[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 2551 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.]
O 031921Z NOV 80
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4009
RUEHFB/FBI WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEBWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
BT
CONFIDENTIAL
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 5310
FBI WASHDC PASS FBI SAN JUAN AND FBI SAN FRANCISCO
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CARR, GY (LAYTON, LAWRENCE [Laurence])
SUBJ: COURT HEARINGS CONTINUE ON LAYTON’S LEGAL FEES
REF: GEORGETOWN 5071
1. The court hearing scheduled for November 1 was postponed until November 3. At the November 3 hearing Layton agreed that he owed his lawyer, Jai Narine Singh, the $95,000 (Guyanese) which Singh had claimed. The judge in the case subsequently informed Emboff [Embassy officer] that on November 6 she would hand down a judgment in favor of Singh and would lift present injunction against Layton’s leaving the country. There would then be further arguments as to whether a new order should be issued restraining Layton from leaving Guyana.
2. The Director of Public Prosecutions reiterated to Emboff November 3 that he does “not plan to turn Layton loose on the street.” He said he would act only in consultation with the Embassy. The DPP was aware of Layton’s November 3 consent to judgment on the legal fees and said he would await the November 6 hearing before considering what to do next.
Roberts [George B. Roberts, Jr., American ambassador to Guyana]
BT
5310