Q770 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: Identified Individuals Speaking

FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Tracs 90/ “Charles Garry”

Date cues on tape: likely February 1978 (ahead of benefit dinner several weeks off in April, Roller journal refers to Marceline’s return from U.S. in late Feb.)

People named:

Public figures/National and international names:

Temple adversaries; members of Concerned Relatives:

People Temple members not in Jonestown:

Jonestown residents, full name unknown:

Jonestown residents:

Bible verses cited: None

Summary:

Side one of this tape is a broadcast interview recorded on an unknown date by Sam Skinner, the host of Black Renaissance, and Charles Garry, longtime civil rights attorney in San Francisco and – at least until the final months of Peoples Temple – the group’s main legal representative. There is little in the interview directly relating to the Temple.

Side two consists of numerous calls Marceline Jones makes to Temple supporters with slight variations on the message, to “express [Jim Jones’] appreciation to you for the support that you’ve given through this very difficult time.” She gives everyone a short progress report and extends invitations for visits.

Although much of what she says sounds as though she’s reading from a script, portions of it seem to be tailored for the individual audience, even if she fudges the truth in some of her remarks, such as telling a minister that they are bringing Christianity to Guyana, and telling a community relations officer for the San Francisco police that Peoples Temple “really doing a good thing in public relations for the United States down there.”

At least a half dozen calls go unanswered and – since this is in an era before answering machines – we do not know who those calls were made to.

The calls that were completed include those to Mrs. Mike Davidow, wife of the author; to attorney Michael Snedeker, who assisted the Temple on several legal matters; to John Maher of the Delancey Street Foundation; and others.

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 3/30/79

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 19, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B62-87. This tape was found to contain the following:

Side 1:

Contained a recording of a television broadcast or radio broadcast of an interview with CHARLES GEARY [Garry] about the BOBBY SEAL [Seale] trial.

Side 2:

Contained several phone conversations of MARSHA [Marceline] JONES with several individuals who had helped Reverend JONES in possibly the establishment of Jonestown. Mrs. JONES during one of her conversations with a female was asked by this female to possibly attend a women’s rally at the Homestead Savings and Loan on March 12, and that the Soviet Women from the Russian Consolate [Consulate] in San Francisco would also be attending. Another conversation by Mrs. JONES was with a male individual concerning the possibility of attending a political dinner at the Hyatt Regency on April 1, year unknown.

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:

Aside from the misspelling of two important people in Temple history – “Marsha” is Marceline Jones, Jim Jones’ wife, and Charles Geary is “Charles Garry,” the Temple’s attorney at the time of the deaths in Jonestown – the summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.          

Tape originally posted June 2023.