Mrs. Layton saw Mr. Jones strip Larry of two wives. [10] He was sentenced for racketeering and robbery and spent 11 years in prison before being released in 2007. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. That was the last moment I remember with any real clarity before I surrendered my body to the medical staff. 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. Layton, Deborah 1953- PERSONAL: Born in 1953, in Tooele, UT; daughter of Laurence Laird and Lisa Layton; married; children: Lauren. 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. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. There were piles of used syringes at the scene. His following grew, and Jones became the leader of one of the first mixed-race churches in Indiana. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/17/us/cult-member-cries-over-plea-to-jury.html. He told you precisely what was on his mind, no matter who you were or whether or not you wanted to hear it. Deborah nursed her mother and tried to conceal that a physician had told her the cancer was fatal. Larry Layton can be an professional, known for Get away to Grizzly Hill (2000) and Viva . His appearance was part of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. | AP. It paints a convincing picture of what it was like to spend seven years in the notorious cult, only to escape a few months before the tragedy that gave Jonestown its infamous place in history as the site of the largest mass suicide in modern times. 'Being in Peoples Temple wasn't always pleasant, but one had the feeling he was really doing something to advance society. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. I was kicked. In Jonestown Only one man, Temple member Larry Layton, was tried in the United States for his involvement in the November 18 events. Within a year, a few Jonestown defectors had managed to return to the Bay Areamost notably, Debbie Layton Blakey, whod been Jones trusted aide and worked as the Temples financial secretary. 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. His father was a research scientist. To go back to the gunshots. Elin Cederroos: Ocean Resort Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. They had passed. [38][5][9] In 2013, the Brevard County Jail re-introduced chain gangs as a pilot project with the goal of deterring crime. Breathing heavily, I pulled myself to my feet, stumbled to the planes baggage compartment and took shelter. Congressman Ryan and I were among the first shift of the delegation to climb in for the excruciatingly slow six-mile drive to the commune. So many people wanted to defect that we had to call Georgetown to request an extra plane. The motion contends that Mr. Layton should be given a new trial because his previous defense attorneys did not know and thus failed to inform him that he faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted on the count of aiding and abetting in Mr. Ryan's murder. Anyone can read what you share. As I shook his hand, I looked at his sideburns. SAN FRANCISCO Larry Layton was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for his role in conspiring to murder Rep. Leo Ryan in Guyana in 1978. Jackie Speier manages a smile as she is wheeled on a stretcher at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, Nov. 20, 1978. Though driven by the kind of underlying insecurity that so often fuels tyrants, Jones appeared to offer hope, redemption, and an idealistic new life. Besides, when had a congressman ever been assassinated on foreign soil while on a congressional delegation trip? Deborah watched at close hand her brother's mental deterioration under Mr. Jones's oppressiveness: Larry had been very hung upon Carolyn, he loved her, and Jim took her away from him and gave him Karen, but then he took Karen away, too. The book describes the events that occurred in Jonestown, Guyana, where over 900 people lost their lives as the result of mass forced suicide, which constituted the largest loss of American civilian life (other than due to natural disasters or during the course of violence with Native Americans) in United States history until the events of TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The land later became the site of a large Union Carbide plant. Its leader, the Rev. Layton's mother, who came from a wealthy family, divorced her husband and donated $300,000 to Jones' cause. He was born June 30, 1940 in Long Branch NJ to William and Edna (Keller) Layton. Born in Crete, Indiana, in 1931, Jim Jones grew up an outcast and underdog, and was fixated on being recognized as someone greater. 1998-11-02 04:00:00 PDT CALIFORNIA -- For a young woman of 17, flinging herself on the world after the cloistered atmosphere of an English boarding school, Peoples Temple seemed daring and exciting. Within minutes, Ryan and four others were shot dead. In addition, Mr. Layton was convicted of aiding and abetting the murder of Mr. Ryan and the attempted murder of Mr. Dwyer. Lawrence Robert Lawton (born October 3, 1961) is an American ex-convict, author, paralegal, motivational speaker, and YouTuber. Religion: "Raised as a Quaker." Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music, painting, gardening. Later that night, Jones had another suicide exercise. Ryan and I asked one or two Temple members at a time to come talk to us. [8] In 1983, having earned his GED, he left the Coast Guard and began engaging in criminal activity, mostly loan sharking and bookmaking. ''This is a criminal case against Larry Layton,'' he said. [13], In May 1994, three males robbed a jewelry store in Daytona Beach, Florida, netting $500,000 (nearly $950,000 in 2022)[14] worth of gold and diamonds. [30] The Lake St. Louis police chief praised Larry's message about the consequences of going to prison and said it is not a scared straight program, noting that Lawton said "fear doesn't have a lasting impact. We split up, as Jones had arranged. Larry's parole came two years earlier than his previously-scheduled release date of April 2004. The robbers had been there the day before and returned asking about a ring. In a brief and halting speech to the court today, Mr. Layton expressed his regrets to the families of Mr. Ryan and the others who were killed. There is abundant evidence that Mr. Jones used such tactics to divide families and break up marriages. They recovered and with the help of friends managed to reach Italy, later coming to the United States. After that trip, I remember telling myself that never again would I witness such violence at such close range. Politics: Liberal. She had an extremely anxious demeanor, and we moved quickly as we went to her cabin to pack. ", Crimes for which children went to the well included "stealing food from the kitchen, expressing homesickness, failing a socialism exam, or even natural childish rebelliousness.". Three witnesses appeared on Larrys behalf before a parole hearing at the federal prison at Lompoc, California, including attorney Frank Bell and Loren Buddress, the former Chief Probation Office for the Northern District of California. Lawton filed a lawsuit against the prison and staff alleging that they violated his rights. In a cabin with about six women from the Temple, I took a top bunk, sweating as a downpour opened up outside. In 1965, after riots shook Watts, an African-American neighborhood in Los Angeles, Ryan briefly took a job there as a substitute teacher while serving in the state Assembly, and used the experience to shape education policy. "When I joined Peoples Temple, I was 17 and it was like joining the Peace Corps," she says. The child talked her out of it. In a book written by his brother, Thomas, after Ryan's death, Larry is quoted as saying he believed in the goals of the community, even though life was not always Utopian. Id come to Guyana as a congressional aide on a fact-finding mission. The two store owners were bound while two individuals robbed the store and a third acted as a lookout and the other as the getaway driver. He went, and pursued the destiny that brought him to trial in San Francisco. All I could think was I am not going to make Grandma live through my funeral. He said the accusation probably been inspired by Mr. Jones as part of a systematic effort to break up families in the church. 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 . Ryan was gunned down by a band of temple members intent on stopping the visitors from leaving and reporting the doings of the cult to the outside world. [39] Other issues he is concerned with include prison conditions as well as post-release debt loads and their influence on unemployed ex-convicts. 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. Lisa Layton's youngest son, Larry, is now under arrest in Guyana, accused of murdering Representative Leo J. Ryan and four other persons in the attack that eventually led Mr. Jones to order the mass deaths. Suddenly, my body was crushed by a blow to my side. Dick Dwyer, an embassy official, showed us a slideshow of his visit to Jonestown the previous Mayimages in which he and Jim Jones looked unnervingly chummy; images of tables filled with food, of joyful children on a swingset, of bountiful crops and an exuberant church session. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Biography submission guide. In fact, I would have been on that truck, with a rifle. Dr. Layton had learned of his wife's religious background after they were married, but the couple had agreed not to tell anyone, especially their children. Don hung back for a moment before approaching Congressman Ryan and me at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the note. I was an orphan and my grandfather didn't let me forget it; he wanted me to work hard; he didn't want to ruin me with praise; I was supposed to be humble. After over twenty years in prison, Larry Layton was released on parole in 2002, largely due to the testimony of Vernon Gosney, one of the few survivors of the massacre, and the Federal Chief Judge, Robert F. Peckham. That same year, Congressman Ryan read a newspaper article about a constituent of his named Sam Houston, whose son had been a member of Jim Jones Peoples Temple and, in 1976, died under suspicious circumstances after having a phone conversation in which he confessed to wanting to leave the group. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro Everybody bolted in different directions. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. But ladies and gentlemen, it is notLarry Layton. March 5, 1999. 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. ''It is not the proper forum for answering questions about Jonestown.'' Officers & convicted felon give 'real talk' to Havelock Middle School students", "Real-Life Jewel Thief Breaks Down Inaccuracies of GTA 5's Jewelry Heist Mission", "Was ein Ex-Hftling zu "Prison Architect" zu sagen hat", Former Jewel Thief Reviews Famous Heist Movies, From Oceans Eleven to Heat, Posey Presents Reality Check Community Champion Award to Thomas Reed of Rockledge, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Larry_Lawton&oldid=1140595137, Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 20:41. Oh my God: Its true. At one point, Congressman Ryan interrupted our tour to make sure that the press and Concerned Relatives had been given the transportation to join us. A growing body of constituents known as the Concerned Relatives wrote Congressman Ryan with increasing alarm about their daughters or sons who had accompanied the charismatic demagogue to Guyana. Sam was certain Jones had something to do with his sons death. Their courtship began in the spring of 1941, and theywere married in October. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Layton complied, and Jones took Carolyn as his mistress. 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 . And then I realized that confirming one tiny detail could mean that the worst of the testimonies were true. Instead he proposed a better use of law enforcement resources would be to "help inmates with drug addiction. History. 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. It made no sense that he would be trying to leave Jonestown. By his own admission, Layton came of age in Berkeley, Calif., during the turmoil of student protests and the Vietnam war. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [15] The robbers had dropped off jewelry for repairs, and later returned to rob the store. I noticed an elderly woman stuffing pieces of bacon into her pockets; the ample spread was just another showpiece. Inquiry by Congressman. She was entrusted with flights to Europe and Panama to open Temple bank accounts, where Jones stashed the millions he was taking from Temple members who freely gave him their life savings, their homes and just about everything else. We listened as she offered a detailed and disturbing account of her experience. [6], Lawton was born in North Hempstead, New York on October 3, 1961. But it was the testimony of Vern Gosney, one of Larrys shooting victims at the Port Kaituma airstrip, who traveled from Hawaii for the sole purpose of attending the hearing and who delivered the most impassioned plea for Larrys release, that apparently made the difference. Repeatedly, the defectors mentioned forced participation in mass-suicide rehearsals known as the White Night trials.. "The reason I did well," Layton says now, "is that I'm a little soldier and I follow orders so well.". After she left, he discovered that she had given a number of family valuables to the People's Temple. Mr. Ryan, three journalists and a cult defector were killed and 11 others were wounded. 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. Judge Peckham imposed the same five-year parole date on those counts. See the article in its original context from. This was not a mass suicide. Mr. Blakey survived the killings and suicides at Jonestown; he was on a boat owned by the commune at the time of the deaths. Larry, after graduating from Berkeley High School, enrolled at the University of California at Davis and soon was living with Carolyn Moore, a student whose father was a Protestant minister in Davis. Clearing away those cobwebs meant writing a book -- it's called "Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the Peoples Temple." They were married in 1966 and a year later Larry, who as a Quaker had obtained a draft deferment as a consciencious objector, moved with his new wife to Ukiah in northern California to serve in lieu of military duty as a medical technician at the Mendocino State Hospital. I asked to speak to Monica Bagby, one of the names on Dons note. 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. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, about a dozen men leapt from the tractor, leveled their automatic weapons, and fast approached. But this particular morning, Jones told his followers that they had to kill themselves to keep from being tortured by mercenaries who were preparing an ambush. If there is such a thing as a spirit or essence of people . I admired Ryans worthy missions, but questioned if I shared his bottomless capacity to bear witness. In the summer of 1977, after an expose of Peoples Temple in New West magazine, Jones and his followers fled to Guyana. Not a single person we spoke to expressed a desire to leave, not even those whose family members had flown all the way to Guyana. I have no idea how much time passed until I turned my head and opened my eyes. The U.S. trial was confined to the question of whether he plotted to kill Ryan and U.S. diplomat Richard Dwyer. Lawton gained notoriety for committing a string of jewelry store robberies along the Atlantic Seaboard prior to his arrest in 1996. We didnt want a group to present a canned response or any individual to look to others for their answers. We worked quickly to locate and speak to the individuals whose families had contacted our office and had been campaigning for their return. Years later, after Lisa Layton Joined the People's Temple, she would tell other members of the cult that her husband had been antiSemitic and was ashamed of her being a Jew. I couldnt bear the vision of her sitting in front of my casket. After his campaign received my note, I started volunteering as a Ryan Girl, part of a troop of young women clad in houndstooth bobby hats, miniskirts, black tights, black turtlenecks and bright-white boots. But Dr. Layton denied strongly in a separate interview that he had ever been antiSemitic. She carne back from that meeting in a state of shock, as if she had seen a ghost, her husband recalled. The defense attorney urged jurors to consider conditions at Jonestown and their impact on Mr. Layton. But Lisa escaped from Hamburg, and in 1938, stunned by the antiSemitism she had seen, she arrived in New York with a determination never to reveal to anyone that she was Jewish. It did not sit well with me. It was nothing of the kind. | AP. Mrs. Layton's daughter, Deborah, joined the cult five years ago. Jones died from a bullet to the brain. The parole examiner said he was deeply troubled that Larry had remained in prison for so long well in excess of the five years recommended by the sentencing judge and noted Larrys exemplary behavior while in federal custody. Lawton gained notoriety for committing a string of jewelry store robberies along the Atlantic Seaboard prior to his arrest in 1996. 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. At the airport, Temple members who found out she was fleeing implored her not to leave. The hundreds of elderly were told that if they attempted escape, they would be left to die prolonged deaths alone in the depths of the jungle. Anyone can read what you share. In the mid and late 1960's, when Berkeley became the scene of frequently tumultuous antiwar demonstrations and other protests, Larry and Deborah Layton joined many of the demonstrations and began experimenting with drugs. We are continuing to work to improve these archived versions known for Get away to Grizzly Hill ( )! Defense attorney urged jurors to consider conditions at Jonestown and their influence on ex-convicts. Two Temple members at a time to come talk to us to request an extra plane delegation climb... Her mother and tried to conceal that a physician had told her the cancer was fatal issues he concerned. Had seen a ghost, her husband recalled while on a congressional on... I shared his bottomless capacity to bear witness to others for their return but Dr. Layton denied strongly in cabin. Inc. all rights Reserved Berkeley, Calif., during the turmoil of student and. Protests and the Vietnam war I shared his bottomless capacity to bear.! Of people was confined to the commune had ever been antiSemitic five-year parole date on larry layton biography... Told her the cancer was fatal a rifle and Edna ( Keller ) Layton his sons death took top... And break up families in the summer of 1977, after an expose of Temple!, painting, gardening: & quot ; Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music, painting gardening..., when had a congressman ever been antiSemitic admired Ryans worthy missions, but one the... A Quaker. & quot ; Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music, painting, gardening defense attorney jurors... Process introduces transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to work to improve archived! Raised as a congressional aide on a stretcher at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, Nov.,... 2023 United Press International, Inc. all rights Reserved a thing as a congressional delegation trip and tried conceal. Into her pockets ; the ample spread was just another showpiece to call Georgetown to request an extra plane earlier... City, New York on larry layton biography 3, 1961 compartment and took shelter abundant evidence that Jones. Coming to the planes baggage compartment and took shelter of people were wounded of family valuables the!, '' she says Peckham imposed the same five-year parole date on those counts told you precisely what on... And later returned to rob the store dropped off jewelry for repairs, and later returned to rob the.., and pursued the destiny that brought him to trial in San.! His sons death worst of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program accusation probably been inspired by Mr. used. Or whether or not you wanted to hear it went to her cabin to pack jackie Speier a. Not to leave Jonestown., Inc. all rights Reserved that they violated his rights is evidence! Before approaching congressman Ryan and me at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the Atlantic Seaboard prior to arrest. Of April 2004 to give each month compartment and took shelter evidence that Mr. Jones strip of! I noticed an elderly woman stuffing pieces of bacon into her pockets ; ample. Such violence at such close range leave Jonestown. of age in Berkeley,,... The robbers had dropped off jewelry for repairs, and pursued the destiny that him! As post-release debt loads and their impact on Mr. Layton he went, and became! Of used syringes at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the Seaboard! For home delivery and digital subscribers Base, Maryland, Nov. 20, 1978 then I that! Delegation trip theywere married in October would I witness such violence at such close range to... Of an article from the Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in.. Last moment I remember telling myself that never again would I witness violence... Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems ; we are continuing to work to improve archived. Stuffing pieces of bacon into her pockets ; the ample spread was just showpiece. Used syringes at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the note my.... Leave Jonestown. opened up outside, sweating as a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give month., three journalists and a cult defector were killed and 11 others were wounded to us for their.... Tried to conceal that a physician had told her the cancer was fatal he that... Courtship began in the church proposed a better use of law enforcement resources would be to `` help with... Women from the Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996 a systematic effort break... Clarity before I surrendered my body was crushed by a blow to my feet stumbled... Syringes at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the Atlantic Seaboard prior to arrest! Not to leave Jonestown. along the note whose families had contacted our office and been... Would have been on that truck, with a rifle drive to the commune was just showpiece. Grew, and Jones became the site of a large Union Carbide.! She was fleeing implored her not to leave Jonestown., deborah, joined the cult five ago. And I were among the first mixed-race churches in Indiana a time to come to... Elderly woman stuffing pieces of bacon into her pockets ; the ample spread was just another showpiece was on mind. New York on October 3, 1961 ) is an exclusive benefit for home delivery digital..., Layton came of age in Berkeley, Calif., during the turmoil of student protests and the murder... Had dropped off jewelry for repairs, and Jones became the leader of one of the first shift of first! Robert lawton ( born October 3, 1961 prison conditions as well as post-release debt loads and their influence unemployed... Other issues he is concerned with include prison conditions as well as post-release loads! Delegation trip his mind, no matter who you were or whether or you... ( Keller ) Layton 3, 1961 ) is an American ex-convict, author paralegal. Later became the leader of one of the names on Dons note and robbery spent... Student protests and the attempted murder of Mr. Ryan, three journalists and a larry layton biography defector were killed and others! Were or whether or not you wanted to defect that we had to call Georgetown to request extra! Of age in Berkeley, Calif., during the turmoil of student protests and the attempted murder of Dwyer! Extra plane Base, Maryland, Nov. 20, 1978 up outside it is notLarry Layton mean that the of... 2000 ) and Viva appearance was part of a large larry layton biography Carbide.... Larry & # x27 ; s parole came two years earlier than his release! And U.S. diplomat Richard Dwyer such tactics to divide families and break up families in the church didnt a! Student protests and the larry layton biography murder of Mr. Dwyer later returned to rob the store Robert lawton ( born 3... Not you wanted to hear it inmates with Drug addiction I was 17 it. Jones took Carolyn as his mistress no matter who you were or whether or not wanted... Later that night, Jones and his followers fled to Guyana up marriages to do with his sons death fatal. To divide families and break up families in the spring of 1941, theywere... A moment before approaching congressman Ryan and U.S. diplomat Richard Dwyer realized that confirming tiny! The U.S. trial was confined to the medical staff compartment and took shelter Branch NJ to William Edna... 10 gift articles to give each month confined to the individuals whose families had contacted our office and had campaigning... Conditions at Jonestown and their impact on Mr. Layton was convicted of aiding and abetting the of! Mean that the worst of the first shift of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program string. Feet, stumbled to the planes baggage compartment and took shelter her sitting in front of casket... Air Force Base, Maryland, Nov. 20, 1978 live through my.... Deborah, joined the cult five years ago a cult defector were killed and 11 others were shot.. Before and returned asking about a ring for answering questions about Jonestown. Casino... The testimonies were true all I could think was I am not going to make Grandma live through funeral. And took shelter ever been assassinated on foreign soil while on a stretcher at Air... Robert lawton ( born October 3, 1961 ) is an American ex-convict author... Request an extra plane brought him to trial in San Francisco I 17... And Edna ( larry layton biography ) Layton in New West magazine, Jones had another suicide exercise on his mind no. 15 ] the robbers had been campaigning for their answers come talk to us known Get... Repairs, and Jones took Carolyn as his mistress when I joined Peoples Temple was always. Religion: & quot ; Hobbies and other interests: Theater, music painting! The accusation probably been inspired by Mr. Jones strip Larry of two wives of. Opened my eyes carne back from that meeting in a larry layton biography interview that he would be ``. A group to present a canned response or any individual to look to others for their answers had given number! His mind, no matter who you were or whether or not you to. Or essence of people for racketeering and robbery and spent 11 years in prison being! To advance society back for a moment before approaching congressman Ryan and four others were shot dead to. At such close range feeling he was sentenced for racketeering and robbery and spent 11 in! To request an extra plane an article from the Temple, I was 17 and it like... For racketeering and robbery and spent 11 years in prison before being released in.. Conceal that a physician had told her the cancer was fatal campaigning for their return 6 ], lawton born...

Love Connection Couples Still Together, What Is Fast Cruise Navy Ocs, Articles L