40 years later, Rep. Speier looks back on surviving Jonestown
Nov 19, 2018
Nov 19, 2018
This weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, in which more than 900 followers of Jim Jones were victims of a cult mass murder-suicide in Guyana. Among the survivors was Jackie Speier, now a Democratic congresswoman from California. She joins Judy Woodruff to discuss her new book, “Undaunted: Surviving Jonestown, Summoning Courage, and Fighting Back" and current politics.
Judy Woodruff:
Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, the mass murder-suicide that left more than 900 followers of cult leader Jim Jones dead in the South American country of Guyana.
Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, the mass murder-suicide that left more than 900 followers of cult leader Jim Jones dead in the South American country of Guyana.
Congressman Leo Ryan was in Jonestown with a small team investigating the cult's activities, and was shot and killed by Jones' followers.
But one of his aides on that trip, Jackie Speier, now herself a Democratic congresswoman from California, survived, and I spoke with her recently about her harrowing experience.
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.:
Congresswoman Ryan was the congressman that I worked for at the time. He made that trip to Jonestown because many of his constituents had young adults who had gotten involved in this church in San Francisco called The Peoples Temple, and was led by a man by the name of Jim Jones.
Congresswoman Ryan was the congressman that I worked for at the time. He made that trip to Jonestown because many of his constituents had young adults who had gotten involved in this church in San Francisco called The Peoples Temple, and was led by a man by the name of Jim Jones.
As more and more criticism started to come out about sexual abuse and physical abuse and money laundering, he then took about 900 of his members to Jonestown, where he had been building a commune for about two years.
And concerned relatives came to Congressman Ryan. There were defectors who also came and told him of really untoward things happening at that compound. And the congressman wanted to find out what was really going on.
The State Department was basically telling us there really wasn't a story there, there really wasn't anything to talk about. And, unfortunately, we found out something very different.
Judy Woodruff:
You went there. You sensed in a very short period of time that something was terribly wrong.
You went there. You sensed in a very short period of time that something was terribly wrong.
And then, as you were leaving with some people who were ready to defect, some of the followers of Jim Jones came and shot to death five people. And you were badly wounded, shot five times.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/40-years-later-rep-speier-looks-back-on-surviving-jonestown
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/40-years-later-rep-speier-looks-back-on-surviving-jonestown
'Rot in hell': Cult victim tortured, forced to commit bestiality, brutally murdered
21 Nov, 2018
21 Nov, 2018
WARNING - DISTURBING CONTENT
The ex-partner of a father-of-two who was tortured to death by a sadistic cult ....
Vulnerable Jimmy Prout suffered months of abuse at the hands of a group led by wheelchair bound Zahid Zaman, before his body was discovered in wasteland just yards from his home in North Shields, North Tyneside....
Chilling CCTV footage shows Mr Prout in the days before he was murdered, looking gaunt and frail as he is dragged along a street by his killers.
Now his ex partner of 14 years has spoken of the horrors that Mr Prout was subjected to during his final few months alive, and how she hopes his killers will die in jail.
Ms Carter is interviewed for Cults, Taboos and Twisted Faith UK on Crime and Investigation tonight, telling of her disbelief at why Mr Prout was never able to escape the clutches of the group before he was killed.
Ms Carter, who split with Mr Prout before he was brainwashed, said she regrets ever leaving him....
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