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American Morning

FBI Special Agent Discusses Guilty Verdict in 1963 Church Bombing

Aired May 02, 2001 - 09:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: For many, the conviction of a former Klansman in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing represents justice long delayed. Secret FBI recordings were part of the evidence in the trial of Thomas Blanton Jr.

Joining us from Birmingham this morning is FBI special agent and spokesman Craig Dahle.

Agent Dahle, good morning. Thanks for joining us.

CRAIG DAHLE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning. I'm glad to be here.

KAGAN: Any satisfaction, even though it's 38 years later, in seeing this conviction come through yesterday?

DAHLE: Absolutely. The Birmingham FBI has been immersed in this case for 38 years now, so I think everybody from our office would echo the words of Doug Jones yesterday in court, that it's never too late for justice. And we definitely feel that it played out yesterday.

KAGAN: You mentioned the long-time involvement of the FBI. A lot of people think that 38 years ago, law enforcement, including the FBI, dropped the ball on this one.

DAHLE: Well, we know that that's been reported a lot, and we think it's in error, actually. A review of the files clearly indicates to us -- but of course, the people that picked up the pieces on this case weren't there then -- that back in the 60s, the case was worked actively, and that J. Edgar Hoover never blocked the case. I think he had concerns about getting a conviction, but no, the case moved forward back then as well.

KAGAN: You mentioned the people who picked up the pieces on this one. What was the motivation in the mid-90s to go ahead and look at this one again?

DAHLE: The special agent in charge at the time, Rob Langford, came in and did a review. He met with some city black leaders, and he authorized a review of the files.

That went on for a couple of years before we actually went overt with this investigation. We had a lot of people behind the scenes looking through the files. It was probably the first time we had a comprehensive look at all the investigative files, and at that point, they felt that there was enough information to move ahead and try to bring this thing to trial.

KAGAN: Some key evidence in the trial this time around was the tape that was played for the jury, in which Thomas Blanton allegedly talks about the bombing that took place. How was that tape made?

DAHLE: How was the tape made? That was played out in court. A device was placed in the room next to Mr. Blanton's apartment, and that's how we received that tape.

KAGAN: His defense attorney has said that that's going to be one of the things that go on appeal with, that they don't think that that tape was legally made, nor submitted, and that, in fact, back in '64, it wasn't admissible as evidence. Does the FBI stand by the way that that tape was obtained?

DAHLE: Absolutely, absolutely. That was played out in court, and on appeal, it will also be played out. But Doug Jones, the prosecutor, made the arguments, and the tape was admitted.

KAGAN: Is the Birmingham office of the FBI a different place in 2001 than it was back in '63 and '64?

DAHLE: I think it absolutely is. I think one of the neat stories out of this case was a witness coming up from Tampa, Florida, a retired FBI agent. He was one of the agents that interviewed Blanton back in 1963. He came up and testified in court. He's in his 80s now. He was in bad health. He became ill, in Montgomery, on the way up here last week, and the cardiologist in Montgomery cleared his schedule and got him up here last week. I think that was a great indication of the past bureau and today's bureau coming together to make this case.

KAGAN: Agent Craig Dahle from the FBI office in Birmingham, thanks for joining us today, sir.

DAHLE: You're welcome.

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