[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1834 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.]
0 011256Z FEB 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8885
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 0497
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CARR (JONES, STEPHAN), (BEIKMAN, CHARLES), (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: STEPHAN JONES, CHARLES BEIKMAN
REF: GEORGETOWN 0450
1. THREE NEW WITNESSES GAVE TESTIMONY AT THE JANUARY 29 SESSION OF THE PRELIMINARY INQUIRY INTO THE DEATHS OF LINDA SHARON AMOS (A.K.A. SHARON AMOS) ET AL. CALVIN DOUGLAS AND CARL [Karl] BARNETT RELATED WHAT THEY SAW ON THE EVENING OF THE MURDERS AT THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE GEORGETOWN HEADQUARTERS. BOTH WERE CROSS-EXAMINED BY SENIOR COUNSEL REX MCKAY. A POLICE CORPORAL WHO TOOK A STATEMENT FROM DOUGLAS ON NOVEMBER 18, ALSO TESTIFIED.
2. MAGISTRATE PERSAUD DID NOT GIVE A DECISION ON THE ADMISSIBILITY OF BEIKMAN’S SECOND STATEMENT OR ON THE COMPETENCE OF STEPHANIE JONES TO TESTIFY, NOR DID HE GIVE A NEW DATE FOR HIS RULING.
3. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM DEFENSE COUNSEL [JAI NARAINE] SINGH, PROSECUTING COUNSEL [CARLTON] WEITHERS SAID IN COURT THAT HE PLANS TO CALL FOUR NEW WITNESSES AND RECALL ONE WITNESS BEFORE THE STATE CONCLUDES ITS CASE.
INQUIRY IS SCHEDULED TO RESUME JANUARY 30.
BURKE [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]