◆ SpookStack

fo . +, Of < - tomarily ‘elect. Bright! energetic, outspoken, and most of frustrated with the} ¢ foot-dragging that he considered zit ambitious, the 35-year-old Baxley is -the state's hottest flying to Washington with the father of one of th? slain, political property since George Wallace, whom be hopes - girls and Jaying the whole story out in a news conference. “fo succeed 28 Governor jn two years. Unlike Wallace, tt would secm that he has now settled on a more restrained Baxley is a moderaté (a iberal by Alabama’ standards) | approach, © 4 7 and soinctimes refreshingly candid. Now serving bis stc- Baxley “himself. has pot estaped controversy for the ond term, Baxley seemingly’ ‘can do no wrong as far as -. - manner in which the investigation has been handled. Some Vthe voles are concerned. Even’ the Baptists appear will critics—and these include law- enforcement officers—con- * ing to forgive the drawling, rosy~ -cheeked Attomey Gen- ven a choice between campaigning for governor * eral for winning $32,000 in_a single night, at the blackjack .) of poring over evidence on the church bombing, Baxley tables ‘of Las Vegas. Mote impostant, Baxley bas won'a, _, will choose ‘the former. They ‘doubt that Baxley bas the - seputation as a dogged prosecutor. If, anyone. can. verack + Stomach forthe protracted and tedious work an inves- . the case, most, Alabamans thought, it is Baxley. tigation of this sort requires, ‘AS proof, they point to the He. began looking into the bombing shortly after taking | *. very solid reports that the investigation has ground toa "office in 1971, Routinely (and without publicity) Baxley “°. halt. “Listen, I'd give up the Fest of my term and my - years later, the FBI got around to acting on the request, solve, this fase," " Baxley re- requested information on the case from the FBI. Four - we it might never have come’ across ‘with-any information ‘the Attorney Gen* + Bad it not been for inquiries from a reporter in Washing- . eral’s ‘cozy. ‘relationship with Géorge Wallace, The crippled . achievement of justice in this case.” mu ton who had heard of the delay. When the prospect of + _ Governor is sending out’all mariner of bot so subtle hints , bad ‘publicity appeared on ‘the horizon thé -burcaucraiie |. “that he wouldn't mind one bit having Baxley succeed him. wheels at the Juste Department ind. the FBI b to Ideologically, the two men are miles’ apari, but Baxley oc.) | ee may be. the only man with enough political momentum “The four-year delay’ was, damaging, 2S to barpoon, Lt. Gov. Jere Beasley, a Wallace critic and, ~~ Baxley’s investigation. His meén were, forced 10 pestpone gubernatorial aspirant. Wallace, of course, can “open more + > the questioning of key, suspects’ until it could be deter: . “doors for Baxley thait anyone alse, ‘ so no Ope need expect mined what they had earlier tald the FBI. Yn one particu. the Attorney General to, explain “how George screwed ‘it larly crippling instance, Baxley's ‘office’ was denied vital all up'in 1963, Instead, ‘Baxley likes“to paint the piéss jnformation and lie ‘detector. test resulis on. the man.” ” as “the villain. “If it hadn't been for all this publicity, I'd authorities believe made the bomb. While~the FBI ‘sat probably have solved this thing by now. Everybody knows on its information, the ma: ‘died. "we are coming after tuem now and they"re ready for us.” There has beea no official explanation for.the bien “But what about Wallace?, Didao't, ‘be and his buddy Al peculiar bebavior, Director. Clarence Kelley would not Lingo-really blow the whole thing? “Questions like ‘that - allow me to interview any of his agents on the bombing... tend to turn Baxley’s rosy checks crimson. “A goddamn ~ * In refusing the interview request, he wrote, “I am sure, “article in The Nation isn’t. worth ahi shi " That's about ~.you will agree that it would be improper forthe FBI to - | as specific as he will get.” ~ take zny action which might jeopardize the prosecution of - As the unsolved case drags into iis fourteenth year, any criminal offender. ... . Thus, any public disclosure” Baxley and others sound the same old refrains. “I’m con- which we might make could seriously Jeopardize—b | fact, ‘.. fident we're making progress, the Attorney Géheral told . it could prevent—the ‘eventual achieverglent of justice in ~~. The New York Times in March. Mayor Vann has joined this case." One can only wonder how Kelley, and his the chorus, saying he, too, * ‘is confident” that something subordinates reccncile ‘the withholding of cviderice and’ .” will come of this investigation. “This case can be solved,” other information with: their desire for, “the eventual he Says reassuringly. Perhaps ‘it can, but after thirteen "years hasn't the public ‘the right to’ know why so litte ; ; progress has been made? Shoulda't those who have helped 2, to frustrate and“to delay the course of justice be helé Bazley refuses to talk about his problems with the FBI, accountable? Why did the state disrupt the FBI's investi- claiming that he doesn’t want to “antagonize” anyone. gation in 1963? Why has the FBI refused to cooperate iz But one official involved in the vestigation offers ‘this _& new investigation? Whatever the outcome of the case -, explanation ‘of the FBI's conduct:, “They: still’ don’t really * “these questions, and’ others, deserve to be answered. trust Alabama officials. They semember all (00 well what-- |” But maybe the real question is, does anybody really car: happened back in.1963, For some reason, they don’t . “anymore? Does time erase every outrage? Martin Luthe seem to sealize that different people are involved. Also, King Sr. now greets George Wallace on the floor of th there is still a lot of jealousy. You know, the kind of Democratic National Convention and vigorously sbake attitude that seems to.say: ‘We couldn't solve it, so you | the hand that thirteen years earlier his son had said we can't either.” Then, I guess, there is just. the ature of dripping with “blood, “He's an inspiration to us’ all the bureaucracy. Sometimes even. important things move * King bubbles for the television cameras, Wallace, pla: ‘slow as hell.” _ing the, role of the dignified Jeader of the “great midd _ ” Although some information ‘has been released by the ~ class,” grins broadly and allows that be and the eld * bureau, problems apparently still exist. Baxley and Bir- - King have always been’ good friends, Surely, any m: « jningbam Mayor David Vann recently sent a joint letter to who was friendly with Daddy King wouldn't have mess Director Kelley imploring him to order full FBI coopera-. up the hunt for the killers of four small black girls. Y tion. At one point, Baxley was said to have become so sir, old George i is an inspiration to us all.