United States Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Memorandum
Date: 11/29/78
To: Mr. Moore
From: J. O. Ingram
Subject: RYMUR
DAILY SUMMARY
Arrangements have been made by NBC news and New York Office to place all 13 hours of NBC news film on videotape cassette. Due to NBC’s use of the tape, the duplicating process can take place only when those segments of the tape are not being used by the news department. Therefore, we have agreed to accept several short videotape cassettes on a piecemeal basis rather than wait approximately two weeks for one large cassette.
State Department has verified the copies of passports of all Jonestown residents as well as film of their fingerprints and the autopsy report concerning Congressman Ryan will arrive by diplomatic pouch at the State Department, Washington, D.C., at 10:30 p.m. tonight. These items will be turned over to the FBI.
State Department advised today that the Government of Guyana has agreed to allow an FBI pathologist, an FBI ballistics expert and three other FBI “technicians” to enter Guyana as “technical advisors” to local authorities. Accordingly, the following Agents will depart Washington, D.C. in the a.m. 11/30/78 en route to Guyana via commercial airlines:
SA [name deleted], Division 7, FBI Laboratory, Chief of the Photographic Operations Unit; SA [name deleted], Division 7, FBI Laboratory, Photographic Operations Unit; SA [name deleted], Division 7, FBI Laboratory, assigned to the Firearms and Tool Marks Unit; SA [name deleted], assigned to Division 8, in the Engineering Section – Operational Support Unit.
Continued – over
Ingram to Mr. Moore Memorandum
RE: RYMUR
Since there is no FBI pathologist, a fifth Agent is not going to Guyana. State Department handling pathologist.
Michael Abbell, Departmental Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, advised on 11/29/78 that Phillip Heymann, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, has decided that although the Federal government has no criminal jurisdiction over the bodies at Dover and there has been no request from Guyana for autopsy, the Department now believes that an autopsy should be performed on the Reverend James Jones, Dr. Larry Schacht, Maria Katsaris and a random sampling of two or three other adults. Abbell indicated the request would strictly be on the basis of Foreign Police Cooperation.
Abbell requested that we make contact with the pathologist at Dover and he was told that the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology would definitely want a request for autopsy in writing from the Department.
Dr. William R. Cowen [Cowan], Deputy Director, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Dover Air Force Base advised that autopsies could be conducted, however, they would need written request from U.S. Department of Justice and Dr. Cowen was advised that a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice would be in contact with him on this matter on 11/29/78. Abbell is handling direct contact with Dr. Cowen in handling the request in writing.
-2-