It was imminently clear Jonestown was a hierarchical community, with the power structure resembling some sort of plantation: the majority of the Temple members were black, while the leadership was almost exclusively white. 1978 CULT FIGURE GETS LIFE TERM IN CONGRESSMAN'S JUNGLE SLAYING, https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/04/us/1978-cult-figure-gets-life-term-in-congressman-s-jungle-slaying.html. Five months later, on the night of November 18, 1978, Jones sent a gang of gunmen to an airstrip in Port Kaituma, where Representative Leo Ryan of San Mateo and a fact-finding party that had visited Jonestown were preparing to leave. "I was driving across the bridge," she says when asked why, after all these years, she wanted to revisit the horrors of Jonestown. Their daughter, after working briefly as a physical therapist in New York, went for graduate study as a therapist to Pennsylvania State University, where her uncle, Dr. Franck, was teaching. ", "Every week we're promised death, a relief from this miserable life. The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, a U.S.-based cult under the leadership of Jim Jones.Jonestown became internationally infamous when, on November 18, 1978, a total of 909 people died at the settlement, at the nearby airstrip in Port Kaituma, and at a Temple-run building in . Larry Layton was the only person prosecuted for any of the events in and around Jonestown. Children had their own special punishment, Layton writes. I felt my stomach knot. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Mike Added: 6 Apr 2021 ", She blithely ignored the warning signs -- the fake "cancer healings" and the increasingly hostile confrontations, when Jones would scream at members of his flock for faintly perceived faults or have them paddled harshly with the "board of education.". A former high school teacher, he was swept into politics by the idealism of the Kennedy era and elected mayor of South San Francisco before running for state Assembly. At the compound, Don wandered off to smoke a cigarette. ref: Benjy Esteves Jr Mark Consentino 94-95 Larry Layton 94-95 John McKaie 94-95 The months passed, and suddenly I finished a book and looked up, and no one was here., I walked up and down the street and looked at the stars and, wondered what I had done wrong, I think she felt was not as affectionate as I might have been, he said. [27] Lawton says he regrets his time spent in prison, because he missed out on seeing his children grow up; his grandmother died, and his father became afflicted with Alzheimer's disease while he was inside. The defense attorney urged jurors to consider conditions at Jonestown and their impact on Mr. Layton. Hurrying out of bed, Layton would race toward Jones "in my mud-caked boots, past the tin-roofed cabins, past the wooden outdoor showers where we're allowed our two-minute wash at the end of our 11-hour days in the field." In 1968, Carolyn Layton became the first member of the family to be enticed by Mr. Jones's diatribes against the rich, the Vietnam War, social injustice and racism. While on the phone listening to the allegations that would soon be made public, Jones scribbled a note to his aides: We leave tonight.. Layton became a senior insider in Jones' entourage. (It was the 60s.) They reported the car's license plate, which linked the car to Lawton. Hours after Mr. Ryan and four others were shot to death at the airstrip near Jonestown, which was the headquarters of the cult, the cult's leader, the Rev. [26] He was incarcerated in many prisons during his sentence, which included Jesup in Georgia, Riker's Island in New York, Edgefield in South Carolina, and Yazoo City in Mississippi. At Port Kaituma, while I ushered the defectors onto a plane, a large red tractor-trailer rumbled onto the airstrip. He told you precisely what was on his mind, no matter who you were or whether or not you wanted to hear it. As a temple member, Mrs. Layton separated from her husband and was said to have contributed $250,000 in family assets to the cult. The early release culminated a six-year campaign during which members of his family worked with a core of supporters, first to petition then-President Clinton to commute Larrys sentence, then to convince the Parole Commission to modify its earlier decision on a release date. Until she was 20 years old, when she was denied admission to a university in Hamburg, Lisa Philips didn't know what it meant to be Jewish in Germany in 1935. Mini Biography. | AP. Charismatic and tall with salt-and-pepper hair, he commanded a room. [8] Lawton later said that he used a BB gun during the robbery. This site houses a variety of PDF documents. A few Temple members stood in front of a rusty dump truck waiting to shuttle us to the compound. One, Karen Layton, died in the carnage at Jonestown. In addition, Mr. Layton was convicted of aiding and abetting the murder of Mr. Ryan and the attempted murder of Mr. Dwyer. ''They were trying to deny the horror of Jonestown and the deception that they underwent,'' Mr. Tamburello said. A second jury convicted Larry, although four jurors took what the trial judge called an unprecedented step of asking for leniency in Larrys sentencing. Larry Howard Layton, 80, of Green Valley, AZ passed away December 10, 2020 from complications of COVID-19. Layton, 35, emerged as the only defendant alive and available for prosecution in the government's attempt to exact justice from the Jonestown horrors. There was no movement, but I thought the others might also be playing dead. His following grew, and Jones became the leader of one of the first mixed-race churches in Indiana. Friends of Larry Layton recall that Mr. Jones took both Carolyn and Karen from him after having the women watch him force Larry to submit to a homosexual act. She looks away for a moment, then brightens and starts to talk about a visit she made to Jonestown only a few months ago, accompanied by a crew from the Arts & Entertainment network, which is making a documentary on Peoples Temple. [10] In 2012, Lawton self-published Gangster Redemption, an autobiography co-written with Peter Golenbock. . Of the more than 900 members of Joness congregation who had moved there, nearly a third were children. [10][26] While recounting his prison experiences he said: "I saw inmates stabbed and friends die" and "I saw young men raped and pimped out as prostitutes for other inmates. I would be in the first group; Congressman Ryan insisted that he stay behind to make certain that every person who wanted to leave made it to Port Kaituma safely. When people refer to the Jonestown massacre as a mass suicide, I am enraged. Syringes surround one of the vats used to mix up the position drink used in the mass murder at Jonestown. This time, it was not a drill. I did not feel confident this was a good idea. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Religion: "Raised as a Quaker." Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music, painting, gardening. ''You've heard graphic details about what happenened on the airstrip,'' he said. I never played; I never learned how. As he grew older, Dr. Layton gravitated from Methodism to Quakerism, a faith with roots in the Reformation whose tenets included nonviolence, racial and religious toleration, rigorous selfdiscipline, and love and good works for the needy. But Layton, saying he wishes he could ease the pain. Although he had no formal training as a minister and no affiliation with any organized religion, his high-octane enthusiasm and open-armed policy attracted a diverse range of followers. Please help us get out of Jonestown. Soon after, Don was approached by another member, who claimed that many Temple members desperately wanted to leave but were too terrified to come forward. We heard that the church had weapons, and that Jones was paranoid and possibly on drugs. [8] In 1983, having earned his GED, he left the Coast Guard and began engaging in criminal activity, mostly loan sharking and bookmaking. Mrs. Layton moved out of their home on Labor Day 1979. But at the time, none of that occurred to me; I was thrilled to be working for a candidate I believed inone who always treated me with respect. Many hours before the plane came, somehow, word filtered in that after Jones had released his death squad to the airstrip, he had led more than 900 of his flock into his White Night of death. In 1973, when Larry and Deborah Layton and their spouses were living at the Ukiah temple, an acquaintance of Mrs. Layton thought he had cancer, and her children urged Mrs. Layton to bring him to Ukiah. | AP. They recovered and with the help of friends managed to reach Italy, later coming to the United States. Rep. Ryan and I arranged to meet her. We landed in Georgetown, Guyanas capital, on November 14, 1978. ", "I thought, what a waste. By the time I returned, more than 900 people died. Her father, a wealthy banker in Hamburg, and her mother would be marched off at gunpoint to a train bound for a concentration camp. But I was one of very few women who held senior staff positions in Congress at the time, and I was concerned that if I gave in to my reluctance and let a male colleague go in my place, Id be setting back women in politics. ( 2007-01-15) [1] Jonestown: Paradise Lost is a 2007 documentary television film on the History Channel about the final days of Jonestown, the Peoples Temple, and Jim Jones. Should they have any doubt of his intentions, they could look to the vibrant community of believers who echoed his sentiments and treated his words as gospel. He had on a big yellow poncho, and his eyes were set in a sullen glare. Meanwhile, Dr. Layton said, A difficult new field of science in molecular biology was opening, and he began to spend more and more time studying it. The outfits were a ridiculous gimmick, and the role was clearly objectifying. Before going to print, the editor of the magazine, who held some esteem for Jones, felt compelled to call him and read aloud the article before it went to press. In Congress, he joined a March 1978 Greenpeace mission to investigate the slaughter of baby seals in Newfoundland, Canada. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Politically, there was nothing to gainand everything to loseby taking on Jones, and there was no telling what hed do if confronted and challenged. Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Initially discouraged, Larrys family pressed ahead with the petition for early release, collecting another 50 letters in support, including letters from former Temple members and critics, numerous religious leaders, and a former congressman. Larry Layton, a former member of the People's Temple cult, was sentenced today to life in prison for aiding and abetting in the murder of Representative Leo J. Ryan at a jungle airstrip in Guyana in November 1978. The shootings took place on one of the airplanes which were to take the party of Congressman Leo Ryan to Georgetown after his visit to Jonestown. [10] High school students can use the time spent in the program towards the 75 hours of community service required for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. There were piles of used syringes at the scene. It was to be the secret of her life. "[10], Lawton also founded the Reality Check Foundation, which is a 501(C)(3) charity that includes a mentoring program, and an annual golf outing. Twelve hours had passed as I lay, teetering on deaths precipice when a light turned on inside me: The simple fact that I knew I was dying was proof that I was, indeed, still alive. I barely got a wink of sleep. "The reason I did well," Layton says now, "is that I'm a little soldier and I follow orders so well.". In 1996, the family and friends of Larry launched a campaign for a presidential commutation. There is abundant evidence that Mr. Jones used such tactics to divide families and break up marriages. The defense rested its case without presenting witnesses. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. After spending 18 years in Guyana jails and U.S. federal prisons, Larry Layton, the only man convicted on criminal charges arising from the events of November 18, 1978, was released in April 2002. Port Royal Speedway hosts a weekly schedule of local Sprint Car, Late Model, and Pro-Stock dirt track racing, and is nicknamed "The Speed Palace".Several national touring series organizations visit the track during the racing season, including the World of Outlaws . At the pavilion for breakfast, I did my best to appear unruffled. I dont have any money to donate, but Id like to volunteer. The Laytons were a family that seemed to have everything: intelligence, plenty of money, education, a proud family tradition of Quaker nonviolence. Nearly 300 children were administered the poison, including a number of infants in the arms of their parents. By Katherine Bishop, Special To the New York Times. | AP/San Francisco Examiner. Laurence Laird Layton, a distinguished scientist whose later life was devastated by his family's involvement with the Peoples Temple cult, died Wednesday in his Emeryville home. [40] Lawton has also shown concern over the prevalence of fentanyl-laced heroin, noting that in the past dealers had tried to sell pure heroin without any additives. When people refer to the Jonestown massacre as a mass suicide, I am enraged. Mr. Jones repeatedly sent word to her that he could cure her from Guyana, and she waited for his efforts to work. By Robert Lindsey Special to The New York Times. Its hard to know when it became obvious that he was dead, or when I realized that others werent pretending. Mr. Jones's cult included, at ohe time or another, six members of the Layton family. He was cracking. Leo Ryan wanted answers. The campaign succeeded in making it to the Oval Office, and seemed to be viable up until 20 January 2001, President Clintons last day in office, but Larrys name did not appear on the final list of pardons and commutations. And, I thought of them like Mormons. But when Larry Layton was growing up in the 1920's, the land was not worth much. | AP. And then I realized that confirming one tiny detail could mean that the worst of the testimonies were true. When cameras were rolling, he spoke of how he loved them and how there would always be a place for thembut those declarations would be followed by thinly veiled mutters about treason and liars. Increasing numbers of people approached us. It wasnt unusual for Temple members to be awakened at dawn over the loudspeaker and summoned to the pavilion for one of his increasingly unhinged sermons. Subsequently, she arranged to leave the settlement on an errand for Mr. Jones and left Guyana on May 13. I admired Ryans worthy missions, but questioned if I shared his bottomless capacity to bear witness. Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones (left) shakes hands with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone (right) after being sworn in to serve on the San Francisco Housing Authority, Nov. 24, 1977. It looked staged. Be the first to contribute! To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. I just needed to hang on. It was the final stop for a group that for nearly 10 years had fascinated and, in the end, horrified the Bay Area. To the volatile flight home. ''It is not the proper forum for answering questions about Jonestown.'' Ive shared my Guyana story countless times, but its still a challenge to go back and relive those days. Jim Jones would order more than 900 of his followers to commit suicide. He was found guilty of conspiracy and aiding and abetting in the murder of Ryan and the attempted murder of U.S. embassy official Richard Dwyer and was sentenced to Read More Larry Layton can be an professional, known for Get away to Grizzly Hill (2000) and Viva . And he assigned two of his staff members to come along: Jim Schollaert and me. Debbie said the couple had gone to court to try to compel the Guyanese government to intervene; Rev. But Dr. Layton denied strongly in a separate interview that he had ever been antiSemitic. Larry Layton was convicted in 1986 by a federal jury in San Francisco of conspiring in the 1978 murder of California congressman Leo Ryan and aiding and abetting in the attempted murder of. Layton joined the temple in the summer of 1968 at Redwood Valley, Calif., near the town of Ukiah, after his wife, Carolyn, became interested in the social philosophy of Jones, preaching from his wooded compound. Mrs. Layton's daughter, Deborah, joined the cult five years ago. "[33] Lawton and the police chief later appeared before United States Congress in recognition of the program. Much later, Layton writes, she would find them "on the bookshelf in Father's house with the many other prescription drugs taken from Temple members.". A short time later, Larry married his second wife, Karen,whom Dr. Layton would come to know as a loving, sweet person.. [25] He received an additional sentence in 2002 for giving false witness. It made no sense that he would be trying to leave Jonestown. Jones, who demanded that his flock call him Father, was one of the most politically powerful people in San Francisco, wined and dined by such luminaries as Rosalynn Carter, Assemblyman Willie Brown, Mayor George Moscone and Lieutenant Governor Mervyn Dymally. He was born in the mountains of West Virginia, between White Sulphur Springs and Charleston, to a. [23][34], However, the superintendent of student services at Brevard Public Schools declined to use the program, and questioned its effectiveness, claiming that "[w]hile the program is well-organized and well-intentioned, it does not follow the scientific evidence-based research guidelines. Larry Layton, a former member of the People's Temple, broke into tears today at his trial on charges of conspiring to commit murder as his attorney told jurors not to make him a scapegoat ''for the horror of Jonestown.''. Mrs. Layton got a large share of the proceeds, as well as money from the sale of stock they had owned Jointly; this also was given to the cult. Larry, sister Debbie and their mother, Lisa, all joined the temple while it was located in California. Infants cannot commit suicide. My recovery continuedthough that very word is not an accurate description of the aftermath of being shot. | AP. March 5, 1999. Layton complied, and Jones took Carolyn as his mistress. I knew him well enough to understand what would happen next. Besides, when had a congressman ever been assassinated on foreign soil while on a congressional delegation trip? I wanted to be part of something that was doing things for other people, and besides, Peoples Temple offered a community of friends. His suggestion that I would learn far more from first-hand experience was in step with the way he approached politics. Ryan wanted to investigate. In the summer of 1977, after an expose of Peoples Temple in New West magazine, Jones and his followers fled to Guyana. He is the son of Lawrence L. Layton, a prominent biolgist at the University of California, and was raised in a cultural, intellectual atmosphere. [23][24] Lawton later said he was the biggest jewel thief of the 1980s and 90s operating within the United States of America. Education: Attended college in the area of San Francisco, CA. Five bullets had ripped through me, devastating the right side of my body. 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