Panel Hits ‘Incompetence’ in Philadelphia Cult Deaths

A grand jury today characterized the city’s handling of the 1985 MOVE confrontation in which 11 people died as “an epic of government incompetence” and rebuked officials for their “morally reprehensible behavior” but did not recommend any criminal charges.

“While the conduct of city officials in handling MOVE is entirely unacceptable, it is not the proper subject of criminal prosecutions,” the county grand jury said in the summary of its 300-page report released today.

Eleven members of the radical cult MOVE, including five children, were killed May 13, 1985, when police dropped a bomb on the roof of their West Philadelphia row house with the approval of Mayor W. Wilson Goode. The explosion touched off a fire that engulfed 61 houses and left 250 people homeless.

‘Political Cowardice’

“It is an epic of government incompetence,” the grand jury report said. “It details an operation marked by political cowardice at its inception, inexperience in its planning, and ineptitude in its execution.

“Even the ensuing investigations were marred by deception,” the report said, noting the testimony of 125 witnesses over an 18-month period. “Applying the law to the facts as we found them, no charges are warranted. Yet we do not exonerate the men responsible for this disaster.

“Rather than a vindication of those officials, this report should stand as a permanent record of their morally reprehensible behavior. This city, its leaders and citizens must never forget the terrible cost of their misjudgments.”

Dist. Atty. Ronald Castille had petitioned the courts to impanel a grand jury to investigate the events surrounding the confrontation that made international headlines.

Loudspeaker Threats

The cult members had barricaded themselves in the house in a working-class neighborhood, haranguing neighbors with threats through loudspeakers at all hours of the day and night.

By dropping the bomb, police hoped to dislodge a bunker MOVE members built on the roof and to insert tear gas to flush out the occupants. But the explosion touched off a fire that engulfed the entire neighborhood.

A separate federal grand jury is investigating possible civil rights violations and obstruction of justice charges.