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Office Mem er dum * UNITEL .“) © sOVERNMENT \\ To: Mr. neds pate: February 19, 1958 FROM: M.A . sons - . boardman’ — : PL et s : Belmont = \ - z= — BOY, Se SUBJECT: tz Rosen Tomm Trotter -MONTREAL 29, QUEBEC, CANADA Mf a ane onenal . WN Hollonan — re ; oan ~ A letter from captioned jpgividual dated 2-13-58 has been reoslieh with a copy of unicatiori which sent to the Director dated 12-30-57. At is-noted cn lll seeking information from the Director concerning Caryl | “Chessman, the "red light bandit" of Los Angeles who was convicted on 17 counts of -' kKidnaping, robbery and sexual assault in 1948, and who has been sentenced tobe =! 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. : ~ 7, first wrote the Director on December 11, 1957, and requested information concerning the case and desired to know what the Director's reactions 4 were to various docuiients 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 ae: 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. - Inhis letter of December 30, 19 91, MID veitoratea his request for the Director's reaction to the documents presented by Brown. His communicatioi was afforded no acknowledgment since it was obvious that his intentions were t : 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 ‘lll 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 with a reply. 4427 Teo wen RECOMMENDATION: That no acknowledgment be made of QP letter otose eee ar no bi 13, 1958. <7 + an February 13, i Orr a8 : ¥ ©) . — “GL,APR 101958 wae CBF (Qos) .