{"id":14085,"date":"2013-02-17T21:51:10","date_gmt":"2013-02-17T21:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alternativejonestown.com\/?page_id=14085"},"modified":"2020-01-15T09:55:25","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T17:55:25","slug":"kinsolving4","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=14085","title":{"rendered":"Probe Asked of People\u2019s Temple"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Rev. Lester Kinsolving
\nExaminer Religion Writer
\nWednesday, September 20, 1972 Page 1<\/p>\n

The State Attorney General\u2019s Office has been asked to investigate the People\u2019s Temple Christian (Disciples) Church in Redwood Valley \u2013 as well as the conduct of the church\u2019s attorney, Timothy O. Stoen, who is also assistant district attorney of Mendocino County.<\/p>\n

The written request was made by the Rev. Richard G. Taylor, who served as pastor of Ukiah\u2019s First Baptist Church for six years prior to his appointment in July as South Coastal Area minister for the American Baptist Churches of the West.<\/p>\n

In his letter to Attorney General Evelle J. Younger the Rev. Mr. Taylor noted:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn March of 1972, I requested that Sheriff Reno Bartolomie ask the Attorney General\u2019s Office to investigate the People\u2019s Temple and in particular the conduct of Timothy O. Stoen, attorney for The People\u2019s Temple and assistant district attorney of Mendocino County.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPrior to that, I asked Mendocino County District Attorney Duncan James about Stoen\u2019s conduct with Maxine Harpe, a suicide whose funeral service I conducted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that Mrs. Harpe had been connected with the People\u2019s Temple Christian Church of Redwood Valley (near Ukiah). I had been informed by Mr. Stoen that prior to her suicide she had been engaged in counseling at the People\u2019s Temple, in which counseling Mr. Stoen had participated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing Mrs. Harpe\u2019s death, her sister informed me that unidentifiable persons from People\u2019s Temple had occupied her sister\u2019s house and ransacked it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDistrict Attorney James informed me that he had discussed this matter with Stoen, but no action was taken other than requesting Stoen to refrain from any further misuse of his office.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Attorney General\u2019s Office in San Francisco said that the requested investigation would be considered.<\/p>\n

In Ukiah, District Attorney James confirmed the Rev. Taylor\u2019s statement that no action had been taken \u2013 but he otherwise declined to comment.<\/p>\n

Mendocino Sheriff Bartolomie was not available for comment.<\/p>\n

But Undersheriff Tim Shae [Shea] firmly denied the claim of another of the People\u2019s Temple\u2019s three attorneys \u2013 that the Temple has armed guards at the sheriff\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

Redwood Valley attorney Eugene B. Chalkin [Chaikin] wrote the Examiner before any story on the People\u2019s Temple was published \u2013 as did 54 other Temple members. In his letter, dated September 11 \u2013 and hand delivered by Sharon Bradshaw of the Mendocino County Probation Department, Chalkin wrote:<\/p>\n

\u201cOur local law enforcement agency has requested that we have trained persons carry firearms, and we have reluctantly acquiesced to the sheriff\u2019s request.\u201d<\/p>\n

But when this letter was quoted to Shea, the undersheriff replied:<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is an absolutely untrue statement. We never requested this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>When informed that armed guards (three pistols and a shotgun) were spotted outside the People\u2019s Temple on Sunday morning September 10, Shea explained:<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is private property and people may carry firearms on private property provided the weapons are not concealed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shea did not comment upon the letter of the Rev. Mr. Taylor who, while he was ministering in Eureka, served on the Mendocino County Planning Commission, the Community Center Committee, and as president of the Ukiah Ministerial Association in 1970.<\/p>\n

In his letter, the Rev. Mr. Taylor also informed the Attorney General:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is of utmost concern is the atmosphere of terror created in the community by so large and aggressive a group, which effect is implemented by Stoen\u2019s civil office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe People\u2019s Temple, I understand, employs armed guards, contending that their pastor, the Rev. Jim Jones, has been threatened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom my experience, I seriously wonder if they have ever been threatened and whether instead they have not contrived such reports in order to justify armed guards at their services which attract crowds in excess of one thousand people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have counseled with one paroled inmate of a California correctional institution who was sponsored on parole by People\u2019s Temple, but after he lived for some time in Redwood Valley, he planned to move away. Here again, a group of men from People\u2019s Temple held him incommunicado for four hours \u2013 leaving him terrified.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor these reasons and because I sincerely believe more questionable activity is going on, I do request that your office conduct an investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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