It's All About Power [Paperback]

Darrell Graf (Author), Steve Schnabel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

On February 13, 1983, the US Marshals Service was summoned to the small North Dakota town of Medina to arrest a man by the name of Gordon Kahl, a known tax protester and former member of the Posse Comitatus. The marshals had an arrest warrant for Kahl and were notified that he was in Medina by Stutsman County Deputy Sheriff Brad Kapp. On a recent television program about how the power of the IRS is getting out of hand, assuming people are guilty until they prove their innocence, the show used a lead in of a picture of a wanted poster of Gordon Kahl announcing, "It all started with this man". The Medina shoot-out between Gordon Kahl and US Marshals was the first stop on a dangerous trail, which has lead to Ruby Ridge, Waco and Oklahoma City. Darrell Graf and Steve Schnabel were both members of the Medina Police Department, Graf being the Chief and Schnabel the Colonel. After finding out that the marshals were on their way to Medina, Graf and Schnabel did some quick planning and gathered members of the ambulance squad and rescue squad at the fire hall to prepare for what they thought could be a bloody shoot-out. Kahl had stated on several previous occasions that he would not go back to prison-he would go down fighting and take at least two enemies with him. The marshals arrived at Medina and eventually cornered Kahl just north of town by a small farmstead. Kahl had his wife Joan and son Yorie with him, as well as friends Scott Faul, David Broer and Vernon Wegner. After nine minutes of shouting back and forth to one another, a shot rang out and one of the marshals was fatally wounded. There was a short pause and then a hail of gunfire, which lasted 20-30 seconds. When the smoke cleared two marshals were dead, one marshal critically wounded and two local officers wounded. Kahl escaped under a heavy veil of fog that evening, eventually making his way to the state of Arkansas. Steve Schnabel was one of the local officers wounded in the gun battle and Darrell Graf was on the other side of the hill blocking traffic from entering the scene and coordinating the ambulance and rescue squads to positions for immediate response if needed. On June 3, 1983 law enforcement caught up with Kahl in Smithville, AR where he was hold up. They surrounded the house he was in and a barrage of gunfire ensued. The house was set on fire and virtually everything inside was destroyed, including the body of a man they believed to be Gordon Kahl. County Sheriff Gene Matthews was also killed during the shooting, but it is still unclear just when and where he received the fatal gunshot wound. Graf and Schnabel, former Medina police officers, have teamed together to write a book entitled IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER. The authors'unique perspective of the case as they were there when it all happened. Their knowledge of events, which took place before during and after the shoot-out at Medina, make for a shocking, truthful look at just what happened in Medina that day. The authors also detail the blunder made by law enforcement in Arkansas during their attempt to bring Kahl to justice for what he had done in North Dakota. There were two people killed in Arkansas that day and not one police photograph or police report to go with it. No evidence gathered save a burned body and a burned rifle from the house.

IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER was published by the authors so the end result would be a true and accurate account of events that is easy reading and filled with facts, designed to let the reader make up his or her own mind about the case(s). The authors had no asses to kiss and no political agenda to push, only a true story to tell that the public has been thirsting for.

IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER also touches on the human side of the aftermath. The authors bear their souls to let the chips fall where they may to show what a critical part Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) had to play in regard to events after the shoot-out, up to present day. This 20-30 second event in the lives of the authors has changed their lives forever! Many questions that have been asked over the last 16 years are answered in this book such as is Kahl really dead? Was the arrest warrant the marshals had in Medina that day a valid warrant? Did the marshals "ambush" Kahl at Medina? Did Graf and Schnabel help Kahl escape? Did Graf and Schnabel set Kahl up for an "ambush"?

IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER also paints a more accurate picture of just what kind of man Gordon Kahl was and why he held the views he did about guns, taxes and the Constitution of the United States.

IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER is a true and accurate account of the events and facts as we know them. We invite the readers to draw their own conclusions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The authors...have dealt with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the past 16 years. This text should be a significant contribution to the education of other law enforcement officers." -- Dr. Allen Koss, PhD, Sitting Bull College, Ft. Yates, ND

"There are many problems in America today. It's All About Power is a stimulating account of the disaster at Medina, ND in 1983 which was the first in a series of similar shocking events that have rocked our nation. I would highly recommend everyone from politicians to distressed farmers and government agents to militia members read and learn from this fabulous book! " -- Senator John DeCamp, Lincoln, NE

"This book is a compelling 'must read' for students of North Dakota history. The book puts Gordon Kahl's actions in the context of the farm crisis of the early 1980's. The mentality and anger then are informative now as we enter another period of foreclosures and bankruptcies in the Midwest. The book also portrays a searing account of the mistakes that were made, the betrayal and blame within the ranks of law enforcement and the long-lasting effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the officers. It is unsettling to read this book. It shakes the credibility of official accounts of the tragedy and invokes the specter of abuse of power, deceit and cover-up." -- Dr. Val Farmer, Farm Psychologist

From the Author

What drives It's All About Power! To be unique is that it was written, edited and published by us. It is our final product. No one dictated to us what should be in this book. It is a factual book, yet intimate as we bear our souls and let the chips fall where they may. The goal was three-fold in writing this book. First, it was going to be our story the way that we wanted it written. An easy reading story filled with facts that would enable the reader to form his or her own opinion about the case(s). Second, nothing but the truth. The true story had to be told by someone, and who better to do that than two people involved in the actual incident. Third, to try and clear our names, the Medina Police Department of 1983 of which we were members and the names of others who were indirectly affected by the shoot-out, such as the Pastor Pat Colley family and the Dr. Clarence Martin family. Both of these families, who were pillars of the community, were forced to leave the community of Medina after the 1983 shoot-out.

If you have any pre-conceived notions of what might be in our book, or what really happened in regard to this case, put those notions on the shelf before reading our book, no matter how good you think your source of information may be. This is a book of facts, which are 100% verifiable. Some people used their position of power to influence others as to what happened in regards to this case, in particular, the actions we as police officers took on the day of the shoot-out. In this book we name names and tell it like it was, not for revenge (if we wanted revenge, believe me, we would have written this book about 15 years earlier) but for credibility. These people grossly abused their positions of power and we feel they should be exposed for the kind of people they really are, not what they pretend to be when they are in the public eye.

This book is neither pro Kahl or pro government. We give both sides of the story and let the readers draw their own conclusions. Keep in mind as you read this book, that even though the truth is always good and important, it is not always even handed.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: M.P.D. Inc (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942323319
• ISBN-13: 978-0942323313
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #952,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Factual Approach, February 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: It's All About Power (Paperback)

I read the book, and until reading it, I must say I had taken a lot of the media portrayal of the Medina incident at face value. The book fascinated me, and the credibility really couldn't be questioned. The time between the incident and the actual writing of the book would indicate that it was not a knee-jerk emotional reaction, but rather a well-thought out, painstaking, courageous process to set the record straight. It also means that the decisions to name the names of those who abused power was considered carefully - honesty, even with some risk. Appreciating the book, or even writing the book as it is, doesn't automatically put one in the category of a sympathizer of Kahl. But it does make one think about the rights we all should have as citizens, and how and when they might be threatened by the system as it is. "It's All About Power" may not quite rival the literary quality of "Bitter Harvest", (another book on the same topic, not written by an insider however,) but I don't think it is meant to. It's meant to lay out the facts in a way that a reader can draw his or her own conclusion. I definitely think it accomplishes that goal.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing change from the "same old, same old"., February 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: It's All About Power (Paperback)

I am a former law enforcement officer from a small North Dakota town. After reading this book, I felt as if both authors just told me their stories face-to-face. The diagrams and photos really put me "at the scene". It is obvious that the authors of this book are not writers by trade, which actually made it a refreshing change from the same old, same old. I can relate to these officers having to wear many "hats" at their job. Graf shows the world, through this book, what being a Peace Officer is all about--trying to keep the peace. Unlike other authors of books on this subject, Graf actually met with and talked to the murderer on several occasions prior to the shoot-out, making informed decisions on first-hand knowledge. Others chose to ignore this knowledge when it was brought to their attention. Unlike a previous reader review, I've actually had a chance to meet with and talk to the authors after I read this book. I've seen the documentation they have to back up everything they write about in this book. Read the others first if you like, but save this book for last. It is the only true and accurate account you will read!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating and Factual Read, March 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: It's All About Power (Paperback)

I lived in North Dakota at the time of these events. The author's first-hand account is consistent with, but fills in a lot of the blanks that have been written and reported about the confrontation at Medina ever since.

Critics of the book may point to minor flaws such as allegations of ...covering by the authors. I do not find such flaws nearly as credible as the book. Both Graf and Schnabel were professionals who were cooperative and did more than they were asked. Yes, their small-town police departments was organized like (surprise!) a small-town police department. And, yes, their account is factual, direct and down-to-earth, not full of socialogical [stuff] like Bitter Harvest, the first major book on the incident.

Neither author is apt to get rich on the book as it tells neither side exactly what they want to hear. Accordingly, the only fans of the book are likely to be those interested in just the unvarnishied, unfiltered facts from two police officers who did the best job they could with the tools available and are probably the only ones who conducted themselves properly thoughout all the events leading up to this incident and the aftermath thereof.

In short, if you believe your government is always right and never lies, skip this book because it will shatter your dreams. Skip it also if you believe the tax protest fringe is always the unfortunate victims of a government conspiracy. However, if you believe the truth lies somewhere between, you owe it to yourself to get and read this book.