RYMUR Section 39 – Serials 2652-2710

The FBI’s investigation into the events of November 18, 1978 focused upon the assassination of Leo Ryan and any actions of members of Peoples Temple which may have shown evidence of a conspiracy related to that assassination. Code-named RYMUR – short for Ryan Murder – the investigation yielded 2750 serials totalling more than 10,000 pages, eventually separated into 42 large sections.

This page includes the contents of Section 39, including serials 2652-2710. They are dated between August 1981 and April 1985.

The table below lists each document by serial number, the number of pages within each serial, the date the serial was generated, the federal agency originating the serial, and a brief description. Each entry then includes the PDF and the text of the serial. Additional notes appear at the bottom of the page.

A listing of abbreviations used in the RYMUR documents – including FBI field offices and State Department embassies – is here.

In citing these documents, each serial should open with the official designation of “RYMUR 89-4286.” As an example, Serial 2695 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-2695.”

Serial # of pages Date Office of Origin Description PDF Text
15 Section 39 Administrative Memoranda PDF Text
2652 2 8/4 FBI-SF Guyana witnesses traveling to Layton trial PDF Text
2653 4 8/4 FBIHQ Guyana witnesses traveling to Layton trial (dupe of 2652) PDF Text
2654 4 7/14 Amemb Panama Transfer of Panamanian safety deposit box to Receiver PDF Text
2655 2 8/1 FBI-SF Jury selection begins PDF Text
2656 1 7/31 FBI-SC Background sought on court transcriber PDF Text
2657 1 8/6 FBI-SF Request for FBI lab to test shell casings PDF Text
2658 1 8/6 FBIHQ Request for FBI lab assistance PDF Text
2659 1 8/18 FBI-SF Trial begins PDF Text
2660 5 7/28 FBI Identification Division Report of FBI fingerprint lab PDF Text
2661 2 7/30 FBI-SF DOJ providing security clearances for trial PDF Text
2663 1 9/8 FBI-SF Layton defense offers no witnesses PDF Text
2664 2 9/3 FBI-SF Judge suppresses some govt evidence PDF Text
2665 2 9/9 FBI-SF Layton defense declines to reconsider decision to rest case PDF Text
After 2665 1 9/8 FBIHQ Government memo for court appearance PDF Text
2666 2 8/21 SecState Points of contact for prosecution and defense witnesses PDF Text
2667 2 9/28 FBI-SF Jury deadlocks, judge declares mistrial PDF Text
2668 1 10/1 FBI-SF Judge sets date for retrial PDF Text
2669 5 11/3 FBI-SF Judge denies motion to dismiss indictment PDF Text
2670 1 11/24 FBI-SF Judge sets new retrial date PDF Text
2671 1 12/4 FBIHQ Audiotapes turned over to FOIPA unit PDF Text
2672 1 11/13 FBIHQ Audiotapes turned over to FOIPA unit PDF Text
2673 1 1/5/82 FBI-SF Judge postpones date for motions in retrial PDF Text
2674 2 1/15 FBI-SF Judge denies government motions, will be appealed PDF Text
2675 4 1/15 FBIHQ Judge denies government motions, will be appealed (dupe of 2674) PDF Text
2676 1 2/2 FBI-SF Government files appeal, trial delayed PDF Text
2677 2 3/12 FBI-SF New trial date PDF Text
2678 6 3/1 FBIHQ Letter-writer claims knowledge of JT PDF Text
2679 2 4/23 FBI-SF US seeks additional time in case PDF Text
2680 4 4/23 FBIHQ US seeks additional time in case (dupe of 2679) PDF Text
2682 1 8/6/82 FBIHQ Letter writer seeks further investigation of PT PDF Text
2683 2 8/18 FBI-SF Court of Appeals to hear arguments PDF Text
2684 4 8/18 FBIHQ Court of Appeals to hear arguments (dupe of 2683) PDF Text
2685 1 9/21 FBIHQ NBC videotapes are returned to SF PDF Text
2687 1 11/3 FBI-SF [mostly withheld under privacy, previously deleted under b1] PDF Text
2690 4 3/16 FBIHQ PT Receiver to donate FBI materials to CHS PDF Text
2691 1 4/1 FBIHQ FBI replies to Fabian PDF Text
2692 4 7/1/83 FBIHQ US v. Layton on appeal (dupe of 2693) PDF Text
2693 2 7/1/83 FBI-SF US v. Layton on appeal PDF Text
2694 1 8/16 FBIHQ FBI reports Appeals court reverses lower court PDF Text
2695 2 8/11 FBI-SF Appeals court reverses lower court PDF Text
2696 4 8/11 FBIHQ Appeals court reverses lower court (dupe of 2695) PDF Text
2697 3 10/3 FBI-SF Defense asks for en banc hearing PDF Text
2698 3 10/3 FBIHQ Defense asks for en banc hearing (dupe of 2697) PDF Text
2699 2 12/12 FBI-SF Court of appeals denies motion PDF Text
2700 4 12/12 FBIHQ Court of appeals denies motion (dupe of 2699) PDF Text
2701 4 1/16/84 FBIHQ Appeals court denies defense motion for stay pending SC appeal (dupe of 2701×1) PDF Text
2701x 3 3/28 FBI-SF New trial date set; request for prosecution to travel to Guyana PDF Text
2701×1 2 1/16/84 FBI-SF Appeals court denies defense motion for stay pending SC appeal PDF Text
2702 2 3/28 FBI-SF Prosecutors to travel to Guyana PDF Text
2703 4 3/28 FBIHQ Prosecutors to travel to Guyana (dupe of 2702) PDF Text
2703x 3 3/29 FBIHQ Prosecutors to travel to Guyana; Status check on Layton case PDF Text
2706 4 6/20 FBIHQ Judge denies govt motions again (dupe of 2707) PDF Text
2707 2 6/20 FBI-SF Judge denies govt motions again PDF Text
2708 4 8/31 FBIHQ Retrial date postponed (dupe of 2709) PDF Text
2709 2 8/31 FBI-SF Retrial date postponed PDF Text
2709x 2 2/19/85 FBI-SF Appeals court hearing on government’s motion to admit tape PDF Text
2709×1 4 2/19 FBIHQ Appeals court hearing on government’s motion to admit tape (dupe of 2709x) PDF Text
2710 7 4/22 FBIHQ Transmittal of photos in Layton case PDF Text

The pdf of the complete section is here. It should be noted that this document is unique to this site, based upon the FBI’s official release of documents in 2014 and augmented with additional documents. The additional documents include: those released by the State Department; those released through the litigation of McGehee et al v. Justice; and those released by the FBI in 2001 but not included in the later release.

The information released in these serials may change as the FBI releases additional information pursuant to ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act.