{"id":66847,"date":"2016-05-02T11:57:27","date_gmt":"2016-05-02T18:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=66847"},"modified":"2024-05-06T10:26:26","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T17:26:26","slug":"q944-summary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=66847","title":{"rendered":"Q944 Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n

To read the Tape Transcript, click here<\/a>. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1<\/a>, Pt. 2<\/a>)
\nTo return to the Tape Index, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FBI Catalogue<\/strong> Radio transmissions<\/p>\n

FBI preliminary tape identification note:<\/strong> [None]<\/p>\n

Date cues on tape<\/strong>: late 1977, early 1978<\/p>\n

People named:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Public figures\/National and international names:<\/em><\/p>\n

Part I:<\/strong>
\nJoe Mazor, private detectivePart II:<\/strong>
\nJimmy Carter, U.S. President
\nJerry Brown, Governor of California [by reference]
\nMervyn Dymally, Lieutenant Governor of California [by reference]
\nWillie Brown, California State Assemblyman from San Francisco
\nAndrew Young, U.S. Ambassador to United Nations<\/p>\n

Dennis Banks, leader of American Indian Movement
\nCesar Chavez, organizer of farm workers
\nAngela Davis, University professor, black activist
\nGeorge Meany, labor leader, head of AFL-CIO<\/p>\n

Charles Garry, attorney for Peoples Temple
\nCarlton Goodlett, San Francisco physician, newspaper publisher [by reference]
\nJoe Mazor, private detective [by reference]
\n\u201chead of the Council of Churches\u201d [likely Rev. Norman E. Leach, could be Donneter Lane]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Temple adversaries; members of Concerned Relatives:<\/em><\/p>\n

Part I:<\/strong>
\nDeanna Mertle
\nElmer Mertle
\nDon Ponts
\nTim Stoen
\nMickey Touchette
\nTupper family
\n\u201cMary Griffiths\u2019 child\u201d [likely Wesley Griffiths]Part II:<\/strong>
\nTim Stoen [by reference]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Temple members not in Jonestown:<\/em><\/p>\n

Part II:<\/strong>
\nNorman Ijames [by reference]<\/div>\n

Jonestown residents, full name unknown:<\/em><\/p>\n

Part I:<\/strong>
\nLula (three in Jonestown)
\nRichard (several in Jonestown)<\/div>\n

Jonestown residents:<\/em><\/p>\n

Part I:<\/strong>
\nIrene Edwards
\nToi Fonzelle
\nMary Griffiths
\nPenny Kerns
\nBeverly Livingstone
\nBruce Oliver
\nWilliam Oliver
\nLois Ponts
\nLaurence Schacht [by reference]
\nAl Simon
\nLe Flora Townes
\nCharles Touchette [by reference]
\nJoyce Touchette [by reference]
\nRita Tupper [by reference]
\nPart II:<\/strong>
\nEver Rejoicing (speaks)<\/strong>
\nMike Prokes (speaks)<\/strong>
\nLaurence Schacht [by reference]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Bible verses cited:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The two parts of this tape were likely recorded about the same time, in late 1977 or early 1978. The first part consists of the closing moments of a nighttime community meeting in Jonestown; the second consists of two radio programs recorded at Jonestown to be broadcast in Georgetown.<\/p>\n

The tape opens with Jim Jones reminding his followers of how much strength and unity they have, and how their commitment to the community \u2013 and more especially to him \u2013 continues to make them strong. They have stood up to pressure before \u2013 he evokes the memory of the Six Day Siege in the fall of 1977 \u2013 and they have won on their demands. Still, he feels the need for them to remind the world, that if he dies, a bloodbath will follow. But he\u2019s healthy tonight, he tells them, and they don\u2019t have to worry about him dying anytime soon.<\/p>\n

He is not afraid to die. He certainly isn\u2019t worried about being shot by an enemy firing at him from the jungle \u2013 he could have been taken down any number of times, if that fit into their plans \u2013 but instead, he speaks of the harassing nature of the conspiracy, how they try to drain the energy from the community and himself, how they hope that they will eventually turn against him.<\/p>\n

While he isn\u2019t afraid of death, he does ask the residents about their own fears \u2013 an inquiry which seems to have started earlier that evening, if not at a previous meeting \u2013 and implores them to be honest about their feelings. There will be no discipline, no recriminations towards anyone who acknowledges the fear. \u201cWe want to help you,\u201d he says several times.<\/p>\n

He also asks who misses the United States and why. There is apparently a larger response to this question, as people express their desire to see their relatives. Even Jones\u2019 reminder that some of their relatives are Temple enemies doesn\u2019t seem to be enough, and he amends the query to \u201chow many miss nothing more than loved ones? Anything else you miss?\u201d<\/p>\n

The second part consists of two radio programs recorded for broadcast in Georgetown. In the first, several seniors talk about the shortcomings of retirement homes and care facilities in the United States, and what they have in Jonestown. Jones joins the conversation in progress with a reminder that their efforts to take care of seniors in Jonestown have the blessing of the Guyanese government \u2013 the broadcasts are, after all, intended for a Guyanese audience \u2013 and Temple spokesperson Michael Prokes, who hosts the radio program, describes the activities that the seniors have, ranging from gardening and sewing, to volunteering in the school and medical clinic, to \u201cjust doing whatever they want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the second radio program, Jones talks to Prokes about the conspiracy against them and expresses surprise that a church which does so much good, which has helped so many people, and which has the support of such a wide section of American society \u2013 including several names that he lists \u2013 could be subject to so much harassment. Prokes asks whether \u201cthis conspiracy was initiated against us because we tried to live as socialist in a capitalist society,\u201d to which Jones replies that \u201c[if] a group is practicing socialism 5000 miles away, if it is a model and succeeding, \u2026 that is a threat to certain reactionary elements in the United States.\u201d As before, this aspect of the commentary is directed to the Guyanese audience.<\/p>\n

Jones completes his description of the Jonestown community with a recitation of how it is contributing to the welfare of the population of the country\u2019s Northwest District, by donating \u201cthousands of pounds of rice weekly for some time now \u2026 and thousands of pounds of fish on other occasions.\u201d It has also adopted several Guyanese children, and offers medical services to its neighbors.<\/p>\n

The broadcast ends with a performance of several songs by Jonestown\u2019s school-age children.<\/p>\n

FBI Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date of transcription: 6\/27\/79<\/p>\n

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.<\/p>\n

On June 9, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B102-12. This tape was found to contain the following: JIM JONES conducting a \u201cPeople\u2019s Rally\u201d question and answer session wherein he states \u201c\u2026to kill me or do anything against this movement would create a very bad bloodbath\u2026\u201d JONES then polls the membership to take the names of those who \u201cstill fear death and miss America\u201d in order that they receive \u201cspecial counseling\u201d. This is followed by portions of two radio broadcasts with JONES and MIKE PROKES concerning the life of the elderly at Jonestown and the \u201cconspiracy\u201d against People\u2019s Temple.<\/p>\n

Differences with FBI Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The summary is accurate and meets the FBI\u2019s purposes.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Tape originally posted May 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you. To read the Tape Transcript, click here. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1, Pt. 2) To return to the Tape Index, click here. FBI Catalogue Radio transmissions FBI preliminary tape identification note: [None] Date cues on tape: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":27996,"menu_order":623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-66847","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66847","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=66847"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66847\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127150,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66847\/revisions\/127150"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=66847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}