Q210 Summary

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

To read the Tape Transcript, click here. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1, Pt. 2).
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FBI Catalogue           Jones Speaking

FBI preliminary tape identification note: Labeled in part “10/25/78”

Date cues on tape:     Items consistent with date on tape box. Jones states he is reading “Wednesday news”, which was 10/24/78, but he may have been confused.

 

People named:

Public figures/National and international names:
President Jimmy Carter
Secretary of State Cyrus Vance

 

Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt
Menachim Begin, Israeli Prime Minister
Mengistu Haile Mariam, Chairman of Ethiopia’s military administration [by reference]
Mohamed Siad Barre, President of Somalia
Gaafar Muhammad Nimeiry, President of Sudan [by reference]
Julius Nyerere, President of Tanzania
Joshua Nkomo, leader of Zimbabwean Patriotic Front in RhodesiaMorarji Desai, Indian Prime MinisterForbes Burnham, Guyana Prime Minister
Sunny Ogle [phonetic], Director of cultural events in Guyana
Joseph “Reds” Perreira, Guyana sports broadcaster

Viola Liuzzo, slain civil rights worker
Gary Rowe, FBI informant in car with men who killed Liuzzo
Collie Leroy Wilkins, Klansman
William Orville Eaton, Klansman
Eugene Thomas, Klansman
William Wilkins Lucas, unknown person connected with Liuzzo murder

Dr. Walter Carmen, physician published in New England Journal of Medicine

 

Temple members not on death or survivors’ lists:
Jessie Garnet
Doris Linton (likely erroneous combination of two names)
Mr. Mueller (only Jonestown resident was female)
Boo Parker
Marshall Smith

 

Jonestown residents, full name unknown:
Crenshaw (either Francine or Eddie)

 

Jonestown residents:
Phyllis Bloom, aka Phyllis Chaikin
Gene Chaikin-Wagner
Vernetta Christian
James Ford
Johnny Franklin
Willie Graham
Tom Grubbs
Annie Harris
Osialee Hilton
Paulette Jackson
Gerald Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Billy Jones
Lew Jones
Nancy Jones
Stephanie Jones
Vellersteane Jones
Fannie Jordan
Maria Katsaris
Leola King
Wanda King
Doris Lewis
Tony Linton
Love Life Lowe
Levatus V. McKinnis
Ray McKnight
Rose McKnight
Jessie McNeal
Willie Malone
Charles Marshall
Callie Mitchell
Lawanda Mitchell
LC Mitchell
Annie Moore
Leola Morehead
Lydia Morgan
Chris Newell
Ken Norton
Brenda Parks
Joan Pursley
Estella Railback
Pat Rhea
Orlando Robinson
Jackie Rochelle
Anthony Simon
Robert Simon
Ujara Sly
Winnie Smith
Clevyee Sneed
Willie Sneed
Martha Souder
Ernest Thomas
Willieater Thomas
Vennie Thompson
Joyce Touchette
Le Flora Townes
Cornelius Truss
Janet Tupper
Lillie Victor

 

Bible verses cited:      None

Summary:

(Note: This tape was transcribed by Vicki Perry. The editors gratefully acknowledge her invaluable assistance.)

Jim Jones reads the news. He speaks slowly and deliberately throughout the broadcast, and has difficulty summoning words. At times, his voice slurs into incomprehension. He may be tired, or he may be incapacitated by illness or drugs. The tape recorder periodically picks up the voice of an unknown young woman, who softly reads a few words or a phrase at a time, which Jones then repeats.

He realizes his difficulty, even if he doesn’t confess it. On the contrary, early in the tape – even as the recorder picks up the voice coaching him through a news item – he says his deliberation is out of respect for some of Jonestown’s residents. “I’m trying to read slower for you that require, you say, not so fast reading.… I will try to slow down to meet your need.” He repeats the reason later, then adds, “And sometimes this machine makes it slower yet.” When the issue comes up a third time, he says it’s hard the radio and simultaneously report it.

His difficulty also manifests itself in a periodic inability to focus on the news before, as he wanders into reverie. At the end of a news item about the Rhodesian army using arms – paid for by US taxes – against the forces of liberation, he offers a brief and familiar editorial comment (“It makes my blood boil”), then adds, “I didn’t do so great as a child more than I did. I educated a great family here, socialism, and one day we want to get to use it.”

Among the news items Jones covers:

• New trials in the case involving slain civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo
• The prospects for Palestinian unity after Camp David
• Unrest in India
• Ethiopian government reforms may include closer ties to USSR
• Somali cabinet members sentenced to death
• The effects of MSG

 

As with other news tape, Jones offers periodic editorial comments. After alleging CIA involvement in a blast that destroyed a shipment of food to India, he says, “But what’s that matter to people who want to carry on their own ruling class supremacy irrespective of who it hurts? [In] Fact, I imagine most of them laughed over the matter while taking cocktails.” He then adds with more gravity, “But we shall see the day. We shall see the day.”

Other comments show not only Jones’ pro-Communist leanings, but his tilt towards the Soviet state, from which he receives most of his news and outside commentary. A news item on Somalia includes a short critique on Chinese meddling in the struggle, and while Jones praises China’s “beautiful domestic views of communal living,” he declares with equal assurance, “They are nothing but half-wits when it comes to foreign policy.” A moment later, he praises the people of Somalia: “It’s amazing that they were able to get as far as they did… because US imperialism is right there with their missiles and China with her spies.”

In the concluding moments of the tape, Jones reads from a list of 160 Jonestown residents who “think you’re better than others.” They will be disciplined with extra work or classes, because “we will not tolerate that.” Nevertheless, he suggests there will be lighter punishment if the miscreants appear before him and “confess now as to why you do it.” As he reads the names, he waives the penalties for some – some secretaries and some field workers – but tells the rest, “Some of you people have the best records in the world, but you’ve got a lot of nerve thinking you can step out of a class.”

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 6/7/79

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.

On May 28, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B69-36. This tape was found to contain the following:

JIM JONES reading news items and announcements.

Differences with FBI Summary:

The summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.

Tape originally posted March 2009