[Editor’s note: The affidavits by members of Peoples Temple criticizing the behavior of Grace Stoen are scattered throughout the records released under the Freedom of Information Act, including at Section B-5-c, Section FF-1, Section FF-7, Section FF-8, and Section FF-9. An alphabetical listing of the Temple members filing affidavits appears here.]
FF-9-B-3
[Editor’s note: The named and signed version of this affidavit of Joe Wilson appears here.]
I was a frequent houseguest of the Stoen’s and as a consequence was exposed to some bizarre behavior on the part of Grace Stoen. She often wrestled with me and brushed against my privates in a rough manner, obviously attempting sexual stimulation. She would then say, “What’s the matter, can’t you take it?” On other occasions she would run in front of me totally nude and asked [the] same question, above mentioned. She also did this in front of me in the presence of Emmett Griffith, Jr.
I began wondering how she kept her accounting in order when she handled some of the finances because she would give me gas money from church funds and not require receipts nor an accounting of any kind. This happened often and regularly. I saw her give Melanie Briedenbach money for personal clothing from the petty cash box in the church office.
She didn’t spend time with her son like she should have, and I know she had plenty of spare time because she frequently took me out to dinner, several times driving all the way to San Francisco from Redwood Valley, just to eat at a restaurant. This is a six hour drive both ways alone.
On other occasions I saw her neglect her son for the sake of her affair with Walter Jones, many times she would leave John with me or other people and leave with Walter. This caused John a great deal of anxiety and tears. She even went as far as to push John aside, drop his hand, take Walter’s hand and leave.
[blank signature line]
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnessed:
[2 blank signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-4
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Joan Pursley
I, [blank signature line], duly sworn, declare:
During the time that Grace Stoen was a member of People’s Temple she was very neglectful of her son John. On one of our Summer trips I was in a park watching John and she walked over to where we were and said that she would be back in a few minutes and would take John to the store. After she left he turned to me and said that he didn’t believe she would be back because she didn’t care about him. We didn’t see Grace until late that night. That kind of obvious neglect was very upsetting.
Another thing that really bothered me about Grace Stoen was the way in which she manipulated John. She would grab him and squeeze him then say things like, “Do you love me?” The unhealthy emphasis being centered on John supporting her emotional needs instead of the reverse. I felt that the affection that she sporadically gave the child was inappropriate, I would not term it as affection so much as a satiation of her own needs.
[blank signature line]
DATED August 13, 1977
Witnesses
[2 blank signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-5
Jonestown, Port Kaituma,
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Emmett Griffith, Jr.
I, Emmett Griffith, Jr, being duly sworn, declare:
Grace Stoen did some things that were shocking to me when I was about 16 or 17 years old. She would run across a room in her apartment totally nude and laugh at the reaction it caused, she would say, “What’s the matter, can’t you take it?” She did this quite often.
She would make exceptions for certain people in her capacity as financial secretary and not require accounting for money she distributed from Peoples Temple funds. She told Joe Wilson and myself that we didn’t need to worry about gas receipts, she didn’t need them. We got gas money from her frequently.
I saw her on many occasions flaunt her relationship with Walter Jones in front of her son John. She would often leave the child behind to accompany Walter somewhere else.
/s/ Emmett Griffith, Jr
Dated: August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank signature lines]
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FF-9-B-6
Jonestown, Port Kaituma,
Northwest District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Wesley Breidenbach
I, Wesley Breidenbach, being duly sworn, declare:
I saw Grace Stoen take funds from Peoples Temple cash boxes and spend it on herself. Upon one occasion she gave me $70.00 to buy some clothes out of a cash box and she never asked me for any money back or receipts of for any accounting of the money whatsoever.
Concerning her child John, I felt that she left him alone too much with too many people and because of that he suffered long periods of rejection. These periods of rejection were frequent.
/s/ Wesley Breidenbach
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank signature lines]
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FF-9-B-7
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Edith Bogue
I, Edith Bogue, being duly sworn, declare:
When John Stoen was an infant Grace Stoen would bring him to my house and leave him. She wouldn’t say where she was going or when she was coming back, she would return hours later. When John was only a few months old she would hold him up and swing him around by his arms. I was afraid she would break his arm or his collarbone. She also called him names like crazy John Stoen.
Her conduct around young boys from 10 years old and up was very seductive. She did this around John all the time.
Edith Bogue
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-8
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Barbara Cordell
I, Barbara J. Cordell being duly sworn, declare:
Grace was having difficulty with John during the period when he developed severe facial tic. She brought into my home to care for him for an extended period of time. Within a matter of two week[s] away from her he was free of this tic.
Grace generally could not handle John. He told her that he hated her and she could not deal with this. During her visits with John while he was living in my home if he happened to be naughty, she would bring him to me to deal with.
/s/ Barbara J. Cordell
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-9
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Danny K. Kutulas
I, Danny K. Kutulas, being duly sworn declare:
Grace was one of my house guests in my apartment in the Fall of 1975. She was aware of my serious marital problems at the time. On the occasion that the others left the apartment Grace, who was clad in a thin gown, threw open her arms and said, “Would you like to fuck me?” I said, “You’re nuts.” and walked out of the apartment. I feel this typifies her immature narcissism.
/s/ Danny K. Kutulas
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-11
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Maria Katsaris
I, Maria Katsaris being duly sworn, declare:
Grace Stoen has always made it clear that Jim Jones is the father of her son John V. Stoen. She would explode with anger if and when Tim Stoen said anything about the rearing of the child or made any criticism of her parental abilities, which he did frequently and accurately. She stated that Tim Stoen had absolutely nothing to do with the child. She was quite emphatic on that point.
/s/ Maria Katsaris
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[2 blank witness signature lines]
——
FF-9-B-12
Port Kaituma
Guyana
Affidavit of
Lynetta P. Jones
I, [blank signature space], being duly sworn, declare:
A number of times while I was living in my son, James Jones’s home in Redwood Valley, California, Grace Stoen called him. I answered the phone myself on several occasions to hear Grace tearfully asking to speak to Jim. These conversations would continue for hours. One could not avoid hearing parts of them just working around the kitchen.
Another time Grace Stoen came to our house in the same state of mind, crying loudly. She even approached the other teenage boys living in the house, trying to tell them her problems. When Jim discovered that she had done this he put a stop to look at once. He had already apprised the entire household of the situation. Grace’s hysteria certainly necessitated this.
John spent many hours with us at the house. He often spent the night and always returned home regretfully. He protested having to go back with Grace on many occasions.
Grace openly stated to me that my son, James Jones was the true father of John.
August 13, 1977
Signed: /s/ Lynetta P. Jones
Witness: [blank signature line]
——
FF-9-B-13
Georgetown, Guyana
Affidavit of
Carolyn M. Layton
I, Carolyn M. Layton, being duly sworn, declare:
As a member of People’s Temple and a counselor in the organization for a long time. I have had several experiences relating to Grace Stoen which the following will describe.
On one occasion shortly after John Stoen was born Grace went up to the altar of the church to talk to Jim Jones. She was crying and he called my [me] up to talk with her as well. She complained that she felt like committing suicide and was unhappy with Tim Stoen as her husband. She suggested marrying Jim Jones. Jim said to her very kindly that this was not possible. He then called up her husband Tim to let him know how she was feeling so he could counsel with her.
On another occasion I went to Grace’s house and she was taking care of John. He was quite young. She was sobbing and crying loudly about her problems while holding her son John. At the time I thought it was very inappropriate that she be demonstrating such strong depression in front of the child. She did this often.
Grace constantly complained that people slighted her and that she was not treated well by people. Considering the kind of emotional pressure she placed on everyone around her I thought such an accusation was utterly ridiculous. I found people to be extremely tolerant of her. She responded like a child to almost all adults around her, requiring constant praise and reassurance in order to function.
Grace was very flirtatious around teenage boys and I remember her kissing Vincent Lopez on the lips one time. Another time she kissed John in the mouth in front of me. Other young men complained of similar approaches made by her.
Grace Stoen is an emotional cripple. Because of her serious emotional problems I definitely feel she should not be allowed to remove John from his present very satisfying environment. I have known Grace all of the years she has been in Peoples Temple. I can say with utmost conviction that she was given every possible opportunity to grow; she was given far more hours of counseling time and attention than almost any troubled person who came to the Temple for help. I saw her talk to Jim Jones until he looked like he were about to pass out from exhaustion. One occasion while she was talking to him, I saw him fall to his knees and medical personnel had to come and administer oxygen. From my viewpoint he gave all that he could to help her and she took all she could. It would be cruel and inhumane to take John Stoen from his father and return him to his mother.
/s/ Carolyn M. Layton
August 13, 1977
Witness: [line blank]
——
FF-9-B-15
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Christine R. Lucientes
I, Christine R. Lucientes, being duly sworn, declare:
Grace Stoen spoke freely to me of the fact that James W. Jones is the father of her son John V. Stoen. In fact she never indicated to the contrary, ever. Indeed, when she talked to John about his father Jim Jones she referred to them as “your dad.”
/s/ Christine R. Lucientes
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[two witness signature lines blank]
——
FF-9-B-16-17, 19 [Second affidavit of Jim Jones]
Georgetown, Guyana
I, James Jones, being duly sworn, declare:
I recall the situation with Grace Stoen was getting very bleak and it appeared that time was running out. Different members would come to me with reports that she was going against our ethical principles and planning on leaving. Tim Stoen thought this also and he said in the parking lot of our Redwood Valley church, “Do whatever you can” and he emphasized sex. After he had said that, that night Mrs. Patty Cartmell and I located her some way; I don’t remember how we located her. Since Tim had emphasized sex I considered it as a means, otherwise, I would not have done it, because I felt a loyalty to him and would have done nothing to hurt him. My teaching of principle and my concern as a pastor had not reached the woman, no instruction had ever reached her, not a sermon had ever seemed to move her. It seems that necessity was the mother of invention and Patty Cartmell lived in the house next to the church. I wanted someone there to verify that it was principle; it wasn’t a romantic thing. I was greatly bothered by this, having had an upbringing which emphasized a one man-one woman relationship. That is the way I had been conditioned. I also needed help because it was a trafficked area. I wanted the woman prepared not to have a baby. Patty Cartmell gave her various preventatives, obviously which did not work. It was strange that the girl could have ever believed that there was anything personal, if she ever did. Most times when she spoke she indicated that she didn’t believe it was a personal thing, but then there would be moments when she would suggest there was some romance. She would ask “Could I haved [have] loved her?” or “Could we have married each other?” What a terrible hate she developed, based I guess on rejection. One time I recall she said she loved me or something of that sort. Anyway, the situation was most odd as it seemed that the bed toppled and we somehow had to get the bed straidhtened [straightened] around, and people were coming and going in the house while Patty Cartmell tried to keep them from knowing what was going on. To me, I failed to notice any joy in it; I just remember them laughing. If I did laugh it was just to be polite. I didn’t like her; I didn’t like her from the first time I met her. I thought she demonstrated snobbery in our service by the way in which she treated black people. She took the liberty to be obviously rude in a public worship. She would often pull her long strands of hair in almost an autistic manner and at times rock back and forth as is the pattern of many disturbed persons.
As time went on she informed me that she was pregnant by me. I tried in every way to encourage her to have an abortion. At the time she must not have yet come to hate me, and she seemed to insist on going ahead and having the child. We even had an abortion arranged, but she seemed to be unable to cope with the idea emotionally and does it was not pursued further.
After John Stoen was born she again appeared to be falling apart emotionally and came up to the church podium to tell me she was going to commit suicide if I did not marry her. I told her I did not see how that would be possible and in that she was married to a man who was thoroughally [thoroughly] familiar with the situation and said he was indeed prepared to be the legal father, and was economically well off, I felt my marrying her would only hurt others. It also seemed grossly unfair; it seemed to be the point of which too much was required. Maybe it would have made a difference. I can’t say that it would have or would not have. I have always worried with guilt thinking I could have done a little more. On this particular occasion I called Tim up to the podium along with another church counselor who was thoroughally familiar with the situation. I wanted him to be alert as to her emotional problems and keep some kind of watch on her to make sure she didn’t go ahead with it. I was never sure just how much of her behavior was designed to manipulate for attention, and how much was sever [severe] mental disorder, so I wanted to exercise caution. Grace was always a very manic depressive personality. She was either estatic or morosely depressed beyond the normal limits. Others witnessed her crying spells go on for hours. She would also call my home on the phone and go into a weeping session for long periods of time, which everyone who lived in the house (my wife, mother, and housekeeper) made special not [note] of her insane patterns. She constantly berated her husband, Tim, even threatening to kill him on several occasions. She complained that he did not spend time with her and that he acted condescending to her.
Grace often wept in front of John for long periods of time, which was of great concern to me. In fact I am keeping John, not because I want to deprive her of him, but because I deeply believe she is injurious to him, because of her long history of mental imbalance. She is very irratic [erratic] with him, at moments screaming at him and the next trying to kiss him seductively on the mouth, thus manipulating him in ways I felt were very dangerous to his own normal development. I love John as much as any father could love his son, but it is not just that I love him which makes me firmly bent on keeping him, it is my fear of what would happen to him, if he were reared by her, and her boyfriend Walter Jones whom I know to be a racist. I know beyond any doubt that she would express her emotional imbalance to him and her companion would take his obvious hostility out on him. Both have expressed open hate towards me and many parishioners have noted that she was fiercely hostile and even violent at times in a manner suggesting that she was taking out her anger for me on him.
Grace herslef [herself] told me three months after she had left John to go off with Walter Jones that she felt John was indeed better off with me. At one point she even said, “Take him, he’s yours anyway.” At that time I gave her a round trip ticket to the place we both agreed was best for him. She later cashed in the part of the ticket that was refundable to her. At an earlier time I had given her $3000.00 to be used for John. She took the money and spent it on herself.
At the present time John is a very happy, healthy child. He attends school with a highly accredited teacher for part of the day. He spends a part of his afternoon playing with his peers on the playground. I spend every evening with him. We talk a lot together and have had many conversations about Grace. He never speaks of Grace as his mother and when he refers to her it is as “Grace.” He has mentioned to me how she took him with Walter Jones to her parents home. He tells how they offered him different foods and things, but he was strictly forbidden to tell that he had gone there with Grace and her boyfriend Walter. He dislikes Walter Jones greatly and seems to fear him. Either he thinks Mr. Jones would do him harm physically or he just dislikes him because his mother left him with this man. To take John out of this happy environment would be terribly destructive to him. At one point when Grace was manipulating him, he threatened to jump off the roof of our church, he had so much conflict. For a 3 ½ year old to express such conflict I considered very grave. Since he has not been with Grace he has never expressed such a desire. I really think it would be the end of him to tak [take] him away as long as I am able to prevent it. Grace is free to visit him here if she chooses and it seems to me that if she loves him she must certainly see what destruction would come to him if he were suddenly thrust out of his happy life here.
Two days before Grace began her relationship with Walter Jones (she had just finished a relationship with Tim Carter in which he described her later as the sickest person he had ever known) she again broached the subject of marriage to me. This was about 1 ½ years ago. I again told her that I did not feel that was possible. This time I guess she took me at my word and gave up on the idea altogether. It was the following July 4 that she left with Walter Jones, without so much as a good bye to John. She did not ask about John until about three months later, when she arranged a visit with John. This visit upset John terribly. She again wept continually and asked John if he loved her. The child did not know how to respond to this barrage of emotion she openly expressed to him. It was as if he was the adult and she was a child. What a predicament it was for him. Frankly I never want to see him go through it again.
I am so convinced that what I am doing is correct that I have risked my whole reputation by not returning to the city and for his sake publicly can tell no one why. Grace herself has told how her parents are openly racist and were even ashamed of their own Latin background. I cannot subject John to this. I implore the court that the child not be put through this. I must say that the relationship was the gravest mistake of my life but it would only be compounded if this child were forced to return to his mother, whose emotional problems prohibit her from knowing how to love a youngster without expecting great personal returns. I know that I am capable of giving John love without expecting him to “pay it back in kind”. Grace does not have that capacity.
August 13, 1977
Signed: James W. Jones
Witness: illegible
——
FF-9-B-18
Jonestown, Port Kaituma
North West District, Guyana
Affidavit of
Christine R. Lucientes
I, Christine R. Lucientes, being duly sworn, declare:
Grace Stoen was a friend of mine for several years and I had the opportunity to become acquainted with some of her negative personality traits. Because I babysat her son on a consistent basis I further was made aware of the affect [effect] that those patterns had on him.
Grace is a very immature person whose narcissism requires continual positive support from others, including her son. Instead of being a supportive mother to the needs of John Stoen, she sought reassurance from the child himself. I have heard her frequently ask him if he loved her, if the child didn’t answer in a manner that seemed appropriate to her, her face showed vivid disappointment. I felt the child was unduly pressured by such emotional expectations and acted out accordingly.
I recall on a bus trip back to San Francisco from Los Angeles that Grace was awakened from her sleep and asked to attend to her child that she had left without appointing anyone to supervise. She became hysterical at what she interpreted to be a criticism of her abilities as a mother. In front of the child she shrieked, pulled her hair, hit her head against the bus window and slugged herself. Not only was John upset by this display but several children had incredulous looks upon their faces. I was shocked.
After his mother had abandoned him John expressed to me great hostility and fear of Walter Jones. He related a childish fantasy to me of how he would kill Walter if he tried to take him away to Grace. [2 lines illegible due to over-typing] were ever to be put in Grace’s care again.
/s/ Christine R. Lucientes
Dated August 13, 1977
Witnesses:
[two witness signature lines blank]