DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
COMMUNICATION MESSAGE FORM
DATE: 11/8/79
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLAS
PRECEDENCE: IMMEDIATE
FM DIRECTOR FBI (89-4286)
TO FBI, SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
LEGAL ATTACHÉ BOGOTA PRIORITY
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR.
Resftel, dated November 7, 1979, no copy to Legat Bogota.
For information Legat Bogota, retel set forth information that Dale Parks may return to Georgetown, Guyana, to testify at Larry Layton’s preliminary hearing. The prosecutor and defense attorney in Georgetown have agreed that November 12, 1979, would be set aside in the event Parks returns to Guyana. Parks has indicated to case agent, San Francisco, that he will make up his mind by November 9, 1979.
During prior contacts with Parks, he has requested SA Don Hale, San Francisco, to accompany him to Guyana.
This authorizes SA Hale to travel to Georgetown, Guyana,
PAGE TWO DE HQ 00101 UNCLAS
with Dale Parks in the event Parks decides to testify.
Above furnished Legat Bogota for information.
BT
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Note: For approximately the past four months Departmental Attorney Alfred Hantman has been coordinating efforts between FBI, Department of Justice, US Department of State, and the Government of Guyana to arrange appearance of key witnesses at Larry Layton’s preliminary hearing, Georgetown, Guyana. Layton has been charged by the Government of Guyana with attempted murder for his participation in the shooting incident at Port Kaituma, Guyana, 11/18/78. Of the five key witnesses requested by the Government to Guyana, only two, Vern Gosney and Odell Rhodes, appeared and testified at Layton’s preliminary hearing during the week of 10/29/79. Dale Parks was another key witness, but during initial contacts with him by San Francisco and Mr. Hantman, Parks refused to return to Guyana. Subsequent contacts with Parks by SA Hale has succeeded in securing Parks’ tentative cooperation to return to Guyana. The Guyanese prosecutor and Layton’s defense attorney have set aside 11/12/79, to take Parks’ testimony in the event he returns. The Government in Guyana considers Parks’ testimony essential to the case against Layton. Parks has stipulated, however, that he will return to Guyana only if accompanied by SA Hale. SA Hale and Assistant US Attorney Mike Nearney [Nerney], San Francisco, accompanied Gosney and Rhodes to Guyana when those individuals testified at the end of October.
This authorizes SA Hale to travel to Georgetown, Guyana, with Dale Parks.
This matter has been coordinated with Mr. Hantman, DOJ, who in turn is handling necessary arrangements with US State Department. SA Hale has been requested to call FBIHQ and follow with confirming teletype if he and Parks will be traveling to Georgetown, Guyana.