SAC Atlanta to Director re attorney Henry L. Bowden material on Brown and Coffelt

FD-36 (Rev. 2-14-74)

FBI Date: 5/13/77

Transmit the following in _______________ (Type in plaintext or code)

Via AIRTEL (Precedence)

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TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (164-2111)

FROM: SAC, ATLANTA (164-254) (RUC)

SUBJECT: NORJAC OO:SEATTLE

Enclosed for Las Vegas is a file containing numerous letters written by JAMES H. BROWN to HENRY L. BOWDEN, Attorney at Law, Atlanta, Georgia.

Upon a recent visit to Atlanta, the Honorable GRIFFIN B. BELL, Attorney General of the United States, advised an agent of the FBI in Atlanta, that HENRY L. BOWDEN, Attorney at Law, Atlanta, Georgia, advised he had some information regarding instant matter, which he desired to furnish an FBI Agent.

HENRY L. BOWDEN, Partner, Lockey and Bowden, Attorneys at Law, 2610 First National Bank Tower, Atlanta, was contacted telephonically and he set an appointment for interview by an FBI Agent for 3:15 PM, 5/12/77.

Upon interview on 5/12/77, BOWDEN advised that he is a long time friend of Judge BELL and related a resume of the following information to Judge BELL to see if this matter would be of interest to the Attorney General's Office and to the FBI. Upon receiving Judge BELL's affirmative response, BOWDEN related the following information and furnished his entire file in this matter. He has contacted JAMES H. BROWN, the author of the material contained in this file, and has secured BROWN's permission to turn this material over to the FBI and has expressed his complete cooperation with the FBI in this matter.

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2 - Bureau 2 - Seattle (164-81) 2 - Las Vegas (164-60) (Enc. 1) 1 - Los Angeles (164-497) 1 - Atlanta JRMW/sr (8)

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Approved: ______________________ Sent ______________ M Per ______ Special Agent in Charge

DB COOPER-55457 GPO:1975 O-190-992

[handwritten, partially illegible]: 164-81-75[illegible]

AT 164-254

BOWDEN related that he was first put in contact with BROWN in about 1946, when BROWN was a prisoner at the United States Penitentiary, Atlanta, Georgia. BROWN was, at that time, a military prisoner serving a sentence for Rape and Attempted Rape. BROWN's trial and defense had been handled by another attorney, who upon leaving private practice, asked BOWDEN to look after BROWN in jail and help him if he could. BOWDEN, after reviewing the appropriate transcripts and records, did not file appeal or attempt to open BROWN's case, but he did succeed in obtaining a reduction of sentence for BROWN. BROWN, out of gratitude, maintained contact with BOWDEN through the years and recently began a series of letters and phone calls from Las Vegas, Nevada, where he now resides to BOWDEN and related the following story:

While BROWN was serving time in Atlanta Penitentiary, he became acquainted with DAVID BRYANT COFFELT, a fellow [strikethrough: inmate] [handwritten X mark]. During their years of confinement together, they collaborated on a literary story, written for the purpose of sale and personal gain entitled, "Cleave The Liquid Sky". The story was written in the local of the Kansas/ Oklahoma area and according to BROWN is somewhat biographical. BROWN writes that after his release from the Atlanta Penitentiary in 1952, he had no further contact with DAVID BRYANT COFFELT until the latter part of 1961, at which time BROWN and his wife were living in Utah. COFFELT contacted BROWN at that time and indicated that he was a student at the University of Kansas, and desired a copy of the manuscript to use in courses he was taking at that time. During 1973, after no further contact with COFFELT during the interim period, BROWN decided to rewrite and attempt to sell the book, "Cleave The Liquid Sky" and as a result, he attempted and succeeded in re-establishing contact with COFFELT. In 7/73, BROWN recontacted COFFELT at COFFELT's home in Virginia, and in the ensuing conversation, COFFELT indicated that he had other matters pending at the time and that BROWN could proceed with the rewriting and sale of the book. BROWN's next contact with COFFELT was in 1/74, at which time COFFELT allegedly identified himself to BROWN as D.B. COOPER, the highjacker in instant matter. He relayed certain information to BROWN, which in

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DB COOPER-55458

AT 164-254

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BROWN's mind established his identity as the highjacker, and outlined a plan whereby BROWN and COFFELT would return to the area in the Cascade Mountains, where together, they would conduct a search and recover the ransom money paid in this case.

BROWN writes that he and COFFELT actually did make a camping trip into the Cascade Mountains and a search was conducted without success in locating the ransom money.

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The file furnished by BOWDEN contains information from BROWN reflecting that he has been paid at [guess: least] the sum of $10,000 relating to a story which he is contemplating relating to the D.B. COOPER case. It appears that BROWN intends to describe COFFELT through an appropriate pseudonym as the actual highjacker in instant matter and plans to write of their trip together and the unsuccessful search that they conducted to recover the ransom money paid in this case. BOWDEN related that COFFELT is now dead based on information furnished by BROWN, having died in Honolulu, approximately one year ago or more and that COFFELT's wife is presently residing there.

A review of the material written by BROWN contains innuendoes that the Government and particularly the FBI does not desire to solve instant matter nor to find the ransom money, which was paid. BROWN alleges that COFFELT had and perhaps still has friends in the Department of Justice or the FBI.

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[illegible bracket/marking marks, no discernible text]

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The files maintained at the U.S. Penitentiary, Atlanta, disclose that JAMES HENRY BROWN, JR., Number 65249-A, was received at the Atlanta Penitentiary on 5/21/45, as a military prisoner out of North Carolina, charged with Assault to Rape and Rape. He was sentenced to serve a term of 20 years. He was given a conditional release from Atlanta on 10/25/52.

Files at Atlanta Penitentiary also disclose that DAVID BRYANT COFFELT, was received at Atlanta Penitentiary, on 4/28/49, to serve a term of 10 years

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DB COOPER-55459

AT 164-254

upon conviction in the Western District of Tennessee, at Memphis, on charges of ITSMV and Attempted Escape. On 1/11/54, he was transferred to the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Records, U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas, as furnished by [redacted] disclose that BRYANT COFFELT, aka J.C. Ross, John Hardy, Jr., was granted a conditional release from that institution on 7/20/55. Records relating to this incarceration have been forwarded to GSA, Kansas City, Missouri.

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HENRY LUMPKIN BOWDEN has been practicing law in Atlanta, Georgia, for a period in excess of 20 years and is highly regarded in the legal profession. At one time, he was Attorney for the City of Atlanta. He has requested that his file be returned to him when the FBI no longer has need of this material.

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LEADS

LAS VEGAS DIVISION

AT LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

1)Will consider the desirability of an interview with JAMES H. BROWN, 3936 East Reno Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89120, regarding disclosures made to him by BRYANT COFFELT.

2)Las Vegas is requested to return the enclosed file to the Atlanta Division when it has served its purpose.

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[partial stamp text] ...ED AND DANGEROUS [guess: ARMED AND DANGEROUS]

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DB COOPER-55460