0 270230Z NOV 78
FM MEMPHIS (89-110) (P)
TO DIRECTOR (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
ATLANTA IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS E F T O
RYMUR, 00: SANFRANCISCO
Re Memphis tel to the Bureau, Colombia, and San Francisco, November 25, 1978.
For the information of Atlanta, on the evening of November 24, 1978, attorney Mark Lane contacted the Memphis office and advised he was concerned that a [an] individual by the name of [deleted name] had been allegedly retained by the Peoples Temple to burglarize his home. Lane said he had information from a CBS correspondent that [deleted name] had been interviewed by FBI agents. Lane expressed displeasure that the FBI had this information and did not advise him. Investigation at Memphis revealed that [deleted name], white male, DOB [deleted], is
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currently incarcerated at Shelby County Jail, Memphis, Tenn., on a bad check charge. He has been in jail since October 12, 1978. [deleted name] was not interviewed by the FBI on this matter until November 25, 1978, subsequent to the allegations made by Lane. [deleted name] denies any contact with or knowledge of Lane, the Peoples Temple, or Reverend Jim Jones prior to incident in Guyana. His only knowledge has come from the media.
[deleted name] stated he received a call in jail from his mother on the evening of November 23, 1978, wherein his mother advised him a CBS correspondent had indicated [deleted name] name and phone number were found among the personal belongings of Rev. Jones in Guyana. [deleted name] further stated he was contacted by a [deleted name] who identified himself as a correspondent for ABC. This conversation was by telephone and [deleted name] has been told by jail personnel that O’Brien called and asked if they had a [deleted line]. Since that time, [deleted name] from the CBS affiliate at Memphis has also indicated that [deleted name] name was found among
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the belongings of Rev. Jones. [deleted name] was unable to shed any light on how his name was found in the possession of Rev. Jones but does recall approximately two weeks ago, a young female called the jail and identified herself to jail personnel as being a representative of the Department of Human Resources. [deleted name] spoke to this female on the telephone but during his conversation with her, she did not identify herself as being from the Department of Human Resources. She did ask him if he knew a [deleted name]. She also asked if he would be willing to go into an attorney’s office here in Memphis and whether he would be able to take photographs. According to [deleted name], he told her that he could not go anywhere while he was in jail and that he was not going to discuss it with her until he got out of jail. [deleted name] said he has no knowledge if there is any connection between this and his name being involved with the Peoples Temple but vehemently denies any implication with Rev. Jones and the Peoples Temple.
[deleted name] stated he did know a [deleted name] who was a fellow inmate with him at FCI, El Reno, Oklahoma. [deleted name]
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has not seen [deleted name] since approximately 1976 and has had no contact with him since that time.
[deleted name] indicated he was unfamiliar with the Peoples Temple and Rev. Jones until the death of Congressman Ryan and the mass suicide which has brought this into national prominence.
In reviewing the information above, the telephone number of [deleted name] in Memphis was obviously made available to CBS correspondent Don Brown in Atlanta, Georgia, as he initiated the call to [deleted name], mother. [deleted name], Channel Three, Memphis, advised he got the information from Brown, who allegedly received it from the father of a member of the military force sent in after the massacre. This serviceman, name unknown, furnished three names and three phone numbers to his father which were allegedly found in the personal belongings of Rev. Jones.
Atlanta, should immediately locate Don Brown, CBS, Atlanta, to determine, if possible, the source of his information. The three names furnished to Brown should be
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verified and checked to determine if any were known members of the Peoples Temple.
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