 14-year-olds Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins, Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Did you encounter any technical issues? [17], Hundreds of individuals, some of them lightly wounded, converged on the church to search the debris for survivors as police erected barricades around the church and several outraged men scuffled with police. On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed into effect the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Spanning from the Pyrenees to the Medi Be Crime Smart Advice; Common Fraud Schemes; E-scams & Warnings; Sex Offender Registry; Report Threats & Crime; 16th Street Church Bombing Part 32 of 51 pages(1-249) View. In his eulogy, Dr. King said, "These children -- unoffending, innocent and beautiful -- were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity. [57][58], As the girls' coffins were taken to their graves, King directed that those present remain solemn and forbade any singing, shouting or demonstrations. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. 999 cigarettes product of mr same /

The intention was to fill the jail with protesters. [57], Initially, investigators theorized that a bomb thrown from a passing car had caused the explosion at the 16th Street Baptist church.

[52] Reportedly, Carole's mother, Alpha, had expressly requested that her daughter be buried separately from the other victims. Although never formally named as one of the conspirators by the FBI, Rowe's record of deception on the polygraph tests leaves open the possibility that Chambliss's claims may have held a degree of truth. Did you know? WebBIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Jurors in the murder trial of a former Ku Klux Klansman were shown grisly morgue photos yesterday of the four black girls killed in a 1963 church No one ever really has known and no one will until this city becomes part of the United States. LAWTON: The bombing came amid ongoing racial turmoil in Birmingham and across the US. ", September 15, 2013, marked the 50th anniversary, girls who died are awarded Congressional Gold Medals, statement released by Alabama Gov. [127], When asked by the judge whether he had anything to say before sentence was imposed, Cherry motioned to the prosecutors and stated: "This whole bunch lied through this thing [the trial]. [99]:ch. [33], Between 14 and 22 additional people were injured in the explosion,[34][35] one of whom was Addie Mae's younger sister, 12-year-old Sarah Collins. The police were reportedly responding to Black youths throwing rocks at cars driven by white people. Blanton was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. At the historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, photos of the four girls killed in the infamous Sept. 15, 1963 bombing. [8] When the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Congress on Racial Equality became involved in a campaign to register African Americans to vote in Birmingham, tensions in the city increased. I didn't bomb that church. WebThe bomb detonated at 10:19 a.m., killing Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Addie Mae Collinsall 14 years oldand 11-year-old Denise McNair. He said the U.S. Army "ought to come to Birmingham and take over this city and run it.". In spite of the darkness of this hour, we must not become bitter We must not lose faith in our white brothers. The bomb detonated at 10:19 a.m., killing Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Addie Mae Collinsall 14 years oldand 11-year-old Denise McNair. It was meant to suck the hope out of young lives, bury their aspirations, and ensure that old fears would be propelled forward into the next generation.[146]. The sole stained-glass window largely undamaged in the explosion depicted Christ leading a group of young children. "They shouldn't have just focused on them little girls," she says of the attention paid to the bombing victims by those who mourned the violence of Sept. 15, 1963. [75]:574, Chambliss appealed his conviction, as provided under the law, saying that much of the evidence presented at his trialincluding testimony relating to his activities within the KKKwas circumstantial; that the 14-year delay between the crime and his trial violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial; and the prosecution had deliberately used the delay to try to gain an advantage over Chambliss's defense attorneys. The 16th Street Baptist Church served as a rallying point during the civil rights movement.

[25] According to one survivor, the explosion shook the entire building and propelled the girls' bodies through the air "like rag dolls". Chambliss had been indicted by a grand jury on September 24, 1977, charged with four counts of murder, for each dead child in the 1963 church bombing. [42], Although reports of the bombing and the loss of four children's lives were glorified by white supremacists, who in many instances chose to celebrate the loss as "four less niggers",[43] as news of the church bombing and the fact that four young girls had been killed in the explosion reached the national and international press, many felt that they had not taken the civil rights struggle seriously enough. WebThe girls' death and the long wait for justice raises important questions about civil rights, racism, and the nature of restorative justice. It was a clear act of racial hatred: the [46][48]), Some civil rights activists blamed George Wallace, Governor of Alabama and an outspoken segregationist, for creating the climate that had led to the killings. 24 May 2013. Mourners embrace at the funeral. WebBrowse 101 16th street baptist church bombing stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Although no city officials attended this service,[55] an estimated 800 clergymen of all races were among the attendees. [64], The FBI encountered difficulties in their initial investigation into the bombing. Their deaths made all of us focus upon the ugliness of those who would punish people because of the color of their skin. Webj bowers construction owner // birmingham church bombing victims autopsy. 9:01 AM EDT, Wed September 7, 2022, A grieving relative is led away from the site of the. Johnson urged the jury against convicting his client by association. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. May 16, 2000 - A grand jury in Alabama indicts former Klansmen Cherry and Blanton with eight counts each of first-degree murder - four counts of intentional murder and four of murder with universal malice. [116], His first parole hearing was held on August 3, 2016. They forever changed the face of this state and the history of this state. [11] Their demands included that public amenities such as lunch counters and parks be desegregated, the criminal charges against demonstrators and protestors should be removed, and an end to overt discrimination with regards to employment opportunities. 2. September 12, 2013 - Fifty years after the bombing, all four girls who died are awarded Congressional Gold Medals. Updated His testimony was restricted to the areas of the recordings permitted into evidence. A 16-year-old white youth named Larry Sims fired the gun (given to him by another youth named Michael Farley) at Ware, who was sitting on the handlebars of a bicycle ridden by his brother. It was declared a national historic landmark in 2006. Now the Jury Must Decide", "Bobby Frank Cherry, 74, Klansman in Bombing, Dies", "Gary T. Rowe Jr., 64, Who Informed on Klan In Civil Rights Killing, Is Dead", "Long Fight Predicted In Case Against Rowe", "Paid FBI Informer Tells Of Murder, Silence", "Memorial Dedicated For Church Bombing Victims On Anniversary", "Siblings of the bombing: Remembering Birmingham church blast 50 years on", "Girl Living in Darkness After Church Bombing", "Alabama church bombing victims honoured by Welsh window", "American civil rights: the Welsh connection", "Death spares scrutiny of Cash in bomb probe", "Pastor Was At Church When Bomb Killed Four", United States Government Publishing Office, "A History of American Protest: When Nina Simone Sang what Everyone was Thinking", "American Guernica, LKM Music - Hal Leonard Online", "Still Reeling From the Day Death Came to Birmingham", "Television Review: A Father's Guilt; A Son's Wrenching Decision", "That Which Might Have Been, Birmingham 1963 - Phoenix, Arizona - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com", "Memorial project for 16th Street Baptist Church bombing raises $200,000 of $250,000 goal", "Four Spirits unveiled across from Sixteenth Street Baptist Church", "Four Spirits Statue, Memorial to 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims, Unveiled", Details of Robert Chambliss's 1979 appeal against his conviction, John F. Kennedy's speech to the nation on Civil Rights, Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States, Chicago Freedom Movement/Chicago open housing movement, Green v. County School Board of New Kent County, Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), "Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind Stayed On Freedom)", List of lynching victims in the United States, Spring Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, African American founding fathers of the United States, Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=16th_Street_Baptist_Church_bombing&oldid=1148190533, African-American history in Birmingham, Alabama, Attacks on religious buildings and structures in the United States, Massacres in religious buildings and structures, Racially motivated violence against African Americans, September 1963 events in the United States, Terrorist incidents in the United States in 1963, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. At least 14 others are Jackson testified that Chambliss had expressed frustration that the Klan was "dragging its feet" on the issue of racial integration,[18] and said he was eager to form a splinter group more dedicated to resistance. Two young Black men were killed that night, one by police and another by racist thugs. Jones reviewed Blanton's extensive history with the Ku Klux Klan, before referring to the audio recordings presented earlier in the trial. Shortly thereafter, she had heard "the most horrible noise", before being struck on the head by debris. A section of wire and remnants of red plastic were discovered there, which could have been part of a timing device.