0 011735Z DEC 78
FM MEMPHIS (89-110) (P)
TO DIRECTOR (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
OKLAHOMA CITY IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS E F T O
RYMUR
Re New York teletype to Bureau Nov. 28, 1978.
A review of appendices and files of Memphis office revealed no info regarding individuals named [deleted] and [deleted], related to captioned case. [Name deleted] was interviewed Nov. 24, 1978, and advised he was unfamiliar with People’s Temple (PT) and Rev. Jones until the death of Congressman Ryan and the mass suicide which is brought this into national prominence. He stated he did know a [Name deleted], who was a fellow inmate with him at FCI, El Reno, Okla., but had not seen Smith since approximately 1976.
On Nov. 29, 1978, [Name deleted] was recontacted at the Shelby County Jail, Memphis. He reported his mother, [Name deleted],
PAGE TWO ME 89-110 UNCLAS E F T O
resides somewhere on Perkins Ave., Memphis, specific address not known, and is subscriber to Memphis telephone no. [Deleted]. [Name deleted] also reported that an individual, name not recalled, who was an inmate at FCI, El Reno, Okla., at the time [Name deleted] was there, visited him in Memphis in 1976 at which time individuals using the alias [Name deleted]. This person, who is not known as [Name deleted] at FCI, El Reno, associated at FCI with persons reportedly active in the White Panther Party and the Rainbow People’s Party. [Name deleted] believes this individual was confined following conviction for manufacturing and/or selling automatic weapons. [Name deleted] described him as a WM, 28-30 yrs., [deleted]. [Name deleted] believed to be from San Antonio, Texas, or Portland, Oregon.
[Name deleted] advised that [Name deleted] or the PT, recently called the Shelby County Jail and ask to speak to him. [Name deleted] was given the message by general officials. [Name deleted] thereafter called his attorney and his attorney advised him not to return [Name deleted] call. According to [Name deleted], he did not speak with [Name deleted].
PAGE THREE ME 89-110 UNCLAS E F T O
On Nov. 30, 1978, [Name deleted] advised that [line deleted] posted $6,000 bond for [Name deleted] release from the Shelby County Jail and reportedly [information deleted]. No additional details available.
The Nov. 28, 1978, issue of the “Press Scimitar”, Memphis daily newspaper, contained an article wherein it was reported that Mark Lane informed officers of the Memphis PD that Michael LaFranci, an inmate at the Shelby County Penal Farm, had received a phone call from a woman asking LaFranci to break into Lane’s Memphis home. Lane said LaFranci’s name was found in the Jonestown cabin belonging to Rev. Jim Jones, leader of the PT.
On Nov. 28, 1978, records, South Central Bell Telephone Co., Memphis, revealed that Memphis telephone no. 901-388-0332 is listed to Shelby County Jail (East), Memphis. It is noted [Name deleted] is confined to this jail.
For information of the Oklahoma City office, referenced teletype contains the following info:
PAGE FOUR ME 89-110 UNCLAS E F T O
[Name deleted], New York City (protect), advised this date that while on weekend duty, Nov. 26, 1978, at [deleted] he received an anonymous telephone call the substance of which is as follows:
The anonymous caller received a telephone call from Guyana from [Name deleted] who is U.S. soldier with the Graves Registration Detachment in Jonestown. The soldier was able to go through PT files before they were confiscated by Guyana officials. He allegedly saw evidence of PT’s involvement in drug smuggling. The soldier told [Name deleted] to write down the following: [5 lines deleted] believed called [call] to be legitimate and believe FBI may be interested in this information.
Oklahoma City office at El Reno, will contact appropriate officials at FCI, El Reno, in effort to identify the individual described herein with alias [Name deleted]. If an individual is
PAGE FIVE ME 89-110 UNCLAS E F T O
identified set out leads to locate and interview regarding his knowledge of the PT, Jim Jones, and why his name [deleted] was maintained by PT in Jonestown, Guyana. FBI fingerprint records indicate [name deleted] was apparently at FCI, El Reno, from 1970 to 1972, under name [deleted], FCI, El Reno No. [Deleted], FBI No. [deleted].
BT