[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979GEORGE00269_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 00269 191237Z
ACTION OCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 CA-01 L-03 H-02 /028 W
——————130604 191254Z /50
P 181757Z JAN 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8752
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 0269
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CDES
SUBJ: NOTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN DURING THE CORONER’S INQUEST INTO THE DEATHS AT GEORGETOWN
REF: A. GEORGETOWN 0162 B. TELECON BETWEEN AMBASSADOR AND DAS HORAN (SCS) 1-17-79.
1. EMBASSY HAS REQUESTED FROM THE MAGISTRATES COURT CERTIFIED COPIES OF THE “NOTES OF EVIDENCE” TAKEN DURING THE CORONER’S INQUEST INTO THE DEATHS AT JONESTOWN. EMBASSY HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THESE NOTES WILL CONTAIN SUBSTANCE OF THE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES AS WELL AS DESCRIPTION OF EVIDENCE PRESENTED AT THE INQUEST. EMBASSY HAS BEEN FURTHER INFORMED THAT THE NOTES ARE NOW BEING PUT IN FINAL FORM AND WILL BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR TEN DAYS.
2. IT IS HOPED THAT THE NOTES OF EVIDENCE, WHICH WILL BE THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE INQUEST, WILL SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE IN DELAWARE. THEY WILL BE POUCHED TO THE DEPARTMENT AS SOON AS AVAILABLE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED
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