Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 December 1978 — Page 1

Seventy Percent of

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Was King’s murder a $50,000 hit job?

Mistaken revenge bullet nixes IUPUI student’s nursing dreams

St. Louis man ' had established SSO-grand bounty

WASfflNGTON-

After all the witnesses have been heard and all the evidence analyzed and disgested, the House Select Committee on Assassinations is expected to conclude that James Earl Ray killed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King for money $50,000 that he never collected from a right-wing St. Louis businessman who wanted the civil rights leader slain. And the committee is expected to decide that the FBI botched the case, apparently ignoring the possibility'of conspiracy and concentrating on the identification and apprehension of a fugitive. In the process, valuable time and evidence were lost, important figures never were interviewed and information was disregarded, if not hidden. Even though the committee is conducting hearings to build the public record, the fact that its investigation is virtually complete allows it to arrive at

several conclusions.

I

LAID TO REST: Funeral services for Mark Flemmeods, 17, were held et Williams Funeral Home last Friday afternoon. Mark was killed in the Speedway Burger Chef murder two weeks ago. Police are still

searching for all possible leads into the senseless IdBiags. Mark was laid to reel a* / New Crown Cemetery immediately following funeral services.

That picture can be drawn on the basis of interviews with committee members, witnesses and congressional staff. According to the committees investigation and a separate* investigation conducted by the New York Times, the presence of a standing $50,000 offer was well known in the St. Louis area in 1967 and 1968 and probably had been reported to federal authorities prior to King’s murder. The two investigations have produced the following scenario as the most likely way the lives of the two men collided in the cross-hairs of political assassiTURN TO PAGE 18

U.S. may seek cult’s valuables to pay for returning bodies

WASHINGT0N--The State Department said this week it may attempt to recover millions of dollars in cash and property found at the site of a mass suicide in Guyana to pay for returning the bodies of the more than 900 American victims. The State Deaprtment said that as of last Saturday, the government had spent $2 to $3 million to return the bodies. Other unofficial, accounts have placed the cost as high as $8

million. The State Department said the question of recovering the money “is a complex legal matter which will have to be sorted out.” A spokesman said that a member of the department’s legal staff is presently in Guyana “to assist the embassy in addressing a wide range of legal issues.” The spokesman added that the inquiry has no bearing on the People’s Temple in San Francisco, questions regarding Peoples Temple funds

which may be here in the U.S. should be directed to the Department of Justice or appropriate state authorities,” he said. Rep. Edward Beard, D-R.I., in a letter to President Carter suggested that the President should order the Justice Department to explore the possibility of attaching a lien to the religious sect’s property. Beard said it was unfair to ask Americans to foot the bill for TURN TO PAGE 18

10-year-old superstar ‘a brat’

Fame and its fleeting recognition might trip some people, but not 10-year-old Gary Coleman. Already, a superstar in his own right he brashes such none sense off with a mere “It’s only a jobl" Some might compare him to Rodney Ripley of hamburger commercial fame, but this man [forget calling boy] i 8 entity of his own. He handles interviews like a veteran pro and fields putdowns like a senior. Stffl with his new-found status as star of NBC’s comedy “Different Strokes,” he’s definitely not searching. Gary, the only child of Willie and Sue Coleman, started acting in TV commercials in Chicago at the age of six. He was bora in Zion, ID., where be still resides. He stands 43 inches and weighs 48 pounds. “I think I just killed him,” he says about a recent date an the Johnny Carson show. Here’s how the exchange went: Coleman: “I had it eat with my mom today. She wanted me to wear my best dethes to this show and I said ‘why?’.” Gary, a little smart-aleck, took Carson to task. When asked about an allowance, he retorted, “Of coarse I get one. I work."

He had a ready-made answer lor question and before the show was over

every Can er, Carson

Carson-rontine

had railed

Gary’s Tirades Productions asking for a return meat...as guest host possibly.

Most folks might remember Gary as nephew on the Jeffersons. This is omong his other tojerldon

He’s in good company on “Different Strakeo” dace he** orr ompowled by Todd Bridges, the brat of lota “Fish” fame. Gary, who also oversaw the decoration of Us all-rad bedroom, likeo to sleep with his socks an, and says Us bast friend is his 113 psnnd German shepherd, When he isn't acting,

GARY COLEMAN

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His brief television

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A 20-year-old Indiana Uni-versity-Purdue University at Indianapolis School of Nursing student’s career may have ended late last month when she was blinded by a masked man who fired a shot into a car stopped for a traffic signal at 71st and Meridian. Shattered glass entered* second-year nursing student from Chicago Darlene Jackson’s eyes after a man jumped from behind bushes early Nov. 19 and fired once into the windshUed of a 1978 Monte Carlo driven by her friend Ella Boyette. Although they say Miss Jackson’s chances for a return to normal vision looks bleak, doctors have not determined the extent of her injuries from the shooting, believed to have been domestic revenge the gunman sought on Miss Boyette. The driver was not injured and no weapons have been recovered. A warrant was issued Wednesday for the arrest of Augustus Johnson, 27, Miss Boyette’s alleged boyfriend, for attempted murder. Both identified Johnson as the gunman, ending their impatience with allegedly slow police investigation in the two-week-old

case.

“I have no doubts I saw the person," Miss Johnson says, “but I guess police figure with a mask it would have been hard for me to tell." She then expressed her discontent with the investigation’s promptness. “I was beginning to wonder if someone really cared about certain crimes in this city.... Onct • I started crying, but what good would that do?" Miss Johnson’s grades while at IUPUI have been respectable, offering no reason why a career in the field of helping others wasn’t to be. Although she had talked in weeks prior to the shooting of postponing her education and returning to Chicago, Miss Johnson now will be forced to lay the stetho-

scopes and thermometers aside long enough to concentrate on and hope for her own recovery. Until then, she’s entertaining

thoughts of returning home to Chicago with her fiance, Douglas Irwin, who offers her looks of encouragement from time to time at her bedside.

No figures yet on number of Indy blacks An estimated 70 to 75 per cent of the more than 900 persons who tool part in a mass suicide ritual Nov. 18 in the jungles of South America were black followers of the Rev. Jim Jones, who launched his “People’s Church here in the 1950’s before moving with his congregation to California after declaring that he could not longer stand the racist climate in

Indiana.

Although the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday in a press release that an estimated 25 persons from Indiana were among the daad-although Dan Kelly, supervisor of the FBI’s crime squad, told The Recorder Wednesday afternoon that figure “will probably go up.” The Recorder has also been unable to verify reports that a number of blacks from Indianapolis or members of their families may also have died with Jones when the cult leader calmly directed his followers to take a lethal potion of cyanideladen Kool-Aid potion that had been prepared by a Texas doctor who was among the

victims. Commenting on the IndiThe Recorder has learned, anapolis PoUtical Action Comhowever. that Eric, a black who mittee’s (Indy PAC) decision had been of mixed parentage not to endorse the four board who had been adopted by Jones members who voted to rehire and his wife here in 1964 was Superintendent Karl Kalp among the survivors. Eric had without evaluation. Gombeen in Georgetown playing missioner Mary Busch said: with the Jonestown basketball “That’s theil* decision ” team when Jones assembled his i n( jy p^c, the Black Edufollowers in the pavUlion of the ca tion Coalition and CHOICE South American settlement. (Citizens Helping Our IndiAnother of Jones’ adopted anapolis Children’s Education “international family," that he supported all seven commisassembled while living in Indi- sioners in the 1976 election anapolis, is believed to have based on a platform that called been among those who died for a change in all high level with him in the Guyanna, positions, starting at the top. Jonestown settlement. CHOICE, the citizens orThe Recorder has also been ganization which slated all unsuccessful in attempts to seven candidates broke ties contact the Indianapolis fami- w Rh the four Kalp supporters lies of a number of persons who * ast . . are known have left Indianapo- Criticism of Busch, Patricia lis with Jones when he assem- Welch, Walter Knorr and bled a caravan of some 200 Donald G. Larson came from persons when he left the city lody PAC chairman Brice for California in the 1960’s. Tressler who sUted: “You were For most of the young blacks elected by voters who wanted among the more than 900 change. You have thwarted the Jonestown residents, Jones- of the people. Now you town offered an escape from must be prepared to accept the the drugs and crime in which consequences. ’ many of them were believed to Dr. Busch, however, insisted have been involved before that “at no time did I ever TTTRM TH PArv 18 campaign on that platform.” TURN TO PAGE 18 Welsh said that she considered

PAC and CHOICE small

fhannpl civ tn air Ip* 011 ? 8 of httle importance, tnannei SIX XU dll jwhUe Larson admitted that he

was disapointed but not surprised” by the criticism. Knorr

refused to comment.

Larson also added that he did not campaign on the promise of removing Dr. Kalp. Larson does not plan to run for

election again.

Contrary to Busch and Larson’s statements, Commissioner Lillian Davis said: “We definitely did run on a commitment to make changes on the administration starting at the top level. It was spelled out. But maybe they didn’t understand the full slate.” response to CHOICE and Indy PACs decision to oppose the four board members who voted Kalp back in office, Davis stated: “I can appreciate their concern." However, the cautioned “considering the fact that we do have more years remaining on the board we should continue to work with those people. Fighting against them

RESULT OF AMBUSH: Darlene Jackson is photographed in her room at Wishard Hospital following eye surgery for injuries sustained from glass fragments. Discharged from Wishard earlier this week,, physicians prognosed a small chance Darlene’s vision will ever return to normal. The eye damage was caused by flying glass from the windshield of a car she was passenger, when a gunman approached the car [stopped for a traffic light] and fired ahete. Police have since issued an attempted murder warrant for a suspect they believe may have sought-yet to be determined revenge against either Ms. Jackson, or her driving companion, Ella Boyette. [Recorder photo by Marcell Williams].

Indy PAC, CHOICE

rebuke Kalp supporters

"won’t solve the problem as far as the community is concerned.” In other public school related issues, the board named Indianapolis attorney Yvonne F. Watkins to represent administrat >rs in appeals to the board of their actions, such as suspension and expulsion of students, and Federal Judge S. Hugh Dillin was urged to set aside state laws and to reorganize

schools if necessary to achieve a desegregation solution for the Indianapolis Public Schools. In final arguments before Dillin, the IPS school board attorney, Thomas Atkins, said IPS “was only one of a group of c nspirators working together with the state to steal the constitutional rights of students and should work together to repair the constitution.

George Kirby imprisoned for drug trafficking

Johnson title fight Marvin Johnson’s Light heavyweight title fight Saturday with World Boxing Council champion Mate Parlov in Italy, will be televised on WRTV [Channel 6], beginning at 4

p.m.

The scheduled 15-round fight will be carried nationally on the NBC network’s Sports Special presentation-normally not viewed in the Indianapolis area for what WRTV management terms prior contraetural obliga-

tions.

However, Urn Hendak of WRTV said the decision to televise the fight and the entire sports package was prompted by a flood of calls to the stetfon from supporters and fans of Johnson, all requesting the opportunity to see the Indian spoils native’s quest far the WBC light heavyweight title

LAS VEGASComedian George Kirby was sentenced to two concurrent 20-year terms in the Nevada State Prison Tuesday on his plea of guilty for trafficking in cocaine and heroin. He plans to appeal. The 52-year-old comedian, who has played a number of Las Vegas night clubs, could also receive a pair of 10-year federal prison terms for his conviction on the same charges. Clark County District Judge Carl Christensen denied a defense motion, to set bail for Kirby so that he could remain free while appealing the federal court, and was released on his own recognizance in state court. Kirby’s attorney said his client would likely try and serve his sentence in federal custody, if his appeal is denied. Present in court when sentencing was imposed, Kirby may be eligible for parole in

four years in the federal convictions. He was arrested at his home in April of 1977 -charged with one count of selling cocaine and one count of giving away heroin. 18-year-old sentenced to 20 years John Cole Jr., 18, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday by Judge Charles C. Daugherty in Criminal Court, Division 3. Cole was convicted of attempted robbery by a jury that deliberated only 10 minutes on Oct. 30th. The defendent was charged with the July 22 robbery of the 19th Street TURN TO PAGE 18

What’s inside

A STRUGGLE UNTIL THE END Rev. Jim Jones’ battle while in Indianapolis for equality as well as other struggles leading to his suicide along with more than 800 of his followers in Jonestown, Guyana are detailed in a page-long Indianapolis Recorder feature. Page 7. THE WAY THE MUSIC PLAYED Lynn Ford leeks at the year's top seal concerts in Seal Ssands, while Bob Womack Sr. reveals the latest entertainment seoepe in Believe Me When I Tell Yen. Entertainment, Page 10. ANOTHER FIGHT FOR ALI? South African blacks, usually unified an poMtfeal Issaos, are deeply divided as to whether world heavyweight hexing rhsmpisn Muhammad All should visit their country next year. Sports, Page 16.

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