Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of death and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
Hulu documentary Cult Massacre: One Day at Jonestown chronicles the journey of cult leader Jim Jones. Furthermore, it focuses on how he urged his followers to take their own lives following the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan by his armed men. Reports indicate that 918 people died in the Jonestown massacre, while 90 managed to survive. One of the survivors and Jones’ son, Stephan Gandhi Jones, appeared in the documentary and talked about his father and what happened at Jonestown on November 18, 1978.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Stephan Gandhi Jones was a high-school student when he reached Jonestown. The outlet reported that he went there to help his father build the small town. However, his life was miserable because Jim Jones would humiliate him if he ever tried to oppose him. Speaking in an interview with Penthouse Magazine, Gandhi Jones said, “Yes. Anytime I got up in front of everybody, he made a point to tear into me, humiliate me.” Additionally, he told the publication that people would be locked inside an underground cubicle as a punishment.
On November 18, 1978, when Congressman Leo Ryan arrived in Jonestown, Stephan Gandhi Jones and the basketball team went to Georgetown to play a tournament. St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Gandhi Jones refused to come back to the town and survived the deadly massacre. He also noted that he coped with the incident by consuming drugs and exercising. Gandhi Jones said, “I focused my rage on Dad and his circle, rather than deal with me.”
What did Jim Jones’ son Stephan Gandhi Jones reveal in the documentary?
Cult Massacre: One Day at Jonestown includes an interview with Jonestown massacre survivor Stephan Gandhi Jones, who happens to be Jim Jones’ son. In the project, Stephan called his father as “dynamic” while explaining why so many people followed him. Citing his statement, USA Today noted, “Why would anybody follow that guy? There must’ve been something wrong with these people from the start.’ Dad was dynamic at times.”
Stephan Gandhi Jones also called his father “nuts” and revealed that most of his crazy behavior went unnoticed. He said, “A lot of my father’s craziness was well hidden for years, but he was as nuts as anybody gets.”
The documentary also features interviews with several surviving members, including a member of Congressman Leo Ryan’s staff. Cult Massacre: One Day at Jonestown is available for streaming on Hulu.
