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Leo Ryan

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Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr.
January 1977 Congressional Photo
Mayor
In office
1962–1962
ConstituencySouth San Francisco, California
Assemblyman
In office
1962–1972
ConstituencyCalifornia State Assembly
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
In office
1973–1978
Preceded byPaul N. McCloskey, Jr.
Succeeded byWilliam H. Royer
ConstituencyCalifornia's 11th congressional district
Personal details
BornMay 5, 1925
Lincoln, Nebraska,
United States United States
DiedNovember 18, 1978
Port Kaituma, Guyana
Political partyDemocratic Party
Height200px
Children5
OccupationPolitician

Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. (May 5 1925–November 18 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 murdered in Guyana by members of the Peoples Temple shortly before the Jonestown Massacre.

After the Watts Riots of 1965, then-Assemblyman Ryan took a job as a substitute school teacher to investigate and document conditions in the area. In 1970, using a pseudonym, Ryan experienced life as an inmate in Folsom Prison, while presiding as chairman on the Assembly committee that oversaw prison reform. During his time in Congress, Ryan went to Newfoundland to investigate the inhumane killing of seals.

Ryan was also famous for vocal criticism of the lack of Congressional oversight of the CIA, and authored the Hughes-Ryan Amendment; the Amendment was dropped after his death. Ryan was also an early critic of L. Ron Hubbard and his Scientology movement and of the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon. On November 3, 1977 he read into the United States Congressional Record a testimony by John Gordon Clark about the health hazards connected with destructive cults.

Ryan was the first and only member of Congress to be killed in the line of duty. Ryan was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, in 1983.

Early career

Leo Ryan was born in Lincoln, Nebraska.[1] Throughout his early life his family moved frequently, through Illinois, Florida, New York, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. He graduated from Campion Jesuit High School[2][3] in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin in 1943. Ryan then received V-12 officer training at Bates College and served with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a submariner.[4]

He graduated from Nebraska's Creighton University with an A.B. in 1949 and an M.S. from the same in 1951.[1] He taught History at Capuchino High School, and chaperoned the marching band in 1961 to Washington, D.C. to participate in President John F. Kennedy's inaugural parade. Ryan was inspired by President Kennedy's call to service in his inaugural address, and decided to run for higher office.[5] He served as a teacher, school administrator and South San Francisco city councilman from 1956 to 1962.[1]

Political highlights

1973 Congressional Photo, Official photo from Ryan's first term as Congressman

State of California

In 1962, Ryan was elected mayor of South San Francisco. Ryan served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, from 1964 to 1968.[1] Ryan served less than a year as Mayor, before taking a seat in the California State Assembly. He won the race for the California State Assembly with a margin of 20,000 votes.[5] Ryan held the Assembly seat through 1972, when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Ryan was successively elected three more times to the United States Congress.[1]

Throughout his life, Ryan was known for his colorful personality and for the aplomb with which he tackled social inequality. After the Watts Riots of 1965, Assemblyman Ryan went to the area and took a job as a substitute school teacher to investigate and document conditions in the area. In 1970, using a pseudonym, Ryan had himself arrested, detained and strip searched to investigate conditions in the California prison system. He stayed as an inmate for ten days in the Folsom Prison, while presiding as chairman on the Assembly committee that oversaw prison reform.[6] California State Senator Jackie Speier refers to this style of investigation as "experiential legislating".[5]

United States Congress

During his time in Congress, Ryan went to Newfoundland to investigate the inhumane killing of seals; he was famous for vocal criticism of the lack of Congressional oversight of the CIA, authoring the Hughes-Ryan Amendment, which would have required extensive CIA notification of Congress about planned covert operations. Shortly after his death, the Amendment was quietly dropped, leading to the development of a conspiracy theory relating to his death. Ryan was also an early critic of L. Ron Hubbard and his Scientology movement and of the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon. On November 3, 1977 he read into the United States Congressional Record a testimony by John Gordon Clark about the health hazards connected with destructive cults.[7]

Peoples Temple

Main article: Peoples Temple

In 1978, reports regarding widespread abuse and human rights violations among the Peoples Temple, led by cult leader Jim Jones, began to filter out of the organisation's Guyana enclaves. After reading an article in the San Francisco Examiner, Ryan declared his intention to go to Jonestown, the Peoples Temple's main enclave. He was influenced both by an organization of citizens called Concerned Relatives of Peoples Temple Members (primarily Californians, as were most Temple members) and by his own characteristic distaste for social injustice. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, while investigating the events, the United States Department of State "repeatedly stonewalled Ryan's attempts to find out what was going on in Jonestown", and told him that "everything was fine".[5] In a later article in The Chronicle, Ryan was described as having "bucked the local Democratic establishment and the Jimmy Carter administration's State Department", in order to prepare for his investigation.[8]

Travels to Jonestown

In late October and early November of 1978, Congressman Ryan declared his intention to travel to Jonestown as part of a government investigation and received permission and government funds to do so. Ryan made the journey in his role as chairman of a congressional subcommittee with jurisdiction over U.S. citizens living in foreign countries. Ryan asked the other members of his Bay Area congressional delegation to join him on the investigation to Jonestown, but they all declined his invitation.[5]

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. Congressman Ryan traveled to Jonestown with 17 Bay Area relatives of Peoples Temple members, several newspaper reporters and an NBC TV team.[9] When the legal counsel for Jones attempted to impose several restrictive conditions on the visit, Ryan responded that he would be traveling to Jonestown whether Jones permitted it or not. Ryan's stated position was that a "settlement deep in the bush might be reasonably run on authoritarian lines". However, residents of the settlement must be allowed to come and go as they pleased. He further asserted that if the situation had become "a gulag", he would do everything he could to "free the captives."[9]

Jungle ambush

Main article: Jonestown

On 14 November, according to the Foreign Affairs Committee report,[10] Ryan and his congressional delegation left Washington and arrived in Georgetown, Guyana. That night they stayed at a local hotel, where (despite confirmed reservations) most of the rooms had been cancelled and reassigned, leaving the delegation sleeping in the lobby. For three days Ryan continued negotiation with Jones' legal counsel and held perfunctory meetings with embassy personnel and Guyanese officials. Finally, on November 17, Ryan, aide Jackie Speier, the United States embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Dwyer, a Guyanese Ministry of Information officer, nine reporters and four representatives of the delegation boarded a small plane for the flight to an airfield a few miles outside of Jonestown.[10]

At first, only the Temple legal counsel was allowed off the plane, but eventually the entire entourage (save Gordon Lindsay, reporting for NBC) was allowed in. Initially, the welcome at Jonestown was warm, but after only a few hours Ryan and his entourage began receiving notes and whispered requests for evacuation from the facility. That night, the media and the delegation were returned to the airfield for accommodations following Jones' refusal to allow them to stay the night; the rest of the group remained.[10]

The next morning, Ryan, Speier and Dwyer all continued their interviews, and in the morning met a woman who secretly expressed her wish to leave Jonestown with her family. Around 11:00 a.m. local time, the media and the delegation returned and took part in interviewing Peoples Temple members. The first two individuals to express desire to leave were Vernon Gosney and Monika Bagby, who handed a note to NBC correspondent Don Harris which stated, "Please help me get out of Jonestown."[9] Around 3:00 p.m., the first group wishing to leave boarded a truck and was taken to the airstrip, with Ryan wishing to stay another night. Shortly thereafter, a failed knife attack on Congressman Ryan occurred while he was arbitrating a family dispute on leaving. Against Ryan's protests, Deputy Chief of Mission Dwyer ordered Ryan to leave, but he promised to return later to address the dispute.[10]

The entire group left Jonestown and arrived at the airstrip by 4:45 p.m. local time. Their exit transport did not arrive for another twenty minutes. The smaller six-seat Cessna was just taxiing to the end of the runway when one of its occupants opened fire on those inside, wounding several. This was apparently the cue for several other Peoples Temples members who had escorted the group out to open fire on the larger craft, killing Congressman Ryan and four other journalists[11] and wounding another nine. The passengers on the smaller plane managed to subdue their shooter and took off under fire, the larger plane having been disabled and its passengers taking refuge in the jungle.[10]

Following its takeoff, the Cessna radioed in a report of the attack, and the U.S. Ambassador, John R. Burke, went to the residence of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham. It was another day before the Guyanese army, ordered to arrest Jones and disarm Jonestown, could cut through the jungle and reach the settlement. They discovered the vast majority of its inhabitants dead.[10]

Dear Friends, Please observe that the Gordon Lindsay mentioned here regarding Jonestown is NOT the same person who is described in the linked page. While researching a film on the Jonestown affair, I spent about a million hours looking for this guy, but to no avail. I just hate people who have common names. Sincerely, Robert P. Helms

Conviction of Larry Layton

Larry Layton, brother of author Deborah Layton, was convicted in 1986 of conspiracy in the murder of Leo Ryan[12]. Layton was the only former Peoples Temple member to be tried in the United States for criminal acts relating to the murders at Jonestown[13][14]. He was convicted on four different murder-related counts[15].

On March 3, 1987, Layton was sentenced to concurrent sentences of life in prison for "aiding and abetting the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan", "conspiracy to murder an internationally protected person, Richard Dwyer, Deputy Chief of Mission for the United States in the Republic of Guyana", as well as fifteen years in prison on other related counts. At that time, he was eligible for parole in five years[16]. On June 3, 1987, Layton's motion to set aside the conviction "on the ground that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel during his second trial" was denied by the United States District Court, of the Northern District of California[16].

After spending eighteen years in prison, Layton was released from custody in April 2002[17].

Memorial

Burial

Leo Ryan's body was returned to the United States and interred at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. The official Congressional Memorial Services for Ryan were compiled into a book: Leo J. Ryan - Memorial Services - Held In The House Of Representatives & Senate Of The U. S., Together With Remarks.[18] Remembering the funeral of her brother held in the San Francisco area, Ryan's younger sister Shannon stated she was surprised both by the number of supporters that attended the funeral, and by the "outgrowth of real, honest sorrow".[19].

For his efforts, Ryan was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress and signed by President Ronald Reagan.[20][21][22] He was the first member of Congress to have been killed in the line of duty.[23] At the time John Roberts, who was then an attorney in the White House counsel's office, wrote a memo to President Reagan stating that though the White House Counsel's office had no legal objections, he personally did not approve of the bill awarding Congressman Ryan the Congressional Gold Medal[24]. However, in President Reagan's remarks upon signing the bill awarding Congressman Ryan the Congressional Gold Medal, he stated: "It was typical of Leo Ryan's concern for his constituents that he would investigate personally the rumors of mistreatment in Jonestown that reportedly affected so many from his district."[20] Ryan's daughters Erin and Patricia had helped to garner support for the Congressional Gold Medal, in time for the fifth anniversary of Ryan's death[25].

After his death, Ryan's daughter Shannon Jo changed her name to Jasmine and joined a cult[26][27][28], while her sister Patricia became president of the (OLD) Cult Awareness Network[29]. Ryan's daughter Erin worked for the CIA before eventually becoming an aide to California State Senator Jackie Speier[29].

Anniversary

Sign, at Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park.

On the 25th anniversary of his death, a special memorial tribute was held in his honor in Foster City, California. Ryan's family and friends, including Jackie Speier and Ryan's daughters, were in attendance. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "Over and over today, people described a great man who continually exceeded his constituents' expectations." Towards the end of the memorial service, parents of those who had died in Jonestown stood to honor and thank Congressman Ryan for giving his life - while trying to save their children's. After the service ended, mounted police escorted the family and friends into Foster City's Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park. A wreath was laid next to a commemorative rock that honored Ryan.[30] The same year, Ryan's daughter Erin attended a memorial for those who died at Jonestown, at the Oakland, California Evergreen Cemetery[31].

On the anniversary of Congressman Ryan's death, Jackie Speier traditionally visits his grave at the Golden Gate National Cemetery with his daughter and her friend, Patricia Ryan.[9]

Leo J. Ryan award

Main article: Leo J. Ryan Award

The Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation established the Leo J. Ryan award in honor of the congressman. The Foundation was originally titled "Cult Info", and changed its name in honor of the congressman in 1999. It is based in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[32][33] The first award was given in 1981.

Notable recipients include Ronald Enroth, Ph.D., John Gordon Clark, M.D., Gabe Cazares, Robert Lifton, M.D., Louis Jolyon West, M.D., journalist Richard Behar, Congressman Ryan's daughter Patricia Ryan, Michael Langone, Ph.D., Flo Conway & Jim Siegelman, and Bob Minton.

Representation in media

In 2006, Congressman Leo Ryan's assassination was featured in two programs on the History Channel: "Cults: Dangerous Devotion",[34] and "Jonestown Paradise Lost".[35] His assassination was also discussed in the 2006 documentary, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple.[36]


Electoral history

Source[37] Template:Multicol

1978 Race for U.S. House of Representatives (CD 11)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 60.5%
  • Dave Welch (R), 35.6%
  • Nicholas W. Kudrovzeff (American Independent) 3.9%
1976 Race for U.S. House of Representatives (CD 11)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 61.1%
  • Bob Jones (R), 35.4%
  • Nicholas W. Kudrovzeff (American Independent) 3.5%
1974 Race for U.S. House of Representatives (CD 11)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 75.8%
  • Brainard G. "Bee" Merdinger (R), 21.3%
  • Nicholas W. Kudrovzeff (American Independent) 2.9%
1972 Race for U.S. House of Representatives (CD 11)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 60.4%
  • Charles E. Chase (R), 37%
  • Nicholas W. Kudrovzeff (American Independent) 2.6%

Template:Multicol-break

1970 Race for California State Assembly (AD 27)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 73.2%
  • John R. Sherman (R), 23.1%
  • John Lynch (American Independent) 3.8%
1968 Race for California State Assembly (AD 27)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 99.8%
  • Will Slocum (I), 0.2%
1966 Race for California State Assembly (AD 27)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 56.9%
  • Robert N. Miller (R), 43.1%
1964 Race for California State Assembly (AD 27)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 69%
  • Andrew C. Byrd (R), 31%
1962 Race for California State Assembly (AD 27)
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 63.5%
  • Andrew C. Byrd (R), 36.5%
1958 Race for California State Assembly (AD 25)
  • Louis Francis (R), 50.6%
  • Leo J. Ryan (D), 49.4%

Template:Multicol-end

Published works

Books
House of Representatives material
  • NATO, pressures from the southern tier: Report of a study mission to Europe, August 5-27, 1975, pursuant to H. Res. 315, 22 pages, Published by United States Government Print Office, (1975)
  • Vietnam and Korea: Human rights and U.S. assistance : a study mission report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, 15 pages, Published by United States Government Print Office, (1975)
  • The United States oil shortage and the Arab-Israeli conflict;: Report of a study mission to the Middle East from October 22 to November 3, 1973, 76 pages, Published by United States Government Print Office, (1973)

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to Leo Ryan.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leo Ryan.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e United States Congress. "RYAN, Leo Joseph, (1925 - 1978)". United States Congress. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ Campion Jesuit High School. "Campion Knights". Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Campion Jesuit High School. "Campion Forever". Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ Campion Jesuit High School. "Campion Knights Notables". Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e Simon, Mark (December 10, 1998). "A Trip Into The Heart Of Darkness: Always larger than life, Leo Ryan courted danger". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. A17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Haddock, Vicki (November 16, 2003). "Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up; Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. D1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Clark, M.D., John Gordon (November 3, 1977). The Effects of Religious Cults on the Health and Welfare of Their Converts. Congressional Record: United States Congress. {{cite conference}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |booktitle= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Haddock, San Francisco Chronicle, 2003.
    "And when relatives of Peoples Temple members began to accuse Jones of physically and sexually abusing his followers, brainwashing them and holding them against their will in a South American jungle, Ryan bucked the local Democratic establishment and the Jimmy Carter administration's State Department to embark on his own trip."
  9. ^ a b c d Zane, Maitland (November 13, 1998). "Surviving the Heart of Darkness: Twenty years later, Jackie Speier remembers how her companions and rum helped her endure the night of the Jonestown massacre". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d e f United States House of Representatives (15 May 1979]). "Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee report on Ryan's assassination". Report of a Staff Investigative Group to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. United States Congress. {{cite conference}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Singer, Ph.D., Margaret Thaler (1995). Cults in Our Midst: The Hidden Menace in Our Everyday Lives. Jossey Bass. pp. 28, 237. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Associated Press (Dec 2, 1986), "Ex-Cult Member Convicted In Death of Rep. Leo Ryan : '78 Shooting Led to Jonestown Mass Suicide", The Washington Post, pp. A5. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Former Peoples Temple member Larry Layton was convicted today of conspiracy in the 1978 murder of Rep. Leo Ryan (D-Calif.), which led to the mass murder-suicide of 912 cult members and their leader, the Rev. Jim Jones, in a Guyanese jungle eight years ago.
  13. ^ Drew, Bettina (February 1, 1999), "Indiana Jones's Temple of Doom", The Nation {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    On her return to the United States, [Deborah] Layton wrote an affidavit about the jungle compound that helped convince Congressman Leo Ryan to make his doomed journey there; she is also the sister of the still-incarcerated Larry Layton, the only one ever prosecuted for the murders of the Congressional team by temple members.
  14. ^ Associated Press (December 2, 1986), "LAYTON CONVICTED FOR ROLE IN 1978 JONESTOWN KILLING", Boston Globe {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    SAN FRANCISCO -- Larry Layton, the only former Peoples Temple member to be tried in this country, was convicted yesterday of conspiring in the 1978 murder of Rep. Leo Ryan, an act that triggered the mass murder-suicide by Rev. Jim Jones' followers in a South American jungle. A federal jury also convicted Layton, 40, of aiding and abetting in the murder of Ryan and of conspiracy and aiding and abetting in the attempted murder of Richard Dwyer, a US diplomat wounded in the attack.
  15. ^ Staff (December 2, 1986), "LAYTON GUILTY IN GUYANA SHOOTINGS", Sacramento Bee, pp. A1. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    The final chapter in the saga of People's Temple was inscribed here Monday by a jury that convicted former Temple member Larry Layton on four murder-related counts. Layton, 40, nearly cleared of the same charges by another jury here five years ago, was placid when the verdicts were read just after noon. He will be sentenced Jan. 23 by U.S. District Judge Robert Peckham and could draw a life term. He was found guilty of conspiring to kill Rep. Leo Ryan...
  16. ^ a b United States of America v. Laurence John LAYTON, 666 F.Supp. 1369, No. CR-80-416 RFP. U.S. (United States District Court, N.D. California. June 3, 1987).
  17. ^ Bell, Frank (2003), Larry Layton and Peoples Temple: Twenty-Five Years Later, Department of Religious Studies at San Diego State University: “Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple” {{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  18. ^ Joint Committee On Printing (1979). Leo J. Ryan - Memorial Services - Held In The House Of Representatives & Senate Of The U. S., Together With Remarks. Washington, D.C.: United States Congress. p. 89. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Sudol, Karen (November 24, 2004), "Keeping her brother's memory alive : Rep. Ryan's sister won't let people forget him or Jonestown", Asbury Park Press {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ a b "Statement on Signing the Bill Authorizing a Congressional Gold Medal Honoring the Late Representative Leo J. Ryan" (Press release). President Ronald Reagan. November 18, 1983. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ Trescott, Jacqueline (Nov 30, 1984). "Leo Ryan honored. (with Medal of Honor)". The Washington Post. pp. v107 pC4 col 5 (10 col in). {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
    In a private ceremony in the Oval Office yesterday, President Reagan presented the family of slain congressman Leo J. Ryan with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest civilian honor.
  22. ^ Staff (Nov 27, 1984). "Reagan to give medal for slain congressman. (Leo J. Ryan)". The New York Times. pp. pA25(L) col 2 (4 col in). {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ "Congressman Tom Lantos' Remarks on the 25th Anniversary of the Tragedy at Jonestown and the Death of Congressman Leo Ryan" (Press release). Tom Lantos. 2003-11-17. Retrieved 2006-09-08. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Holland, Jesse J. (August 31, 2005), "Roberts Poked at Congress As Reagan Lawyer", San Francisco Chronicle {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ Herald Staff (July 11, 1983), "PEOPLE UPDATE: PAT AND ERIN RYAN", The Miami Herald, pp. 2A. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Two daughters of the late Rep. Leo Ryan, hoping his death during a 1978 visit to the Guyana conclave of the Rev. Jim Jones was not in vain, want to have the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to him. Pat Ryan, 29, and Erin Ryan, 26, are canvassing congressional offices, hoping to get 218 cosponsors -- a majority of the House -- for a bill awarding Ryan the medal. They hope to have it in time for the fifth anniversary of his death on Nov. 18.
  26. ^ Endicott, William (Jan 12, 1981), "Leo Ryan's Daughter Joins Cult : Shannon Jo Ryan Follows Religious Guru", The Washington Post, pp. C1 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    The daughter of the late Rep. Leo J. Ryan (D-Calif.), who was killed in Jonestown, Guyana, two years ago by followers of cult leader Jim Jones, has become a devoted follower of a cult leader in India and has accepted him as "Bhagwan," or God.
  27. ^ Staff. (December 22, 1982), "Leo Ryan's Daughter Weds Guru Disciple", The Washington Post, pp. D12. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    RAJNEESHPURAM, Ore. (UPI) -- Shannon Ryan, the 30-year-old daughter of slain congressman Leo Ryan (D-Calif.) and a follower of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, will marry another disciple of the guru Dec. 27, a spokeswoman for the sect said yesterday.
  28. ^ Associated Press (November 20, 1984), ""Dad would understand' why she lives with cult group.", The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, pp. A6. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Although Rep. Leo Ryan was killed while investigating the religious cult run by the Rev. Jim Jones at Jonestown, Guyana, his daughter says her father would understand why she now lives in a commune as the follower of an Indian guru. Shannon Ryan, 32, a follower of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is now known as Ma Amirith Pritam and lives with her husband, also a follower of the guru, at Rajneeshpuram in rural Oregon...
  29. ^ a b Dearen, Jason (November 18, 2003), "Erin Ryan wants father to be appreciated", Oakland Tribune {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    Ironically, Erin Ryan now works as a legislative aide to State Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, who in 1978 served as legal counsel to her father. Speier was wounded in the ambush that killed Leo Ryan. Ryan's family underwent years of turmoil after her father's death. Her sister Shannon changed her name to Jasmine and joined a cult - which baffled many in the family. Her other sister, Patricia, became a leader in the anti-cult movement as president of the Cult Awareness Network. But Ryan separated herself in her career. She attended law school at UC's Hastings College of Law in San Francisco and got a job as an intelligence analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she worked for eight years until 1992.
  30. ^ Bay City News Report (November 18, 2003). "Tribute to congressman Leo Ryan held in Foster City". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  31. ^ Delevett, Peter (November 15, 2003), "Two children remember fathers' legacies 25 years after Jonestown.", San Jose Mercury News {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    On Tuesday, the congressman's daughter, Erin, plans to join the mourners at the Oakland, Calif., Evergreen Cemetery, where more than 400 victims of the Jonestown massacre are buried in a common grave. There she will encounter Jim Jones Jr., a Pacifica, Calif., man who, along with his two brothers, survived the murderous events of November 1978.
  32. ^ Apologetics Index. "Cult Info". Apologetics research. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  33. ^ Apologetics Index. "Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation". Apologetics Research. Retrieved 2007-01-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  34. ^ History Channel (2006). Decoding the Past: Cults: Dangerous Devotion: Scholars and survivors discuss the mystery of cults (Documentary). A&E Television Networks.
  35. ^ History Channel (2006). Jonestown Paradise Lost: Congressman Leo Ryan's fatal journey into "Jonestown," a community carved out of the jungles of Guyana by followers of pastor Jim Jones (Documentary). A&E Television Networks.
  36. ^ Stanley Nelson (October 20, 2006). Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Documentary). Firelight Media.
  37. ^ Vassar, Alex (2007.). "Leo J. Ryan, Democratic". JoinCalifornia.com. Retrieved 2007-01-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
Political offices
Preceded by
Unknown
 Councilman,
South San Francisco, California
1956 – 1962 		Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
 Mayor,
South San Francisco, California
1962 – 1962 		Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
 Delegate,
Democratic National Convention
1964 – 1968 		Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
 Delegate,
California State Democratic convention
1956 – 1972 		Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Glenn E. Coolidge
 Member,
California State Assembly
1962 – 1972 		Succeeded by
Lou Papan
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 11th congressional district
1973 – 1978 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leo_Ryan&oldid=114927122"