Q624 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 (Side 1, Side 2).
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FBI Catalogue: Tapes Not Summarized

FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Audio Magnetics 60/ “Jim on our works in G- [uyana]. Please [illegible word]”

Date cues on tape: None

People named:

Bible verses cited:  None

Summary:

This tape consists of two parts: a phone call between a current member and a former member of Peoples Temple; and several lengthy segments rendered unintelligible by a partial and incomplete erasure of the tape. Since Peoples Temple often taped over previously-recorded conversations, it is likely – but not certain – that the Temple was responsible for the erasure.

In Part I, Jenny Cheek, a Temple member, calls a man named David who has apparently recently left the church. The tone of Jenny’s voice makes it seem she is reading from a script, and some of her statements do not acknowledge what Dave has just said in response. She reminds him that he has done a few things that are illegal – “you tape government officials, which is [an] offense,” she says, followed immediately with a blunt assertion that “you [admitted] in writing that you forged a check” – and adds, the fact that Jim Jones has done nothing about it proves that the Temple leader is a friend.

But the statement also carries a threat. Jones cares for the former member, the woman says, and wants him back in the fold. He’ll even be okay outside the church, she adds, “as long as you don’t do any harm to his people.”

The two people have had some sort of relationship, but it is suppressed under her prepared statement, and the conversation is tense. The inquiries into each other’s health and friends is perfunctory. Even the conversation about a child named Kim shows joint interest in her welfare, but little else.

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 3/13/79

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 March 6, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B47 #69.

This tape was reviewed, and nothing was contained thereon which was considered to be of evidentiary nature or beneficial to the investigation of Congressman RYAN. The tape was either blank or inaudible.

Differences with FBI Summary:

There is nothing to compare between the two summaries, since the FBI did not write anything for this, or 64 other tapes which bear the notation “Tapes Not Summarized.” These tapes seems to have little on them which the FBI could use for its purposes of investigating crimes arising from the Jonestown tragedy, but then again, that describes many other tapes as well. The difference seems to be that one or two FBI agents catalogued this set of tapes – as evidenced by the typewriter used in writing the reports – and that generally, the transcriptions were made early in the process, before someone may have asked for greater detail in the reports.

Tape originally posted April 2006