Q797 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          Miscellaneous

FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Audio Magnetics 60/ 9/26/72 interview w/ JJ

Date cues on tape:   Contents consistent with date on label

People named:

Peoples Temple members
Eugene Chaikin

Bible verses cited:     None

Summary:

Following The San Francisco Examiner’s publication of a series of articles by Lester Kinsolving critical of Peoples Temple in September 1972, Jim Jones and members of the church went on the offensive to counteract the negative publicity. This tape includes two broadcasts of an interview – aired on the morning and evening newscasts – that Jones gave to a local station in which he defended the Temple and called for dialogue with anyone who might have problems with the church. He also cast the attacks against the Temple as attacks on freedom of religion and lawful assembly.

Editor’s note: Side 2 of this tape – which consists of the evening’s rebroadcast of the interview, has much better audio than side 1. It does, however, abruptly end about a minute before the conclusion of the morning’s version of the interview.

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 3/22/79

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 20, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B62 #100. This tape was found to contain the following:

Side A

Bay Area Newscast Interview of JIM JONES at Redwood City, California

Side B

Bay Area Newscast Interview of JIM JONES at Redwood City, California

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.

Differences with FBI Summary:

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

Tape originally posted January 2013