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But before he could attempt to address the media, Livingston was arrested and taken to a local jail.

Late that night, the FBI continued their strategy of blasting high-powered beams into the compound while simultaneously broadcasting Tibetan chants, Christmas carols, and recordings of previous negotiations.

This proved just as ineffective as before.

Chief Negotiator Gary Nesner continued to voice his displeasure at this approach, and on Wednesday March 24, he was removed from his role.

It would later emerge that the HRT leader had complained that NASNA was impeding the tactical team's more aggressive efforts.

In his memoir, Stalling for Time, NASNA later wrote, "...the real story was that, with the FBI seemingly helpless to compel the Davidians to surrender, Siege Commander Jeff Jamar was feeling the heat."

The entire nation was watching and the FBI was spending about $128,000 a day.

Venting my frustrations more strongly than before, I told him that I didn't think we would get anyone else out after these recent actions.

He appeared unconcerned.

I realised then that he had already determined what he was going to do.

Gary Nasner was replaced by Clint Van Zant, a former member of the negotiation unit.

Nasner was concerned by this choice, knowing that Van Zant was a vocal born-again Christian.

Nasner worried that this would lead to Van Zant getting into arguments with Koresh about biblical scripture.

Sure enough, this concern proved warranted, with Van Zandt spending hours on the phone with Koresh trying to persuade him that his interpretation of the Bible was wrong.

Various negotiators on the team later confided in Nasna that they had been frustrated by this approach.

After Nestner's exit, there were repeated attempts at negotiations and long conversations between Branch Davidians and FBI negotiators, all to no avail.

Progress had completely stalled.

Morale inside the compound was low.

By this point, they'd been without electricity for weeks, relying on Coleman lanterns, kerosene, and propane for light and heat.

Their water supplies were depleting due to some of the outdoor receptacles having been shot at during the ATF raid.