Jury Deadlocked in Trial of Mercenary Camp Owner Accused in Firebombings

An office clerk who refused to be swayed by his 11 fellow jurors forced a mistrial Friday in the U.S. government’s firebombing case against an Alabama mercenary camp owner.

U.S. District Judge Alicemarie H. Stotler declared a mistrial in the conspiracy and firebombing trial of Frank J. Camper, 40; Lee Ann Faulk, 26, and William Hedgcorth, 23, after jurors twice told her they were deadlocked 11 to 1 for conviction.

The defendants were indicted in May in connection with the destruction of two cars in San Bernardino County last year.

‘Unconventional Security’

Camper admitted that he was hired by two Dana Point schoolteachers to provide some “unconventional security,” but he insisted throughout the four-week trial that he was not responsible for the Aug. 13, 1985, firebombings.

No one was hurt in the incidents, but the intended targets were vehicles owned by former staffers of school operators Charlotte Wyckoff, 52, and Elizabeth Hamilton, 39. Wyckoff and Hamilton previously pleaded guilty to reduced charges for their role in the attacks and are due to be sentenced next month.

Edward Gonzales, the holdout on the jury, said he favored acquittal throughout the five days of deliberation because he did not believe testimony by the government’s witnesses. Two of Camper’s former associates agreed to testify against him.

“The jury was flip-flopping all over the place,” said Gonzales, who works for a Los Angeles automotive supply company. “I just went down the line for not guilty.”

Camper did not comment after hearing that the jury had given up, but he smiled and kissed his Atlanta attorney, Walter M. Henritze Jr., on the cheek.

New Trial Scheduled

Henritze said he was not sure if he will return for the second trial, which was scheduled for Feb. 10, 1987.

Jurors said Gonzales refused to participate in the deliberations.

“We talked our heads off,” said Kathy Green of Sun Valley. “The evidence meant nothing to him. He was like a brick wall.”

Another juror said Gonzales refused to believe that a professional soldier of fortune like Camper would be involved in the botched firebombing of two cars.

The cars were destroyed by plastic milk containers filled with a mixture of oil, soap and gasoline, according to trial testimony.

Camper attracted worldwide attention last year as the owner of a controversial mercenary training school in the backwoods of Hueytown, Ala. A licensed firearms dealer, Camper taught classes in self-defense, surveillance, escape tactics and explosives.