[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1350 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.]
UNCLASSIFIED FBB 571
[Listing of agencies receiving informational copies on pdf]
0 221100Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8532
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4408
E.O. 11652: NA
TAGS: CARR, LAYTON, LARRY) (PEOPLES TEMPLE)
SUBJECT: W/W: ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON
REF: GEORGETOWN 4329
1. SESSIONS OF THE PRELIMINARY INQUIRY INTO THE MURDERS OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN AND FOUR OTHER AMERICANS WERE HELD ON DEC 19 AND DEC 20. JUANITA BOGUE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO TESTIFIED ON THE 19TH. SHE WAS INTENSIVELY CROSS-EXAMINED BY SENIOR DEFENSE COUNSEL REX MCKAY ON BOTH THE 19TH AND 20TH. A POLICE INSPECTOR WHO TOOK A STATEMENT FROM LARRY LAYTON ON NOV 22, 1978 ALSO TESTIFIED ON DEC 20. THE STATEMENT, WHICH AMOUNTS TO A CONFESSION BY LAYTON OF THE SHOOTINGS AT PORT KAITUMA ON NOV 18, WAS ADMITTED AS EVIDENCE. MCKAY OBJECTED THAT THE STATEMENT WAS NOT FREE AND VOLUNTARY, BUT TOLD MAGISTRATE [KRISHNA VENI] CHINTA THAT THE DEFENSE WOULD NOT APPLY FOR A VOIR DIRE HEARING ON THE ADMISSIBILITY OF THE STATEMENT AS EVIDENCE UNLESS AND UNTIL LAYTON IS COMMITTED TO THE HIGH COURT FOR A TRIAL BY JURY.
2. AFTER OBTAINING THE CONSENT OF BOTH DEFENSE AND PROSECUTION COUNSEL, CHINTA RELEASED ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO HAD TESTIFIED IN THE INQUIRY FROM FURTHER APPEARANCES IN COURT.
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 GEORGE 04408 221322Z
3. ODELL RHODES IS SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY WHEN THE INQUIRY RESUMES DEC 21.
BURKE [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]