GORDON NOVEL'S LETTER TO HOWARD J. OSBORN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06816161
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: October 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2013-00862
• Publication Date: April 19, 1979

Approved for Release: 2019/10/22 006816161
OGC 79-03669
19 April 1979
������
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Security
FROM: John K. Greaney
Associate General Counsel
SUBJECT: Gordon Novel's Letter to Howard J. Osborn
1. On 6 April 1979 you sent me a letter which Howard
J. Osborn received from Gordon Novel. In my opinion this
letter contains a threat of blackmail on Novel's part and I
suggest you send the letter to the FBI recommending they
investigate for possible criminal prosecution the circum-
stances surrounding the writing of this letter.
2. Gordon Novel was arrested in February 1976 and
charged with conspiracy'to firebomb the Federation of
Churches Building at 330 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans,
Louisiana, during the 1976 Mardi Gras festival. Novel was
tried in the Orleans Parish Court in November 1976 and the
trial resulted in a hung jury. Subsequently, a second trial
was scheduled in New Orleans in January 1977 and Novel fled
to Georgia. While in a fugitive status, he filed a complaint
in the U. S. District Court in Atlanta on 13 April 1977
entitled Novel v. Louisiana Expo, Inc., et al. In that
civil suit two of the defendants listed were Howard J.
Osborn, former Director of Security, CIA, and Peter Houck,
formerly assigned to DCD's New Orleans Office and currently
assigned to DCD elsewhere.
3. On 29 November 1977 the District Court in Atlanta
transferred the civil case to the U. S. District Court in
New Orleans. On 8 February 1978 the Department of Justice
authorized the U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of
Louisiana to represent Messrs. Osborn and Houck. Gordon
Novel was tried and convicted on the firebomb charge on
30 January 1979 and is presently serving a sentence in New
Orleans. The U. S. Attorney filed a motion to dismiss the
civil suit which included affidavits from Messrs. Osborn and
Houck. The judge has ruled on that motion and dismissed the
lawsuit.
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4. For the FBI's information, the Assistant U. S.
Attorney handling the civil litigation in New Orleans is
Marc J. Yellin, [phone], and he could furnish the
Bureau additional information about Gordon Novel
K. Greane
OGC:JKG:sin
1
- OGC Subj: Litigation,
Civil - Novel, Gordon (cf)
1
- JKG signer
(original ltr fr Novel to Osborn
1
- Chrono
w/memo to Security)
/
returned
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55/25/ CONFIDENTIAL
ADV SLOTTED OGC 2319Z 'STAFF'
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79 2078299
PAGE 001
TOR: 022304Z MAR 79
0
C 0NFIDENTIAL022213z MAR 79 STAFF
CITE DCD/LOS ANGELES 17086
TO: PRIORITY DIRECTOR INFO DCD/HEADQUARTERS,
JOHN GREANEY FROM PETER HOUCK
LCDATA
REF: DIRECTOR 389773
IN 2078299
LADC 17086
1, PARA 2 BELOW CONTAINS AN ANOTATED AND COMPLETED AFFIDAVIT.
WHICH YOU MAY PREPARE FOR MY SIGNATURE, UPON RECEIPT OF 'THE'
TYPED AFFIDAVIT AND A COPY OF GORDON 'NOVEL'S COMPLAINT, I WILL
FORWARD THE SIGNED AFFIDAVIT TO THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN NEW
ORLEANS..
2. AFFIDAVIT FOLLOWS:
I, PETER HOUCK, BEING DULY SWORN, DEPOSE AND SAY:
1. I AM EMPLOYED BY..THE-CENTRALANTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA)
AND HAVE .BEEN SINCE AUGUST.-1967, I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 'DOMESTIC
COLLECTION DIVISION OFFICE OF THE CIA IN 'NEW ORLEANS, .LOUISIANA
FROM JUNE 1971 TO JUNE 1977, IN THAT CAPACITY.I. COLLECTED INFOR-
MATION FROM PERSONS WHO VOLUNTEERED. THEIR. 10 THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT..
2.. IN THE. PERFORMANCE OF MY-OFFICIAL DUTIES IN
NEW ORLEANS,' LOUISIANA, I. WAS CONTACTED BY GORDON, NOVEL ON
APPROXIMATELY 31 OCTOBER 1975.w/TH A.PROPOSALITHAT,MR. NOVEL WAS
SEEKING..CIA SUPPORT FOR A "PROJECT MORNINGSTAR. � IN THE COURSE. OF
THIS AND SUBSEQUENT-CONVERSATIONS, I RECEIVED A DESCRIPTION OF
PROJECT MORNINGSTAR AND SUBMITTED 'THIS PROPOSAL TO MY' HEADQUARTERS
TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ANY INTEREST ON BEHALF OF THE-CIA IN
ASSISTING MR, NOVEL' WITH HIS PROJECT. MY HEADQUARTERS ADVISED
ME THAT CIA HAD NO INTEREST IN PROJECT MORNINGSTAR AND I -SO
ADVISED MR. NOVEL.. �
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fr
CONFIDENTIAL
STAFF
79 2078299
.PAGE 002' IN 2078299
TOR: 022304Z MAR 79 LADC 17086 .
3. MR. NOVEL WAS PROSECUTED IN ORLEANS PARISH
DISTRICT COURT IN OCTOBER 1976. ON OCTOBER 28, 1976 I APPEARED
AS A REBUTTAL WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION AND TESTIFIED TO THE
LIMITED CONTACT I HAD WITH MR. NOVEL ON PROJECT MORNINGSTAR AS
EXPLAINED IN PARAGRAPH 2.
4. SINCE MY ONLY OTHER CONTACTS WITH MR. NOVEL HAVE
BEEN VIA NUMEROUS TELEPHONE CALLS FROM MR. NOVEL AND ON PERSONAL
MEETING AT WHICH I ASKED MR. NOVEL SNOT TO CALL ME ANYMORE, I HAVE
RECEIVED NO SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION FROM HIM.. I DEPARTED NEW
ORLEANS IN JUNE 1977 BECAUSE OF REASSIGNMENT TO ANOTHER CITY.
5, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SERVED .WITH A COMPLAINT OR
SUMMONS IN THE ABOVE.-CAPTIONED CASE. I HAVE NEVER ENGAGED IN A
COMBINATION OR CONSPIRACY WITH ANY .OTHER DEFENDANTS IN THIS CASE
OR WITH ANYONE ELSE TO PERFORM ANY OF THE ALLEGED 'ACTS IN THE .
COURSE OF MY OFFICIAL DUTIES AND. IN ACCORDANCE. WITH MY RESPONS..
IULITIES. I HAVE NEVER ACTED WITH MALICIOUS 'INTENT AGAINST '
MR..NOVEL. I HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO DEPRIVE!MR.NOVEL OF ANY
OF HIS .CONSTITUTIONAL:RtGHTS'OR TO CAUSE HIM ANY OTHER INJURY,
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79 2076222
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PAGE 001
TOT: 021607Z MAR 79
FRP:
STAFF
if I OM,
DIRECTOR 389773
(b)(3)
CONFIDENTIAL
STAFF 0216072 DIRECTOR 389773
TO: IMMEDIATE DCD/LOS ANGELES INFO DCD/HEADQUARTERS.
LCDATA
FOR PETER HOUCK FROM JOHN GREANEY
1. THE US ATTORNEY NEW ORLEANS HAS REQUESTED AN AFFIDAVIT
FROM YOU TO SUPPORT A MOTION TO DISMISS THE CIVIL SUIT GORDON
NOVEL FILED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN APRIL 1977. THESE PAPERS ARE
TO BE FILED ON 12 MARCH,
2. PLEASE REVIEW THE DRAFT AFFIDAVIT IN PARA 3 AND INSERT
THE APPROPRIATE DATES AND YOUR FULL NAME. THEN SEND YOUR RESPONSE
VIA CABLE TO HOS ON MONDAY 5 MARCH. WE WILL THEN TYPE THE
AFFIDAVIT IN FINAL FORM AND MAIL IT TO YOU FOR SIGNING. YOU WILL
THEN HAVE TO MAIL IT TO NEW ORLEANS.
3, AFFIDAVIT FOLLOWS:
PETER HOUCK, BEING DULY SWORN, DEPOSE AND SAY:
1. I .AM EMPLOYED BY THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA)
AND HAVE BEEN SINCE (DATE). I wAS ASSIGNED TO THE DOMESTIC
COLLECTION DIVISION OFFICE OF THE CIA IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
FROM (DATE) TO (DATE). IN THAT CAPACITY I COLLECTED INFORMATION
FROM PERSONS WHO VOLUNTEERED THEIR SERVICES TO THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT.
2. IN THE PERFORMANCE OF MY OFFICIAL DUTIES IN
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, I WAS CONTACTED BY GORDON NOVEL ON
APPROXIMATELY (DATE) WITH A PROPOSAL THAT MR, NOVEL WAS SEEKING
CIA SUPPORT FOR A "PROJECT MORN/NGSTAR," IN THE COURSE OF THIS
CONVERSATION, I RECEIVED A DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT mORNINGSTAR AND
SUBMITTED THIS PROPOSAL TO MY HEADQUARTERS TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS
ANY INTEREST ON BEHALF OF THE CIA IN ASSISTING MR, NOVEL WITH HIS
PROJECT. MY HEADQUARTERS ADVISED ME THAT CIA HAD NO INTEREST IN
PROJECT MORNINGSTAR AND I SO ADVISED MR. NOVEL.
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79 2076222 PAGE 002
TOT: 021607Z MAR 79 DIRECTOR 389773
3. MR. NOVEL WAS PROSECUTED IN THE ORLEANS PARISH
DISTRICT COURT IN OCTOBER 1976, ON OCTOBER 28, 1976 I APPEARED AS
A REBUTTAL WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION AND TESTIFIED TO THE
LIMITED CONTACT I HAD WITH MR. NOVEL ON PROJECT MORNINGSTAR AS
EXPLAINED IN PARAGRAPH 2.
4, SINCE my ONLY OTHER CONTACTS WITH MR. NOVEL HAVE
BEEN VIA SEVERAL TELEPHONE CALLS FROM MR, NOVEL, I HAVE RECEIVED
NO SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION FROM HIM. I DEPARTED NEW ORLEANS IN
APRIL 1977 BECAUSE OF REASSIGNMENT TO ANOTHER CITY.
5. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SERVED WITH A COMPLAINT OR
SUMMONS IN THE ABOVE-CAPTIONED CASE. I HAVE NEVER ENGAGED IN A
COMBINATION OR CONSPIRACY wITH ANY OTHER DEFENDANTS IN THIS CASE
OR WITH ANYONE ELSE TO PERFORM ANY OF THE ALLEGED ACTS IN THE
PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT. EVERY CONTACT WITH MR, NOVEL WAS IN THE
COURSE OF mY OFFICIAL DUTIES AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY RESPONS-
IBILITIES. I_ HAVE NEVER ACTED WITH MALICIOUS INTENT AGAINST
MR, NOVEL, I HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO DEPRIVE MR. NOVEL OF ANY
OF HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGTS OR TO CAUSE HIM ANY OTHER INJURY,
6.
ORIG: OGC (GREANEY X1835):
AUTH:
(GREANEY x1835.
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