Leo Ryan

Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. (5 May 1925–18 November 1978) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served as a U.S. Representative from the 11th Congressional District of California from 1973 until he was killed in Guyana by members of the People's Temple shortly before the Jonestown Massacre.

The People's Temple

In 1978, reports regarding the People's Temple, led by cult leader Jim Jones, began to filter out of their Guyana enclaves about widespread abuse and human rights violations. After reading an article in the San Francisco Examiner, Ryan declared his intention to go to Jonestown, the People's Temple's main enclave. His influence was dual: both that of an organization of citizens (primarily Californians, as were most Temple members) called Concerned Relatives of People's Temple Members combined with his own characteristic distaste for social injustice. In late October and early November of 1978, Ryan declared his intention to travel to Jonestown as part of a government investigation and received permission, and government funds, to do so. While the party was initially planned to have only a few members of the Congressman's staff and press as part of the congressional delegation, once the media learned of the trip the entourage ballooned to include, among others, Concerned Relatives members. When the legal counsel for Jones attempted to set a number of restrictive conditions on the visit, Ryan informed Jones' counsel that he would be traveling to Jonestown whether Jones permitted it or not.

Related Topics:
Cult - Jim Jones - Guyana - Human rights violations - San Francisco Examiner - Jonestown

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