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@ sen Office Mem Cr dum - UNITED ) © #OVERNMENT Ne To : Mr. Nedget ode _ pate: February 19, 1958 Ww o . , ~ 49 Telson 2... : : an Loe : hichols — : . fy f of oe 47 Cy Mahe _ \ a) Parsons & SUBJECT: us Rosen “MONTREAL 29, QUEBEC, CANADA ; ih a . Noose —— * . , iN Holloman - . - . ¢ ‘i Gan Yo ” A letter from captioned ipgividual dated 2-13-58 has been received? ‘ with a copy of a unication which sent to the Director dated 12-30-57. ee _It is-noted that is seeking information from the Director concerning Caryl _ : “Chessman, the "red light bandit" of Los Angeles who was convicted on 17 counts of ’ kidnaping, robbery and sexual assault in 1948, and who has been sentenced to’ i | executed, but the United States Supreme Court ordered new State (California). Court hearings in the case in July, 1957, on the basis that the court record of his original trial was fraudulently prepared. . -~ first wrote the Director on December 11, 1957, and requested information concerning the case and desired to know what the Director's reactions were to various docunients which had been supplied by one Wenzell Brown, an author, who is Chairman of the Writer's Committee which was organized for the sole purpose of preventing Chessman's execution, It is noted that in July, 1954, the afore-mentioned Brown sent the Bureau a copy of information alleging that there was doubt that Chessman was guilty of the crime for which he had been convicted. No acknowledgment was made of the receipt of this information from Brown. His letter was referred to the Department in July, 1954, and the Department advised . that no es: was desired. By letter of December 18, 1957, the Director advised that inasmuch as Chessman was indicted and tried in the courts of. , the State of California for offenses not within the investigative jurisdiction of the FBI, ‘the.Director could offer him no assistance. It was also pointed out that data in the files of this Bureau is confidential and available for official use only. - In his letter of December 30, 1957, reiterated his request a for the Director's reaction to the documents presented by Brown. His communicatjai i was afforded no acknowledgment since it was obvious that his intentions were to” At, : draw the Director and the FBI into the Chessman case and into the controvers: “whi has been.instigated by Brown and his associates, Likewise, it appears that is continuing his efforts in this regard through his letter of 2-13-58, and since he has already been advised of the lack of FBI jurisdiction and our inability to assist him, it is not believed this letter should be dignified witha reply. #Y= (ahem try RECOMMENDATION: That no acknowledgment be made of SP tettex viiose February 13, 1958. <7" nant Va a GITAPR 101958 wSReee 2 es258 er eg = a: ‘CBF:ij (2 035 a A