[Editor’s note: The second half of this serial refers to the Cordell family, including Richard Cordell, a former Temple member who lived in Washington state and who died there in 1983. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type.]
0 211842Z DEC 78
FM CINCINNATI (163-363) P
TO DIRECTOR FBI (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR, 00: SAN FRANCISCO.
[Name deleted], Springfield, Ohio, interviewed and advised that his daughter Patricia Parks, nee Chaffin, was a member of the People’s Temple (PT) prior to being critically shot at the Guyana airport November 18, 1978. He stated he did not know of any PT members other than his daughter.
[Name deleted, last name Cordell], Mr. Vernon, Ohio, advised he was a former member of the PT in the mid-1960s prior to its move to Ukiah, California. He left due to disenchantment with the teachings of Jim Jones. He did not have any specific knowledge concerning the death of Congressman Ryan, weapons owned by the PT,
PAGE TWO, CI 163-363
or firearms training.
However, he has learned through his brother, [Richard Cordell], a member who was recently interviewed by the FBI in Washington state, that Jones maintained a list of people who had left the PT and had told other members to kill them if anything happened to him (Jones). [Name deleted, last name Cordell] also said Jones claimed the PT was a Marxist-Leninist-socialist type of organization that planned to overthrow the U.S. government. Jones claimed that the PT was responsible for the election of Mayor [George] Moscone and was frequently visited by California Governor [Jerry] Brown. He also claimed that the PT has infiltrated the U.S. government in key positions. He stated his brother [Richard] had left the PT because of torture administered to anyone disagreeing with Jones. [Name deleted, last name Cordell] advised that he had 13 relatives died in the Jonestown incident and [line deleted] who is being held in Guyana as a material witness. FD-302’s to follow.
BT