Former Plumber Is Acquitted of Court Bombing

An Escondido man charged in the Sept. 15, 1990, bombing of the downtown San Diego federal courthouse was acquitted Thursday of participating in the attack, even though the jury found him guilty of manufacturing the bomb that damaged the building.

David Kevin Cox, a 36-year-old unemployed plumber, was convicted on two counts of manufacturing explosive devices and two counts of possessing bombs. The jury deliberated for about five hours before making its decision.

Cox could be given a maximum of 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced June 22 by U.S. District Judge Rudi M. Brewster.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Larry Burns said he was “ambivalent” about the jury’s decision.

“If he made the bomb, he must have aided and abetted,” which should have been enough to convict Cox, Burns said.

Since bombs the size of the one Cox manufactured are designed solely to maim and kill, “he had to know when he made it that it would be used for that purpose,” Burns said.

The jury found that the man known to his acquaintances as “Bomber Dave” constructed two large pipe bombs, one of which was responsible for the mainly superficial damage to the courthouse.

A similar bomb found in Cox’s garage Feb. 15, 1991, contained explosive powder that closely matched residue found after the courthouse incident.

Both bombs were made out of large containers used for refrigerant and propane.

Burns said government agents are continuing their investigation into the bombing. Testimony at Cox’s trial indicated that at least two men were involved in placing the bomb.

Cox was indicted nearly one year after the attack on the courthouse. At that time, he was--and still is--serving a four-year prison term for stabbing a dog he said he believed was Satan and for lobbing a homemade bomb at a cable television repairman.