Two forensic audio experts say they believe a recording reveals that someone gave an order to National Guard troops to prepare to fire on students during a deadly Vietnam War protest at Kent State University in 1970.
The 40-year-old recording was enhanced and evaluated by New Jersey-based audio experts Stuart Allen and Tom Owen at the request of The Plain Dealer newspaper. Both concluded that they hear someone shout, "Guard!" Seconds later, a voice yells, "All right, prepare to fire!"
Without a voice sample for comparison, the new analysis can't determine who might have issued such a command or why.
Four Kent State students were killed and nine were wounded. In 1974, eight guardsmen tried on federal civil rights charges were acquitted by a U.S. judge.
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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com
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