where is larry layton today

I was almost one of them. My recovery continuedthough that very word is not an accurate description of the aftermath of being shot. . I couldnt bear the vision of her sitting in front of my casket. Some were cremated. Layton was originally charged in Guyana with the attempted murder of three defectors from the Peoples Temple. 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. None of the Temple members showed any interest in receiving correspondence from home. All I could think was I am not going to make Grandma live through my funeral. His first encounter with organized crime was through his father, a metal worker who delivered bribes to the New York mafia. He preached a social gospel, attracting devotees while promoting a community that did not discriminate or take into account race, background, or previous circumstances. [10] In 2012, Lawton self-published Gangster Redemption, an autobiography co-written with Peter Golenbock. Then a tractor-trailer from the People's Temple arrived, and its occupants opened fire on the entire group, including both planes. Ryan, three journalists and a defector were killed. Twenty years ago this month, Jones and 912 of his followers committed mass suicide at the jungle compound. at the airstrip. When the time of their supposed deaths came and went with everybody still alive, Jones announced it had just been a drill to test their loyalty. Lawrence Robert Lawton (born October 3, 1961) is an American ex-convict, author, paralegal, motivational speaker, and YouTuber. ", Looking back on it 20 years later, she says, "I put everything in denial and locked it down. 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. 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. Enter Larry Layton, who worked at the Jonestown hospital as an X-ray technician. Mr. Layton is survived by two sons, Thomas and Larry (Laurence John Layton); two daughters, Deborah Layton and Annalisa Layton Valentine, both of Piedmont, and three grandchildren. Layton became a senior insider in Jones' entourage. 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.". [21] Lawton was arrested by the FBI on December 2, 1996, in Florida and charged with the Fairless Hills armed robbery. He genuinely believed that he had some sort of protective shield around him, despite the fact that we werent traveling with any military escort or protection. I had no idea. Today. Twenty years after Jonestown, a survivor looks back. But allegations of wrongdoing mounted, and Jones moved the settlement to Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America. Peckham said he was particularly struck by pleas for leniency from four jurors, two prosecution witnesses and survivors of an attack by Layton at an airstrip outside the Guyanese encampment of Jonestown. | AP. Authority; he Jackie Speier is a congresswoman representing Californias 14th congressional district, which includes San Francisco and the peninsula.Excerpt from UNDAUNTED: Surviving Jonestown, Summoning Courage, and Fighting Back by Jackie Speier, reprinted under a license arrangement originating with Amazon Publishing. Her life appears to be light-years from Peoples Temple. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The base has handled mass casualties of both military personnel and civilians from wars, the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon and the NASA Challenger and Columbia space shuttle missions. She mentioned a Bay Area couple, the Stoens, who had defected and were fighting for the return of their young son, John. Georgetown, "I knew we'd entered a prison camp and I knew I wanted out. Guyana charged Layton as an accomplice in all five airstrip murders, but tried him first for the attempted murder of two Temple defectors. Of the more than 900 members of Joness congregation who had moved there, nearly a third were children. [38][5][9] In 2013, the Brevard County Jail re-introduced chain gangs as a pilot project with the goal of deterring crime. -- the signal that meant an attack was imminent, an excuse for conducting a suicide drill. [2] The book is published in Italy, France, Australia, Germany, Thailand and United Kingdom. "It's just so sad, for me as a survivor," said Yulanda Williams, 58, now a sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department. passage; Larry had been told years earlier. Her startling introduction to life there quickly allowed Layton to see the cracks in the facade. Young and unanchored, Layton was charmed as Jones fixed his penetrating Sure enough, I could tell he had. United Press International. When did the Jonestown massacre occur? Besides, when had a congressman ever been assassinated on foreign soil while on a congressional delegation trip? ', "O.J. In all, 913 died. They had passed. For seven weeks, [42][13], Lawton has made many media appearances. Breathing heavily, I pulled myself to my feet, stumbled to the planes baggage compartment and took shelter. As a trusted financial lieutenant for cult leader Jim Jones, she kept secrets Larry Layton had gotten onto the truck with us, which struck me as a glaring red flaghe was an entrenched member of the hierarchy, one of the true believers. Youll see what a wonderful place it is. He took us on a tour highlighting the most favorable aspects of the commune. one last, From what Ive seen, he said, there are a lot of people here who think this is the best thing that happened in their whole life. He was interrupted by manically enthusiastic cheering. 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. I was 28, lying on a dusty airplane runway in the Guyanese jungle, and dying. Although he called it a very grave crime, Peckham said Layton has shown great remorse, and his actions in 1978 reflected how the cult leader, the Rev. the mass were innocent. They also found 24 other containers of marked, identified remains, and five containers of remains they could not immediately identify, said Kimberly Chandler, spokeswoman for the Delaware Division of Forensic Science. The remaining victims were cremated or buried in family cemeteries over the period of several months following the massacre. He said Layton was insane at the time and was drugged by Jones with a mood-enhancing stimulant. grandmother had committed suicide. Jim Jones' compound in Guyana, a witness testified Wednesday. NEW YORK -- Larry Layton, a member of Jim Jones' Peoples Temple cult, flew to New York Friday night to face arraignment for the killing of Rep. Leo Ryan in the Guyanese jungles two years ago. I asked to speak to Monica Bagby, one of the names on Dons note. Peoples Temple gunman Larry Layton would not testify on his own behalf and opposed an insanity plea . This time, it was not a drill. 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. 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. Bodies lay crumpled on the tarmac around me. Then daughter Lauren started asking questions. Most complied, although survivors described some people being shot, injected with poison, or forced to drink the deadly beverage when they tried to resist. As one of his top aides, I accompanied the delegation, venturing out on the ice floes where the clubbing took place. 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. Larry Allan Layton, 68, was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct. A few Temple members stood in front of a rusty dump truck waiting to shuttle us to the compound. fields, subsisting mostly on rice, Layton writes. Layton's sister Debbie's departure from the Peoples Temple and denunciation of Jones in May 1978 led her brother to leave California to join the settlement in Guyana. But when her own child started asking questions, Layton broke family U.S. Atty. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Jones became active in local politics, giving money, running food programs and busing Temple members to attend rallies and get out the vote for his favored candidates. It looked staged. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Five bullets hit me from point-blank range, piercing my right arm, leg, and back. 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 life in prison, though he was released in 2002. He had engineered complete authoritycollecting members Social Security and disability checks, and determining when and how his disciples could communicate with their families. of Long-term consumption may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. The Kool-Aid Man is merely a jug a sentient jug whose morning routine is filling himself with water and then pouring some Kool-Aid powder into his head, so he can then crash through walls and provide sugary goodness to the neighborhood kids. Peckham sentenced Layton to 15 years in prison for the other three counts, but said the terms will run concurrently with the life term. chaperone of a youth group. was feted by politicians. I'm so desperately tired. died drinking juice?". But how? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Hollywood writers strike over streaming pay after talks fail, El Chapo sons send Mexico cartels cheap fentanyl into U.S., indictment says, Far from Russia, a pro-Moscow sliver of land tries to cling to its identity and keep war at bay, Virginia Gov. "Every week we're ordered to drink some liquid," she writes, culling her memories of the "old tapes (of Jonestown recollections that) are running in my head. (1.8-by-1.2-meter) underground enclosure. I heard screams and the rapid pounding of gunfire. He has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Fox News. [25] He received an additional sentence in 2002 for giving false witness. He spent 12 years in prison, and once released, began a career as a motivational speaker, life coach, and author. Example video title will go here for this video. It did not sit well with me. Layton, 41, is the only former Peoples Temple member who was tried in the United States in connection with the slaughter on Nov. 18, 1978. 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 Richard Dwyer, a U.S. diplomat wounded in the attack. He treasured it. By that time, darker elements had seeped into Jones sermons. | AP/San Francisco Examiner. Charismatic and tall with salt-and-pepper hair, he commanded a room. [7] He became known as one of America's biggest jewel thieves and made the FBI's most wanted list in 1996. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Larry Layton (Johnstown, Pennsylvania), who passed away on December 21, 2017 at the age of 55. As I was lying seven miles away waiting for medical help, Sam Houstons granddaughters, Patricia and Judy, 14 and 15, were murdered, along with their mother, dozens of other would-be defectors and the rest of the Peoples Temple. I was beaten once a month. | Amazon. Layton was arrested shortly after the killings by Guyanese authorities and signed a confession taking responsibility for the airstrip deaths--a confession that his lawyers maintained was coerced. Raised as a Quaker -- and, in turn, raising his own family in the Quaker faith -- Mr. Layton was continually tormented by the dichotomy between his professional pursuits, which focused on technical warfare, and his faith, which preached peace and nonviolence. [16] Then in October 1994, four individuals robbed a jewelry store in Palm Bay, Florida. 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. dangled head-first into the well late at night, Layton writes. Jim Jones orchestrated the mass murder-suicide of Peoples Temple cult members on November 18, 1978. It made no sense that he would be . Watch movie trailers, order food and drinks online, find luxury seating, and see showtimes of feature films and movies currently playing near you at Megaplex Theatres. "[2] He was critical of Brevard County stopping letters to inmates in 2013. rite of Larry Lawton. Larry Layton, a former member of the People's Temple cult, is to be released on $250,000 bail pending an appeal of his conviction last December for aiding and abetting the murder of. Most were poisoned, some forcibly. I did not feel confident this was a good idea. It was utter pandemonium. I just It was a mass murder. In the months leading up to the trip, my boss, Congressman Leo Ryan, had been contacted by worried constituents whose loved ones were members of a San Francisco-based religious group called the Peoples Temple, which had fled to South America for the promise of a utopian commune led by their preacher, Jim Jones. Most of them were sent back home," said funeral director William Torbert Sr., 79. Hundreds of children and a U.S. congressman died at Jonestown, and 911 decomposing bodies were brought to Dover Air Force Base, home to the U.S. military's largest mortuary. [44][45], "Police hunt clues in Cannes jewelry heist; ex-jewel thief says it was a pro job", "Florida sheriff reintroduces chain gang", "Ex-jewel thief says of Kim K's purloined baubles: 'They're gone. Reassured that they were on their way, we parked ourselves at a few picnic tables in the far corner of the pavilion area. Lawrence Robert Lawton (born October 3, 1961) is an American ex-convict, author, paralegal, motivational speaker, and YouTuber. Moments later, Congressman Ryan emerged from a throng of people with a torn and bloodied shirt. [23][24] Lawton later said he was the biggest jewel thief of the 1980s and 90s operating within the United States of America. The discovery reopened wounds. [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. A year later, I applied to college, and he wrote me a letter of recommendation. "All the survivors in touch with me are traumatized because that door had been closed," said Jonestown survivor Laura Johnston Kohl, now a retired teacher from San Diego. Former Jonestown cult member Larry Layton was convicted of conspiracy today in the killing of California Rep. Layton Guilty of Role in '78 Ryan Murder - Los Angeles Times Ryan had gone to Guyana to investigate reports that relatives of his San Francisco-area constituents wre being held against their will. Some bodies that arrived back in the U.S. at Dover Air Force Base in 1978 were claimed by families. Even later, she learned another After being airlifted to a U.S. military base in Puerto Rico, he was sent onward on to a hospital in Santa Rosa, California, where his father and brothersall of them armedprotected him from the "angels" he believed the late Jones would send to finally finish him. One of the defectors wed interviewed claimed that Jones dyed them black. Ten days later, on November 18, Jones and 912 of his followers committed mass suicide. Don hung back for a moment before approaching Congressman Ryan and me at the picnic table and surreptitiously passing along the note. | AP. Dwyer, who was wounded in the attack, has retired from the Foreign Service. There she contacted her sister and U.S. [3][4] He has acted as a spokesman for prisoners and prisoner issues,[5] been a vocal advocate for prison reform, and made appearances in the media as an expert on robberies. "I was driving across the bridge," she says when asked why, after all these years, she wanted to revisit the horrors of Jonestown. about Infants cannot commit suicide. Ryan decided that we would wait until the morning and suggested we keep a low profile until then. [19][20] One bullet narrowly missed Lawton, but struck his brother. We accompanied Assemblyman Ryan to shopping centers and campaign events to pass out pamphlets and speak with voters. jungle. The cremated remains of nine Jonestown victims were discovered in a decrepit, now-shuttered funeral home in Dover, officials said. They called it Jonestown. 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. [10], Lawton executed his first robbery when he was 28, an inside job to collect insurance money. Offenders sweltered in "The Box," a 6-by-4-foot Ryan wanted to investigate. In August 1979, he joined the Coast Guard[9] and took part in the Mariel boatlift. Jones himself sat onstage in a throne beneath a sign that read: Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The members sang and danced and, by every appearance, were happy. Soon, her mother would also join the Temple. L.A. Times Archives. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one.